"states' rights"--why would minorities and women support?

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@John_Mace

I don’t recall what Reagan had to do with the drinking age other than, again, not vetoing the bill.

He actively shilled for it because he thought MADD would deliver him votes.

‘‘Some may feel that my decision is at odds with my philosophical viewpoint that state problems should involve state solutions, and it isn’t up to a big and overwhelming Government in Washington to tell the states what to do,’’ he said. ‘‘And you’re partly right.’’

But he added that the problem of drunken driving was ‘‘a national tragedy involving transit across state borders,’’ and that it was one of a few ‘‘special cases in which overwhelming need can be dealt with by prudent and limited Federal action.’’

‘‘In a case like this, where the problem is so clear cut and the benefits are so clear cut, then I have no misgivings about a judicious use of Federal inducements to encourage the states to get moving, raise the drinking age, and save precious lives,’’ Mr. Reagan said.