4 ms·
This isn't quite accurate either. It was the Volstead Act - an act of Congress - that defined the breadth of the ban (i.e. what constitutes intoxicating liquors
by allturtles 5y ago
This isn't quite accurate either. It was the Volstead Act - an act of Congress - that defined the breadth of the ban (i.e. what constitutes intoxicating liquors). The Supreme Court did uphold the legality of the Volstead Act.
- wahern 5y agoNoted. Thank you. And for more context, the Volstead Act passed with supermajorities in Congress, enshrining a war-time prohibition (based on war-time powers) that was already in effect. So there were indeed some very strong political dynamics pushing for strict alcohol prohibition, but arguably not enough alone to get from inception to a constitutionally enumerated power. Perhaps the better lesson is that there is no simple narrative.