January 16 1920. The Puritans have run wild with power and have control of the Government of the United States, The Congress, the Judicial Branch, and the White House are all occupied by people who think they know what is best for everyone else.
Today is the 92nd anniversary of Prohibition in the United States. Never has a domestic policy been so flawed or backfired so badly as prohibition in our nation’s history. Some may argue that the “War on Drugs” is equally as flawed, but I would argue that that policy makes more sense than prohibition ever did. Not only did prohibition make criminals out of everyday people it also spawned the biggest and largest organized crime wave in the history of this nation and the world. Some can even argue that Prohibition created the drug problem this country has today, as once the country came to its senses and repealed this awful law, the infrastructure that was built around supplying alcohol to the masses then switched its focus to drugs and gambling.
Instead of dwelling on the dark times and all that was the result of this flawed logic I’d like to raise a glass to one of the true poineers that pulled us out of the dark ages and rebuilt an industry. Jim Beam, pictured above, pulled the stills out of mothballs and fired them back up, filling the rick houses with barrels and barrels of Jim Beam Bourbon. He was a true pioneer and gave us back our sanity and the industry that we love so dearly around these parts.
Yes he is one of the founders of the Whiskey industry as it was pulling itself back together after it was systematically dismantled by the government. I’d like to take a moment and salute the memory of a great American, Jim Beam. Thank you sir for all your hard work and perseverance in returning this nation’s spirits industry back to its former glory. Tonight I raise a glass of Jim Beam Devil’s Cut to the memory of a fine Kentucky Gentleman and a true American Pioneer, Jim Beam.
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
Oh, I thought “P” day was yesterday, when the Giants thrashed your precious Packers.
Too soon?
😉
No, that was “G” Day Jim, and now that the Pack is gone I’m rooting for the Giants all the way. If for some reason the Niners beat them, I’m rooting for the other team in the Super bowl. That would be a cruel twist of fate, having to root for the Pa…Pa..Patriots. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth just writing about it.
I have a dream! I have been to the mountain top, and I have seen Tom Brady hoisting his 4th Lombardi Trophy high into the air!
I thought it was the “P” word.
It is the “P” word, but on the day of enacting the “P” word, it is “P” Day. Kind of like Puff Daddy changed to Puffy, then to P-Ditty, then to Ditty, now I think he is just Sean Combs. Gotta keep up Norm!
Hey Bro, you trying to open Pandora’s Box or what?
Your post is great & the comment about the Puritans is spot-on, but I’d like to throw ’em all in one pot–Dems, GOP, whatever, they’re all the same–shut the lid and drop it into the ocean. We’re seeing the biggest hit to our civil liberties in the history of our nation. What wud Ben, Tom & John say?
‘Nuff said, zippin it!
Agreed. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people are entirely too stupid and self-absorbed to give a damn enough to do anything about it.
Wow…this sunk like a stone…tough crowd lol.
If you want to talk about organized crime explosions look no further than the War on Drugs. Makes Prohibition look like a cakewalk, we never had to send troops to Canada to stop the bootleggers but we’ve been sending troops into Columbia for decades, we’ve had planes poisoning marijuana crops in Mexico, Mexican drug cartels are at war with the government and our prisons are full of people who’ve been popped for having a few joints one too many times. Prohibition is a lesson we should have learned, you can’t legislate what people do behind closed doors, you can only regulate and when necessary rehabilitate.
Don & I have had this conversation before Ryan. He thinks that the Prohibition Era was worse–I don’t agree. One thing I do have to give him in this regard is his insight that the organized crime infrastructure developed during Prohibition was the springboard for what we encounter today–drugs, human trafficking, kiddie-porn, arms-smuggling, tobacco running, etc.
Can’t argue with that as to some extent those “industries” are run essentially the same, just with a bit more craftiness, a lot more volume and a lot more firepower.