Someone doesn't know that booze is in the amendments twice. 1 was prohibition, and the other later repealed that and said each state can do what ever they want. So showing an ID to prove age falls within acceptable due to states being allowed to do what they want. #notacommunist
Not only that, federal Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) didn't exist before 1984. That caused the minimum age to vary state to state. In my state, I was in step with the gradual increase from 18 to 21 for beer and unfortified wine when the law began. when the age went to 19, I was 19. The next year, it increased to 20, and so on. When it hit 21, I was already 21.
The reason there was a change was because, in 1971, the 26th Amendment lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18. The same year, 30 states lowered the legal drinking age to 18 to match. By 1982, only 14 states still have 21 as the legal age to drink.
However, the Federal Government does NOT have the power to mandate drinking ages. Instead, they tied federal highway funding to the states' minimum drinking age. If they didn't raise the minimum age. By 1988, all states had raised the drinking age to 21.
This answers OMNIGRUB'S question as to why someone must show proof of age to buy (and/or consume) alcohol.
So, in summary, the age (18, 21, whatever) at which someone can legally vote, drink or join the military is 100% arbitrary. It's forced upon the states using tax funding since the feds lack the legal authority to mandate it.
He still hasn't answered my question.