Reason brought us a new video yesterday about the question of legalizing home distilling. In the process, they illustrate (probably by accident) how an issue like this can bring our fractured nation together.

…making your own liquor at home is about as legal as making your own Meth at home….

The unfortunate fact is this: You cannot distill alcohol at home legally in the United States. Period. And you cannot distill alcohol commercially without overcoming regulatory hurdles that are to those of other beverages as the Rockies are to the Ozarks. As the cocktail revolution proceeds, the silliness of this situation becomes more readily apparent to ordinary people.

This thing I find so enjoyable about Reason’s piece (which is actually less persuasive than some of their stuff) is that it triggers an examination of how many disparate groups have a dog in this hunt, and on the same side. Actually, I’m not sure who would not be on the side of the angels here, except for entrenched corporate interests throwing around bribes campaign contributions, and the neo-prohibitionists. I genuinely don’t have a problem with either of these groups fighting distilling reform either. When the government makes itself a part of commerce, working the government is part of honest competition. (If you don’t like that, get the government out of private enterprise. But that’s a different post for a different blog.) As for the neo-prohibitionists… well, bless their hearts, they’re just a little stupid, God love ‘em.

But my point is the allies that this issue makes!

Hipster Douchebags and Toothless Hillbillys united at last!

Tea Party Anti-Regulation types and Manhattan Speakeasy Aficionados (George Washington was the nation’s largest whiskey distiller after being President)

Cunning Suburban Survivalists and Innovative Martha’s Vineyard Foodies

We even have conservatives giving it up for…Jimmy Carter?

You simply can’t be more uniting than that.