Prohibition failed for one reason: noncompliance. Bars closed but speakeasy's opened. Distilleries were shuttered but stills popped up in woods and other out of the way places. The public defied the law. Why? You need a whole lot more than a constitutional amendment to convince people that need to lead a cleaner life.
I have thought, since at least the Summer of 2020, that restrictions placed on assembly and commerce more onerous than anything endured during wartime, to stop a a virus, , would have little practical effect. Restaurants closed but dinner tables were opened and welcomed guests. Parties were prohibited in public venues but not in a home. People got sick, others didn't.
It is on the basis of that non-compliance that many fear a resurgence that could have economic consequences. What is different this time are widely available vaccines, boosters, therapeutics and a whole lot of lived experience that inspired risk avoidance. Yes, people will get infected. Yes, some people will get sick. But what matters most are hospitalizations and deaths. For now, things appear under control.
Emily Evans
