Another defeat for Kentucky prohibitionists!

America's Founders urged celebrating every Fourth of July with fireworks and other amusements. And now I'm pleased to announce that we can add yet another bill to 3 major bills that the other side didn't get their way on in the Kentucky legislature this year.

I'm an economic populist and civil libertarian, and I know prohibition doesn't work. When we prohibit something, we can't properly regulate it. For years, Kentucky had been officially prohibitionist regarding most consumer fireworks, but the laws were seen as so antiquated that they were seldom seriously enforced until relatively recently.

Now that may be moot. Among the bills approved in this year's session is a long-overdue bill that legalizes and regulates most fireworks. Now it's been signed into law, and it'll take effect in time for this year's festivities! I guess that means no more of this hide-and-go-seek bullshit every time you feel like shooting off a firecracker on Independence Day.

Naturally, I never saw the Tea Parties lift a finger in support of this sensible bill. Surprise, surprise.

What's the score on the 4 major prohibition-related bills in this year's session now? The Good Republic, 4. The Evil Empire, 0. In KENTUCKY, of all places! (I'm counting the drug warrior bills among the 4, though some had more to do with classism than prohibition.)

Amazing! What will be the result of this sudden renewed interest in civil liberties and economic equality in the Bluegrass State? Is this going to touch off a statewide panic, or is everybody going to be in such shock that they won't know how to appreciate it?