Here’s a fantastic proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit drunkenness throughout the United States and empower Congress and the states (concurrently) to enforce this proscription of individual behavior.
I wonder if the rule of lenity might work differently when individuals are prosecuted under federal laws designed to enforce constitutional prohibitions on private behavior (e.g., you might be statutorily enslaving someone, but we’ll make Congress be more clear about the scope of forbidden actions). Being imprisoned for personally violating the Constitution isn’t your run-of-the-mill deprivation of liberty.
Don’t miss the snarky annotations (no idea whose):
Why not add:
Section 3. That period of time, commonly known as Saturday night, is hereby stricken from the calendar of the United States, and abolished.
Section 4. Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to change human nature from time to time in its or their discretion.
Thanks to Christine Blackerby at the National Archives! This was in the House Judiciary Committee’s papers.