I've recently watched a video on YouTube discussing the effects on Prohibition and how it lead to the creation of an income tax. Understanding that the government lost 11 Billion dollars of revenue throughout Prohibition, something seemed off.

Why would local governments and states give up that kind of money?

Now I'm not a Historian, I do not have the knowledge to make any declarations so I figure why not ask people who may be more knowledgeable and point me in the right direction.

I do not believe religious politicians do anything for religious reasons. I believe they do it for power and the religion is just a gimmick they use to facilitate their power. But if push come to shove they will always do what's in their own best interest to maintain their own power.

So I got to thinking about Modern Conservatives and their idea of limited Government and lower taxes. Is it possible that "Conservative" Politicians of the time had an issue with the government of the time and saw Prohibition as a way to sabotage the government of the time knowing it would dramatically reduce the government's revenue?

What do you guys think? Were there any complaints organizations connected to prohibition had about the government? Any politicians who may have had a personal non religious benefit for Prohibition like a competing business or something? I don't buy the religious angle at all learning of this.