State Governments should not run lotteries

electrictroy

electrictroy

Banned
Simply put - The Government should not be encouraging Gambling Addicts to continue their sickness.

To me, selling a Lotto ticket to a Gambler is roughly equivalent to handing a Beer to an Alcoholic or a Ziggy to a Druggie. The Government should not be doing any of those things. The Government should not be encouraging sick people to continue their addictions.





As for private gambling houses, like Donald Trump's casinos, I don't care. If Mr. Trump likes to live rich off the Gambling Addicts... well I consider if immoral... but it's not my job to judge Mr. Trump. He'll have to face the consequences later, after death.
 
You're right its an inherint conflict of interest, unfortunately, for government, its just one of many conflicts...
 
[quote name='gregthomas77']And the government shouldn't sponsor weight loss initiatives. Think of all the eating disorders they have advanced.[/QUOTE]
What are you talking about? Tax-free groceries totally encourage over-eating!
 
[quote name='electrictroy']Simply put - The Government should not be encouraging Gambling Addicts to continue their sickness.

To me, selling a Lotto ticket to a Gambler is roughly equivalent to handing a Beer to an Alcoholic or a Ziggy to a Druggie. The Government should not be doing any of those things. The Government should not be encouraging sick people to continue their addictions.





As for private gambling houses, like Donald Trump's casinos, I don't care. If Mr. Trump likes to live rich off the Gambling Addicts... well I consider if immoral... but it's not my job to judge Mr. Trump. He'll have to face the consequences later, after death.[/QUOTE]

My mother's uncle won $250,000 last month in the Mega Millions game. He just got out of the hospital. Just because some addicts can't control themselves doesn't mean that the state shouldn't run a lottery. I am more concerned with how the lottery funds are being used for schools. In Virginia I think the funds aren't being used properly. If there isn't any state lottery guess what addicts will do? Play poker, shoot dice, bet on horses, play church bingo... the fact that the gambling is state promoted is irrelevant.
 
Yes, gambling preys on the weak-willed as a source of revenue for the state.

But we gotta make up for those rich bastards' tax cuts and loopholes (e.g. taxing income, and not wealth) somewhere.
 
[quote name='electrictroy']
To me, selling a Lotto ticket to a Gambler is roughly equivalent to handing a Beer to an Alcoholic or a Ziggy to a Druggie. [/QUOTE]

Sure... hes cute, but is he really addicting?

ziggy.jpg
 
Why don't you sue the state like Quacky Z wants to sue tobacco companies. In the words of Sol Rosenburg: "Sue everybody!" Most people will gamlble a little, take a hit, and say, "Gee, that sucked.....maybe I shouldn't do that again for a while."

It's called restraint. Tap into it!
 
"ziggy" refers to the paper used to roll marijuana cigarettes. At least, that's what people used to use.[quote name='GuilewasNK']Just because some addicts can't control themselves doesn't mean that the state shouldn't run a lottery. I am more concerned with how the lottery funds are being used for schools. [/QUOTE]
In my home state of Pennsylvania, the money is used to support Low-income Retired People with monthly checks. Which is fine, but if I was an old person, I could not in good conscience except that check. My reception of that check came at the cost of some Gambling Addict losing his/her life savings. I'd feel just as guilty about that, as if I handed a beer to an Alcoholic.

If the State needs extra funds, rather than encouraging Addicts to waste their savings on gambling, why not raise the income/sales tax & tax everybody??? That would be much more moral.
 
* No one is forcing anyone to buy lottery tickets.
* People with addictive personalities, can get addicted to virtually anything.
* There are plenty of other venues to gamble, not having a lottery wouldn't really help anyone, it would merely redirect their energies.
* Perhaps the government 'shouldn't' be doing this; conflict of interest, or unassured receipts. But there's lots of other things the government shouldn't be doing, that I'd prefer they work on first.
* It's currently a state decision, which is as it should be. Many states have lotteries, many do not.
* The "rich" currently pay most federal taxes [top 1%, ~34%: top 50%, ~96%]. There already is a 'wealth' tax--most states have property taxes, so they can take money from you for an asset you have owned for decades, when they aren't outright taking that asset from you. The ultimate in fairness would be moving to the national retail sales tax as described in the FairTax bill HR25/S25.
* I do agree, one of my main two issues with lotteries is the expenditure of that money. In many states it goes to 'education', without being used wisely. Simply throwing money at something doesn't necessarily improve that situation, the money needs to be used wisely. The other issue is how they imply that 'everyone's a winner.' Certainly the odds are on the backs of the tickets, but no one reads that fine print. But the information is there to be read. The other problem is that my state doesn't have one yet, so every time we go to GA, we have to buy tickets.
* Another issue is with this thinking: "If the State needs extra funds, rather than encouraging Addicts to waste their savings on gambling, why not raise the income/sales tax & tax everybody??? That would be much more moral.' Well, if the state 'needs' extra funds, it should start with reviewing where they're spending their money and use the money they do get more efficiently, you know, like 'real people' have to do, rather than confiscating greater proportions of their citizens money [because there is no 'state money', it all comes from taxpayers.]
 
So...how is SELLING lottery tickets to addicts any different than SELLING tobacco and alcohol to addicts....both alcohol and cigarettes are taxed by the government...
 
I don't know about other states but here in Michigan 100% of gambling profits go to the public school system. I think it's worth it.
 
[quote name='electrictroy']"ziggy" refers to the paper used to roll marijuana cigarettes. At least, that's what people used to use.[/QUOTE]

I just use a pop bottle and tin foil.... er... .... 8-[
 
[quote name='dtcarson']* Another issue is with this thinking: "If the State needs extra funds, rather than encouraging Addicts to waste their savings on gambling, why not raise the income/sales tax & tax everybody??? That would be much more moral.' Well, if the state 'needs' extra funds, it should start with reviewing where they're spending their money and use the money they do get more efficiently, you know, like 'real people' have to do, rather than confiscating greater proportions of their citizens money [because there is no 'state money', it all comes from taxpayers.][/QUOTE]

Everytime I read this kind of thinking, I can't help but consider that people rarely bring this logic over to the business sector, as if participating in the "free market" forgives corporations from similarly superfluous expenditures. Golf outings, advertising, company meetings, umbrellas in the drinks? Guess who pays for 'em? Of course you know the answer. With that in mind, I can't quite figure out why people want to hold our government accountable (oh, well, realistically, I can think of 200 billion reasons, and about 2000 more, but that's neither here nor there), but they want to excuse corporations that grossly overcompensate current and former upper-tier workers, advertise products unnecessarily (pharmaceutical s anyone), spend hundreds of thousands of *your* dollars lobbying in *their* financial interests), and otherwise further exploit the consumer in order to increase their stake in power, and yet somehow still manage to fall on their ass.

You pay for every paperclip Wal-Mart uses, and every piece of toiler paper a Delta executive wipes his or her ass with. Why, then, attribute blame solely to government misspending? Furthermore, it isn't business that bails out government when the latter overspends, but the former who overspends its (and, by virtue, our) money bailing out failed companies.

Just a note. Also, the previous year's abolition of the divided tax removed one key source of taxation on wealth that should not have been taken away to begin with. Lastly, while property taxes are means of taxing wealth, as property taxes (to the best of my knowledge) are used to fund schools locally (per district), it creates exceptional inherent inequalities at the public school level (i.e., the property taxes from the rich neighborhood aren't paying for public schools in the ghetto neighborhood).
 
[quote name='javeryh']Gambling addictions are make-believe, just like faeries, trolls and eskimoes.[/QUOTE]

No, trolls exist. Do a search on U2KTehGreatest
 
[quote name='mykevermin']You pay for every paperclip Wal-Mart uses, and every piece of toiler paper a Delta executive wipes his or her ass with. Why, then, attribute blame solely to government misspending? Furthermore, it isn't business that bails out government when the latter overspends, but the former who overspends its (and, by virtue, our) money bailing out failed companies.[/QUOTE]

Much of the government spending I see is penny wise, pound foolish.
 
You know what, troy? you're not allowed to worry about random stuff that doesn't affect you personally. This year is about finding happiness within, not vague things to worry about. If there's any real cause - environment, violence, peace, whatever, that actively supporting (with your time, not your money) makes you happier, go for it. Seriously. I can really respect that. But not stuff like this.

Personally, I believe that states should tax the heck out of TV box sets on DVD, because many people spend waaay too much of their lives watching the wretched things.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Lastly, while property taxes are means of taxing wealth, as property taxes (to the best of my knowledge) are used to fund schools locally (per district), it creates exceptional inherent inequalities at the public school level (i.e., the property taxes from the rich neighborhood aren't paying for public schools in the ghetto neighborhood).[/QUOTE]

That's too socialist. We don't live in a commie pinko f***ot society, now do we?:hot:
 
Hey while we're at it why don't we ban alcohol, soda pop, video games and everything else that 95% of the population can handle to save a few jokers like electrictroy who clearly lack the ability to cope with semi-freewill?
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']Hey while we're at it why don't we ban alcohol, soda pop, video games and everything else that 95% of the population can handle to save a few jokers like electrictroy who clearly lack the ability to cope with semi-freewill?[/QUOTE]

Problem is that everyday I pay for the people who can't put down the lottery tickets, ho-hos, or tequila shots. I pay in increased health care and insurance costs, not to mention welfare and foodstamps for the families of these people.

Government needs to be honest about the cost of gambling - will the taxes from another horse-betting track offset the cost of all of the gambling addiction centers and welfare that will have to be dolled out as a result.

I support legalized gambling, junk food, and liquor as long as they are taxed to a high enough level that these industries are not wasting my tax dollars.
 
[quote name='camoor']Problem is that everyday I pay for the people who can't put down the lottery tickets, ho-hos, or tequila shots. I pay in increased health care and insurance costs, not to mention welfare and foodstamps for the families of these people.

Government needs to be honest about the cost of gambling - will the taxes from another horse-betting track offset the cost of all of the gambling addiction centers and welfare that will have to be dolled out as a result.

I support legalized gambling, junk food, and liquor as long as they are taxed to a high enough level that these industries are not wasting my tax dollars.[/QUOTE]

Or the government could simply cut off aid to such people, solving the problem without creating another bureaucratic mess.

The government cannot regulate everything, at some point people must have the ability to choose their own destruction.

Although we could stop all these farm subsidies and the increase in production cost for Twinkies and Ho-hos would probably kill the cheap sweets market.
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']Or the government could simply cut off aid to such people, solving the problem without creating another bureaucratic mess.

The government cannot regulate everything, at some point people must have the ability to choose their own destruction.[/QUOTE]

It's awfully hard to watch children starve and do nothing about it because their father will not stop gambling away the family finances on Blackjack.
 
Well actually its U2K Tha Greate$t aka LegendaryU2K aka Tha Don U2K aka U2K aka The General aka Mystery Ridah aka Untouchable2K aka $till LegendaryU2K aka U.2.K aka U2K Tha Greatest or U2K Tha Greate$t.

But anyway, back on topic.

I dont agree, thats like saying people shouldnt sell porn because it might drag people back who got away from it. Now even tho they shouldnt sell porn to began with, i dont watch porn anymore, and i see people selling it all the time, but i'm not going near it.

Temptation is a b****, so dont fall for the devils tricks.

P.S. The lottery sucks, but thats just me.
 
[quote name='U2K Tha Greate$t']Well actually its U2K Tha Greate$t aka LegendaryU2K aka Tha Don U2K aka U2K aka The General aka Mystery Ridah aka Untouchable2K aka $till LegendaryU2K aka U.2.K aka U2K Tha Greatest or U2K Tha Greate$t.[/QUOTE]

Wow.
 
[quote name='U2K Tha Greate$t']Well actually its U2K Tha Greate$t aka LegendaryU2K aka Tha Don U2K aka U2K aka The General aka Mystery Ridah aka Untouchable2K aka $till LegendaryU2K aka U.2.K aka U2K Tha Greatest or U2K Tha Greate$t.

But anyway, back on topic.

I dont agree, thats like saying people shouldnt sell porn because it might drag people back who got away from it. Now even tho they shouldnt sell porn to began with, i dont watch porn anymore, and i see people selling it all the time, but i'm not going near it.

Temptation is a b****, so dont fall for the devils tricks.

P.S. The lottery sucks, but thats just me.[/QUOTE]

Shut the fuck up bitch.
 
[quote name='camoor']It's awfully hard to watch children starve and do nothing about it because their father will not stop gambling away the family finances on Blackjack.[/QUOTE]


Wow this topic really strayed. I don't care what the private sector does. If Trump wants to build his casino, and Mr. Smith wants to drive there to gamble.... so be it. It's a free country.


My original point was about the *government* handing Lotto tickets to Gambling addicts, or Beer to Alcoholics. Government should be held to the highest moral standard, and not encourage sick people with gambling addictions.
 
[quote name='electrictroy']My original point was about the *government* handing Lotto tickets to Gambling addicts, or Beer to Alcoholics. Government should be held to the highest moral standard, and not encourage sick people with gambling addictions.[/QUOTE]

Wow - where do you live? Here they make us pay for lottery tickets and beer.
 
[quote name='electrictroy']Government should be held to the highest moral standard, and not encourage sick people with gambling addictions.[/QUOTE]

Morals are a personal thing. Not universal - and it's certainly not in the realm of the government to decide what is and is not moral.
 
[quote name='electrictroy']Government should be held to the highest moral standard, and not encourage sick people with gambling addictions.[/QUOTE]

There is no single moral standard.
 
[quote name='elprincipe']Lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math.[/QUOTE]
Ditto. I like to think of it as a 'Stupidity Tax'. I've heard U2kth3Greatest is a generous contributor:lol:
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']Hey while we're at it why don't we ban alcohol, soda pop, video games and everything else that 95% of the population can handle to save a few jokers like electrictroy who clearly lack the ability to cope with semi-freewill?[/QUOTE]Seriously. Talk about killing a fly with a sledgehammer. You can't legislate morals. Oh wait ...:cry:
 
[quote name='camoor']It's awfully hard to watch children starve and do nothing about it because their father will not stop gambling away the family finances on Blackjack.[/QUOTE]

Then don't watch?:D

Having a child protection agency, adoption programs and orphanages is one thing, spending money to feed and house deadbeat parents is another.
 
[quote name='CappyCobra']Ditto. I like to think of it as a 'Stupidity Tax'. I've heard U2kth3Greatest is a generous contributor:lol:[/QUOTE]

:lol: "Wilfully and Purposely Ignorant Tax" would be more accurate, though.
 
Hmmmm. I didn't realize some people think it's "moral" or "acceptable" to hand beer to an alcoholic, or a Lotto ticket to a Gambling addict.

I'd call that a LACK of morality.
 
Hmmmm. I didn't realize some people think it's "moral" or "acceptable" to hand beer to an alcoholic, or a Lotto ticket to a Gambling addict.

I'd call that a LACK of morality.
 
[quote name='evanft']Seriously, fuck morality.[/QUOTE]

In all your litany of one-line "clever comeback" posts, one has never been clearer.
 
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