3rd March 2010, 1:47 PM
The US government doesn't operate a lottery. State governments do.
Also, since you claim to be a proponent of personal freedom, why should you care? Even if this woman is being irresponsible with it (and I know a lot are), that's really their business, isn't it? Because, again: the lottery is entirely voluntary. If you want to criminalize it because some poor people are irresponsible, you should just take that thread of logic right to its destination and mandate that poor people should have their finances managed by someone more competent than themselves, so that they are never 'suckered' by evil products such as lottery tickets and cigarettes. Or video games. Or magazine subscriptions. Or DVDs. Or cable TV. Or anything else that constitutes unnecessary luxury of a constant investment for people who can't strictly afford it.
Besides, what's one more tax on the American Dream when we already have more than we can even count? I'd rather keep the lottery and decriminalize minor traffic violations, myself. But, of course, I'm a Virginian, and our state makes no bones about using its police force as tax collectors for transportation funding.
Also, since you claim to be a proponent of personal freedom, why should you care? Even if this woman is being irresponsible with it (and I know a lot are), that's really their business, isn't it? Because, again: the lottery is entirely voluntary. If you want to criminalize it because some poor people are irresponsible, you should just take that thread of logic right to its destination and mandate that poor people should have their finances managed by someone more competent than themselves, so that they are never 'suckered' by evil products such as lottery tickets and cigarettes. Or video games. Or magazine subscriptions. Or DVDs. Or cable TV. Or anything else that constitutes unnecessary luxury of a constant investment for people who can't strictly afford it.
Besides, what's one more tax on the American Dream when we already have more than we can even count? I'd rather keep the lottery and decriminalize minor traffic violations, myself. But, of course, I'm a Virginian, and our state makes no bones about using its police force as tax collectors for transportation funding.
YOU CANNOT HIDE FOREVER
WE STAND AT THE DOOR
WE STAND AT THE DOOR