FUCKERS!

[Darunia]

Because, Weltall, he's a right-wing Republican, not a conservative...

Wrong. I'm a moderate conservative who votes Republican. I am not a right-wing republican. My atheism and hatred of the rich moderate my values. I suppose I transcend all political spectrums. I straddle them all. But, I choose to identify as a moderate conservative. And so it is.

The US government doesn't operate a lottery. State governments do.

Granted. I know that... it was a slip of the mind and keyboard that erred there on my part.

Also, since you claim to be a proponent of personal freedom, why should you care?

Your argument seems to be that, if one is a proponent of personal freedom, I am unentitled to view things as wrong. I view the state-sanctioned lottery as wrong. Should people be allowed to use a state lottery if there exists one: YES. Should the state HAVE a state-sanctioned lottery: NO.

If you want to criminalize it because some poor people are irresponsible...

Hmm... criminalize...

*Darunia summons a lackey*

You, peon. Find the transcripts from this thread and show me where I said it should be criminalized. Go!

(Peon bows away.)

*Darunia whiles away an hour tapping his fingers and enjoying soft drinks.*

(Peon returns)

DARUNIA: And?

PEON: There is no record, m'lord, of you ever having suggested that it should be criminalized. Rather, what you said, or rather, implied, is that it is immoral.

(Darunia rubs his chin and resumes writing his post on TC.)

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.

If there was a financially lucrative Massachusetts State Cigarette Commission that advertised smoking colorful cigarettes as playing a game, I would surely be on their case about it. Likewise with a Massachusetts States DVD Commission, or a Massachusetts States Magazine Subscriptions Commission. You need to see that I'm agains the idea of a government body influencing people into unhealthy habits it order to reap a profit. If the lottery was operated as a private venture, while I would still never endorse it, my angst would lift slightly. But governent-sponsored lottery is like government-sponsored, colorfully advertised liquor. (I am against that too, by the way.)