Abolish the lottery?

[CarpeDeo]

What're your guys' thoughts and comments on eliminating the lottery? Reasons to keep it? Reasons to abolish it?

Discuss!

 

[Sqube]

What lottery?

 

[HappyPuppy]

yes

 

[Syringer]

Too much tax revenue from those who don't understand math/probability brought in to be abolished..

 

[ThePresence]

Keep it! Rednecks need to dream about spending $350 million in a half hour.

 

[JeffCos]

I enjoy the lottery. It gives me hope and something to look forward to. There's no other way that I know of (short of contract killer) where I can get that much money.

 

[MDE]

Do you know how much money it generates?

On the other hand, it's really depressing seeing so many people spend so much money on the lottery, with most of them doing nothing but losing, maybe winning a free ticket, $5 or $10 here and there. They think lightning can strike, but they mostly end up pouring their paycheck (or assistance check) down the drain.

 

[gistech1978]

voluntary tax on the mathematically challenged.

 

[HappyPuppy]

BTW, "what're" is not an accepted contraction. Go back to English 101!

 

[Tom]

ABOLISH THE LOTTERY !

 

[smc13]

No

I think it is the perfect kind of tax. It is a tax on anyone who wants to pay. I am hoping that in addition to the lottery, my state finally passes slots (Maryland). That way even more taxes will become voluntary and maybe the state income tax will go down (I know that the income taxes won't go down - but I can hope).

 

[Baked]

Go kill yourself. Lottery gives a lot of money to the education system in my state.

 

[JBT]

I'll buy 5 tickes on powerball every couple of months when it goes over 150 million. I don't play other than that. Its sorta fun. I don't care if people spend a ton of money on it I don't. I'm pretty sure most of the profits go to education anyways. Whats the harm in that?

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: gistech1978
voluntary tax on the mathematically challenged.

Yep. We should keep it. It's the perfect tax, and it's the one I never pay. All the political BS that surrounds it in my state does bug me though.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: gistech1978
voluntary tax on the mathematically challenged.

Yep. We should keep it. It's the perfect tax, and it's the one I never pay. All the political BS that surrounds it in my state does bug me though.

Agreed. I have no problem with foolish people throwing away their money so my taxes are less. Of course, being a nevadan, I'd be pretty stupid to feel differently.

 

[Yellow Dog]

Lottery, a tax on people that are really bad at math.

 

[Sqube]

Originally posted by: smc13
No

I think it is the perfect kind of tax. It is a tax on anyone who wants to pay. I am hoping that in addition to the lottery, my state finally passes slots (Maryland). That way even more taxes will become voluntary and maybe the state income tax will go down (I know that the income taxes won't go down - but I can hope).

As somebody also living in Maryland, I can only agree with this post 100%.

 

[blahblah99]

Why would the government do that? It's the only method of gambling that's state sponsored... if they get rid of that, might as well ban rich guys from having mistresses...

 

[smc13]

"I'm pretty sure most of the profits go to education anyways. Whats the harm in that? "

The money doesn't really go to education. All your taxes really go into the state's revenue stream and then gets allocated. Saying that lottery money goes to education just means that the state frees up property tax money and income tax money for other uses.

It would be like you having a day job and another part time job and you say that the money from your part time job will pay for your insurance. In reality, you make x amount of money total and spend it. Another example would be what the Federal Government does with Social Security. They say they are FICA to pay for Social Security but the excess money goes to paying the deficit. All the money goes to the government and they allocate it.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

It depends on the state/states the lottery is in.

Texas has a texas lotto, and a megamillions multistate lotto. I only play the texas lotto (maybe $10-20 a year)

 

[Wuffsunie]

It's the closest thing we have to an actual tax on stupidity. I say keep it.

 

[sharkeeper]

Hell no.

When my time machine is finished, I'll finally be able to pay off all the debt accumulated from building it. I will then be a zero.

 

[CarpeDeo]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
BTW, "what're" is not an accepted contraction. Go back to English 101!

"BTW" is not an accepted abbreviation! So ha!

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Yellow Dog
Lottery, a tax on people that are really bad at math.

Do people not read posts in threads anymore?

 

[scauffiel]

I think it should be made illegal for people on welfare or food stamps to participate. If you're living off MY money via taxes you'd better not be wasting it on the fscking lottery. The first time someone on welfare does it they get their ass kicked well. The next time they lose their benefits for three months and receive another ass kicking. Third and final time, lose benefits for good and get a free trip to the Emergency Room.

I'm over it.

Steve