Pataki is a fool

[DBL]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: Kevin
The point is the lottery machines would have brought in enough revenue and he wouldn't have had to increase taxes...

You do realize that the lottery is essentially a tax on the poor?

another ridiculous argument against gambling.

Who said anything about banning gambling? I was just pointing out that a state sponsored lottery is basically a tax on the poor, since they generally buy the most tickets. I just feel that installing lottery machines would be an irresponsible way to try and close a budget gap. You would essentially be taking money away from those who need it most. Besides, isn't that what the conservative agenda is "supposedly" against?

 

[RyanM]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: MachFive

No, the lottery is a tax on stupidity. Darwin in action. The stupid people will spend money on lottery tickets, instead of the necessities of life such as food, prescription drugs, etc, and will therefore be more likely to die sooner, thus improving the quality of remaining genetic material in the world.

It's a win-win situations for the states and humankind as a whole.

I agree with you in some part. The lottery is a tax on stupidity. However, it is also a form of tax on the poor. The two things are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand in hand.

Besides, whether or not a person spends their hard-eaned cash on the lottery has nothing to do with Darwin. I suspect you would find a direct relationship between the number of children a family has and the amount they spend on the lottery.

What ever happened to compassion for your fellow human beings? Don't you think it is in everyones best interest to see that fellow citizens lead a productive and fruitful life?

Not all poor people are stupid.
Not all middle class people are stupid.
Not all rich people are stupid.

But some people are stupid, and they come in every race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and income bracket.

A tax on stupidity doesn't specifically target anyone other than those who are stupid. It doesn't discriminate.

And I think it has everything to do with Darwin. Survival of the fittest didn't get eliminated by the advent of civilization, it merely shifted towards a different paradigm of survival.

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: MachFive

Originally posted by: DBL

I agree with you in some part. The lottery is a tax on stupidity. However, it is also a form of tax on the poor. The two things are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand in hand.

Besides, whether or not a person spends their hard-eaned cash on the lottery has nothing to do with Darwin. I suspect you would find a direct relationship between the number of children a family has and the amount they spend on the lottery.

What ever happened to compassion for your fellow human beings? Don't you think it is in everyones best interest to see that fellow citizens lead a productive and fruitful life?

Not all poor people are stupid.
Not all middle class people are stupid.
Not all rich people are stupid.

But some people are stupid, and they come in every race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and income bracket.

A tax on stupidity doesn't specifically target anyone other than those who are stupid. It doesn't discriminate.

And I think it has everything to do with Darwin. Survival of the fittest didn't get eliminated by the advent of civilization, it merely shifted towards a different paradigm of survival.

Uhm, I said being stupid and being poor
OFTEN go hand in hand. I'm sure you would agree that the average IQ of the top income bracket is higher than the average IQ of those in the lowest income bracket. And yes a tax on stupidity does discriminate....against stupid people, which are on average poorer. You're denying the obvious.

 

[Moonbeam]

Not only should the state sponsor gambling, the machines should be connected to the TV and gambling should be all that's on. Also drugs ought to be a requirement for a free education. Heroin and crack addiction should be required for graduation. It should be up to every citizen to free himself of these vices on his own if he can. Also people should be brainwashed into capitalism and consumerism so they work real hard to keep up with the Mr. Jones. The gambling should move over every 15 minutes or so to show the latest must have useless sh!t. A tax could be placed on each sale and on the manufacturer when he sells too. Also tax what he needs to buy to make his junk. Keep the propaganda going too so the whole thing doesn't collapse of its own stink.

 

[jjones]

Hey, Moonie, if you're going to keep up with me then you're going to have to slow down a little.

 

[Moonbeam]

Sorry, jj. There's no way I'd even get up with you much less keep up. You're the wrong sex.

 

[Jadow]

everytime I see the name Pataki, I want to eat some kind of italian food. I don't even know if he is italian, but his last name sounds like an italian dish.

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: Kevin
He refused to allow NYC to place Lottery-sponsored gambling machines but he decided to raise income tax as well as sales tax.

Its so nice to have yet another unrealistic person running the state of NY...

Doesn't Pataki know that the best way to fix the state's budget problems is by cutting taxes?

Pataki is a Republican. He really wants smaller goverment which means cutting any spending that benefit people who did not vote for him.

 

[rawoutput]

I see DBL's point about the demographics that are more likely to gamble, but I wouldn't really consider it a tax, just an observation on the free will of our citizens. The poor and elderly don't HAVE to gamble, unlike raised state and sales taxes which are mandatory. I don't see the ethical problems with gambling; if you're morally against it then don't do it, you don't need the government to tell you what's right or not.

 

[Loralon]

Originally posted by: rawoutput
I see DBL's point about the demographics that are more likely to gamble, but I wouldn't really consider it a tax, just an observation on the free will of our citizens. The poor and elderly don't HAVE to gamble, unlike raised state and sales taxes which are mandatory. I don't see the ethical problems with gambling; if you're morally against it then don't do it, you don't need the government to tell you what's right or not.

The lottery is just a voluntary tax. The effect of this tax is regressive though, but since it's voluntary no one really complains about it I suppose.