General Discussion

cthulu2016

(10,960 posts)

30. You seem disinclined to consider the government as

Sat Jan 28, 2012, 03:29 PM

Jan 2012

anything other than one more corporation.

The government has a higher obligation to not rip-off the citizenry. How difficult is that to see?

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Should those on government aid buy lottery tickets? [View all] cthulu2016 Jan 2012 OP

No one should buy lottery tickets, on government aid or otherwise. former9thward Jan 2012 #1

I agree. surrealAmerican Jan 2012 #25

Yup, that was my first thought too. Raine Jan 2012 #49

A better question... etherealtruth Jan 2012 #2

If you read the whole OP you'll see you are misinterpreting. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #12

I agreed with the OP ... etherealtruth Jan 2012 #17

Why not? It's just feeding the money back to the state. HOWEVER... HopeHoops Jan 2012 #3

Some would argue that is discrimination. cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #4

(that's essentially what I was saying) HopeHoops Jan 2012 #5

The lottery is not a tax on the mathematically challenged Hippo_Tron Jan 2012 #40

A tax on stupidity, in other words. Johnny Rico Jan 2012 #42

NO, addiction and stupidity are two entirely different things Hippo_Tron Jan 2012 #43

I wasn't trying to single out the lottery. Johnny Rico Jan 2012 #46

While it's probably a bad idea for them to buy MineralMan Jan 2012 #6

This isn't about giving up freedom of choice just because you're poor customerserviceguy Jan 2012 #39

I get a Social Securty payment every month. MineralMan Jan 2012 #52

That's different customerserviceguy Jan 2012 #53

We should also ban them from paying for entertainment, alcohol, tobacco killbotfactory Jan 2012 #7

You should read the OP before making such a big speech - see post 12 JackRiddler Jan 2012 #14

Does your list of gamblers include the big banks who have been malaise Jan 2012 #8

Nothing in the OP suggests any restriction cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #10

The lottery is essentially a "voluntary tax" with an incentive hughee99 Jan 2012 #9

The lottery is a scam and the state shouldn't be advertising it. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #19

It is completely voluntary, just like any other product that is advertised. hughee99 Jan 2012 #20

The government should be good for everyone cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #23

It would be really shitty hughee99 Jan 2012 #27

Many voluntary behaviors are subject to restrictions on advertising... JackRiddler Jan 2012 #24

Unlike cigarettes and alcohol, the lottery's only hughee99 Jan 2012 #29

You seem disinclined to consider the government as cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #30

If I'm not mistaken, right now, the government allows hughee99 Jan 2012 #32

Your justified critique of other government ripoffs is completely irrelevant here. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #35

You have argued that the government has an obligation hughee99 Jan 2012 #36

You can't always justify something because it makes money for a "good" thing. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #31

I have no issue with printing the actual odds and payouts on billboards the size of the Superdome hughee99 Jan 2012 #34

Please consider the opportunity argument. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #37

It's a valid argument, but based on your argument so far hughee99 Jan 2012 #41

I think the lottery is a legitimate means of preventing private numbers games... JackRiddler Jan 2012 #55

I think perhaps I'm not saturated with the level of marketing that you are. hughee99 Jan 2012 #56

The difference between New York and what you describe in MA is exponential. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #57

Define "government aid" as used in your question. dixiegrrrrl Jan 2012 #11

Doesn't matter. The thread title is just a rhetorical hook for a critique of the lottery. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #16

Matters to me, thank you, and I would like the OP to answer. dixiegrrrrl Jan 2012 #21

But it does matter. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2012 #45

The defintion is irrelevant cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #22

Yes (nt) bigwillq Jan 2012 #13

Hell yes! Bluerthanblue Jan 2012 #15

Mine goes to hookers, beer, smokes, so I got no complaints The Straight Story Jan 2012 #18

No one knows who buys the tickets since EC Jan 2012 #26

You could always read the OP... cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #28

I know who buys tickets. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #33

*Should* they be buying lotto tickets? Proles Jan 2012 #38

It depends. Why do you as a citizen, provide aid to poor people? lumberjack_jeff Jan 2012 #44

A middle class friend of mine plays the lottery a couple times per week Nikia Jan 2012 #47

Should those on government aid be allowed to breathe? Autumn Jan 2012 #48

The only people who should buy lottery tickets are those who enjoy playing the lottery. ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #50

Here's an idea: ProSense Jan 2012 #51

Why does anyone answer and legitimize the right-wing scumfucks who invent these memes? n/t backscatter712 Jan 2012 #54