Classic case of modern liberalism

[Brainfade]

Dallas NAACP seeks end to Texas lottery "Poor people are addicted to it, so ban it." "Lottery is ruining people's lives. Lottery killed someone because he couldn't afford health insurance." "Things are set up to ruin poor people's lives." I heard a similar argument from my liberal friends that food outlets and warehouse clubs were responsible for the obesity "epidemic" because they sold high quantities of food at low prices. "If you got 2 cheeseburgers for the price of 1, wouldn't you eat it?" Blame the corporates for your lack of self-control? Ridiculous. The utter lack of accepting responsibility for one's actions - classic example of modern liberalism.

Dallas NAACP seeks end to Texas lottery - CNN.com (CNN) -- The NAACP chapter in Dallas is calling for an end to the Texas state lottery, saying the game drains the finances of low-income ticket-buyers who can least afford it, especially minorities. "It's an addiction," chapter President Juanita Wallace said. "Many, many people have actually spent all their money in hope of getting out of a situation, when in fact, they're getting themselves into a worse situation." She said one man she knew died last week without health insurance. "He had an insurance policy," she said, "and he withdrew all of the funds from the policy, actually, to play the lottery." Wallace also believes that minorities are disproportionately drawn to playing the lottery. "The way things are set up in the store is targeted for black people and poor people," she said. A spokeswoman with the Texas Lottery Commission rejected that assertion, saying the Texas lottery does not target low-income areas specifically and does not market any differently from one demographic to another. "Our marketing and advertising efforts are designed to reach a broad audience of adult Texans," spokeswoman Kelly Cripe said. Wallace says her NAACP chapter is already lobbying lawmakers, as are organizations like the Baptist General Convention of Texas that were already opposed to the lottery. But at a convenience store in Dallas this week, some ticket-buyers did not appreciate the idea of losing the option of playing. "It's up to me," David Anderson told CNN affiliate station KTVT as he stood in line. "If I make a certain amount, it's up to me: Should I spend this $5 (on a ticket)? Or should I go buy a loaf of bread and hamburger to feed the kids?" Professor Irwin Morris of the University of Maryland says low-income people are more likely to play the lottery, not necessarily because they are targeted but because they have more to gain. "It's an opportunity to change your living circumstances," he said. "So for someone who's already wealthy, it would take a dramatic lottery win -- a Lotto, let's say -- to significantly change their living circumstances. If someone is of much more meager means, a much smaller win could literally change the character of their living circumstances." As a result, he said, "I think there is considerable evidence that the poor pay a greater portion of their income on lotteries than the wealthy." Statistics show that for the Pick 3 lottery in Texas, a third of people who make less than $20,000 play, but only about a quarter or fewer of people making more than $20,000 do. And for instant scratch-off tickets, the most popular game, unemployed people were more likely to play than employed people or retirees. Wallace says that means the people who can least afford it are the most likely to splurge. Lottery players point out that the games are fun to play, and they offer the hope of winning life-altering riches. The ticket sales also raise substantial revenues for state coffers. "Since the first ticket was sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated $20 billion in revenue for the state," Cripe said, "and contributed more than $14 billion to the Foundation School Fund. These are not insignificant numbers." Morris said he has not seen evidence that states with lotteries spend more on schools than states without. But now that states have come to rely on those revenues, he said, it would be difficult for a state to pull the plug on its lottery. "If that were eliminated," he said, "how difficult would it be politically to come up with the same amount of revenue through other taxes or fees?" Ž© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Share this article inShare

[Brainfade]

Classic case of modern liberalism Dallas NAACP seeks end to Texas lottery "Poor people are addicted to it, so ban it." "Lottery is ruining people's lives. Lottery killed someone because he couldn't afford health insurance." "Things are set up to ruin poor people's lives." I heard a similar argument from my liberal friends that food outlets and warehouse clubs were responsible for the obesity "epidemic" because they sold high quantities of food at low prices. "If you got 2 cheeseburgers for the price of 1, wouldn't you eat it?" Blame the corporates for your lack of self-control? Because you chose to play the lottery instead of buying insurance? Because you couldn't control your urge to eat 2 cheeseburgers knowing very well that it'll make you fat? Ridiculous. The utter lack of accepting responsibility for one's actions - classic example of modern liberalism.

Dallas NAACP seeks end to Texas lottery - CNN.com (CNN) -- The NAACP chapter in Dallas is calling for an end to the Texas state lottery, saying the game drains the finances of low-income ticket-buyers who can least afford it, especially minorities. "It's an addiction," chapter President Juanita Wallace said. "Many, many people have actually spent all their money in hope of getting out of a situation, when in fact, they're getting themselves into a worse situation." She said one man she knew died last week without health insurance. "He had an insurance policy," she said, "and he withdrew all of the funds from the policy, actually, to play the lottery." Wallace also believes that minorities are disproportionately drawn to playing the lottery. "The way things are set up in the store is targeted for black people and poor people," she said. A spokeswoman with the Texas Lottery Commission rejected that assertion, saying the Texas lottery does not target low-income areas specifically and does not market any differently from one demographic to another. "Our marketing and advertising efforts are designed to reach a broad audience of adult Texans," spokeswoman Kelly Cripe said. Wallace says her NAACP chapter is already lobbying lawmakers, as are organizations like the Baptist General Convention of Texas that were already opposed to the lottery. But at a convenience store in Dallas this week, some ticket-buyers did not appreciate the idea of losing the option of playing. "It's up to me," David Anderson told CNN affiliate station KTVT as he stood in line. "If I make a certain amount, it's up to me: Should I spend this $5 (on a ticket)? Or should I go buy a loaf of bread and hamburger to feed the kids?" Professor Irwin Morris of the University of Maryland says low-income people are more likely to play the lottery, not necessarily because they are targeted but because they have more to gain. "It's an opportunity to change your living circumstances," he said. "So for someone who's already wealthy, it would take a dramatic lottery win -- a Lotto, let's say -- to significantly change their living circumstances. If someone is of much more meager means, a much smaller win could literally change the character of their living circumstances." As a result, he said, "I think there is considerable evidence that the poor pay a greater portion of their income on lotteries than the wealthy." Statistics show that for the Pick 3 lottery in Texas, a third of people who make less than $20,000 play, but only about a quarter or fewer of people making more than $20,000 do. And for instant scratch-off tickets, the most popular game, unemployed people were more likely to play than employed people or retirees. Wallace says that means the people who can least afford it are the most likely to splurge. Lottery players point out that the games are fun to play, and they offer the hope of winning life-altering riches. The ticket sales also raise substantial revenues for state coffers. "Since the first ticket was sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated $20 billion in revenue for the state," Cripe said, "and contributed more than $14 billion to the Foundation School Fund. These are not insignificant numbers." Morris said he has not seen evidence that states with lotteries spend more on schools than states without. But now that states have come to rely on those revenues, he said, it would be difficult for a state to pull the plug on its lottery. "If that were eliminated," he said, "how difficult would it be politically to come up with the same amount of revenue through other taxes or fees?" Ž© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Share this article inShare

[Ram]

CA, I dont know how you manage to see the sinister strain of liberalism creeping up our legs in pretty much every public policy decision. So the corporates are well within their rights to indulge in blatant predatory marketing to lure in customers, but the govt. has no business regulating some of these glaringly negative practices?

[vvvslaxman]

Isn't GOP the one who are banning the lottery right?

[punjabi_khota]

lol texas. CA, I see your govt. over-reach example, and I raise you this Classic Texas style modern 'conservatism'. TL;dr "We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." Your move, sire. :hatsoff:

[Brainfade]

lol texas. CA' date=' I see your govt. over-reach example, and I raise you this Classic Texas style modern 'conservatism'. TL;dr "We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the studentÃÔ fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." Your move, sire. :hatsoff:

Nice try, but Seb and Santra. Seb: What you posted is a classic case of govt over-reach. A more valid analogy for this would be what Rick Perry pulled in Texas with the mandatory HPV vaccine. Santra: What I posted had nothing to do with govt over-reach. It has to do with the liberal mindset of finding someone else to blame for the consequences of one's choices. Getting fat? Blame the food industry. Ban sugary drinks. Addicted to the lottery? Blame the lotto, ban it. What happened to taking personal responsibility for one's choices and not playing "victim"? It's the same mindset that glorifies the nanny state where we go running to the government not just to regulate but also to provide.

[Vijay.Sharma]

How is the OP relevant to liberal ideology? It actually sounds like the argument of conservative ideologists.

[Lurker]

My gripe would be how big this whole lottery thing has become. Seems like this is what is saving the bacon for many a states who seems to have run out of ideas on how to generate revenue for them and their citizens. And by the way if lottery as a gambling notion is acceptable why not allow for full fledged casinos? That said, on the principle I do concur with you CA that we have far more important fishes to fry that stopping people from buying lottery.

[Silva]

Less revenue for store that sell lottery tickets = less money to expand business = less chance for business to hire people means democrats killing jobs. Obviously Im exaggerating but theirs a reason why more liberal cities with uneducated people have very high levels of unemployment. Liberal legislators have easy time putting bans and restrictions on things rather on focusing on real structural problems such as education.

[Brainfade]

Isn't GOP the one who are banning the lottery right?

The GOP are calling for a lottery ban - based on their own nonsensical "moral," religious beliefs. A very convenient marriage with the NAACP. But, I am trying to use the linked article to point out the politics of victim-hood. The implication is that - if you are a poor gambler, it is the lotto's fault. If you are fat, it is McDonalds' fault. If you are drunk and run over someone, it's the bar owner's fault (dram shop laws). Shift the liability away from yourself, take no personal responsibility for your actions. The conservative would be more likely to lay the blame it on the individual - if you're a poor gambler, it's your own damn fault.