"I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less."
20 August 2004Say what?Governor Brad Henry, stumping for a state lottery at the Oklahoma Municipal League, gave out with this howler:
If it's immoral, then you know, I suppose it is. I don't think the leaders of all of our neighboring states, except Arkansas, are immoral because they decided an educational lottery was the thing to do. I think it's smart.
I'm not philosophically opposed to a tax on stupidity, but it's a safe bet, so to speak, this is going to inflame the Thou Shalt Not Gamble crowd huddled around the slots at the Lucky Star. I know what he's meaning to say, but in writing, "I don't think the leaders of all of our neighboring states, except Arkansas, are immoral..." made me do a double-take. Those godless hillbillies to the east better stay out of Oklahoma, dagnabit! Posted by: Jeff Lawson at 10:36 AM on 20 August 2004The only problem with the Texas educational lottery is that it really didn't seem to help the schools out. So, given that I'd say the immorality isn't in the scratch off cards... but maybe the lottery commission. Maybe. Posted by: aldahlia at 8:38 AM on 21 August 2004Earmarked funds have a way of becoming de-earmarked all of a sudden; I have little faith in the state's ability, or willingness, to insure that all these dollars will wind up in educational coffers. Lotteries do in fact help education. Thanks to lotteries, people in several states have suddenly learned the meaning of the word fungible. Posted by: McGehee at 10:05 AM on 21 August 2004 |