• Latest

Max’s View

June 27, 2016

Montpelier Police Dept. Virtual Reality Training System

May 24, 2022

Gifford to Offer Teens a Safe Sitter® Course

May 24, 2022
Vermont Foodbank Chief Financial Officer Julie-Ann Graves, 2022 Winner of the Remarkable Woman

Vermont Foodbank Chief Financial Officer Julie-Ann Graves, 2022 Winner of the Remarkable Woman

May 24, 2022
Barre Lions Club Community News

Barre Lions Club Community News

May 24, 2022
African Queen (1951)

From Here to Eternity (1953)

May 24, 2022
Student Artwork Graces Downtown Storefront

Student Artwork Graces Downtown Storefront

May 17, 2022
Vermont Plants Sunflowers for Ukraine Solidarity Update

Vermont Plants Sunflowers for Ukraine Solidarity Update

May 17, 2022

Upper Valley Everyone Eats Returns to Gifford in May

May 17, 2022
African Queen (1951)

Some Like it Hot (1959)

May 17, 2022
Just Some Thoughts

A Million Little Miracles

May 17, 2022
Young Wildlife Belong in the Wild

Young Wildlife Belong in the Wild

May 10, 2022
Make-A-Wish® Crowns Best Beard in Vermont and Raises Over $90,000 at Sixth Annual Vermont Beardies

Make-A-Wish® Crowns Best Beard in Vermont and Raises Over $90,000 at Sixth Annual Vermont Beardies

May 10, 2022
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
The World Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
    • Weddings & Engagements
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
    • Weddings & Engagements
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

Max’s View

vt-world by vt-world
June 27, 2016
in Max's View
0

Out of Luck
****
Right now, near an American street corner near you, there’s a heartless dealer selling a colorful piece of paper to a hopeless addict.

That piece of paper is a lottery ticket. And the dealer is your State government.

“Out of Luck” is an important film about the shameful $70 billion state lottery industry. The lottery encourages addiction, enriches bureaucrats, and widens the gap of wealth inequality.

“But max: what about all the school children who benefit from the lottery?”

According to the movie, that’s basically a lie.

States earmark a set amount of funding for education every year. Yes, lotto revenue contributes to the State’s general fund. But it’s not as if politicians say: “Yay! Lots of people gambled. Now we can hire top notch teachers.” It’s more like: “Yay! Lots of people gambled. We don’t have to anger rich people and businesses by raising their taxes. Now they’ll be more apt to donate to our reelection fund.”

“But max: don’t you think that lotto players know that they’re tossing away their money and it’s their choice?”

Yeah, it’s their choice. But players don’t necessarily understand just how badly the odds are stacked against them.

The film exposes the fact that state lotteries, since they are government agencies, don’t have to abide by Truth in Advertising laws. And they take advantage of this freedom to lie by running an endless stream of ad campaigns that urge suckers to invest their surplus cash in a game of chance with much worse odds than slot machines.

“Out of Luck” shows us a disgraceful TV commercial featuring a pair of piggy-bank parents and their well-cared-for brood of piggy-bank piglets. ‘Multiply Your Money’ is the tag line.

Multiplying your money is exactly the opposite of what will happen if you play the lottery. It’s outrageous. It’s the equivalent of Pepsi running an ad featuring skinny people pushing kidney dialysis machines out the hospital window, saying: ‘Pepsi! It’ll melt off the pounds and cure your diabetes!’

“Out of Luck” argues that state lotteries are essentially a regressive tax. There are more lottery retailers in poor and minority neighborhoods because the government knows darn well who is buying the tickets.

I was fortunate enough to be raised by parents who taught me that money comes from hard work and hard-earned money should be saved and invested. State lotteries prey on the millions of Americans who weren’t taught those lessons. Instead of doing what a good government should do and teach wholesome fiscal lessons to its underprivileged citizens, it eagerly keeps them ignorant and promises them long-shot dreams in exchange for their spare cash.

Since most people agree that the US would be a better place if wealth was more evenly distributed, it would seem like abolishing state lotteries is a no-brainer.

But it isn’t happening. Republicans like the lottery because they see it as a wholesome alternative to mandatory taxes. And Democrats like the lottery because they’re eager for more government funding no matter where it comes from. When politicians from both sides of the aisle agree on something, you know it’s awful and oppressive.

Since there is no political way out of the politician-caused mess, all I can do is urge you to take action yourself. Stop giving that dealer your money in exchange for a colorful slip of paper and an empty dream. Please never buy a lottery ticket again.

Previous Post

Help, what is the Green Mountain Passport Good for?

Next Post

Reiss’s Pieces

Next Post

Reiss’s Pieces

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In