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From: clarke@utcsri.UUCP (Jim Clarke)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: Lotteries
Message-ID: <1243@utcsri.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 09:26:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsri.1243
Posted: Thu Jul 11 09:26:09 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Jul-85 09:41:25 EDT
References: <1121@ubc-cs.UUCP> <1110@mnetor.UUCP> <695@lsuc.UUCP> <1218@mnetor.UUCP> <702@lsuc.UUCP>
Reply-To: clarke@utcsri.UUCP (Jim Clarke)
Distribution: can
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Lines: 22
Summary: 

In article <702@lsuc.UUCP> jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura|Barrister Jimomura Solicitor|Toronto) writes:
> ...
>     As for lotteries being immoral, suit yourself.
>I won't argue morality.  Purely out of personal
>interest, what is the basis for your version of
>morality.  I have no intention of arguing it's
>validity.  It's your business.

I agree with the comment that lotteries are immoral.  They have been called --
perhaps in an attempt to find a bon mot, but truly all the same -- "a tax on
the stupid".  A rational person who knows something about probability and has
alternative ways to improve his or her situation does not buy lottery tickets.
Therefore to buy lottery tickets you must be either (1) stupid or (2) hope-
lessly poor.  I consider it immoral for politicians who are neither stupid
(in spite of our common prejudices) nor poor to offer this kind of temptation
to people whose money would be better spent buying milk.

I understand the temptation for the politicians themselves:  they want to keep
me happy by using lottery profits to keep taxes down.  But most immoral actions
are prompted by some kind of temptation.

I'd rather pay higher taxes, thanks.