Lottery quote

There's an interesting quote in a Boston Globe story this morning about the potential of state lotteries going on line.

"It's fairly radical and I don't want to go down that road," [Massachusetts State Treasurer Timothy] Cahill said. "I'm not looking to push gambling down the throats of anyone in this state."

Interesting in its complete detachment from reality.

Let me just say this - I hate the lottery. I loathe, despise, abhor, detest and otherwise condemn it. I think that it's horrible public policy, and it's being done in my name, as a resident of a state with one of the biggest and most active state lotteries in the country.

And for the state Treasurer to say that he's "not looking to push gambling down the throats of anyone in this state" is just comical. If there's a more frequent advertiser on the local airwaves, television and radio, I'm not aware of who it might be. The Lottery ads are ubiquitous, and obnoxious. They sell ridiculous visions of free rides, mostly encouraging spending in those least able to afford it. There may not be anything the state does that is more "pushed down the throat" of Massachusetts citizens. And for those of us who don't play, there's no more prevalent public nuisance than the scratch tickets - they litter the ground outside the store where I have to wait in line behind someone buying the soon-to-be-companions of the litter. Whatever store that might happen to be.

I shouldn't hate it, I suppose. I know that the people paying the "stupidity tax" are helping to keep my property taxes down. But I hate it anyway. It offends me. And that comment from the treasurer really offended me...



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