Power Ball

I can't say that I am a huge supporter of the lottery coming to North Carolina. I diverge from a lot of my peers in my indifference towards it, though. A lot of anti-gambling advocates have a huge problem with the lottery. I have a problem with it not for the arguments of sin or vice, but rather for the argument surrounding the justifications for it. The lottery, in reality, is not and never will be an "education lottery". I am very tired of hearing about things being "for the children" but in reality, they are nothing but another scheme to siphon off money from citizens for irresponsible government spending. A lottery will be no different.

I grew up in the state that had the first in the nation lottery, so it is no big deal to me. When I go "back home" to visit family, I often throw a couple of dollars at lotto tickets. No big deal. I have no feelings of condemnation about doing so as a Christian. Quite honestly, I think that most of Christendom are whacko in their stances on things above and beyond sola scriptura. But enough of that pontification.

I detest the tactics used to pass the lottery through the General Assembly here in North Carolina. There was a lot of evil trading and scheming to get it passed. It is a shame that it was done that way. Furthermore, the obvious corruption with the lottery commission members with questionable political ties just plain pisses me off.

At least one thing I read today is a glimmer of good news. If we are going to have a poorly constructed and corrupt lottery, at least the state will be joining Power Ball. That is a step in the right direction. If you gotta have the stupid system, then at least do it right. By joining with other states in playing Power Ball, at least we can have stakes in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, thereby fleecing people with a voluntary tax. Will I buy Power Ball tickets? Probably, once in a while. Heck, I was just looking at new pick up trucks today. Unless I feel like spending an extra $500 a month on a vehicle payment for a nice truck, the lottery may be the only chance of buying one in cash.