Lottery in Alabama?

I've read all this and this is off the subject some, but when it comes to smoking, it's mainly the less intelligent who smoke. Just google it if you don't believe me. As for lottery tickets I have no idea, but I honestly don't know anyone who would buy one.

I found several articles about this but this one was interesting.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587241,00.html

2000 acres may not be considered a land baron but that's a big piece of property, 2000 acres is a little over 3 square miles, to put that in perspective that's about 1/2 the size of Sheffield. At any rate, it is not "big timber or mega agribusiness" that raising taxes would hurt, it's people like him and the family farms that would be eliminated by raising taxes on agricultural land. The mega outfits would just raise prices and of course buy up more land being lost by the smaller farmers.

As for the Greenbelt program, it's pretty widely available, all a person needs is to have more than 15 acres but less tan 1500 acres in a single county that they can attest to having $1500 or more revenue on every year. The only thing I don't like about it is the fixation on the number 15. Apparently there is also a typo in the article, it says "the law reduces the tax burden of Greenbelt properties by 33 percent on average" but on my property and other people's land that I know, the tax is about 1/3 (33ish percent) of the amount that it would be without the greenbelt program which means it is reduced by about 2/3 (66ish percent) and this is good for everyone but this thread isn't about property tax, it's about a lottery for education and Tennessee doesn't have a current problem with funding education so why on earth would anyone want Tennessee property taxes raised?

Alabama needs a lottery and they should also bring back those electronic bingo halls and tax the crap out of them. 

You might want to remember that I never said those things.

Not only am I against outlawing cigs and alcohol, I am completely against excess taxes placed on cigarettes and alcohol.  If the lottery passes here, I will sleep fine at night.  I will not waste my money on one, but I doubt it will affect my life in any way.  I also doubt our inept politicians can find a way to properly use the funds.  It will, however, affect the kids of potential gambling addicts who now have easy access.  When I weigh that, a corrupt state gov & the kids of potential addicts versus the rather doubtful possibility that the funds would be used wisely to increase educational opportunities for kids, it comes up short of convincing me to vote 'yes'.  When our state gov starts doing their job well, I may change my mind.

Lottery? I say bring it on!! Let Alabama have a little of what Mississippi gets

You might want to remember that I never said those things.

Not only am I against outlawing cigs and alcohol, I am completely against excess taxes placed on cigarettes and alcohol.  If the lottery passes here, I will sleep fine tonight.  I will not waste my money on one, but I doubt it will affect my life in any way.  I also doubt our inept politicians can find a way to properly use the funds.

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I should have said "why anyone" instead of "you". I never advocated outlawing alcohol or cigarettes.(Not a bad idea btw) I simply ask why the lottery was considered "illogical" but buying and using alcohol and tobacco aren't. I also said people waste their money on many things but no one has a problem unless it's something they oppose. It's crazy. We're supposed to believe that someone's god doesn't care if people drink or smoke as long as they aren't buying lottery tickets. Seems like the definition of sin is in the eye of the beholder. Illogical? The argument against the lottery. 

The argument as you convey it against the lottery is illogical, but I do not think what you convey parallels the arguments of many who oppose the lottery...definitely not myself.  I have been a child of an addict...anything I can do to protect kids from the joint effects of that addiction is a good thing and quite logical.  A parent with an addiction will get their fix regardless of monetary cost; the children, innocent and without choice, pay for the parent's addiction.  Easy access to lottery tickets will increase gambling addiction.

As far as God goes, and I assume we are referring to God as outlined in the Bible, 'people' may tell you alcohol consumption & gambling is wrong, but that does NOT mean God said it.  To repeat an inaccuracy without checking to see if it is truth is equally inaccurate.  JMHO

Best, i didn't say that I would vote against the lottery, but I probably would. Would I care if it passed? Not really. While I'm sure some people with more than adequate education and common sense will purchase these tickets, most won't. I know only one person who would.

Consider this, you're dieting. And you're working in the yard and make a run to Lowe's or wherever in your worst clothing. As you leave the store, you feel faint and a couple approach you to ask if you're all right. Without thinking, you say, "I'm fine. I just haven't eaten today."

The couple look at each other and then pull out their billfold and offer you ten dollars. This is something they want to do. They will feel good about it. Yet you look at them and know they can barely make ends meet--you've seen them waiting in line at a mission or help center. Do you take their money?

If there were no administrative costs (and I'm sure there will be plenty), if you purchase one 2.00 ticket and win 20,000.00, that means 9,999 people just handed you 2.00, or at least some combination thereof. Would you still take it if you had to watch these people give it to you individually? Perhaps you would...

 To repeat an inaccuracy without checking to see if it is truth is equally inaccurate. 

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What inaccuracy? As far as "addiction" goes, tell me you honestly think a person that has an addiction doesn't find a way to feed it? There's no lottery in Alabama. If we get the lottery that means people will suddenly go crazy and get addicted? Never mind the fact they don't have to go that far now to buy lottery tickets. Never mind the fact that people are gambling illegally all over the state, and I think they can even buy lottery tickets online. So by keeping the lottery out of Alabama just what is anyone accomplishing besides sending money to other states?

I guess I would have to have more info to be convinced.  Did the tests take into account whether or not they were raised in a home with smokers & if their mother smoked when she was pregnant...how did that affect brain growth and/or their chances at achieving intelligence?  As a result, did they come into the world with a propensity to smoke?  Did they take into account the socioeconomic status of the smoker now as well as during his or her formative years?  The real correlation could be smoking and growing up in a difficult environment, an environment where a good education was much more difficult to receive.  Perhaps this same individual would have greater intelligence if they had grown up in a great environment.  It could simply be a learned or acceptable behavior, accepted by family and peers, and therefore repeated as normal...yes, it's dangerous but it makes living tolerable, that sort of thing.

Inaccurate because God does not forbid alcohol consumption and gambling isn't discussed in the Bible.  I can obviously use wisdom from the Bible to see that gambling would be unwise, but I can find no mention of gambling in the Bible.

I don't have to go far to get a lottery ticket either, but if I had no car or didn't have enough money for gas, it wouldn't happen.  Furthermore, there are many who do not live close to the state line.  So as anyone can see, it accomplishes a great deal.  In some, an addiction could never start.

I have mixed feelings about the lottery. I buy the occasional lottery ticket.

As far as missing the mark, sure it’s very possible to spend money foolishly on anything.

        Alcohol and tobacco; to me that’s a no brainier. I would be very comfortable in a world without it.

As for as the lottery is concerned I have not seen evidence that we have politicians with sense or honesty to run one themselves or to hire some company to do it without fraud being involved.

These people that are pushing for the lottery have already invented ways to steal it from education before we even make a decision by vote.

I think it would be very embarrassing for Alabamians, after griping about money going to other states, to find out one day that instead of the money going to education, that some slick manipulator by slight of hand right before our very eyes was stealing a large portion of the proceeds.

Inaccurate because God does not forbid alcohol consumption and gambling isn't discussed in the Bible.  I can obviously use wisdom from the Bible to see that gambling would be unwise, but I can find no mention of it.

I don't have to go far to get a lottery ticket either, but if I had no car or didn't have enough money for gas, it wouldn't happen.  Furthermore, there are many who do not live close to the state line.  So as anyone can see, it accomplishes a great deal.

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I'm saying that people that oppose the lottery on religious reasons give the IMPRESSION that their god thinks it's a sin, so of course I ask why don't they consider the sale of alcohol and cigarettes a sin and lobby to abolish those things in the state. Listen to yourself. Some people don't live close to the state lines so that stops them from playing the lottery??? LOL!!! People all over the state play the lottery. People do travel joy. Like I said, they can do it online too. If I didn't have a car or money for gas there are a lot of things I wouldn't do, so I'm missing your point there. 

Well, to be honest, I thought it was a sin until this thread...haha...I continue to find things I've been taught that are just not true.  Although my reasoning for voting no has more to do with personal experience, I did think that's what the Bible taught until now.

If someone truly feels that gambling is wrong and that making it legal will cause harm, they should vote no.  Those people may feel equally strong about outlawing alcohol and cigarettes.  We don't really have any way to know for sure.

Poor people rarely travel; they do not have the means.  I imagine most cannot afford computers.  I assume you have never experienced that and have wealthy friends...lol.  The point is that an addiction can be avoided altogether if the means of developing the addiction is not readily available.  Those fighting the addiction won't have the temptation shoved under their nose.  Those addicted with no intent to change may not have the means to get their fix if it's not under their nose.

Besides the fact that I don't trust politicians to follow through on a promise to further education with lottery funds, it's basically a moral dilemma for me.  Let's say lottery funds do increase educational opportunities for our children.  However, after legalizing it, we see an increase in gambling addiction.  How an adult spends their money is not my concern; that's their business. If they have a gambling addiction, it's not likely to adversely affect me.  However, we know the children of addicts will suffer.  So, if I voted yes to the lottery, I have to ask myself...did I just sell out some kids to help kids?  See what I mean?  It's not that simple...well it's not if you analyze the crap out of everything like I do.

Poor people rarely travel; they do not have the means.  I imagine most cannot afford computers.  I assume you have never experienced that and have wealthy friends...lol.  The point is that an addiction can be avoided altogether if the means of developing the addiction is not readily available.  Those fighting the addiction won't have the temptation shoved under their nose.  Those addicted with no intent to change may not have the means to get their fix if it's not under their nose.

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No, what I have noticed is this: Poor does not equate to being more prone to addictions. Poor does not mean criminal behavior.  Poor does not mean a person won't get a computer for either their own use or their children's use. Poor does NOT mean a person doesn't travel or buy lottery tickets. Poor does not mean a person won't have a drink or smoke cigarettes. So save your snarky remarks about me only having "wealthy friends" like you think you're talking down to me. To even suggest that you have to protect the poor OR anyone else for that matter, against themselves is highly condescending.

No, ma'am, I did not say the poor are more likely to from addictions.  The children of poor people who gamble away what little the family has immediately do without basic needs.  If you have money running out your ears, your kids may still be provided for...well, unless your gambling bankrupts you & then you have just landed yourself in the poor category.

Me saying that you must not have experienced poverty and must have wealthy friends is talking down to you?  Wouldn't that be talking up?  I thought we were discussing kids who would suffer financially from their parents' addiction...that would be those already on the poverty level.  I formed a conclusion based on your response.  You describe them as being able to travel and having computers.  That told me one of two things (if we were talking about the same thing & apparently we were not)...either you've never been there & are not close to anyone who has or you are playing dumb.  The latter would have been insulting to you; so I gave you the benefit of the doubt.  I see that you were apparently including people who were financially stable as well.  I hate that you can't hear my voice.  What I said, I said laughingly in jest like I would to a friend, not to be a horse's butt.

What is addiction anyhow regarding lottery tickets. I’ll be honest I haven’t seen lottery addictions in anyone. Is it that prevalent?

          i'm not sure this is a problem. the addiction i mean. i don't see cases of children being starved over someone buying tickets instead of food. i'm going to have to see the science.

 What I am telling you is you can't say or imply that people that are poor are addictive in nature, or won't fight for the future of their children because of a lottery or anything else. I guess poor is in the eye of the beholder too. We didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up. I had a home, food, clothes on my back and my family. My parents didn't drink, do drugs, gamble or fritter away money on anything that I guess you wouldn't approve of. I started working (baby sitting, cleaning houses, ironing for people, yard work, pet sitting) when I was 13 years old.  I was 17 when my dad died. My mom never remarried and we kids helped take care of her until she died.  She would "fuss" at us sometimes about spending our money on her.

The conversation wasn't about the children of the poor, it was about whether or not Alabama should have a lottery. It should. But then again, I guess the poor in other states that do get the benefit of the money from the lottery are glad that we don't have one. But I guess I'm like you in the fact that if they had one tomorrow it wouldn't change my life. It might change others though.

I agree, Best.  I grew up in rural Alabama...knew and know many people who are poor financially but rich in all the ways that really matter.

Pretty good article on it... http://www.lohud.com/article/2...ide-gambling-addicts  From the article...

Nobody knows how many people have developed an addiction by playing Lottery games, or how many compulsive gamblers feed their addiction through the Lottery's many offerings. But the New York Council on Problem Gambling found that 40 percent of calls to its hot line in 2005 were by people with troubles related to lottery games. The next-highest category, casinos, triggered 27.4 percent of calls; no other category was in double figures.

If you have to subscribe to NBER or want to purchase the paper online, here's some research on the subject... http://www.nber.org/papers/w14742

Here are some gambling stats and info... http://www.overcominggambling.com/facts.html

I honestly don't know if a lottery would help our state or make it worse.  Until I'm convinced it will make it better, I choose to err on the side of caution. 

I assure you that having your own business, at least a small one like we had, doesn't mean you have money...learned that the hard way & see business owners differently now...any extra money goes back into the business.  We took out a loan to start it that we still do not have paid off.  Our business did not survive...died a slow pitiful death about a year ago.  We are both working for the man now...haha.

The trade show I go to in Vegas is just a once a year job for me, was twice a year but they did away with the Spring show.  I work for a sales rep that I met through a former job.  I helped with the buying in that job and because we thought so highly of this sales rep, bought much from the venders he represents.  He needed help at trade shows and since I was already familiar with the products, asked me and another lady to help.  It's hard work, but we really enjoy it.  He pays our airfare, hotel stay, food while there and pays me well for that week's work.

I don't have a problem with wealthy people...cannot imagine what I said to make you think that?  I explained my comment to Best.

Semi, Alabama is not a backward state. If it is run by churches that is how majority rules. Why do you see that as unusual? If you can’t make a difference yourself why do you think the majority need conform to what you want?

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Where did I say I wanted the majority to conform to what I want?

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Sorry to hear about your business.

As for your comment to Best, I guess I missed it.

I don't think the lottery lost by that much last time. WWJD? hmmmmmmmmm, buy lottery tickets.

Aug. 1999

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BP)--Baptists are getting the word out at every opportunity available that a state lottery is bad for Alabama.

Dan Ireland, executive director of Alabama Citizens Action Program, said “It will take the church community to get the job done. If the church community will turn the people out and vote their conviction based on the Bible, then we'll vote it down. … We can make a difference; we must make a difference."

 Oct. 1999

The Lottery was opposed by 54% of the nearly 1.3 million voters on the Oct. 12 referendum.

There was a tremendous outreach in the churches," said the Rev. Joe Bob Mizzell, the director of ethics for the Alabama Baptist Convention.

Taco Bell Employee Andrew Hunter Hits Lottery Jackpot With Ticket Found In Trash

Andrew Hunter is the big cheese around his Cumming, Ga., Taco Bell these days after winning a $250,000 jackpot.

Ironically, he almost threw away the ticket that gave him the chance to win the big prize, according to galottery.com.

“I didn’t realize you could win $3 for matching one number plus the Mega Ball,” he said. “I pulled it out of the trash and cashed it in for three more tickets.”

“I would have never bought that ticket if I hadn’t pulled the other ticket out of the trash,” he said. “I don’t think it’s really hit me yet.”

But while Hunter is rolling in dough, he doesn't plan to cash in his chips just yet, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Instead, he plans to invest his windfall.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...ndrew_n_1102335.html

Covetousness is a sin according to scripture. In fact, one of the worst. Now judge for yourselves if gambling is a sin or not.

Then you better get the churches to stop doing it!!

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Say what? What does covetousness have to do with gambling?

Exodus 20:17 is the Tenth Commandment. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's”.

That scripture has nothing to do with gambling. It’s speaking of wanting something that belongs to someone else. It's not wrong for a man to desire a house, wife, car, job etc... but it is wrong to desire your neighbors.

If I buy a lottery ticket, how would that be wanting something that belongs to someone else?

If you relate covetousness to a Christian, then that would be someone that sees only what he wants, what he can get, rather than the needs of his soul.

A covetous heart cannot be content. If you look at another man’s wife & wish you had her, you would be wrong but it would in no way be related to gambling. A Christian is supposed to be content with what God has given him/her.

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, no matter if you're a Christian or not.

I don't think churches can be judged as a group any more than individuals can. I have some friends in Huntsville who delight in telling me they worship in a warehouse with little heat while sitting on folding chairs and backless benches--giving a large majority of the offering to missions and the poor. That's great, but what about the new mothers, infants, extremely elderly, all who need heat and in my opinion some padding on which to sit? The Bible teaches moderation in all things and I think this would be one of them. We don't need gold cups for communion or expensive statuary, but we do need some amenities.

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I bet those people can't wait until church is over.

I've heard that load of crap to argue against gambling in the past, if gambling is the same as coveting then so is working for a wage or accepting charity when in need because the later two are wanting something that belongs to someone else, gambling is just playing a game where most people know that they are not at all likely to get anything in return for.

"Mainly less intelligent people smoke?"

Why....I oughtta knock ya out and siddown onya carcass and burn one. ( j/k, but that mentality really burns my ass...)

You better tell all those artsy-fartsy PhD-types to quit puffin' on those fancy pipes and cigars, then.  Or is it only cigarette smoking that distinguishes the dummies from the brainiacs?

Hep me out, here.... I'z confussded some.

 Those of us whose daddies didn't mortgage the farm to buy us a college education would like to be able to take an affordable chance at winning a lottery. Some of us-well, that's the only chance we'll ever get.  I know I'll be workin' til they shove me in the ol' furnace.

  You can't tell me about how educated ya are in one breath and then start telling me about yer magical mystical sky-fairy in another. It f%$&s up yer credibility.

'Sides...Everybody knows that most of the real work that gets done in this country is done by folks who don't wear neckties.  Don'tcha be fooled...There's a lotta college-educated folks out here flippin' burgers nowadays.  And they've taken up *gasp!* SMOKING!  THE HORRORS!!!1

Like Charlie Daniels said-"You intellectuals might not like it-but there ain't nothin' you can do, cuz there's a whole lot more of us common folk than there ever will be of you."

I will outlive all of you.  And I smoke like a chimney.

RP, did you know smoking is responsible for 10% of cervical cancer. No, I don't expect you to contract that disease, but unfortunately, if you don't stop smoking, you will develop some kind of COPD before you die. I don't wish that on anyone.

Yeah, well you're probably right, but ya gotta admit-I've got a positive attitude. 

Half of not dying is not wanting to.

Well RP one argument is that the "more intelligent" don't buy lottery tickets either. There's even a cartoon proving it. Soooooooo, the next time a church, school, or charity tries to sell me a raffle ticket I'm going to tell them I'm way too smart to fall for that. And I guess we should spread the word too that churches think people that play the lottery or other games of chance are less intelligent and/or somehow "sinful".

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Those people that like to think they're more intelligent than the rest of us wouldn't know a positive attitude if it walked up & bit them on the butt.