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Apr
29
Yale’s Carter on why state-run lotteries are bad for taxpayers, the poor, casinos, and bettors
by Les
Yale Law School’s Stephen Carter has a terrific column on the state lottery. Carter writes:
“Why on earth do we allow the government to hold a monopoly on the very profitable (if rather disgusting) business of persuading the suffering to part with their money in the hope of a munificent return they are all but certain never to see? In other words, why is the government in the lottery business at all?”
The state lottery is a failed policy and more and more smart people like Carter are speaking the truth about it.
The Florida Lottery fits his argument perfectly
We were told it was going to fund education but it has not done anything of the sort. Meanwhile, the FL Lottery continues to offer more forms of gambling to get people to lose even more money. It has gone far beyond what anyone could have imagined.
Integrity
Stephen L. Carter is author of the book “Integrity” – a quality of character that Carter says must have three parts, none missing, in order to legitimately lay claim to it:
1. Do your research; 2. State your position; 3. Stand your ground. Given those criteria, it is interesting to see how they are played out in a city whose leaders are in fact leading with integrity on the gambling issue.
This past February 22, the City Council of Tukwila, Washington banned gambling. Here is an excerpt from a Tukwila Councilmember’s position paper reflecting both the majority opinion as well as articulating an integral position: “The short-term pain of loss of revenue will result in a long-term gain for the health and vitality of our city for future generations to come.”
Interesting the context of that statement given Tukwila had the dubious distinction of having within their city limits the top revenue-producing casino in the entire State of Washington in 2010.
Even so, the council had done its homework; stayed true to their values; and made an admittedly tough decision in keeping with those values – anyway. That equals integrity.
One of Tukwila’s residents, an educator in public schools, wrote, “Do we really want to count on income that is based on risk and loss? Couldn’t we provide our citizens with forms of entertainment which do not ultimately jeopardize the welfare of families?”
Building for tomorrow often requires forgoing easier options available today – “The Three Little Pigs” fairy tale illustrating that principle. One saw life as a party; another as a picnic; the third was willing in affect to forego cable TV and invest instead in quality construction materials – the only plan – principle-based – that proved profitable long-term.
Principles – a synonym for which is ‘backbone’ – should be non-negotiable and ultimately will prove to matter more than short-term preferences.
Perhaps borrowing on the third-little-pig’s principle, Carl H. Neu, Jr., Director of the Center for the Future of Local Governance, observed that this “exercising (of) wisdom, judgment and courage to be stewards of the quality of the community’s future” will be tested as to the council’s will and commitment to what is “great and exciting, rather than (a) ‘good enough’ future.”
Great post, David
Thanks for sharing the story of Tukwila in Washington. I was not aware of the vote. I think you’ll see more well-intended leaders from across the political spectrum follow the same path.
Management by Fear
Thank you for all your work on this important issue Les.
Recently I posted this comment on another venue:
“The Fear Factor” applies to the everyday decision-making of every person. The real issue is values, and making tough decisions in keeping with those values. Without clearly articulating your values – whether in exercise, or in education, or in any organization that involves people – and then ensuring your example matches those values especially when challenged, it will be the absence of the values-example anchor that will set you and your organization hopelessly adrift in a sea of moral relativity, or expediency, and thus subject to the popularity of whatever magic pill will make you, or your organization, into what you’ve always dreamed.
Just such a value is articulated by Ken Miller in the article linked below, who correctly states, “Like all miracle cures eventually prove, there is no shortcut for hard work.”
Take the panacea for solving local, state, and national economic woes – gambling. It too is a “fix” and enables governments to avoid the hard work of planning for the future. Who needs to plan when you have a ready-made source of revenue that encourages people to play to win rather than work to win? And woe to the city that dares to say to this predatory industry ‘we can do better than this.’ Gambling will prey upon the people’s fear of essential services being thrown under the bus should the ‘moral legislators’ prevail. And the fear factor once again deals from the bottom (gutter) of the deck and good people succumb.
http://www.governing.com/blogs/public-great/Management-by-Fear-Part-1.html#comments