The Conservative Son

This is a letter I wrote to the local newspaper a couple of years ago concerning out state lottery. I was recently perusing it and decided I'd like to add it here.

*************************************************************************************

So, you think you’ve heard the last word on the lottery. I only wish it were so. I hear it every time I listen to radio or pick up the newspaper.

I’ll not hide my disgust over Tennessee finally succumbing to the “quick buck” crowd and amending our Constitution, allowing the lottery camel to not only get his nose in the tent, but to bring in his whole big, fat hump! (I’m sure you’ve heard the analogy.) I believe that gambling is a sin and I’ll be happy to tell anyone who asks me, I think exactly that. I’ve fussed and fumed and campaigned against allowing the beast in, but I, along with the apparent minority of Tennesseans who saw the monster for what it is, lost our battle to follow the wisdom and morality our legislature has shown for more than a century.

As for those who said, “It’s for the children,” the only thing that’s
holding them down, considering how full of hot air they are, must be their big feet. If they are so concerned about “the children,” then why haven’t they been donating that $20, $50 or more a month that they will spend on the lottery, to the schools for all these years to pay for books, computers, improved infrastructure or even raises for teachers. If they would be truthful about it, they are less concerned about “the children,” than the prospect, albeit a slim one, of becoming an instant millionaire. The intellectual dishonesty of our state legislators and community and educational leaders is, at best, nauseating and, at worst, sinful. One might argue whether or not gambling is a sin, but I guarantee you it’s a sin to give more money to politicians .

Still, there is more to this little varmint than most will admit. The truth is, it’s really all about an income tax.

You say, “How in the world do you figure that?” Well, lets put on our
little thinking caps for a minute and imagine this scenario: The first lottery winner receives, let’s say, ten million dollars. Assuming he takes it in a lump sum, he’ll pay a couple million social security taxes, about the same federal taxes and that would leave him a cool six million. Not a bad little sum. The only taxes he has left to pay are sales taxes on that new Hummer he’s finally got the bucks for.

Think a little further: what if he decides to do all of his spending in a
state, like Georgia, where the sales tax is half ours? Or even worse, he
pulls up stakes and moves there. What if he’s not a Tennessee resident in the first place, and takes all of his left-overs to California, New York or wherever he lives, and there pays another two million or so in state income tax. (That’s part of the twisted irony of this whole lottery business. Some hot shot wins a hundred million dollars, but, by the time the feds and the state gets through taxing him, he takes home half or less. Granted, fifty million is still a lot of cash, but it would really frost me to know the government got fifty million of my hard “won” cash!) Now, when this high-roller leaves our state without us getting a nickel back, as all other lottery states do, can’t you just hear our legislators and governor whining that it’s not right for other states to get the money that Tennessee would’ve gotten if only we had an income tax? (If I’ve thought of it, you know they have.)

Can’t you just hear them now: “It would only be a small tax on the
lottery winners. All we need is a constitutional amendment allowing us, your trusted Representatives and your honest governor, to pass this teeny-weeny income tax...for the children.” Then let the games begin! It’s bad enough that we are taxed on everything we spend or eat or drive, walk on, in or around, but when they get there mitts on our paychecks where they can take it before we even see it...sheesh! (Remember, Dr. Frankenstein thought his creation beautiful until he gave it life and it killed everyone he loved.)

You can say I’m going off the deep end, but history will bear me out. Our original U.S. Constitution forbade an income tax, but fast-talking politicians, complaining about rich robber barons, convinced our
slow-thinking citizenry to accept the sixteenth amendment allowing a, reportedly, small income tax on only the richest of Americans. They argued that these evil rich could afford it and it was time to spread the wealth around. I’m sure they must have told their constituents, “It’s for the children.” The rest is history.

If you’re in doubt, just take another look at your paycheck and take a
serious listen to these politicians who can always give themselves raises and yet, can’t balance the state check book. These are the same guys who tell you the lottery is “for the children.” Well, it may be for their children, but not for mine.

Labels: children, gambling, government, lottery, sin, taxes, Tennessee