Quote:
|
Originally Posted by tryan
It's government's approach to "tap" a different segment of the population. In the case of the Lottery thier tapping the poor and lower middle class by dangling HOPE. What other purpose does a lottery possibly have ... it's certianly not designed to help anyone (not even the winner).
Bridge and road tolls "tap" another segment.
Speeding ticket quotas "tap" yet another segment ... on and on and on we go!
|
I agree with what you are saying. But if a lottery is the best that we have in the way of hope, we are all in trouble. I maintain that the popularity of lotteries has as much to do with our educational system (or problems with it) than anything else.
Speeding tickets are another interesting phenomonen. For the most part, they are a revenue-raising device, a "speed tax." At least on the highway. In towns, they make some sense. But like the "war on drugs" they have been integrated into the financial fabric of society.
So what is the "free-market" view of speeding tickets? How come people don't get as emotional about them as they do about guns or taxes? In Europe,they'd rather speed than shoot each other. If we were going to be "rational" about this, shouldn't the speed limit depend on what car you drive and the condition of your tires? Shouldn't the speed limit be much higher for motorcycles, since they are less likely to injure or kill others? Shouldn't I be able to purchase a 20 mph "credit" on my highway speed allowance? Shouldn't speeding tickets be indexed to your net worth instead of a "flat fee"?
oohhh....bad...the whiskey is talking
Linear Mode
