Tears and Laughter: Alabama needs a lottery
I have never met anyone that didn’t like money. I’ve met a lot of liars, but never anybody that didn’t love money. Money is the solution to most of life’s problems here on earth. And when the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots rollover until they are huge, even people who do not regularly play will buy tickets.
It is easy to get caught up in the hype and excitement surrounding even the slightest sliver of a chance at winning. Alabamians make the drive to the Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida line to stand in line for tickets. Two dollars seems to be a fair price to pay to be a part of it all. No one is bothered much with the wait. People are polite. Social. There is camaraderie. Some share their dreams. One woman – a mother of a 21-year-old son and a four-year-old surprise – said if she won she would hire a fulltime, live-in nanny who could cook. A middle-aged man joked that he would quit work the next day and never be seen or heard from again.
The lines move relatively quickly. There are well wishes as people leave – “be careful” and “good luck.”
Residents from within these states are not driving to the outskirts for tickets. Practically every person standing in line at these retailers on the borders are from Alabama.
Alabama doesn’t believe in gambling. I have a player’s card for three of the five casinos in the state, but Alabama does not allow for games of chance. They evidently will give a wink and a nod to the Poarch Creek Indians – and I am so glad they do – but I also think it may be time to look at ourselves straight as Alabamians and implement a lottery.
In recent years the Alabama legislature has been pressured by their constituents to at least discuss the possibilities of a lottery. They tossed around the idea of considering allowing Alabama to join in with the national Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries, but not have an actual Alabama Lottery or any daily pick games or scratch-offs.
Obviously, Alabamians are already playing in the national lotteries. And nobody wants a watered down lottery. Alabama should have a full scale, for-profit lottery where everyday people lose…and people win.
But nope. Our legislatures are not sure what to with the revenue a lottery would create. As dumb as our kids are becoming – some of them graduate without even the lowest of skills, but our leaders are uncertain as to what to do with money.
Some people who oppose the lottery argue that a lottery would not generate enough money to cover the full shortage needed within the education budget. It doesn’t have to. It will at least subtract from the whole.
Another popular argument of those in opposition is the fear people will spend their money on lottery tickets and not take care of their children. There are two kinds of people in this world – those who take care of their children no matter the cost, and those who don’t. A lottery is not going to compete with opioids, alcohol, cocaine, or women of the night. It is just a game of numbers.
A daily pick ticket can be bought for as little as fifty cents…Alabama needs a lottery.
Amanda Walker is a blogger and contributor with AL.com, The Thomasville Times, West Alabama Watchman, and Wilcox Progressive Era. Contact her at walkerworld77@msn.com or at https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker.Columnist