It serms incredible to me to give over a billion dollars to a random person.

  • Dr. Dabbles@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    In the US, close to half of the winnings do go to the lottery, plus a portion of each lottery ticket usually goes to fund some government agency. Schools, programs for the impoverished and disenfranchised, etc.

    The real question, in my opinion, is if you are willing to spend that much money on a ticket, why aren’t you willing to spend that much money on just outright funding government programs? Imagine if 100% of what someone paid for a ticket went to programs for the disenfranchised? That could make real difference.

    • rebul@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I spend about $10 per year on lottery tickets. I pay upwards of $40k in taxes, much of which is funneled to “disenfranchised”. I’m good, thanks.

      • Usernameblankface@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Ok, but if you had a guarantee that your $10 would go directly to the disenfranchised with no chances of returning millions to you, how would that change things?

        • rebul@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Handing money out to the “disenfranchised” solves nothing, thus it never ends. I am for real solutions, like education and a strong family unit. But, you know, having that opinion means I am racist/classist/whatever “ist”.

          • Thaumiel@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Love the quote marks around disenfranchised. Real classy.

            Let’s see… cursory glance at post history indicates… Yep, right wing, anti union and against a living wage. That all tracks.

            • rebul@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              Quote marks because “disenfranchised” is subjective. And wow, you have mad skills to look at someone’s post history. Aren’t you quite the haxxor?

              I consider myself moderate. Lefty tools such as yourself label anyone that disagrees with them as right wing racist maga nazis. Fuck you.

              I am anti union. Unions served a great purpose 100 years ago. Now they are corrupt shake down organizations that contribute to inflation and drive jobs out of the country. But if someone wants to join one, I don’t care, it’s none of my business. Just don’t use my tax dollars to fund any of it.

              Living wage. There is this idiotic entitlement mentality that people somehow deserve a “living wage” simply for consuming oxygen. Here is the truth: people are paid what they are worth. If you are providing real value to an employer, they will pay you enough to retain you. If they don’t, find another employer. Rinse and repeat.

              But nah, it’s easier to blame shortcomings on billionaires/Trump/“the man”/“disenfranchisement” and hope some politician will send you money for your vote.

              • howrar@lemmy.ca
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                1 year ago

                It seems to simply be a difference in values. I personally think a human being has value simply for existing, and many others would agree on this. Nothing idiotic about valuing different things.

                • rebul@kbin.social
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                  1 year ago

                  We are in agreement, humans do have value. My point is that a living wage is possible, but it requires effort and sometimes tough decisions. Everyone should have the opportunity to better their lives, but I disagree that everyone is entitled to a ‘living wage’ simply for being alive. Have you not been to a restaurant where the service was terrible? Do those employees deserve a living wage?

                  • howrar@lemmy.ca
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                    1 year ago

                    It seems that where we differ is they yes, I do think that employee providing shitty service deserves a living wage. But more importantly, there’s so much that people do for us that should be paid but isn’t, or that isn’t paid enough to live off of but should be. People who volunteer their time to clean up public spaces, to help take care of the sick and elderly or young children, people producing art for the rest of us to enjoy, people doing doing fundamental research on topics that aren’t currently trendy, and likely many more that aren’t coming to mind right now.