Posted on 08/22/2002 9:48:07 AM PDT by Constitution Day
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:55:44 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The focus of the lottery debate has shifted away from making big bucks and toward the politics of the November election.
A lottery referendum has been pending before the N.C. full House for more than a month, but supporters of the lottery may get it on the November ballot.
(Excerpt) Read more at wral.com ...
"To sum it up I think that pro-lottery voters will come to the polls to vote for a lot of things. There are a lot of anti-lottery voters who probably won't vote, unless a lottery is on the ballot and they will come and make sure to vote. Also they won't vote for Democrats," said Fitzsimon.
One-stop absentee voting begins
By Ned B. Hunter, Rocky Mount Telegram
Without hanging chads or pesky punch cards - at least for voters in Edgecombe County - state-wide, no-excuse absentee voting begins today.
While voters in Nash County must still use scan cards, Edgecombe County residents will cast ballots on computerized touch-screens. The new voting machines, first used in Edgecombe County last November, allows voters to select a candidate by touching their names. Voters can change their mind as often as necessary providing they have not entered "cast ballot," which appears on the last page of voting.
"The last screen shows every race and whom you voted for," said Gayle Hudson, Edgecombe County director of elections. "You can still go back to change (your vote) until you touch 'cast ballot.' Once you touch cast vote, it's too late."
The machines also will not let a resident accidently vote for more than one candidate in the same election.
When wishing to vote, residents must first obtain a credit-card sized access card from an elections official. The card is then inserted into a voting machine allowing voters to cast their ballots. No identification is required to vote.
"Just state your name and your address and a voter access card will be printed out," Hudson said .
Election officials are linked to a database of all registered voters in the county. When a voter checks in, the official verifies their name and address and an absentee affidavit is then signed by both the voter and the official.
Edgecombe has a total of four electronic voting machines each worth $3,100 each. Three are being used for the one-stop absentee voting and the fourth will be added on election day.
The machines also allow for the touch-screen to be enlarged for voters who are visually impaired.
Beginning today, one-stop absentee voting runs 8 a.m. till 5 p.m., Monday through Friday until Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 7, from 8 a.m. till 1 p.m.
1. The poor spend disproportionately more than the rich - expanding poverty; as a result, it's a highly regressive form of taxation. Horrible public policy.
2. It's only projected to increase education spending by maybe 3%. Spending increases have actually averaged 5% over the past decade-plus. Per year. Not worth the effort.
3. Two words: gambling addiction
4. It's an excuse for the government to spend more money. In Easley's case, it's apparently a moral imperative to do so.
5. It's highly inefficient. Half of all lottery receipts go toward prizes. Another 20% or so goes to promotion. Another 10% or so to operations. That leaves 20 cents on the dollar for the state. And that's BEFORE the beauracracy kicks in! Come'on! Probably all other forms of taxes are more efficient than this!
6. Getting a state government into the gambling business is a bad idea.
I do have something to add, that's positive, though: it's the headline from the Winston-Salem Journal yesterday (Wed., 21 Aug): "Easley Uses State's Credit Downgrade to Push Lottery: He Says That Legislators Should Also Have Political Will to Increase Local Sales Taxes"
Usually, headlines don't fully capture the essence of the article's content. This one does! Yes, our Governor actually had the unmitigated GALL to demand both a lottery and tax increases to improve the credit rating THAT HIS POLICIES SCREWED UP WITH HUGE SPENDING INCREASES THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD!
'Nough said. I'm still sorry about that, Impeach -- when the lottery rears its ugly head, I get in the mood for a fight on its own merits.
"Education Lottery" give me a break, anyone that falls for this has the I.Q. of dirt.
MKM
http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/politics/MGB3XRU435D.html
If Grandfather Mountain were made of 24K gold, Raleigh would spend it all in 5 years.
Dear Lord, whatever you do, don't get the State involved in sponsoring a vice... I live in Georgia, and Lotto is a bad joke.
Taxes have quadrupled, the schools "still need more money"
( ...for the children's sake... )
and poor people waste money on gambling that they ought to spend on their families. Don't even think about it.
This is a key gripe of mine. I mean we have to show ID to rent a movie at the video store, but not to vote! Anyone know if there is a movement to address this issue?
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