By clicking the title above,this video from the New York Times(not a conservative,lottery hating people)shows the real pit falls of a "too good to be true fix" to education. As you will find only 35% of the actually money from the lottery reaches schools. Another 50% goes to over head and prizes,not to mention the lottery is raising its prizes every few months. They say this is to get more people to play but what it really does is just take more of the money from schools. The numbers for the lottery's first year and the years to follow were 1.2 billion dollars a year,but in reality was only 225.77 million the first year and the following year was still below the 1.2. billion estimate giving to us by the "lottery fixes all" crowd. I remember when the lottery was passed back in 2005(though the first ticket wasn't sold till 2006)the dark cloud it brought with it. The only way the lottery was passed was by false statements and down right dirty politics. They sent the Assembly home with the promise they were done for the session,only to call them back a week or so later to shove the lottery bill through in the last minute. The proponents knew that two legislators would not be present because one was getting married and the other was going in for surgery. Even with these two missing it still ended up a tie vote,but not for the benefit of the people of North Carolina the law is,if there is a tie vote in the senate then then Lt.Governor can break the tie. As they say the rest is history and North Carolina was hoodwinked into having a lottery. I always said "if they're that dirty to pass it,how good of a chance do you have to win it".
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Smith: Perdue plan 'hypocritical'
Fred Smith says Beverly Perdue's public-financing plan is "hypocritical."
The Republican gubernatorial candidate told Dome that he objects to her plan to create an endowment to fund positive campaigns for governor and reduce the influence of contributors.
"She is the picture child of the politician who goes to the rich and powerful and raises money using her political position," he said.
He said that Perdue has "shaken down" donors such as country music singer Randy Parton and run ads attacking Democratic rival Richard Moore.
Smith, who has loaned his campaign $1.9 million so far, said he would be willing to make an agreement on personal spending in the general election, avoiding negative ads and holding debates -- three things Perdue's plan would promote.
"If I'm the nominee and she's the nominee, I'd be happy to make a deal with her that there would be no negative ads," he said. "I'll debate her anywhere, any time, and I'll agree to any rules on using personal money. We can do that without having some government program."
