News-Record.com

Every poll I have seen stated the same fact over and over; 60 to 70% of the people in this state support a lottery. Show us how that is hubris in any way.

John:

If "60 to 70% of the people in this state support a lottery", and if the elected politicians though the people in those polls had a clue, then it would have passed by a 2/3'rds majority.

The fact is - the lottery is controversial, and it took all the manuvering that could be mustered in a kangaroo session to get a 50-50 tie.

Ya know - just because "the people" want it, does not make it a good idea. I'l bet my personal life that if there were a poll asking "should every American get a million dollars deposited into their bank account?" - it would pass by more than 60 to 70%.

I'm going to usw a favorite line of the Republicans here.

The lottery passed. Get over it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

"Just because the people want it, does not make it a good idea".

You are so right Rockefeller. The Bush Administration is living proof of that.

The Republican's partisan attempt to block the lottery, against the wishes of the voter's, was thawrted by the minority. I do believe that was a move taken right out of the repubs very on playbook.

Brian, those are my exact sentiments!
hahahahahahahahahahaha!

John asked, "Show us how that (i.e. Governor Easley's lottery coup detat) is hubris in any way".

"Hubris" is a really cool word, John. I looked it up the other day (while responding to comments on The Editor's Blog), just to make sure it meant what I thought it meant. According to my American Heritage dictionary, hubris is defined as "overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance", derived from the Greek hubris, meaning insolence and outrage.

Now Governor Easley has this word DOWN. He presumed that the end justified the means (probably for the very reason you cite). That meant it was a-okay to dupe lottery opponents into leaving town (by having his legislative cronies assure everyone that the legislative session was over), and then re-open the session to hold a vote that his Lieutenant Governor could tie-break.

The game was rigged, and we technically haven't even started gambling yet!

It was a cla$$ic example of $outhern $leaze-ball politic$ . . . something for Governor Ea$ley to hold up to all of the kids he says he wants to "educate" - the same kids who are now watching the national treasure that once was New Orleans float away and burn because politician$ & citizen$ (generation$ of them on all level$) put everything but common $en$e and fore$ight fir$t.

Now that's something we in North Carolina should think about (as we are in the middle of what most meteorologists say is a 20-30 year cycle of increased hurricane activity). On the Governor's watch, "economic development" on the fragile, vulnerable North Carolina coastline has mirrored the same kind of lunacy that doomed New Orleans. "Floyd" was WAY BAD, but "Floyd" (a Category 3 storm) was not nearly as bad as it could get when the next monster with bad breath knocks on our shores. This week our Governor seemed oblivious - trekking his entourage down to Wilmington to celebrate/close yet another coastal "deal", even after he told the rest of us to conserve gas this Labor Day weekend. But hey, that photo-op was very, very important.

Back on thread, 60-70 percent of people of NC may indeed want a lottery. (Like my views on the subject before this happened) maybe that's not because they've really evaluated the pros and cons of a lottery (something our legislators are supposed to do before they make laws), but because they don't want to trek over the line or commit a misdemeanor in order to have the one-in-a-trillion chance to win. "The people" elect people to go to Raleigh and represent them and their best interests (although I often wondered why we didn't just hold a lottery referendum and let "the people" vote on it). Upon hearing all of the arguments a lot of our representatives thought this lottery thing was a bad idea. Governor Easley, convinced of his own importance (the Heritage definition of "arrogant"), did not have the votes this year. So he manipulated our rules (the ones designed to protect and serve ordinary folks like you and me) to get his slush fund (oops, excuse me) . . . his lottery. And he's very PROUD of it. After he was done (literally under the cover of a national tragedy), he gleefully celebrated his "victory" all over television sets and newspaper headlines across the state. HAHAHAHAHAHA.

The editorial Mr. Haley cites was (alas) an accurate assessment of what happened. And he's absolutely right about power and bork-barrel corruption in our state government. What really suprised me this time was that the News & Record actually criticized the Governor - a real "law & order" guy they told us all to vote for.

It IS "hubris" to say that the rules don't matter . . . and this way of thinking is a REALLY BIG, recurring problem for Governor EASYley and his administration (particularly his Attorney General) in a VARIETY of areas. After a week of watching a national disaster unfold that most agree is of biblical proportions, a quote from the Good Book comes to mind: "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall".

We all have to "get over it" because the boys in Raleigh didn't give any of us much choice. So, Powerball or Megamillions anyone? I know what I would do with the lotto money right now if I had it. Megamillions is over 150 million this week (yes, I keep track) - maybe it's time to cross the Virginia line - gas is cheaper up there anyway.

Even cheaper in SC Mary and you can buy the mega tickets there also. Me, I don't bother but I do see it on the local stations here abouts.
I gotta agree with you on this one too Mary. Looks like this is the 2nd time in the past weeks I have had to jine up with ya.

Here is another possibility of the political maneuverings preceeding the lottery vote (taken from the September 1, NC Spin newsletter):
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My Spin
By Tom Campbell
Creator and moderator of NC SPIN

Don't Blame Basnight

Those opposed to the passage of the lottery in North Carolina are directing their disappointment towards Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight. They claim, and rightfully, that Basnight announced the Senate's business was finished for the year. They point to the fact that the Pro Tem refused to take a vote on the lottery the week before because of ethical considerations. Why, they wonder, could the Dare County Democrat be so ethical one week and appear so unethical the next?

Despite Basnight's remarks, made when he was fatigued and frustrated, the session had not formally adjourned and every member of the legislature knew it. The House was still meeting. Basnight contacted, or attempted to do so, every Senator last Friday to tell them the Senate would come back on Tuesday. Need he have announced a vote on the lottery? Most understood it and they also calculated a deal had been made.

Two Senators who were wavering in their opposition to the lottery finally yielded, no doubt following promises of great benefits to their regions. It's very clear they "took a walk."

Both had very legitimate excuses. One was sick in bed; another on a delayed honeymoon trip. But either could and should have sought a "pair," a Senator who was going to vote opposite their vote, thus canceling each other's vote. This is a well-known and longstanding technique in the Senate. It was used just the week before to delay a vote. Basnight was dead on accurate in responding during the debate that these Senators had time to have either been present or paired.

Those upset with the outcome need to redirect their frustrations. Marc Basnight only followed the Senate rules and held a vote when he knew he could win the issue. The lottery passed because two Senators who previously opposed the measure caved and, rather than vote, were absent. Time will tell what fallout they experience as a result of their actions.

Our only issue with the Pro Tem is over why he didn't allow other legislation to come before the Senate, such as the half-cent sales tax increase wanted by some 45 counties and passed by the House?

Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue couldn't have staged a more perfect scenario in her quest to become Governor in 2008. Breaking the tie on an issue that 70 percent of the people say they support would certainly appear to catapult Perdue into the frontrunner's position for Governor. Unfortunately, many of those supporters don't vote. Conversely, church members across the state were vehemently opposed to the gambling and they do vote. This tiebreaker may help in the Democratic primary but it might hurt her in the general election.

North Carolina has a lottery. Even die-hard supporters would have preferred the matter resolved differently. But it is law. As a colorful former political commentator, Chub Sewell, used to say, "Call your next case."
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I saw your post (sharing the Australian editorial "Sanity Submerged") on Allen Johnson's blog.

So it's three times:):):)

Maybe there was hubris in never allowing a non-binding referendum. It would have been easy to include a question on the the gubernatorial/presidential ballot to see what the voting public really preferred.

Regardless, the lottery was passed using a tactic that both 'sides' use against one another, and by definition, against the people. Today the NC Lottery, yesterday John Bolton.

Whether you were for or against the lottery, the way in which it was handled disenfranchised us all.

Let's just hope they don't foul up the administration and funding of the proceeds.

All you guys who say the lottery should be passed because 2/3's of the people supported it should remember this. If we did everything based on the majority vote, abortion would be illegal, there would be no taxes, and there would be no speed limit.

It passed. Get over it. Join the fun and buy a scratch-off ticket while you gas up at $2.99 per gallon. You might just win enough to pay for your gas.

Where's the $2.99 gas. I'm about empty.

62 right around River Mill Road.