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October 21, 2005
We have a winner
A confession: I used to gamble. I cleaned up in a poker game in Army basic training once, taking a month’s pay from several pals. I felt terrible about it. Later, I cut the cards with a soldier buddy in Germany for a trip to the Oktoberfest, including airline tickets and hotel. I lost. I felt terrible about it.
I don’t play the lottery. This is not a matter of principle, even though I don’t think the state should raise money on behavior that can be addictive and destructive. It’s more that I’m a penny pincher. Plus, as the saying goes, the lottery is a game for people who failed math. At least when I cut the three of clubs and lost the trip to Munich, I had started with a 50-50 chance.
Now Sen. Judd Gregg, who’s good at math, and lucky in general, has won the lottery – half a mil after taxes. He is notoriously unresponsive to the media and spends little time with constituents, but after his lottery win, he suddenly loved microphones with the passion of Jesse Jackson.
I understand what New Hampshire voters like about Gregg, but there’s another side, too. He’s smart, honest, flinty and consistent, but he’s also stand-offish. His politics is artful. He talks like a fiscal hawk but walks like something else, playing for pork with the best of them and carrying water for a president whose attitude toward deficits keeps real conservatives awake at night.
Gregg has always been lucky. He was born rich. He is well educated. He avoided the draft. When he wanted to step up politically, opportunities opened up. When he was most vulnerable, his opponents faltered.
And now he’s won the lottery – not the big prize, but big enough. I think I know how his constituents reacted to this news. It gave a sinking feeling even to many people who have voted for Gregg every election in his 30 years in public life. I mean, if you made a list of people you’d like to see win the lottery, where would Judd Gregg’s name be on it?
No, the lottery is for the mother frightened about whether she’s going to be able to pay for oil this winter. It’s for the retired cop who umpires the Little League games. It’s for the teacher whose kid just got into Yale.
It’s a free country, but what’s a guy who won the lottery at birth doing taking money out of the pocket of someone whose life would be transformed by it? What’s a millionaire politician doing playing Powerball?
Posted by Mike Pride at October 21, 2005 04:11 PM
Comments
great commentary
Posted by: Greg Driscoll at October 23, 2005 03:06 AM
Well why not? He has been gambling with our money for a long time when he votes for pork barrel projects in the Senate. What's wrong with him gambling with his money for a change?
Posted by: W. Kaiser at October 24, 2005 08:38 AM
I think of the lottery as a voluntary tax system. Since most people pay in and get nothing in return, I don't have a problem with Gregg making a contribution.
As far as his winning, I assume it was random chance and he did mention that he had several charities in mind for the winnings.
I don't need to defend Gregg politically, but bagging on him for winning sounds like sour grapes.
Posted by: fullert at October 25, 2005 09:52 AM