State Lotteries, Legalized Ponzi?

[Psiphere]

Well, I know the description of this forum area says discussion of laws related to pyramid schemes but well, there was no other posts here and since the forum si called 'The U.S. Governmnet and Pyramid Schemes' just thought I'd bring up the fact that just like in pyramids and ponzi's, the money from many is used to pay the few winners and the rest goes to the state and a whole lot of people are out of cash.

Especially over the course of a few years, how many lotteries are there?

Still, only so many win but then sooooooooo many others loose and the government or state always wins, everytime. :shake:

[weirdid]

With a lottery, each and every person that buys a ticket, has an equal chance of winning.
With a matrix/pyramid, the many pay for the few, everyone does not have the same chance of getting a free gift, thats why most states class them as an illegal lotterie.

weird

[Dreamer]

And, also, peoples opinions regarding the legaility of such takes into the consideration things called laws, or at least what should be a law. So it silly to say that lawmakers are breaking the laws, though they do it all the time.

BTW, state loteris is a bad example. Social security is a better argument.

[jokach]

and another thing, state lotteries are regulated and audited to ensure that there is no cheating or favoritism. Results of lotteries are usually not made 'official' until a short time after any drawing to ensure the auditors/regulators are happy that it was a fair drawing ... this is why they are so popular, because they are credible.

Now, the social security argument ... its unfortunate that social security has turned into what it has, although I don't necessarily consider it a 'lottery', but it does have the pyramid look to it (people at the bottom paying for people at the top). Mostly it got that way from years of neglect by the US government, increasing costs and nobody watching over the changes for eligibility for benefits. Also, inflation was never brought into the picture either when it was developed 60 years ago. At least the government has acknowledged that there is a problem with it and it will be interesting to see what happens with it ......... :)

jokach

[DaveyBoySmith]

Social Security Pyramidish? What next? Disability allowance?

[jokach]

*sigh* ... I'm not the only one in the US to make that reference (check google-news) ..... and i'm even not saying it is a pyramid, i'm saying that since at this point, social security will be bankrupt by the time I retire if things continue the way they are, it is pyramidish in nature because i'm paying in, and at this moment, there will be no payout for me.. don't take it so literally .... :nono:

[DaveyBoySmith]

Now, the social security argument ... its unfortunate that social security has turned into what it has, although I don't necessarily consider it a 'lottery', but it does have the pyramid look to it

Your looking after yourself here. Either social security in the US is a Ponzi/Pyramid or not its your call. I dont know how you can call anythin attributed to the governement a ponzi....but its your call i guess....u guys run this venture

[jokach]

*sigh*

Are you reading the same thread as me?


and i'm even not saying it is a pyramid,


Nowhere did I say it WAS a Ponzi, nor did I say it WAS a Pyramid, I said that it had the 'look' of a pyramid to it but I KNOW that its not, I made that blatantly clear TWICE in this thread ... :shake:

[Dreamer]

Actually, I was the one that made the reference that social security looks more like a ponzi than state loteries. State loteries are gambling, pure and simple. The odds are known, and everybody has an equal chance (per ticket of course) of winning.

I wont even call social security a ponzi because I dont know enough of it, but it might be arguable, only because the payment Im forced to put into it in my checks are probably paying for somebody else to retire. And, by the time I retire, there probably won't be anything left.

[Psiphere]

Hey I didn't expect so many replies to this thread so quickly.

Okay, lotteries was not a very good example of 'like a ponzi or pyramid', that's true. My point was intended to be more towards the fact that the government / state makes money on every lottery, just like the people who run the ponzi's and pyramids always make money even though only very few other people who pay into the system make money as well. Always 'the guy at the top', which is the government in this case, makes money regardless.

Social Security is also another good example, I had that one in mind as well but didn't mention it. However, I don't think SS was intended to start out that way and as someone else mentioned. It's more due to poor or lack of proper management and because of this, it is now running like a ponzi. People like us who are paying into it now (depending on how young you are), are likely to never receive any money back from it, just like anyone who enters a ponzi at the end. (Unless of course the system can be fixed.)

[redmist]

can a pyramid scheme be fixed? not unless you have a very large amount of money, and i think that Bush's administration is in enough debt as it is without spending more and he has devalued the dollar far too much.

the only way it can be sustained is if the population of the US grows rapidly so that the younger generations pay for their SS and pay you guys off when you are older. if this continues though, the american economy will collapse.

[jokach]

I think this is where the debates come in ... its been agreed upon all around that SS needs to be fixed, but how best to fix the problem for the long term, is where the issues are ... you're right that just throwing more money into it is not the answer ...

I just hope they make the right choice ....

jokach

[Believer]

I think this is where the debates come in ... its been agreed upon all around that SS needs to be fixed, but how best to fix the problem for the long term, is where the issues are ... you're right that just throwing more money into it is not the answer ...

I just hope they make the right choice ....

jokach

The choice has already been addressed, it takes people working to pay for those on SS.

So, illegal immigration is the answer! Let them come into work and pay for the others that retire. See, the government is already addressing the problem by causing other FUTURE problems to take care of the 1st problem.

Yes, of course that answer will cause even more serious reprecussions in the future. Hopefully, according to the terrorist and the government's way of thinking for allowing all this to happen, there will be some kind of disease epidimic to weed out those on Social Security. Maybe by some kind of "white powder" sprinkled on the SS checks that come in the mail every month around the 3rd. You see, only those receiving the SS will be effected.

In the mean time, think positive!

[dontgetburned]

"Maybe by some kind of "white powder" sprinkled on the SS checks that come in the mail every month around the 3rd. You see, only those receiving the SS will be effected."

That statement would get you arrested and on trial in Canada. In Mississauga Ontario ruled by an 85 year-old drunken feminist tyrant a 70 year old immigrant complaining about pot holes wrote a poem after a councilor made light of his complaints by saying they acted as "speed bumps". He replied in kind with a poorly written but funny poem in broken English about the pot holes summing up by saying "if she likes the potholes so much we should dig one 6ft. long, 3 ft. wide, and 4ft. deep and put the councilor in it." This 70 year old immigrant has been charged and put on trial. Un @#^%$ believable.

And you advocate the mass murder of millions on social security with a "white powder". Don't ever set foot in Canada, you may be whisked off to Syria for torture, or get the #$^% kicked out of you in one of our local jails.

NOT IN CANADA YOU SAY!!!! ..... as a senior who has had his ribs broken by Canadian authorities for attempting to expose police officers, their wives, firefighters, politicians, corrupt lawyers, school board officials even church ministers participating in pyramid fraud I can tell you life isn't worth a "plugged nickel" in this country if you open your mouth against authority.

In fact in Canada a tonsillectomy is one of the most dangerous operations. In Canada it must be done through the rectum we are not allowed to open our mouths without suffering serious retaliation.

dave call 24/7 We return you calls toll free in North America and 22 countries world-wide.

[dontgetburned]

That's www.crimebustersnow.com 905-963-3389 call 24/7 We return your calls toll free in North America and 22 countries world-wide. Check out our radio expose of the graft and corruption of the police and government, names included on our website.