Military exchanges want a piece of the lottery pie

[Lori Price CLG]

Military exchanges want a piece of the lottery pie

More than 178,000 retail outlets in 41 states and the District of Columbia sell state lottery tickets. Last year, these retailers earned more than $3 billion in commissions on ticket sales of almost $49 billion.

Military exchanges want a piece of that action.

Congress is weighing a proposal from the Department of Defense to allow lottery ticket sales in stateside exchanges, except where such sales would pinch the businesses of blind vendors already selling lottery tickets on bases.

Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials, in drafting the proposal, argued that lottery sales would help to offset a sharp drop in revenues for morale, welfare and recreational activities from a drawdown of U.S. forces in Europe and Korea through 2009.

<snip>

Lori Price
http://www.legitgov.org/index.html#breaking_news

[skooooo]

1. how stupid can we get?

[MADem]

2. OHFACHRISSAKE!!!

On the one hand, they shut down Happy Hour in all the clubs, causing all the boozers to drive offbase and get in accidents, and then they slashed the number of slot machines in overseas installations because gambling is ooooooh, SO bad...but they want to sell lottery tickets?

Fucking schizophrenic thinking!! They do this shit ALL THE TIME!!!

[tinymontgomery]

3. It really wasn't

the military that wanted to shut clubs and slots and suchj. It is the right wing wacko's who pushed the stuff out, the military couldn't stand up to the wacko's

[MADem]

5. Actually, it was a crazy cadre of right wing flag and general officers

who either had their fun and didn't want anyone else to have any, or who were fundy kooks to begin with. Most of them are retired now, thank heaven. The effort came initially from within the military; I know, because I was on the other team....

[TankLV]

7. Hey - the Catholic Diocese in Buffalo is against all forms of gambling

EXCEPT fot bingo - which is very lucrative for them. Oh, and they said they would accept casino chips in their collection baskets and winnings from gambling.

Goddammned hypocrits!

Same hypocricy.

[PSPS]

4. Why not install casinos in the PX?

They may as well further exploit their captive subjects. You already see "payday loan," "rent to own," and other predatory "businesses" popping up around military bases like mushrooms.

[MADem]

8. They already have slots in the clubs overseas

...which a bunch of holy roller flag and general officers tried to do away with--there was blood on the floor over that one. Problem is, they account for a MASSIVE amount of MWR income, and provide critical quality of life support that would not otherwise be affordable to service personnel overseas. See, MWR facilities that are not directly related to readiness (and these would include libraries, gyms, so you can stay fit and get ready for your PT test, clubs, but ONLY WHEN they provide what is termed "essential feeding" -- i.e. in lieu of a mess hall, and recreation facilities such as ballfields and picnic areas that are specifically geared for those who are deployed, and not for people living aboard the facility all the time) must be SELF SUSTAINING--Congress made this decision decades ago, and it took some time and a shitload of pain before the Services adjusted to the concept. Thus, if your movie theater is not breaking even, they close it. If your club, which does not support deployed personnel, is not raking in enough profit, poof, bye bye. Funny how they will bend the rules six ways to Sunday to keep the golf courses open whenever they can, to the point of even allowing civilians aboard on certain days or times...gotta keep the senior brass happy. A percentage of exchange sales goes towards MWR, as do a percentage of gas coupons overseas and other rationed/taxed items in the local economy. Forward deployed MWR assets are supported somewhat, by a combination of some set funding and scraping off profits from MWR entities stateside and in cushy overseas locations. You couldn't pay me enough to get in the MWR game--it is a massive headache.

I despise those crappy businesses that are always right outside every gate. They grab the E-1 through E-3, literally the least of the brethren, and screw them blue. Every so often the JAGS find a business that is totally off the page, and puts them off limits, but it is usually after some kids' credit ratings have been decimated.

[wuushew]

6. How is impoverishing soldiers in the military's best interest?

anyone who views gambling as some sort of investment is an idiot. The sole source all government revenue should be progressive taxation. The promotion of "sin" by the government is hypocritical and of conflicting interest.

How about creating financially stable non-alcoholic veterans who in later years add to instead of drain the collective good.

[FlemingsGhost]

9. Playing Russian Roulette with all of our lives isn't enough action?

There seems to be plenty of money in it ...