Editorials

It's just one little step

Why, this won’t hurt a bit—yet

It's only a wee little step, child. Just put one foot in front of the other. You don't even have to put the whole foot in front of the other. Just a couple of toes. And bit by bit you can make progress. (Although in some slower cases, and in some more stubborn states, progress might take a while.)

Here, do you need a hand? The folks running the Arkansas Lottery will help you. Put your hand on our shoulder, and there now. . . . See? You're gaining ground! Or, better put, we are.

Remember your cousin back East telling you about scratch-off lottery tickets all those years ago? Instant Gratification! How very American--or maybe very human. No more sitting around waiting on Saturday night and that ping-pong-ball machine. Just wait a minute, maybe just a second. And then Step Right Up with cash in hand, buy a ticket and scratch that little sucker with a nickel. If you win a dollar, turn it back in for another ticket. Until your money dries up.

No wonder this scratch-off numbers racket has spread like wildfire. Whoever printed those first splashy and gaudy tickets was a merchandising genius. He should have his name in the Lottery Hall of Fame, right alongside Charles Ponzi, namesake of all Ponzi schemes.

Oh, dear, did we say cash in hand? Oh, no, not any more. Not if we generous types at the Arkansas Lottery get our druthers. Debit cards are all the rage these days. We're going to a cashless society, doncha know. And the lottery has to keep up. Fast. For there's still one born every minute and ready for the taking. Now via debit cards, which are just like cash--almost. The money's already there. Eureka Springs! What a brilliant idea.

Once the first step was taken toward using any kind of card to finance the lottery--credit, debit, pre-paid, you name it, the die was cast. And usually came up snake-eyes. Maybe retailers should be able to sell folks lottery tickets, too, with any kind of card--credit, debit, even gift card. The cash is already there! What's the dif? Just imagine all the gimmicks/cards to come in the distant future, like next year.

But can you imagine the Arkansas Lottery having such a hard time finding lawmakers who'll sponsor legislation to allow purchases with debit cards? What's going on here? A sudden ethical seizure? All the Arkansas Lottery is asking is for a state lawmaker to take up its cause this session.

So, okay, lawmakers, who's going to hurry, hurry, hurry, and step right up? And help us suckers take those baby steps toward our own personal economic disaster?

Editorial on 01/29/2015

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