John Oliver: The lottery

I've never bought a lottery ticket in my life - not because a dollar or two is such a big deal, but because I don't want my state government thinking I'm that stupid, that ignorant, that gullible. I mean, I've got my self-respect.

And no, the money does not go to a good cause, unless you think that cutting taxes on the rich is a good cause.

Taxes are a good thing. As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. pointed out, "Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."

Certainly, we shouldn't be promoting addiction and preying on our poorest and most vulnerable citizens just to keep the wealthy from paying their fair share to support the society that gave them the opportunity to become wealthy in the first place (even if they just inherited their money).