An Indiana lawmaker expressed disappointment Thursday that her proposal for a special lottery to support the Indiana National Guard will not get a chance to advance in the state Senate.
Republican Sen. Thomas Wyss of Fort Wayne, chairman of the Homeland Security, Utilities and Public Policy Committee, said he had problems with the bill by Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, and would not give it a hearing. Among other things, he said it could set a precedent of the Legislature dictating special lotteries for numerous causes.
Simpson said proceeds from an annual, one-day special lottery to benefit the Guard could be used to supplement arms and equipment for Indiana soldiers.
"The federal government, I think, has failed our troops and this is an opportunity for the state government and the people of Indiana to step up and provide some funding," Simpson said.
The bill would require the lottery to conduct a special ticket sale on Veteran's Day and put the money in a fund to benefit the Indiana National Guard. It could be used to pay for equipment or provide additional death benefits for Guard members killed in the line of duty.
Wyss spent three decades in the Guard and has long championed veterans' affairs issues. But he said decisions about specific ticket sales or promotions should be left to lottery officials, not the Legislature.
- It's being run by the Hoosier Lottery. Maybe if they held it like a raffle, it would work better. If they guarenteed a winner, then maybe it would do better.
Senator Simpson also stated in a newspaper article that she didn't see what the big deal was about the Hoosier Lottery scratch-off scandal, since it was an isolated incident and probably wouldn't happen again. She opposes Representative Alderman's legislation which would force the Hoosier Lottery to return to mechanical draw machines and live, televised drawings.
I'm sure LosingJeff will back me up on the following point: Even if such a lottery were approved and instituted, the money would dventually be diverted to other programs or public employee pension funds, so I'm not disappointed her bill met with defeat. Our politicians are very underhanded and, in my experience, less than honest. I'd say it's about even money whether Simpson had a hidden agenda, such as a pet project or special-interest group she was hoping to fund with that money. I suppose it's possible that the revenue would benefit the intended recipients, but I would be skeptical. I don't trust these people, and I've learned how to tell when they're lying to me - their lips move.
Doc makes a good point - the Hoosier Lottery couldn't be trusted with this job, and that could be the very reason the bill was deemed unworthy of a hearing. The politicians in Indianapolis know fully well what's been going on at the Hoosier Lottery. They don't want it made public, though, because they're afraid it will cast them in a bad light. If Alderman believes that LosingJeff and I will go away after they bring back the mechanical draw machines, he's in for a surprise, because we're not giving up until the thieves who previously ran the Hoosier Lottery are in jail.
As I stated before. If the Hoosier Lottery guarenteed at least one ticket would win, then it would be fine by me, but their idea sounds a little sketchy.
something isn't right at all with the people running the lottery in indiana and then you got the nervous politicians caught in the middle making excuses,i'll love the day this is finally exposed.......
Everyone knows that I'm just about the biggest supporter of our troops and their mission, but I'm not so sure that a special lottery is the way to go. I wonder if this is Senator Simpson's way of scoring political points, since she made it a point of criticizing the federal government. I think if there was any "failing" at the federal level, it was from certain Senators that criticize every single thing the leadership does, to the point of ridiculousness, so that things don't get done quickly.
The best support for our troops that Senator Simpson could do would be to urge those from her party in Washington to stop the political oneupmanship on issues dealing with the troops, and start coming together in total unified support of our important mission of freedom. They'll have plenty of opportunity to debate about other issues; leave the troops and their mission out of it.
there are argumens on both ends of this.
FOR:
- It benefits troops.
- It's a lottery.
AGAINST:
- It's being run by the Hoosier Lottery. Maybe if they held it like a raffle, it would work better. If they guarenteed a winner, then maybe it would do better.
Senator Simpson also stated in a newspaper article that she didn't see what the big deal was about the Hoosier Lottery scratch-off scandal, since it was an isolated incident and probably wouldn't happen again. She opposes Representative Alderman's legislation which would force the Hoosier Lottery to return to mechanical draw machines and live, televised drawings.
I'm sure LosingJeff will back me up on the following point: Even if such a lottery were approved and instituted, the money would dventually be diverted to other programs or public employee pension funds, so I'm not disappointed her bill met with defeat. Our politicians are very underhanded and, in my experience, less than honest. I'd say it's about even money whether Simpson had a hidden agenda, such as a pet project or special-interest group she was hoping to fund with that money. I suppose it's possible that the revenue would benefit the intended recipients, but I would be skeptical. I don't trust these people, and I've learned how to tell when they're lying to me - their lips move.
Doc makes a good point - the Hoosier Lottery couldn't be trusted with this job, and that could be the very reason the bill was deemed unworthy of a hearing. The politicians in Indianapolis know fully well what's been going on at the Hoosier Lottery. They don't want it made public, though, because they're afraid it will cast them in a bad light. If Alderman believes that LosingJeff and I will go away after they bring back the mechanical draw machines, he's in for a surprise, because we're not giving up until the thieves who previously ran the Hoosier Lottery are in jail.
As I stated before. If the Hoosier Lottery guarenteed at least one ticket would win, then it would be fine by me, but their idea sounds a little sketchy.
Also, IN is too liberal to support our troops.
something isn't right at all with the people running the lottery in indiana and then you got the nervous politicians caught in the middle making excuses,i'll love the day this is finally exposed.......
I'm as liberal as they come, and I support the troops 100%.
Fun is bad!
Everyone knows that I'm just about the biggest supporter of our troops and their mission, but I'm not so sure that a special lottery is the way to go. I wonder if this is Senator Simpson's way of scoring political points, since she made it a point of criticizing the federal government. I think if there was any "failing" at the federal level, it was from certain Senators that criticize every single thing the leadership does, to the point of ridiculousness, so that things don't get done quickly.
The best support for our troops that Senator Simpson could do would be to urge those from her party in Washington to stop the political oneupmanship on issues dealing with the troops, and start coming together in total unified support of our important mission of freedom. They'll have plenty of opportunity to debate about other issues; leave the troops and their mission out of it.