Today’s question is: Does anybody read the crap the Associated Press sends to regional papers for reprint, including the regional papers?
Case in point, the March 18, 2008 story headlined, “Poor Americans most affected by states’ planned budget cuts.” Ok, I get that. Poor Americans are always the hardest hit in budget cuts, but a paragraph within the story caught my eye.
“….states are looking to increase lottery tickets sales, promote
Indian gambling or further raise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. Those taxes disproportionately hit the pocketbooks of the same
poor and working-class that would be hurt by the spending cuts, studies show.”
Now I don’t expect the writer to understand just how stupid this sounds, but I would at least expect his or her editor should have caught the ignorance of this comment. And in absence of that, the editor of the business section of the regional paper should have caught it.
Far be it from me to tell anyone how to conduct their private lives, rich or poor. However, if you are poor, you might consider another type of entertainment other than shoving--your hard earned, or our misguided tax dollars--into an Indian casino slot machine, one quarter at a time, ditto on the bi-weekly Lotto tickets. Moreover, given that smoking and drinking are not only expensive, but hazardous to your health--which taxpayers are apparently responsible for as well--the concept of moderating or quitting altogether should be considered.
It has not escaped me that the rich and poor alike should share some pain in tight financial times. But that concept has apparently not occurred to the Associated Press.
But hey, I could be wrong. I’m just a Dumbplumber.
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