(02-03-2020, 12:54 PM)mikesez Wrote:

(02-03-2020, 12:28 PM)TrivialPursuit Wrote: Hence my fear of social engineering. No, it doesn't truly affect the intelligent because we can see it happening... but 80% of people aren't intelligent enough to know when they are being nudged by the government to a particular way of acting or thinking. They merely see it as an extra fee or tax they have to pay and therefore stop doing it... exactly what the social engineers want

The paradox of sin taxes is that as the revenue comes in, the government comes to count on that revenue.
So with one hand they restrict gambling to the lottery and the Seminole tribe, then with the other hand they buy advertisements to promote playing the lottery and visiting the Seminole tribe properties using various tax dollars.
On the one hand they keep tight control of liquor licenses and collect alcohol taxes, on the other hand our local and state governments will promote fun events (like Jaguars games) where a lot of alcohol will be served.
It kind of hurts your head if you think about it that much.