The Man of Virtues Has a Vice (Bill Bennett gambles)

Newsweek ^ | 1/2/03 | Jonathan Alter and Joshua Green

[Callahan]

May 2 — In his best-selling anthology, “The Book of Virtues,” William J. Bennett writes: “We should know that too much of anything, even a good thing, may prove to be our undoing…[We] need to set definite boundaries on our appetites.”

DOES BENNETT? The popular author, lecturer and Republican Party activist speaks out, often indignantly, about almost every moral issue except one-gambling. It’s not hard to see why. According to casino documents, Bennett is a “preferred customer” in at least four venues in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, betting millions of dollars over the last decade. His games of choice: video poker and slot machines, some at $500 a pull. With a revolving line of credit of at least $200,000 at each casino, Bennett, former drug czar and Secretary of Education under Presidents Reagan and Bush, doesn’t have to bring money when he shows up at a casino.

(link for full article)

[Celantro]

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

[arielb]

I am sick and tired of all these people who claim that unless someone is absolutely perfect in every way, he doesn't have any right to tell anyone else that he should improve his behavior otherwise he is a hypocrite. So what? Accept the truth from anyone who gives it because truth is truth and independent from the messenger. Yes, gambling is damaging to society and soul. But instead of people trying to sincerely help Mr. Bennett from his gambling problem, we see this cynical "haha see I told you so" game that is childish and doesn't help anyone.

We are all human beings and nobody is perfect and we all need to help each other when we do the wrong things and there is no reason to put up walls when someone sincerely tries to help us.

[Warhead W-88]

All day long I argue with liberals that social conservatives are NOT interested in creating a theocracy and imposing their austere personal codes on an unwilling nation.

All day long I argue that.

And then I come in here, and I read this bullshit.

Maybe I'm on the wrong team after all.

You people might like the rush of power you get from imposing your own austere codes on others, but you only get that power if you bring along enough people to vote you into power.

And you're losing your support-- by the moment.

[Maximilian]

Wow he's getting huge, he doesn't quite look as though he'd set many boundaries on his appetite either.

Pat Buchanan called him "our virtuous teletubby." Well I guess we can scratch the "virtuous" and just stick with "teletubby."

If he passed math he should know that basically the odds are completely stacked against you.

The same thing occurred to me while reading the article. This guy sounds delusional. He acts as if he has a system to beat the odds of a slot machine. How can one person pull the handle any differently from another?

[moneyrunner]

You notice that it does not say: losing millions of dollars, don’t you?

[Irish Eyes]

I agree that it's another story and a tragic one at that. I just don't think it's a vice. If Bennet makes big bucks and likes to blow it at the slots while getting drunk that's his choice.(No, I'm not a libertarian).

Please tell me what possessed you to add the little bit while getting drunk , never did this article or anyone ever mention Bill Bennet getting drunk while playing the slots.

[mabelkitty]

Yes, it is the point.

Also, gambling is legal in more than half the states, with several more states entering into the foray such as New York, Mass, Ohio, etc.

Where've you been?

[amused]

Read the article. It states very clearly that he has not made any moral statements concerning gambling, although Empower America, the group with whom he is associated, has come out against states using gambling as a source of revenue.

That's where I made my mistake. I did a search on Bennett and ended up with a reference to gambling while his actual quote was dealing with moral decay.

[zoyd]

No offense, but you maniacs need to COOL OUT. I'm becoming a Born-Again Liberal just listening to this shrieking-harpy nonsense.

The minute you Holy Rollers start ordering ME about is the minute I start voting against you.

You can order your wives and kids around all you like. Leave me the hell OUT OF IT.

Ah, I think you misunderstand, Warhead. You're the first person in my life to call me a Holy Roller. That's pretty funny.

I'm no holy roller. Quite the opposite. The point is that Bennett is a moralist. I'm not talking about what's LEGAL. Bennett's life is dedicated to advancing HIS vision of morality. And evidently it includes blowing 7 figures in casinos. That's pretty funny stuff, especially when the 'moral' Bennett defenders turn into instant libertarians, arguing about Bennett's right to do what he wants, AS LONG AS HE'S NOT HARMING ANYONE. Well, every moralists definition of 'harm' is indeed a wide one, EXCEPT when it comes to addictive gambling. That's all.

[moneyrunner]

”I can tell you video poker and slots are some of the worst odds in Vegas and I can bet you he loses a lot more than he wins.”

I have seen your assertion in several replies here. What is your evidence for your statement? Were you aware that the odds in video poker change with the amount you bet?

[Warhead W-88]

The madness that grips every gambler (including me and other casual gamblers) is not that we have some system, but that we have some special "mojo" or "we're due" or "baby needs a new pair of shoes."

The odds, of course, are almost always against us (unless we're expert card-counters playing with a team at blackjack).

So there are no systems.

Just a sudden belief, by otherwise rational people, in magic and pagan gods of chance.

[Irish Eyes]

Right on all counts

[jd777]

It's like drinking - if you can't handle it, don't do it. He obviously hasn't lost his job, wife, family, or lifestyle, so I'd say he can handle it.

No, you're right. The man has flushed "millions" down the toilet on video poker in the last decade. He can handle it. Btw, is this money he made from "empower america"?

[mabelkitty]

Sugar,
Tell me how Bennett's gambling is immoral to society?

Besides all that tipping to minimum wage union service folks and the contribution to the hard hitting travel industry, and ignore the friends he probably treated, and all the unused comps that to right back to the casino bottom line.

Oh. One more. SARS has put a deep dent into the industry again. At least they won't have to worry about Bennett and his immoral cash helping out the po' minimum wage union service folks.

But tell me your side first.

[zoyd]

Yes, it is the point. Also, gambling is legal in more than half the states, with several more states entering into the foray such as New York, Mass, Ohio, etc. Where've you been?

So, when pot is decriminalized, it will then be magically 'ok', when it wasn't the day before? And, last time I checked, casino gambling was illegal in quite a few states.

If slavery were legal, would you think it okay to own slaves? Can you make a distinction between LEGAL and MORAL?

Bennett's a MORALIST. Gambling is certainly not a virtue, whether or not it's legal.

Drinking shots of tequila is legal, but drunkenness is cetainly not a virtue, is it? Please try and understand the distinction.

[arielb]

What theocracy? There is a big difference between individuals and grassroots organizations telling people what is right and wrong and having the government do it. Bennett has every right to say what he feels and you have the right not to listen to him.

[chasio649]

I think Bennett has cast a whole butt load of stones....can't anyone see this guy as a shyster? am i alone here?

[mabelkitty]

And yet the $8 million isn't yours.

You shouldn't be concerned with other peoples' money, but you must be a taxin' Dem.

[discostu]

It's not liberal ANYTHING, it's stone cold reality. Many of us are addicted to FR, does that make JimRob a bad person for providing it? I go to SF conventions I encounter many people that are addicted to bad fiction (only the addicts seem to read the true crap), does that make the publishing industry evil? I'm rarely caught more than 10 feet from music, does that mean musicians have lead me astray (notice how I avoided the RIAA, I'm not stupid)? That's the reality of the situation, some people are drawn to life's crutches and those people can and do make a crutch out of just about anything. If your test on if something is bad is whether or not it can lead to addictive behavior your list of bad thing must be rather huge, best to shorten things up and list the few things that no one has manged to get addicted to, I think plastic cups are OK.

Yes Bennett is a moralist, yes he espouses moral virtue. Notice he's avoided discussing gambling. One of the worst vices is hypocricy. There are lots of things in this world that aren't a virtue, BFD.

No that is NOT what Bennett does. Bennett talks about the importance of moral behavior, you're condemning a man you haven't met based on word that Atlantic City gives him good credit. There's a huge difference between trying to help people behave in a moral manner and labeling a specific person as immoral.

His gambling isn't a conflict because it's not on his bitch list. And even if it were none of us are perfect, as long as he can keep control of his entertainment (which would seem to be the case, AC doesn't hand out credit to people that don't pay up, they're not into busting people out like mobsters) then there's no issue. It's not illegal, there are no victims, and he's under control, no moral problems here.

Moderation in all things including moderation. Bennett isn't a fool. Show me where he says it's immoral to have some fun and blow off some steam once in a while. Show me where he says you're not allowed to put money in a machine and watch the lights blink. It's sheer IDIOCY to try to blow this up into some degredation of his virtuosity.

Oh and now you're saying I'd spit on libertarians?! GUESS AGAIN BUDDY.