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The Man of Virtues Has a Vice (Bill Bennett gambles)
Newsweek ^ | 1/2/03 | Jonathan Alter and Joshua Green

Posted on 05/02/2003 1:27:57 PM PDT by 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)


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: bennett; gambling; williamjbennett
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To: WhyamIalwaysonthefence
He is a liar, he lied to all of us..
221 posted on 05/02/2003 3:07:08 PM PDT by Porterville (Screw the grammar, full posting ahead.)
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To: discostu
But how is his gambling ruining some one else's life? That arguement is completley disigenuous and complete ignores the very simple concept of cause and effect. How many people are going to NOT destroy their family with gambling if Bill stops? None. So why should he bear the moral burden for their addiction?

Because he preaches societal responsibility. The majority of people who try drugs do not get addicted. Many drug users can use drugs responsibly. Why is it morally righteous for him to gamble, but not for the guy down the street to grow and smoke marijuana in his home? How many people are going to NOT destroy their family if that guy stops smoking marijuana. Why should he bear the moral burden for those who can't handle their drugs?
222 posted on 05/02/2003 3:07:16 PM PDT by Stone Mountain
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To: Callahan
This is very embarassing and disturbing.

Video Poker? Slots?

Why can't Bill play real games like poker, craps and blackjack?!

223 posted on 05/02/2003 3:07:31 PM PDT by Stultis
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To: Stultis
True. Perhaps we can extend this argument:

Drinking isn't necessarily bad; but girly-drinks are sinful.
224 posted on 05/02/2003 3:08:34 PM PDT by Warhead W-88
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To: amused
"This is a shame but hey when you preach, you also better follow."

If sinner's didn't preach, there wouldn't be any preaching.

The standard Bennett is holding up is not wrong. And it is not wrong for him to hold it up. Those virtues are good standards and we should all aspire to them. We should all hold them up, whether we successfully attain to them or not.

If you applied the same "Standard bearer must be perfect" to everything we do. There would be no standards. The US couldn't even advocate for democracy, when things like Palm Beach happen and democratic vote buying occur.

225 posted on 05/02/2003 3:08:59 PM PDT by DannyTN (Note left on my door by a pack of neighborhood dogs.)
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To: zoyd
As soon as I read the "drugs", I knew it wasn't worth responding to.

No way, now how.

Call it personal experience with friends. Not going there.
226 posted on 05/02/2003 3:09:41 PM PDT by mabelkitty
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To: moneyrunner
I guess "truthandlife" isn't going to reply to your post.

Actually, if one plays 9/6 jacks or better video poker perfectly, the return is 99%. The casinos rebate up to 1% in cash back to loyal players. Additional comps for free suites (RFB) airfare ect. can amount to 3% or more.

If Bill plays the high limit slots the return is around 96%. For every $1,000 fed into the machines he would lose $40 if he played for 50 years. If you add his comps into the mix, his enjoyment may more than warrant his gambling "vice".

IOW, slots and video poker are not necessarily the "worst" odds in the house.
227 posted on 05/02/2003 3:09:44 PM PDT by Kahuna
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To: zoyd
Well, use that argument for gambling, and you'll understand why casino gambling is illegal in the majority of states in the US.

Drugs are illegal everywhere.

Gambling is illegal in states because of bluenoses and fundamentalists who frown on drinking and dancing too.

Casino gambling is virtue neutral; it is certainly not immoral.

You're way too exercised over this issue as evidenced by this hysteria:

Drinking a beer doesn't make you immoral, but alcohol causes hundreds of thousands of deaths a year. Throwing a quarter into a slot doesn't make you a bad person, but losing your life savings and flushing your kids' college fund on a losing hand of blackjack is definite harm.

Railing against everything that could possibly be abused would mean nobody would eat, drive cars, drink Coca-Cola, or shop in a store.

Bill Bennett is not doing anything but gambling, as some people play golf or fish. IT'S VIRTUE NEUTRAL if it doesn't harm him or his family life!

228 posted on 05/02/2003 3:10:13 PM PDT by sinkspur
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Bennett and his organization, Empower America, oppose the extension of casino gambling in the states. In a recent editorial, his Empower America cochair, Jack Kemp, inveighed against lawmakers who “pollute our society with a slot machine on every corner.” The group recently published an “Index of Leading Cultural Indicators” that reports 5.5 million American adults as “problem” or “pathological” gamblers. Bennett says he has his gambling under control.

When reminded of studies that link heavy gambling to divorce, bankruptcy, domestic abuse and other family problems he has widely decried, Bennett compared the situation to alcohol. “I view it as drinking,” Bennett says. “If you can’t handle it, don’t do it.”

Bennett is so "conservative and Christian."

What an example to follow!

229 posted on 05/02/2003 3:11:00 PM PDT by george wythe
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To: Warhead W-88
I'm thinkin' some libs were sent over to disrupt.

230 posted on 05/02/2003 3:11:04 PM PDT by mabelkitty
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To: zoyd
Wait just a damn minute. You mentioned drugs; are the drugs evil, or is the addiction to the drugs evil; or is the taking of the drugs evil? Is gambling immoral; or is placing a wager immoral; or is accepting winnings immoral; or is offering moral advice while not being absadamnlutely perfect immoral? What Bill is doing is stupid from a couple of perspectives, but to moralize on the man and try to persuade us to stamp him immoral over his 'controlled' gambling, is just plain hypocritical in and of itself!
231 posted on 05/02/2003 3:11:07 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote Life Support for others.)
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To: Kahuna
Yeah, but who plays games of chance "perfectly"?

No one, except for professional gamblers & cheats/advantage players.

If you're playing that mechanically, you're not in it for the gambling.

Gamblers-- entertainment gamblers -- are in it for the rush and for betting on mojo, and that keeps them from playing perfectly.
232 posted on 05/02/2003 3:11:52 PM PDT by Warhead W-88
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To: chasio649
>can't anyone see this guy as a shyster? am i alone here?

No. You are not alone and I do not see him as a shyster either. But, as you say, he has cast "a whole butt-load of stones", and maybe he has been the wrong guy to cast them.

You know what? If one can afford to gamble big, and one wants to gamble big, I don't really care if that one gambles big. But this man gambled BIG, and people are going to want to know where the money came from and just who he was to be so critical of others.

Pwersonally, I always liked the guy.

233 posted on 05/02/2003 3:11:53 PM PDT by Celantro
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To: Porterville
It's not your business.

He didn't wave it in your face.

He didn't make you watch it.

He didn't force you to do it.

Get a job with Hillary Clinton if you want to be a Communist, but leave decent folks alone!
234 posted on 05/02/2003 3:12:56 PM PDT by mabelkitty
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To: zoyd
Can you make a distinction between LEGAL and MORAL?

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?

These three sentences show the flaw in your argument.

First, by what standard do you deem gambling immoral? Social mores seem to accept gambling in moderation, it is legal where he participates, and there seem to be no objective religious restrictions on the practice. If he participated in gambling where it was illegal, it would then also be immoral (breaking the law, if not the gambling itself.)

Gambling may be not be a virtue, but neither is eating, playing catch with your kids, or reading a good book. Gambling is not a vice unless done to excess.

You demonstrate the ultimate flaw in your logic in the last sentence. Drinking in moderation is not immoral; drinking to excess is. Thus, by your own argument, gambling is not immoral;gabling to excess is. There is nothing in this article to suggest Bennett gambles to excess, based on his personal financial situation.

235 posted on 05/02/2003 3:13:16 PM PDT by CA Conservative
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To: Warhead W-88
Not that I'm saying I care either way about Bennet's gambling, you understand.

I'm just saying-- peddle that 99% return nonsense somewhere else; I ain't buying.

All of a sudden, with all this talk of gambling, I've turned into Sky Masterton.
236 posted on 05/02/2003 3:13:16 PM PDT by Warhead W-88
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To: Hildy
I don't see what the big deal is...it's legal and he can afford it. So what?

And if he had that attitude towards the rest of us, this wouldn't be news. Nobody is making a big deal about how [insert name of famous athlete here] likes to gamble.

237 posted on 05/02/2003 3:13:27 PM PDT by xm177e2 (Stalinists, Maoists, Ba'athists, Pacifists: Why are they always on the same side?)
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To: 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?

Yes, you are alone. Thanks for asking.

238 posted on 05/02/2003 3:14:15 PM PDT by CA Conservative
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To: moneyrunner
I should clarify my statement. Video poker's odds vary on skill and game type. The thing that the casinos bank on is the amount of hands you can play in video poker. You can play up to 600 hands per hour in video poker making you a surebet loser if you are playing long enough.

ODDS IN VIDEO POKER
High pair (Jacks, Queens,
Kings and Aces) 43 out of every 200 hands

Two pair 13 out of every 100 hands

Three of a kind 1 out of every 13 hands

Straight 1 out of every 90 hands

Flush 1 out of every 92 hands

Full house 1 out of every 97 hands

Four of a kind 1 out of every 423 hands

Straight flush 1 out of every 9,610 hands

Royal flush 1 out of every 40,120 hands
239 posted on 05/02/2003 3:14:44 PM PDT by truthandlife
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To: Warhead W-88
I'm a big fan of Hearts, more cooperative games like Bridge just don't do it for me. There are a number of card games I can play without going buggy, Gin and its family, Pinochle, less traditional games like Milborne. What I love about poker is the stare down, trying to figure out what the other guy has just by his bet, trying to lie about what you have using just your bet. Problem is if there's real people and physical object changing hands the brain goes bye-bye and the urge takes over. It's a strange thing, but it's not terrible to live with.
240 posted on 05/02/2003 3:15:13 PM PDT by discostu (A cow don't make ham)
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