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)

[Stone Mountain]

Well for one thing there's the willful violation of the law, right or wrong laws are the written rules of our society and willful violation of them shows a disrepect for our society and weakens the ties of society by helping to create a society full of secrets and distrust. Then there's the black market economy that feeds it, on the profit chain of drugs there is always a murderer eventually, there aren't good people involved in the black market and knowingly creating a living for bad people is clearly not moral behavior.

This is the best argument I have ever heard for why a government that wants the respect of the people must make sure that its laws are just and reasonable.

Yup. Great point. It's just too bad they aren't.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Newsflash, SM. Marijuana is illegal and prostitution is clearly immoral if one believes in God's laws.

One can "say" whatever one wants but the distinction is unmistakable.

[Ichneumon]

But, in rejecting that extreme, are we necessarily forced to the Holy Roller extreme wherein everyone becomes a busybody Church Lady, and I can't play some low-stakes poker without some hairshirt scold lecturing me about it?

The following is one of the most thought-provoking books I've found on the topic. Note that the link isn't just to a sales pitch for the book, IT'S THE ENTIRE BOOK itself, available for free online. The author (the late Peter McWilliams) generously believed that "Created stuff is meant to be shared", and he made all of his books, on many varied subjects, (even the ones which were currently in print at the time) available free on his website. He died on June 14, 2000, in a rather poignant and ironic manner. Even William F. Buckley Jr. wrote a eulogy for him.

Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do

[Pagey]

What an individual does with his own money,(and Gambling is Legal for Gods Sake in Nevada)in a legal fashion, is no ones' business. I wonder who Bill pis off at Newsweek for them to devote this many words to a LEGAL ACT. As if these 2 reporters were really doing their jobs for the previous 8 years of Clinton treachery,LORAL and Ron Brown come to mind immediately. There is no legitimate reason for this to be an article in a national magazine.Any type of dirt, on any Republican is good for the DumbocRATSthough,isn't it?Newsweak truly is a shameless rag.I can't wait to read this whole thread later.

[Stone Mountain]

Newsflash, SM. Marijuana is illegal and prostitution is clearly immoral if one believes in God's laws.

I'll concede prostitution to you. Where does God say it is clearly immoral to smoke marijuana?

[Stone Mountain]

Newsflash, SM. Marijuana is illegal and prostitution is clearly immoral if one believes in God's laws.

I may have replied too fast - I guess you are saying that marijuana is illegal completely separately from prostitution being immoral. Okay. I don't see how that invalidates any ealier point I was making. Are you saying that anything that is illegal must also be immoral? I would also point out that at least state law in California allows some people to grow and smoke their own marijuana with proper documentation. Are those people more moral than those who grow without proper documentation? I don't think Bennett would advance the idea that legality and morality are equivalent.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Where does God say it is clearly immoral to smoke marijuana?

I said pot was illegal; not immoral.

Yikes.....that could be a whole other thread unto itself. I am not an advocate of leglaizing marijuana because I think it could be disastrous.

But at the same time, as a child of the 60s, I can say that I see no difference in smoking a joint and having a couple of drinks. Yet, I still don't favor legalization.

I may regret that last paragraph. : *) I hope it isn't misconstrued.

[Stone Mountain]

Newsflash, SM. Marijuana is illegal...

The article mentions that Bennett is involved in a regular poker game in Washington where gambling is illegal. Is he immoral?

[Scenic Sounds]

Where does God say it is clearly immoral to smoke marijuana?

I can't help y'all with pot, but here's something close:

"Be stunned and amazed,
blind yourselves and be sightless;
be drunk, but not from wine,
stagger, but not from beer."
(Isaiah 29:9)

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If he truly (we can't be sure) is gambling where it is illegal, he is breaking the law. That can be interpreted as immoral from a spiritual view.

However I think this discussion, at least for me, focuses on gambling as a whole.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Hmmmmmm

[Stone Mountain]

We're cross-posting... and I have to go... damn! Have a great weekend and I'll reply to the interesting stuff on Monday!

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

You have a good one too. :-)

[Senator Pardek]

If Bennett banged a prostitute where it's legal in Nevada, would y'all say it's just his business?

You folks are pathetic.

[Jhoffa_]

His games of choice: video poker and slot machines...

Not only does he gamble, he gambles stupid..

[Texaggie79]

I guess Bill sees no problem with adults enjoying gambling, as long as they hurt no one but them selves..... Gee, what is his argument against pot legalization?

[discostu]

"Medicinal growers" in CA are better known as liars. They're driving a truck through a loophole showing just as much if not more disregard for the law as the more blatant growers. In typical CA form their medical marijuana law is horribly written and effectively means nothing.

Look it's really nice that you can keep coming up with convoluted situations but this isn't catechism school and the situation isn't interesting enough to play these 12 year old games. It's a simple fact breaking the law lessons respect for ALL of our societies rules and is therefore harmful to our society and immoral. Yes there are silly convoluted what-ifs that make uncomfortable judgements but most of them never happen and if we throw away every single moral rule that has troubling exceptions when someone comes up with a convoluted enough situation then we need to throw them all out. So it's a pointless game and I'm not playing.

[Senator Pardek]

Not only does he gamble, he gambles stupid..

Imagine - this moron believes he's POTUS material.

[discostu]

The laws around private games are rather convoluted and vary drastically by jurisdiction, without a lot of research both into DC's laws and how the game works you can't readily say it's illegal. These hypothetical what-if games are truly childish.