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

The thousands of families torn apart by financial ruin caused by addictive gambling is WELL DOCUMENTED, Sugar. To sit at your computer and defend gambling as something that doesn't cause harm is pretty laughable. You sit at a table, drink alcohol, and risk large sums of money for your own adrenalin rush. Nothing moral about that. Nothing virtuous about that, when you could be putting that money to good use, IF YOU WERE A MORAL PERSON. 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.

And you talk about the benefits of tipping? Sheesh.

I'm a libertarian, sugar. Legalize it everywhere, that's fine with me. Just don't try and tell me it's helping society, and DON'T try and con me into thinking that it doesn't ruin plenty of lives.

And Bennett doesn't think about the 'individual'. He's concerned with 'societal' implications or virtuous or non-virtuous behavior. That's his bread and butter. Try your argument on Bennett inre: drugs. "Well, Bill, I can handle my cocaine. I've got lots of money, I'm single, and I just sit in my room and snort coke. I'm not hurting anyone." Bennett's first response would be about the 'societal' harm of drug use, not necessarily the individual implications. Well, use that argument for gambling, and you'll understand why casino gambling is illegal in the majority of states in the US.

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?

And understand when I say this that I'm the classic degenerate gambler, I suck at it and a I can't stop once I start. So I don't go anywhere near it, I don't even go to the concerts at the Indian casino without a stern chaperone. Finding out Bennett gambles is having no effect on my urges, if he quit tomorrow it would have equally little effect.

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!

You sit at a table, drink alcohol, and risk large sums of money for your own adrenalin rush. Nothing moral about that. Nothing virtuous about that, when you could be putting that money to good use, IF YOU WERE A MORAL PERSON.

And just who gets to decide what is a good use for my money? You are sounding very much like a liberal troll, my friend. If it is my money, it is up to me to decide how I want to spend it. If I choose to build a bonfire with it, that is up to me.