Governments exceed their proper powers when they force persons to do things for their own good, or when they forbid persons from doing what might harm them. The relationship of government to citizen is not one or parent to young child. Governments exceed their proper powers when they forbid persons from gambling, because how people spend their own money is their own business.

That said, I do not believe anyone should choose to gamble, because gambling is stupid. With gambling, there are always more losers than winners. Every dollar won is at least a dollar lost. Gambling does not generate wealth, but only moves it from the many to the few. It is harmful to individuals, families, and societies and contributes to addictions and crimes. Gambling casinos are not victorylands but loserlands. Gambling casinos attract organized crime. People should not waste their money gambling, because there are many better ways to spend or invest money. For most people, gambling is a source of impoverishment than of enrichment.

While I do not believe the state should forbid persons from gambling, neither do I believe the state should go into the gambling business. Taxpayer money should not be used to run a lottery. Much of the money raised by a state lottery would go not to the state, but to the few lottery jackpot winners, and the state should not be transferring money from the many to the few. Moreover, if people did not choose to waste their money gambling, the lottery would not raise money from them, and it would be an unreliable source of revenue.

Daniel Haulman, Montgomery

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Letter: Alabama should neither prevent nor encourage gambling