dvdiva,
There's only one United Staes of America, but there are indeed other countries that have state or provincial governments which co-exist with their respective federal governments. There's nothing about this country having both the federal and state governments that would preclude having state or federal income tax return lotteries.
I'm no expert on constitutional law, but there's nothing about the 10th Amendment that gives the states the exclusive right to conduct lotteries. I seem to remember being personally subjected to a draft lottery that was conducted for a number of years by the federal government, so certainly it has the authority to conduct a lottery if it so chooses. If it is your contention that the 10th Amendment gives states the exclusive right to to levy taxes, well I think we are all painfully aware of the federal goverment's ability to tax us in any number of ways. Both state and federal governments can collect taxes, so if you maintain that lotteries are a tax, then the federal goverment also has the right to conduct lotteries by extention of your logic. I don't think it would be necessary to amend the US Constitution in order to have state or federal income tax return lotteries, but it wouldn't be an insurmountable obstacle. If we can seriously consider amending our constitution over issues such as gay marriage, prayer in schools, abortion, and the pledge to the flag, then getting a federal income tax return lottery going should be a slam-dunk. Virtually every state that now has a lottery had to pass legislation and/or amend its state constitution to legally establish those lotteries. Changing laws and amending constitutions can be done and it is done.
Aside from the fact that states could conduct annual income tax lotteries (Yes, I realize that not all states have an income tax.), I really don't understand your idea that state or federal income tax return lotteries would take money away from states conducting such lotteries. As I clearly stated, my idea is for the money from tax filers to come from money that they would ordinarily be due in a return or from an additional payment from those who might not be entitled to a return. That's actually putting more money into the state and federal coffers. The states and federal governments would reap hefty revenues if they kept anything even close the huge percentages that current state lotteries rake off from their players' bets before paying prizes.
I can understand your sentiments about lotteries being a tax. In fact, I once held the same belief, but the term "volutary tax" is an oxymoron of the first order. A tax is by definition a compulsory payment of a percentage of income, property value, or other assets for the support of government. I know of some compulsive gamblers, but I don't know of any lottery that compels the citizens of its respective state to play. On the other hand, governments do compel citizens to pay taxes, and they routinely prosecute, fine, and jail those who do not comply. Taxes are inherently compulsory; lottery participation is not. If it's not compulsory, it's not a tax.
This is all pretty much tangential to the poll question, and I don't expect to change your thinking, but I do thank you for posting your opinions. I hope that others will give some thought to the idea of state or federal income tax return lotteries and post their views.
Good luck,
aye'
ALL IN!
