I Saw Someone Buy The New $50 Texas Lottery Scratch-Off & It Made Me Think Of Andrew Jackson And J.Q. Adams
I saw someone buy the $50 Texas lottery scratch-off ticket. Seeing this led to the following thoughts–
I’ve long been politically and personally conflicted between a mix of Andrew Jackson live-and-let-live small-d democracy and J.Q. Adams interventionist quasi-Federalism.
Many folks share this dilemma—maybe even you the reader— even if not put in quite the same terms.
Politically, while respecting, or at least resigned to at times, the views of the majority, I do think that the people get it wrong sometimes and that government has a role to play in many aspects of life.
Personally, I like being out among the people and yet I can’t believe some of the conduct I witness when I am out among the people.
I thought about all this yesterday when in line at a convenience store. The man in front of me bought one of the new $50 Texas lottery scratch-off tickets. I would not deny the man’s right to buy the ticket. However, I could not figure why he would want to blow $50 on a lottery ticket.
I’ve given up trying to resolve my Adams/Jackson internal split. All one can do is take each issue and event as it comes.
A great book that includes the Adams/Jackson era of American history is Sean Wilentz’s The Rise Of American Democracy—Jefferson to Lincoln.
Welcome To Texas Liberal
Texas Liberal is a blog of politics and political history.
My name is Neil Aquino. Here is my profile.
I can be reached at naa618@att.net.
Additional focuses of the blog are books, art, poetry, personal relationships and, also, sea life and marine mammals.
( The picture above is of the Houston Ship Channel. A narrow channel can lead to a wide sea.)
The signature post of this blog is the Martin Luther King Reading & Reference List. This list is the best of it’s kind on the web.
Another good post is my reciting the words to the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts on Galveston Island, Texas as a ship passes behind.
I live in Houston, Texas and I do sometimes write about political issues in Houston and in Texas.
I also often write about my former hometown of Cincinnati, and about the great beach city of Galveston, Texas.
I define liberalism as a role for government in the economy to help make life more fair, and a broad acceptance of people regardless of who they are.
This is why it says “All People Matter” at the top of the blog.
A blog grows one reader at a time. If you like what you read here, please consider forwarding the link.
Texas Liberal began regular posting on July 25, 2006.
I also blog at the Houston Chronicle as one of eight featured political bloggers, and on Where’s The Outrage? which posts out of North Carolina.
Thanks for reading Texas Liberal.
Recent Comments
Tim Murphy on Mel Gibson & Siouxsie… Sof on Mel Gibson & Siouxsie… Bill Shirley (@bshir… on “Houston” Sculptur… JD on Black Man Drives Car With Conf… Blessthismess on Mel Gibson & Siouxsie…
Global Voices- Wild horses return to their historic natural habitat in Kazakhstan
- President Zelenskyy’s first interview with Central Asian journalists warns of dangers of being in Russia’s orbit
- The jury from Moldova gave highest points to Ukraine during Eurovision 2024
- An activist translates Minecraft, manga, and Harry Potter from Russian into the Chuvash language
- How Mongolia became a 3×3 basketball powerhouse
- Kyrgyzstan’s unsung heroes get recognition through street art
- Central Asia’s unique tradition of singing during Ramadan keeps evolving
- Teenager with Muslim background saved over 100 people in Moscow concert hall terrorist attack
- In Azerbaijan authorities remain silent over the murder of a trans woman
- Kyrgyzstan’s blockbuster film is a moving tale of the bond between a mother and son
Texas Liberal 