If At First You Don’t Succeed, Have The Legislature Change The Rules In Your Favor

Y'all know how I feel about the lottery.  Let me assure you that the increased prize money hasn't swayed me a jot.  Or even a tittle.  Still, I've not written about it for awhile, thinking, you know, that the devil's handiwork really speaks for itself.  Now, in the face of Tom Shaheen's lament, I must speak.

 We're the only ones that have to market a consumer product and try to operate in the private business world as a state agency."

Let's all take a moment to throw Tom a pity party.  While the world's tiniest violin plays "Hearts and Flowers", let's say it together:  Awwwwwwww. 

IT'S A MONOPOLY, ding-dong, can you handle it?  You're the fourth highest paid non-university state employee in North Carolina.  When you hired workers from other state agencies two years ago, they averaged 23% raises; they're paid what other state lottery employees are paid.  You've yet to meet yearly sales expectations, and have only brought sales up recently because the legislature changed the rules.  Just for you, Tommy Boy.  Are you tired?  Do you need to sit down?

If there are people out there who still support this ridiculous institution, let them note how difficult Shaheen is making it for them.  Tough nuts to all the many thousands of state employees who won't be receiving lottery workers' average 5% raise.  Not to worry, Tom has a solution:

They can come apply for jobs at the lottery if they think we're getting more than them."

Let them eat cake, huh, Tom?  It's beyond the pale, isn't it?  Maybe DOT workers who maintain our roads should pack that in to work for that bastion of iniquity, the lottery.  Or perhaps the employees at Dix, facing an uncertain future caring for the least of our brethren should turn their formidable skills to encouraging state-sponsored gambling.  Wouldn't that benefit us all?  I hope Tommy's able to fill his (gasp) six open positions soon, how long can we expect someone with a job this difficult to keep plugging away?