It's not the government per se, it's the fact that the value they quote is all the payments of the annuity added together. When you win the lottery, the default option for them is to quote how much money they are going to give you over 20 years - not adjusted for inflation or allowing for any interest.
The present value of a 20 year annuity is much much less than the value of all the payments added together. This is why mortgages end up making payments several times over the ammount borrowed.
So if you choose to take the present value of the annuity (in a lump sum) the amount you get is significantly less. And from this amount - you pay taxes (about a third or so).
So it's not so much "fuck the government," it's fuck lottery (which i guess is probably government - run) for misleading you into thinking you are going to win a large amount of money instead of fucking you over for 20 years.
[ October 20, 2005, 04:57 PM: Message edited by: DJ FC ]
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