The Real Idiot Tax

I'm not sure why I started thinking about this, but it's been on my mind for some time now. Some people refer to state lotteries as "idiot taxes". Does that make mandatory car insurance a "sensible driver tax"? In my home state of New York, drivers are required to have car insurance (or other proof of financial security, whatever that means). Couldn't the State find a way to get its many grabbing, little hands on that money, and funnel it towards (fill in the blank)?

Now, perhaps this is just the cynic in me coming out, but it seems like the insurance industry is right up the State's alley. Here are a bunch of corporate businesses collecting money from people, and, if all goes well, offering nothing of substance in return. That's New York State's specialty. I'm not saying that none of the myriad taxes, fees, and surcharges levied by the State go to good causes. I'm only suggesting that as long as people are forced to pay something for nothing, it ought to go to a good cause, like pampering Alan Hevesi's wife....