Just a reminder as the pro-gambling lobby turns up the heat in a defict ridden era of irresponsible liberal management; the debate is not about rights, or revenue, it is about the gambling lobby buying up your state government.
The pro-gamblers argue that we’ve had gambling for years, and while that’s technically true, we’ve not had the kind of gambling where third parties stand to make millions. There was no herd of lobbyists donating thousands to politicians to expand the state lottery because they didn’t stand to make millions on it. But they will reap a windfall from expanding the kind of gambling that makes them wealthy. It is the kind of wealth they will then spread around the state government to protect their intersts ahead of yours. And if you think for one moment that it won’t happen here, your either fooling yourself or on the take from the gambling lobby.
And the revenue promised? It will decline as annual percentages get lower and lower. And to make sure no one complains too much the lobbyist contributions to the politicians will go up, up, up. In the end, you get the all the problems with the culture of gambling and none of the promised benefits.
And while there is a very real risk to our culture–the bill even includes funding to offset the risks they claim do not exist–the biggest risk of all is to our political culture. And while the funding for that will come from the gambling lobby, the taxpayers are the one who will pay the price in a diminshed voice in a government that is supposed to get its authority from you.
