Half Billion Tax Credits To Coast Casinos
I read this in utter disbelief. Sometimes people do extraordinary things~~then you know there truly is goodness in this world.
Then people do extraordinarily stupid things~~and you despair that for every step forward, society has slid three steps back.
Giving money to the gambling industry is one of those extraordinarily stupid things.
Firstly, it is the ONE industry that does not need any help. They are worth billions. So they don't need our hard earned tax payer money.
Secondly, this is an industry that hurts families. It can create gamblers who are so compulsive, so obsessed that their families pay the price.
Katrina Evacuee Wins $1.6 Million Yahoo News
Jacquelyn Sherman, an evacuee from New Orleans, won $1.6 million, before taxes, playing a slot machine. This is the single largest jackpot won since the casino's opening.
While I am thrilled for Ms. Sherman I can't help but be concerned for others who try and lose what they cannot afford to lose. For every Jacquelyn Sherman, there are 7 who lose everything.
"President Bush has pledged to grant millions of dollars in tax breaks to national casino companies rushing to rebuild casinos along the Gulf Coast, giving residents who haven't already lost their house a chance to do so."
--Daily Show commentator Lewis Black
Gamblers face "...financial problems are created, but they also find themselves facing marital, employment, or legal problems. Compulsive gamblers find friends have been lost and relatives have rejected them." Gamblers Anonymous (This site will also provide links and email addresses for gamblers seeking help with their addiction.)
Thirdly, many policing branches~~i.e. the FBI~~have for years tried to shut down the gambling industry. Too often it was run by the crime families now known as the mafia. (Thank you Mario Puzo! It IS an apt description.) So what has changed? Is part of the government now going to support what the other half of the government is trying to fight, detain, stop? Since when has gambling left the crime families, i.e. the MAFIA? They haven't. To suppose they have is very short-sighted and naive on this administration's part.
Fourthly, so many people have been left devastated by first Katrina and then Rita. They have been left homeless. They need help. They deserve help. The gambling industry does not.
I have no problem with tax payer money helping out fellow Americans. I do have a MAJOR problem with tax payer money helping out an industry that doesn't need it or deserve it.
Fifthly, when you subsidize an industry you are aligning yourself, your administration, your country with them. So, it would behoove everyone in government to stop and think about this BEFORE doing so. Once something is done, it is nearly impossible to undo it. Especially for the government. As southerners say: you lie down with dogs don't be surprised when you wake up with fleas.
Finally, I can't speak for other groups, but Christians are going to have a very difficult time with this. You want their votes, then you are going to have to walk the walk not just talk the talk. In our views, when ALL you do is talk the talk but your walk is nonexistent then this makes you a hypocrite. Voting Christians will remember this. In fact this move could seriouslyly harm the republican party as Christians will vote their consciences.
American Family Association, AFA, has made it very easy for everyone to email their Representative asking them to please join Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia in opposing this tax credit for casinos.
Rep. Frank Wolf wrote a letter to the president. AFA also provides a link so you can read it yourselves. He concludes his letter with: "This special interest incentive would be a disgrace. We trust you will do the right thing and make sure federal resources go to the poor, the needy and the vulnerable and not the gambling interests who already have insurance to cover catastrophic events like hurricanes."
Rep. Wolf is correct. Do the right thing Mr. President.
America go here to email your Representative: contact your Representative
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Then people do extraordinarily stupid things~~and you despair that for every step forward, society has slid three steps back.
Giving money to the gambling industry is one of those extraordinarily stupid things.
Firstly, it is the ONE industry that does not need any help. They are worth billions. So they don't need our hard earned tax payer money.
Secondly, this is an industry that hurts families. It can create gamblers who are so compulsive, so obsessed that their families pay the price.
Katrina Evacuee Wins $1.6 Million Yahoo News
Jacquelyn Sherman, an evacuee from New Orleans, won $1.6 million, before taxes, playing a slot machine. This is the single largest jackpot won since the casino's opening.
While I am thrilled for Ms. Sherman I can't help but be concerned for others who try and lose what they cannot afford to lose. For every Jacquelyn Sherman, there are 7 who lose everything.
"President Bush has pledged to grant millions of dollars in tax breaks to national casino companies rushing to rebuild casinos along the Gulf Coast, giving residents who haven't already lost their house a chance to do so."
--Daily Show commentator Lewis Black
Gamblers face "...financial problems are created, but they also find themselves facing marital, employment, or legal problems. Compulsive gamblers find friends have been lost and relatives have rejected them." Gamblers Anonymous (This site will also provide links and email addresses for gamblers seeking help with their addiction.)
Thirdly, many policing branches~~i.e. the FBI~~have for years tried to shut down the gambling industry. Too often it was run by the crime families now known as the mafia. (Thank you Mario Puzo! It IS an apt description.) So what has changed? Is part of the government now going to support what the other half of the government is trying to fight, detain, stop? Since when has gambling left the crime families, i.e. the MAFIA? They haven't. To suppose they have is very short-sighted and naive on this administration's part.
Fourthly, so many people have been left devastated by first Katrina and then Rita. They have been left homeless. They need help. They deserve help. The gambling industry does not.
I have no problem with tax payer money helping out fellow Americans. I do have a MAJOR problem with tax payer money helping out an industry that doesn't need it or deserve it.
Fifthly, when you subsidize an industry you are aligning yourself, your administration, your country with them. So, it would behoove everyone in government to stop and think about this BEFORE doing so. Once something is done, it is nearly impossible to undo it. Especially for the government. As southerners say: you lie down with dogs don't be surprised when you wake up with fleas.
Finally, I can't speak for other groups, but Christians are going to have a very difficult time with this. You want their votes, then you are going to have to walk the walk not just talk the talk. In our views, when ALL you do is talk the talk but your walk is nonexistent then this makes you a hypocrite. Voting Christians will remember this. In fact this move could seriouslyly harm the republican party as Christians will vote their consciences.
American Family Association, AFA, has made it very easy for everyone to email their Representative asking them to please join Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia in opposing this tax credit for casinos.
Rep. Frank Wolf wrote a letter to the president. AFA also provides a link so you can read it yourselves. He concludes his letter with: "This special interest incentive would be a disgrace. We trust you will do the right thing and make sure federal resources go to the poor, the needy and the vulnerable and not the gambling interests who already have insurance to cover catastrophic events like hurricanes."
Rep. Wolf is correct. Do the right thing Mr. President.
America go here to email your Representative: contact your Representative
It never hurts to email the President either! Go here for this: Contact the President choose email link.
**Well researched article: Winning at slots: What are the odds?
By Dennis O'Brien Sun Staff Originally published March 10, 2003 Baltimore Sun
This can explain the 1-7 win for slots in greater detail than I want to do here!
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posted by conservative~by~nature | 12:07 AM
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