Here's one way to call the slots tossup

Might I add to your list? How about the fact that this nonsense is to become part of the State Constitution? Why is it necessary to enshrine political favoritism in such an important document? Let the cowards in the Maryland General AssemblyAnnapolis vote and earn their money for a change!

we have gambling already... people who want to gamble will go out of state... open your eyes keep the money here save our jobs

Yeah, Bob. That is what we need. More low paying, mindless jobs where the turnover and "off times" for people to go on the dole is high. People who are that desparate for work can go out of state to work as well and will find the cost of living lower- No Governor O'Taxy to bow to. Bob- how about some discipline in spending. Slots are just a way for Governor O'Taxy to tax the poor. Always has been that way and too bad more peole do not see through the sham. The pig business, the chicken business, and, yes, the horse businesses are dead in Maryland.

The horse business will only be dead in Maryland if the referendum doesn't pass. Losing a $1.6 billion industry won't help the budget much either. Kiss $72 million in annual tax payments goodbye, not to mentionn 200,000 acres of green space.

I love the irony in any moral argument. Hey I have an idea, lets ban slots, lottery, smoking, alcohol, profanity, oh darn while we are at it lets ban foreigners from coming in our country. Yeah that will fix us real good.

John wrote:

The horse business will only be dead in Maryland if the referendum doesn't pass. Losing a $1.6 billion industry won't help the budget much either. Kiss $72 million in annual tax payments goodbye, not to mentionn 200,000 acres of green space.
I love the irony in any moral argument. Hey I have an idea, lets ban slots, lottery, smoking, alcohol, profanity, oh darn while we are at it lets ban foreigners from coming in our country. Yeah that will fix us real good.

Hey John,

No moral arguments to be found anywhere here. Legalized gambling will increase crime, thus requiring more tax money to pay for additional police and higher insurance premiums to pay for lost personal property. Legalized gambling will increase gambling addictions (Nevada has a 6.4% addiction rate) which will reduce productivity, and increase costs for social programs to deal with addicts. Legalized gambling will break up families, thus requiring more costs for family assistance.
In the short term, revenues may increase a bit, but over the long run, legalized gambling will result in higher taxes!

Amending the State Constitution is completely the wrong way to address the slots issue. If our legislators actually had a backbone, the slots issue could have (and should have) been decided by their votes.

Additionally, no one has brought up the fact that the slots contracts/licenses are not up for open bidding. They've already been assigned a set monetary value. If the State is SO keen on raising revenue, why not have a competitive auction for the licenses? Surely that would bring more into the coffers.

As someone with Libertarian leanings, I believe in a free market where adults can spend their money as they please, so I am not against slots. In fact, I'd love to see table games and casinos in Maryland. However, altering the State Constitution is the WRONG way to do this. And the lack of a competitive bidding process seems to run counter to the entire reason for legalizing slots - revenue generation.

John wrote:

The horse business will only be dead in Maryland if the referendum doesn't pass.

I hate to break it to you, but the slots WILL NOT save horse racing...just the racetrack owners!! I still say that if they can't survive on the racing, they should sell their plowhorses and get a real job.

As someone with a "good, white-collar job" I'm all for allowing adults to spend their money as they see fit. Let there be slots, casinos, horse tracks, dog tracks, keno and anything else that adults want to spend their money on. Why is it that liberals always think that poor people are so stupid that they need ivory tower elites to swoop in and save them from themselves? Unlike Dan Rodricks, I know plenty of poor people and most of them are happy enjoying their adult beverages, cigarettes and games of chance while still paying their bills and taking care of their families.

oldno7 wrote:

As someone with a "good, white-collar job" I'm all for allowing adults to spend their money as they see fit. Let there be slots, casinos, horse tracks, dog tracks, keno and anything else that adults want to spend their money on. Why is it that liberals always think that poor people are so stupid that they need ivory tower elites to swoop in and save them from themselves? Unlike Dan Rodricks, I know plenty of poor people and most of them are happy enjoying their adult beverages, cigarettes and games of chance while still paying their bills and taking care of their families.

Dear oldno7,

It wont be only the poor that get addicted to gambling-it will be people across the socioeconomic spectrum. There is a good reason for drugs like heroine, ectasy and cocaine being illegal.

verycreative wrote:

<quoted text>
Dear oldno7,
It wont be only the poor that get addicted to gambling-it will be people across the socioeconomic spectrum. There is a good reason for drugs like heroine, ectasy and cocaine being illegal.

They're adults. If they choose to get addicted to drugs, booze, sex, gambling, pink lemonade or all of the above, that is their choice. It isn't the government's place to step in and hold their hands.

oldno7 wrote:

<quoted text>
They're adults. If they choose to get addicted to drugs, booze, sex, gambling, pink lemonade or all of the above, that is their choice. It isn't the government's place to step in and hold their hands.

Oldno7,

"It isn't the government's place to step in and hold their hands."

That is what we are trying to avoid here. We have laws and rules that are for the benefit of society. Can you imagine what would happen if people start to ignore traffic rules? Chaos.

Delaware and does not seem to be awash in criminal behavior since legalizing slots. Am I out of touch or was Omally against slots when it was a rebublican idea? On a totally different subject I see the columnist are now all left wing communists, I mean columnists. I miss you Mr Kane.

Dear Dave,

Nevada has a 6.4 gambling addiction rate and just speak to the people living near the slots in Delaware-they hate it!

verycreative wrote:

<quoted text>
Oldno7,
"It isn't the government's place to step in and hold their hands."
That is what we are trying to avoid here. We have laws and rules that are for the benefit of society. Can you imagine what would happen if people start to ignore traffic rules? Chaos.

Liberals are against slots because they think poor people are stupid. Somebody might get addicted. Boo hoo. Why don't you outlaw bungee jumping and sky diving? What happened to liberal tolerance? Let adults do what they want with their money. If you don't like it, don't participate.

oldno7 wrote:

<quoted text>
Liberals are against slots because they think poor people are stupid. Somebody might get addicted. Boo hoo. Why don't you outlaw bungee jumping and sky diving? What happened to liberal tolerance? Let adults do what they want with their money. If you don't like it, don't participate.

Oldno7,

No, Concerned citizens are against slots because we dont want to see broken families, gambling addictions, public urinations around slot parlors, etc etc.

verycreative wrote:

<quoted text>
Oldno7,
No, Concerned citizens are against slots because we dont want to see broken families, gambling addictions, public urinations around slot parlors, etc etc.

Not "concerned citizens"; busybodies. Mind your own business and leave adults alone to mind their's. It's not the government's job (or yours) to tell adults how to spend their hard-earned money.

oldno7 wrote:

<quoted text>
Not "concerned citizens"; busybodies. Mind your own business and leave adults alone to mind their's. It's not the government's job (or yours) to tell adults how to spend their hard-earned money.

Dear Oldno7,

We live in a democracy-we ARE the government. We need more responsible citizens actively involved in the running of our schools, cities and state to improve or communities.

verycreative wrote:

<quoted text>
Dear Oldno7,
We live in a democracy-we ARE the government. We need more responsible citizens actively involved in the running of our schools, cities and state to improve or communities.

No, we live in a constitutional Republic. We "responsible citizes" don't need busibodies telling us how to spend our recreational dollars.

Well said oldno7. I'm in California. We don't have the slots. But every state that does shows an increase in revenue not just for the racing, but the state as well. Being in the industry myself, I'd love to have slots. With internet gambling, an addiction will be an addiction, slots or not

it's not just the industry that makes money on slot, but also the states that allow them. I live and train in California. I'd love to have slots. Better attendance, better handle, etc. Oldno7 has the right idea.