State Supported Gambling

[kurchatovium]

I have always found it odd that gambling seems to be a vice that is ok, seems states will offer lotteries and such without any reservations and say the money is going to schools or something. I mean how often do you see a state run brothel or a bar LOL. Just wanted your thoughts on gambling and such with regard to state laws. There are few initiatives this time around in California regarding Indian Gaming and thats why I kind of thought this might be an interesting topic. (A little change of pace form the usuall wink wink)

[MrMacphisto]

My state of NC apparently thinks casinos are ok, but it makes a big deal out of what a lottery would do to the state, despite the fact that Virginia and SC both have them. The religious right in my state seems to worry that poor people would spend too much on lottery tickets if we had a lottery, which of course means that by not having a lottery, the poor people still buy lottery tickets from Virginia and SC. The key difference here is that by not having a lottery of our own but still having a lottery market among our citizens, our poor people and other lottery ticket buyers put money into the systems of our neighboring states rather than into our own. In effective, the religious fanatics in my state are so clueless, they'd rather have our state miss out on the benefits of a lottery and have our money flow into neighboring states than cross some imaginary moral line by holding one ourselves. If that's not idiotic, I don't know what is....

[drew70]

Interesting, I've always understood it's the bleeding heart liberals that balk at state lotteries, because they play on the ignorance of the the people stupid enough to throw their money away on near hopeless chances of striking it rich. That's how it is in Maryland, at any rate.

[Mitchell]

Pennsylvania has always been extremely stupid in regard to this issue, until very recently. I know this isnt the political forum, but until we got our current Democratic governor Ed Rendell, the heads of state government, (Mostly Republican, with having two Republican US senators, and a mostly Republican state house) would balk at allowing slot machines in race tracks in PA, appealing to the religious right that gambling and throwing away money at a casino is "wrong". The hypocritical thing was that we have always had race tracks in PA, just not slot machines in this state. What this scenario meant was that PA residents, instead of their gambling helping their own state, would have to go to Delaware, New Jersey, or even West Virginia to have slot gaming, this helping other states with revenue instead of our own. Finally, when Governor Rendell came in, he fought long and hard to get the moronic state legislature to pass gambling in PA, which will now allow slots to be at racetracks in this state. It is pathtetic that the Republicans allowed this to go on for so long. (And yes, venray, that is a fact, not something Mitch made up in his head) Finally, we will be able to have state controlled slot gaming to have greater money for education and seniors needs. In NJ, the school systems improved dramatically in the 1980s after Atlantic City put gambling in there. In this state, it was hampered by the Republicans and the religious right. Now, we will be able to have the revenue we need, and be able to compete with other states. For right now, the gaming will only be at race tracks, but hopefully, in time, it will be allowed at places like resorts in the Pocono mountains and such, to allow tourists in that area a chance to gamble. That is a busy area in both summmer and ski season.
I approve of this gambling issue, as I think it is important for states to have the revenue they need to benefit their citizens, and it has been historically proven that gaming revenue can have benefits in education, as well as seniors needs.

Mitch

One point Drew: I dont know how it is in Maryland, but here in PA, it is not the "bleeding heart liberals" as you call them, but rather was the moronic conservative Republican government officials and the religious right. In my state's case, the Republican government blocked it for years, and it took a Democratic governor to finally have gambling passed in PA.

[kurchatovium]

Would you think it would be OK if they state ran brothels or bars? To me it does not really matter I always just think it is odd that gambling is seen as an innocent vice and drinking and sex are considered much more "evil". Like I said I don't believe this necessarily the case just interested in your thoughts. :D :D

[MrMacphisto]

I don't think we should have state-run brothels, but private ones are fine as long as an effective testing program is utilized to prevent the spread of disease. Nevada has a program where prostitutes are required to get tested at a certain frequency so as to keep the girls "clean", so to speak. As far as religion comes into this, Christ loved Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, so they can't be that bad in God's eyes (if God exists).

As far as state-run bars go... well, we don't need them here, because we have more than enough private ones...