Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Recent articles from papers across the nation are demonizing the gaming industry because of the recent slump in the industry. Only when gaming brings in money from visitors from "out of state" is it profitable to a local economy. Dallas county is in the middle of the state and not equipped (from a support standpoint) for this industry. What you will end up having is welfare recipients giving their federal checks to the state in the form of gaming taxation. Low income, under educated, addictive personalities are already the primary problem in central alabama and now you want to support taking their cecks away and giving them to the state in the form of gaming taxation. That's just plain STUPIED! popdukes12

Posted by Liberty (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"The sole object and only legitimate end of government is to protect the citizen in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and when the government assumes other unctions it is usurpation and oppression." - Article I, Section 35, Alabama Constitution

Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think this should be the decision of THE PEOPLE of ALABAMA, not the governor. The people receiving welfare are going to spend their money on "something" whether gambling, groceries, bills, beer, wine, etc.

Monitoring and budgeting money is part of being an adult and if you choose to blow it, then you'll just have to do without. First off, welfare shouldn't be a "way of life"
to begin with. Secondly, the OTHER people in the state shouldn't have to be stonewalled with "no gambling" because a handful of people can't use simple judgement. There are stores filled with alcohol and it's up to adults to make the choice to whether they want to drink or not. Just because there is alcohol doesn't mean you have to participate. BUT DON'T hinder others choices because YOU choose not to drink. I am sick and tired of politicans legislating peoples one sided morals. Same goes for Gambling.

Posted by Liberty (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Exactly, eye - you cannot legislate morality.

Posted by yellowroseofTexas (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Are you aware of problems caused by casinos and lotteries in other states? The state and its citizens receive such a small amount from them. On the other hand, addiction, more crime, suicide rates, poor health, etc. increase.

Posted by Liberty (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Responsibility and accountability - we cannot allow the government to make personal choices for us, good OR bad.

Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

eyesonyou and Liberty: Both great points, but the deficiencies in budgets of the families (by gambling) of "the under class" will be made up by crime. Remember what happened to Rome when they stopped paying "tribute" to the barbarians. Every society has had to support an underclass to maintain civility, and we are no different. Let's not let them starve, the democrats need victims to vote for them. popdukes12

Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"I am" aware of the millions of dollars some of these states receive for education that creates New schools, text books, buses, gyms, etc. If the people in this state are worried about whether or not the Educational System is going to truly benefit from the lottery/gambling.....then create the BILL and LEGISLATION so it does. There has to come a time when ADULTS are responsible for themselves and not rely on the government to make every moral (or lack of) decision in their life.

There are millions of bars in this country, so should we put a cap on the number of them because some people can't control their drinking? What about the people that enjoy a casual drink and patronizing bars for entertainment? What about people that enjoy frequenting a casino every now and then? Should they be denied this because others can't control their impulses and behavior? Absolutely not.

Posted by steeldogwood (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well said, well-researched. Thanks, Leesha, for ferreting out these facts and saying what needs to be said!!!!

Posted by Publisher (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 3:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I might add that thousands of Alabamians travel every day to Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee to gamble, taking money they earned [or were given] in Alabama and spending it for the benefit of residents of other states.

People are going to gamble. It's been that way for thousands of years. If there is a way to keep those dollars in this state to improve education, roads, provide local jobs so people can get off public assistance, improve infrastructure, etc. then it needs to be seriously considered.

And I certainly agree with others who say you cannot legislate morality. People need to be responsible and accountable for their own actions.

Lastly, I'll add that I believe gambling to be an addictive vice like alcohol, drugs, shopping, etc. and if gambling is allowed to proliferate in our state it will indeed cause societal issues similar to those caused by other vices. I would hope that whatever legislation is enacted to legalize gambling would account for some level of treatment for the issues created by its legalization.

Dennis Palmer
Publisher
The Selma Times-Journal
selmatimesjournal.com

Posted by TigerFan36701 (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 5:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You can make those same arguments for legalizing prostitution, but no one is making a movement to legalize that. People are going to "screw", and it's been that way for thousands of years, too. Why not legalize prostitution and you'd see an influx of dollars both in-state and out-of-state.

If you're going to throw the "cannot govern morality" argument into the mix, then let's legalize sex for money and tax that.

"BARBARIC!"

Posted by nowhining (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks Dennis. I do gamble at times, but very seldom. If I want to gamble, I can drive to Mississippi as an outing. I would also vote against gaming in Alabama if it were put on a ballot. I voted against the lottery, because the then Governor refused to explain how the tax money would be used. He kept saying "for education", but refused to say what %, and how. If it doesn't have an ironclad law passed as to how to spend any money, I don't want it. What I want from the government is total transparency, and accountability, then I may be willing to vote for some of their pet projects. That goes for the U.S. Government also. Please quit hiding pet projects in bills. The entire U.S. Constitution is very small, but this healthcare bill is 1200 pages.

Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on November 17, 2009 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

o.k. here we go......http://www.itepnet.org/pb19gamb.pdf

Posted by jis1999 (anonymous) on November 18, 2009 at 6:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The lottery in Ga is so successful. It supplies the fund for a statewide kindergarten and pre-K, it provides a college education to a state college for the kids who maintains a B average, and it provides technology for the schools. The place to get change started in Alabama is in the Legislature, not the governor. He can make laws or introduce laws. The state of Alabama needs the lottery fashioned after Ga to assist the education system. Tenn has copied Ga's lottery system. The people in Ga are happy to accept the money from Ala people playing their lottery.

Posted by JohnGalt (anonymous) on November 22, 2009 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it."

Frederic Bastiat