The distractions that Americans fall prey to are limitless....and the diversions that politicians create to deflect the failure of serious debate and solutions is unmatched. While touring NYC with Monson's 8th grade class we were went to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on the day that the MA state senate passed redundant laws further marginalizing undocumented/"illegal aliens".
Here's a little video thing I put together that I hope tells the story of the principles of our country. Immigration has always been a challenging and emotional issue....what we need is an intelligent discussion about solutions.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
INEVITABLE
Question:
What is Inevitable if casinos and slots are legalized in Massachusetts?
Answer:
More Corruption, Crime and Costs for the taxpayers.
What is Inevitable if casinos and slots are legalized in Massachusetts?
Answer:
More Corruption, Crime and Costs for the taxpayers.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Time Warp
More jobs across the spectrum were created in one month in Massachusetts - last month, than any casino will bring - without the costs, impacts and human pain of gambling addiction. It seems at times to this observer that many politicians are twenty years or more behind current research and lack vision for the future.....with some exceptions for whom I am grateful, as they give me hope.
Legalizing casinos in the Commonwealth is a bone-headed, backward, brain-dead, bad idea.
That's right, I said it.
Legalizing casinos in the Commonwealth is a bone-headed, backward, brain-dead, bad idea.
That's right, I said it.
Monday, May 17, 2010
It was never "inevitable"
It was never “inevitable” May 17, 2010
United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts (USS Mass) opposes the legalization of expanded predatory gambling, slots/casinos in the Commonwealth. A strong contingency in the southeastern region has been pushing back against the false statements that a Middleboro casino was, “inevitable” for over three years. They were certainly right as the Wampanoag’s have announced that they have gone gambling-site shopping with their foreign investors, to the non-tribal lands of Fall River. The Middleboro fiasco was never a “done deal”, it may have been a colossal “dumb deal” as it was crafted by myopic local officials, muscled by labor, pledged by felon representatives of the tribe and thrust down the throats of voters in the midst of the summer heat, but it was never, “inevitable”.
The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) enables federally recognized tribes to develop and operate tax-free gambling facilities to the level of what is legal in the state where their tribal lands exist. Currently, there are no lands that have been placed into trust for a tribe in Massachusetts and slots/casinos are not legal. The one and only way to insure that tax-free foreign backed corporations do not profit from the Massachusetts taxpayers is to not legalize slots/casinos.
The abuse of IGRA, which was created as economic opportunity for Native American tribes, abounds with billionaire foreign and domestic investors using the tribes as the “front men” for them to expand their power and wealth. How do they amass wealth? They capture wealth through the systematic expansion and addiction of gamblers, particularly from the proliferation of manipulative electronically programmed slot machines.
People are angry that politicians allowed and facilitated the out-sourcing of jobs from the Commonwealth and the US to other countries, over the past three decades. People are angry that we have an astronomical national debt that is owed to other countries. People are angry at bailing out billionaires and corporations. Now, it appears that some politicians in Massachusetts want to allow foreign investors to set-up facilities that drain local economies, negatively impact families and create extensive cost burdens upon municipalities and taxpayers. These same politicians have failed their basic fiduciary responsibilities by not performing a comprehensive cost analysis of the legislation that has been put forth.
Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) and Governor Patrick have the power and responsibility to kill the Speaker’s Special Interest Gambling bill and not legalize slots/casinos. There is nothing to stop the tribal entities interested in Middleboro, Fall River, Palmer and other sites from changing their minds-yet again, and petitioning Congress for the right to establish sovereign tax-free facilities that are exempt from environmental impact studies, regulations and the laws of the Commonwealth. Legalizing one slot machine is legalizing one too many.
United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts (USS Mass) opposes the legalization of expanded predatory gambling, slots/casinos in the Commonwealth. A strong contingency in the southeastern region has been pushing back against the false statements that a Middleboro casino was, “inevitable” for over three years. They were certainly right as the Wampanoag’s have announced that they have gone gambling-site shopping with their foreign investors, to the non-tribal lands of Fall River. The Middleboro fiasco was never a “done deal”, it may have been a colossal “dumb deal” as it was crafted by myopic local officials, muscled by labor, pledged by felon representatives of the tribe and thrust down the throats of voters in the midst of the summer heat, but it was never, “inevitable”.
The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) enables federally recognized tribes to develop and operate tax-free gambling facilities to the level of what is legal in the state where their tribal lands exist. Currently, there are no lands that have been placed into trust for a tribe in Massachusetts and slots/casinos are not legal. The one and only way to insure that tax-free foreign backed corporations do not profit from the Massachusetts taxpayers is to not legalize slots/casinos.
The abuse of IGRA, which was created as economic opportunity for Native American tribes, abounds with billionaire foreign and domestic investors using the tribes as the “front men” for them to expand their power and wealth. How do they amass wealth? They capture wealth through the systematic expansion and addiction of gamblers, particularly from the proliferation of manipulative electronically programmed slot machines.
People are angry that politicians allowed and facilitated the out-sourcing of jobs from the Commonwealth and the US to other countries, over the past three decades. People are angry that we have an astronomical national debt that is owed to other countries. People are angry at bailing out billionaires and corporations. Now, it appears that some politicians in Massachusetts want to allow foreign investors to set-up facilities that drain local economies, negatively impact families and create extensive cost burdens upon municipalities and taxpayers. These same politicians have failed their basic fiduciary responsibilities by not performing a comprehensive cost analysis of the legislation that has been put forth.
Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) and Governor Patrick have the power and responsibility to kill the Speaker’s Special Interest Gambling bill and not legalize slots/casinos. There is nothing to stop the tribal entities interested in Middleboro, Fall River, Palmer and other sites from changing their minds-yet again, and petitioning Congress for the right to establish sovereign tax-free facilities that are exempt from environmental impact studies, regulations and the laws of the Commonwealth. Legalizing one slot machine is legalizing one too many.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Andy Rooney Gets Its
Andy Rooney gets what the Speaker's Special Interest Gambling Bill and the Senate's forthcoming Sucker's Bill is all about.
When small towns get creamed
The lovely rural town of Warren, MA recently held a forum on the potential impacts of a casino in their community or if one were sited in neighboring Palmer. Many people first heard of Warren following the tragic abduction and murder of Molly Bish from Cummings Pond in the small quiet community. It is a community that carries a heavy heart still for Molly and her beautiful family.
Resident Keith Nicholos is quoted in the article as somehow thinking that a commericial casino in Palmer would provide the town with more input in the licensing and regulations than if it were a native american operated casino. For over 2 1/2 years representatives from Warren, Palmer and the surrounding communities have met and studied the impacts on the region should the state legislature and governor be so foolish to legalize class III gambling....it ain't pretty and none of the western MA casino task force recommendations were included in the Speaker's Special Interest Gambling bill. Sorry, Keith - casinos cream small towns.
The politicians want to be able to say that they "created jobs" and get out of office with their pensions and/or cushy next "appointment" before the everlasting costs of this predatory industry surface and the taxpayer finds she is left holding the bill for the impacts/costs.
One could start longing for the days of honest crooks like Al Capone that did their dirty work in the light of day....not behind closed doors on Beacon Hill and Wall Street.
Resident Keith Nicholos is quoted in the article as somehow thinking that a commericial casino in Palmer would provide the town with more input in the licensing and regulations than if it were a native american operated casino. For over 2 1/2 years representatives from Warren, Palmer and the surrounding communities have met and studied the impacts on the region should the state legislature and governor be so foolish to legalize class III gambling....it ain't pretty and none of the western MA casino task force recommendations were included in the Speaker's Special Interest Gambling bill. Sorry, Keith - casinos cream small towns.
The politicians want to be able to say that they "created jobs" and get out of office with their pensions and/or cushy next "appointment" before the everlasting costs of this predatory industry surface and the taxpayer finds she is left holding the bill for the impacts/costs.
One could start longing for the days of honest crooks like Al Capone that did their dirty work in the light of day....not behind closed doors on Beacon Hill and Wall Street.
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