I want to share the following announcement:
The multi-billion dollar gambling industry has long had its eyes on
Massachusetts. Efforts to introduce casino gambling into the Commonwealth have been repeatedly rebuffed by the state legislature. But the casino industry is betting on Governor Deval Patrick’s new proposal to allow casino gambling in the Commonwealth. Efforts to pass and defeat the Governor’s casino bill will be the most hard-fought legislative battle of the coming year. The outcome of this fight should concern every Massachusetts resident. Criticism of the Governor’s proposal is growing.
On Sunday, December 23, "Focus" co-host Leo Maley will interview three leading Massachusetts casino opponents. They will make the case against allowing casino gambling in Massachusetts and explain why they are hopeful that they will be able to defeat the Governor’s bill.
State Senator Sue Tucker (D-Andover) is widely recognized to be one of the most knowledgeable and articulate opponents of casino gambling in the state legislature.
Rich Young, director of Massachusetts’ child abuse hotline, has fought efforts to site a casino in his home town of Middleboro. He is President of Casino Free Massachusetts (http://www.casinofreemass.org/), a non-partisan statewide coalition that is leading the fight against allowing casinos into the Commonwealth.
Les Bernal, who served for nearly a decade as chief of staff to a Massachusetts state senator, is working to foster an emerging national anti-casino citizens’ movement.
Airing Sundays from noon until 1 p.m. on WMUA, 91.1 FM (Amherst, MA), “Focus” is a progressive news and opinion radio program for Western Massachusetts and beyond. “Focus” also streams live on the web at www.wmua.org
#-#-#
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Truth to Character
Dictionary.com
lists 16 entries for the word character. Notable definitions include: the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing; and an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.
Today in the hallowed halls of the statehouse of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on Beacon Hill, the cradle of liberty, a hearing was held by pro-casino state representative David Flynn - D Bridgewater, featuring Governor Patrick and several casino investors including mega-billionaire and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. "The Donald" did not attend despite an invitation to the hearing. Matt Viser of the Globe reported,
lists 16 entries for the word character. Notable definitions include: the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing; and an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.
Today in the hallowed halls of the statehouse of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on Beacon Hill, the cradle of liberty, a hearing was held by pro-casino state representative David Flynn - D Bridgewater, featuring Governor Patrick and several casino investors including mega-billionaire and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. "The Donald" did not attend despite an invitation to the hearing. Matt Viser of the Globe reported,
Governor Patrick's testimony centered on the historic roots of gambling in MassachusettsThe six-hour hearing has created a circus-like atmosphere at the State House. Union activists in matching red T-shirts and business leaders in pinstriped power suits and derby hats packed Gardner Auditorium, where it was standing-room-only.
I would also like to address the concern that bringing resort casinos to Massachusetts might alter the character of our state. For a very long time now, gaming has been in practice in Massachusetts and gaming revenues have been used to support public projects. In 1762 John Hancock raised lottery money to rebuild Faneuil Hall after a fire.
The Governor elaborated on his rationale to propose expanded gambling in Massachusetts emphasizing and repeating his claim of developing 20,000 permanent jobs. The absence of the claim of 20,000 "new" jobs was interesting. The claim that the character of Massachusetts will not change if class III casinos were to become legal is really the sticking point.
How could the character as defined above of the Commonwealth not change? The developers owning land in Palmer have stated that a casino would bring large changes. Any observer of the Connecticut casino experience would say that the casinos created profound changes in the character of the communities, region and the state. To claim that the character of the Commonwealth or the town of Monson where we live (abutting two potential casino host communities) would not change is simply ludicrious. The differential is whether citizens support the changes inherent to class III casinos to the communities and regions that they impact as net positive or net negative.
The aggregate of features and traits of the Commonwealth cannot not be affected. Let's just talk straight and tell the truth.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Truth to Media
One of today's top stories from the Globe
"Mass casino plan facing negative vote among the Legislature" Globe poll of all 19 members of the legislative committee that will consider Patrick's proposal showed that it would probably get a negative vote that could prove difficult to overcome. "There's a lot of strikes against it," said Representative Barry Finegold, a Democrat from Andover and a member of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies who does not support the Governor's plan to license three casinos.
is contrasted by the continued pro-casino headlines of the front pages of the Springfield Republican
with Governor Deval L. Patrick recorded as stating,
If his bill went to a vote in the Legislature now, it would be approved
Now here's the quote of the day that gave this lowly citizen a belly laugh,
"It's more than a bit premature to be talking about how any committee is going to decide on an issue before public hearings have even occurred," said Kyle Sullivan, the governor's press secretary.
"Mass casino plan facing negative vote among the Legislature" Globe poll of all 19 members of the legislative committee that will consider Patrick's proposal showed that it would probably get a negative vote that could prove difficult to overcome. "There's a lot of strikes against it," said Representative Barry Finegold, a Democrat from Andover and a member of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies who does not support the Governor's plan to license three casinos.
is contrasted by the continued pro-casino headlines of the front pages of the Springfield Republican
with Governor Deval L. Patrick recorded as stating,
If his bill went to a vote in the Legislature now, it would be approved
Who is telling the truth?
Has politics and the future of the Commonwealth become an exercise in alternate realities?
Has politics and the future of the Commonwealth become an exercise in alternate realities?
"It's more than a bit premature to be talking about how any committee is going to decide on an issue before public hearings have even occurred," said Kyle Sullivan, the governor's press secretary.
How about the Governor predicting how the Legislature will vote?
Geez, guys! Get on message.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Do They Work Harder In Kansas?
Whether or not you're a casino fan or an opponent, it behoves all of us to educate ourselves on the economics of the Governor's proposal, as well as the revenue and job projections being touted by developers and their allies.
We recently received a pro-casino, union-sponsored glossy postcard (sent to me as a Democratic Delegate), hailing the 20,000 "new" jobs that would be created by the proposal endorsed by the Administration. Postive, sustainable Economic Development is sorely needed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
It's been fiscally rocky in this great state and the nation since, well come to think of it, George W. Bush and Co. (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Halliburton, Enron and the other corporate puppets running the country into the dirt) began implementing the "conservative" agenda. Only thing is however, selling America for personal profit and to embellish the owning class is not a conservative value.
Their version of conservativism is a lie. I digress.
It's good blogging weather with gray skies, frigid temps, and darkness at 4:15pm today.
What's a girl to do?
So, I went to (of all places) the website of the Wichita Eagle http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/226367.html and what to my wondering eyes should appear, an article about a casino war between residents and Casino giant MGM Mirage that hopes to build in Mulvane http://www.mulvanekansas.com/, Kansas, population, 5,500!
Casino giant MGM Mirage has joined an effort to build a casino resort complex near the Mulvane interchange on the Kansas Turnpike near Wichita.
The company has become partners with Foxwoods Development Co. of Connecticut, Chisholm Creek Ventures of Wichita and two American Indian tribes to bid for a resort on 176 acres south of Highway 53, just across the Sedgwick County line.
Developers said:
• The Chisholm Creek Casino Resort would include a 250-room hotel, a retail shopping arcade, a spa, golf course, and food, entertainment and meeting venues.
• The casino floor would feature 2,000 slot machines and 50 gaming tables.
• The complex would employ 1,425 to 1,475 people
Then, I thought,
That's a serious delta. What could explain the difference in the job projections? The Administration's Plan, the Barrow Plan, the Union Plan (which are all the Barrow Plan) call for 20,000 "new" jobs.
We recently received a pro-casino, union-sponsored glossy postcard (sent to me as a Democratic Delegate), hailing the 20,000 "new" jobs that would be created by the proposal endorsed by the Administration. Postive, sustainable Economic Development is sorely needed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
It's been fiscally rocky in this great state and the nation since, well come to think of it, George W. Bush and Co. (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Halliburton, Enron and the other corporate puppets running the country into the dirt) began implementing the "conservative" agenda. Only thing is however, selling America for personal profit and to embellish the owning class is not a conservative value.
Their version of conservativism is a lie. I digress.
It's good blogging weather with gray skies, frigid temps, and darkness at 4:15pm today.
What's a girl to do?
So, I went to (of all places) the website of the Wichita Eagle http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/226367.html and what to my wondering eyes should appear, an article about a casino war between residents and Casino giant MGM Mirage that hopes to build in Mulvane http://www.mulvanekansas.com/, Kansas, population, 5,500!
Casino giant MGM Mirage has joined an effort to build a casino resort complex near the Mulvane interchange on the Kansas Turnpike near Wichita.
The company has become partners with Foxwoods Development Co. of Connecticut, Chisholm Creek Ventures of Wichita and two American Indian tribes to bid for a resort on 176 acres south of Highway 53, just across the Sedgwick County line.
Developers said:
• The Chisholm Creek Casino Resort would include a 250-room hotel, a retail shopping arcade, a spa, golf course, and food, entertainment and meeting venues.
• The casino floor would feature 2,000 slot machines and 50 gaming tables.
• The complex would employ 1,425 to 1,475 people
Then, I thought,
How could it be that a casino proposal in Kansas similar in scope but with a smaller hotel than is allegedly proposed in Palmer could only employ 1,425 to 1,475 people?
That's a serious delta. What could explain the difference in the job projections? The Administration's Plan, the Barrow Plan, the Union Plan (which are all the Barrow Plan) call for 20,000 "new" jobs.
Do they work harder in Kansas?or,
Are the projections inflated?
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Truth to Vegas
It looks like things aren't all glitter in tinsle town.
MGM Mirage and Chief Executive Officer Terry Lanni told the gathering at the Nevada Development Authority's annual luncheon that,
Flip that coin and we find the Adminstration has submitted legislation to allow casinos in Massachusetts to fix the problems created by inadequate tax and spending policies in the Commonwealth.
When I was a teenager my mother used to say to me, "you're a smart girl but you don't have any common sense." She considered common sense a highly desirable virtue. With gray hairs some of us do obtain a measure of common sense. It appears evident that the global and regional competition for casino build-out will reach market saturation. This is a hint that Massachusetts would be better to stay out of the game of implosion and explosion of an industry that is insatiable.
Revel casino in Atlantic City received approval this week to build a 2 Billion dollar enterprise on the Boardwalk as part of the recently launched concerted effort to pull-back the New England market to it's gambling roots in pristine, virtuous Atlantic City.
MGM Mirage and Chief Executive Officer Terry Lanni told the gathering at the Nevada Development Authority's annual luncheon that,
http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2007/11/23/news/iq_18027972.txtNevada's economy is in disarray because the tax structure,
which relies heavily on gaming and sales taxes, is broken.
Flip that coin and we find the Adminstration has submitted legislation to allow casinos in Massachusetts to fix the problems created by inadequate tax and spending policies in the Commonwealth.
When I was a teenager my mother used to say to me, "you're a smart girl but you don't have any common sense." She considered common sense a highly desirable virtue. With gray hairs some of us do obtain a measure of common sense. It appears evident that the global and regional competition for casino build-out will reach market saturation. This is a hint that Massachusetts would be better to stay out of the game of implosion and explosion of an industry that is insatiable.
Revel casino in Atlantic City received approval this week to build a 2 Billion dollar enterprise on the Boardwalk as part of the recently launched concerted effort to pull-back the New England market to it's gambling roots in pristine, virtuous Atlantic City.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Giving Thanks
That we live in a society that still has a enough freedoms available to citizens to voice our opinions. Those freedoms are worth protecting with the mighty pen, and keystrokes.
Blessings to all, blog-on.
Blessings to all, blog-on.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Palmer anti-casino standout
Several local anti-casino activists held signs and spoke with members of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee as it met this evening at Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School in Palmer.
The response from many DSC members was positive with members from various communities throughout the Commonwealth including Stoughton, Framingham, Gloucester, Amherst and Wales expressing opposition to casinos in Massachusetts.
As people learn more about the negative impacts of casinos, concern is growing locally and statewide. The impact area is a 50 mile radius from a proposed casino site.
This leaves few communities that would not be negatively affected by the Adminstration's casino bill. For more information see, The National Gambling Impact Study Commission http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/reports/fullrpt.html
The response from many DSC members was positive with members from various communities throughout the Commonwealth including Stoughton, Framingham, Gloucester, Amherst and Wales expressing opposition to casinos in Massachusetts.
As people learn more about the negative impacts of casinos, concern is growing locally and statewide. The impact area is a 50 mile radius from a proposed casino site.
"NORC (National Opinion Research Center)found that the presence of a gambling facility within 50 miles roughly doubles the prevalence of problem and
pathological gamblers."
This leaves few communities that would not be negatively affected by the Adminstration's casino bill. For more information see, The National Gambling Impact Study Commission http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/reports/fullrpt.html
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