But gambling leads to crappy parents. My feeling on this issue is that legalized gambling is a tax on the poor, but so is illegal gambling. Plus we already have the lottery. Bring it out in the open. Same with drugs.
I understand where you are coming from, but I disagree with the notion that putting Casinos in Galveston would cause cataclysm and ruin households everywhere.
Having to drive out to Louisiana increases the cost of gambling and, on the margin, decreases the volume. If Houston gets a casino, Houstonians will gamble more than they did before. Saying it is just a transfer of money from one state to another is not true. Gambling does not create value. It is an entertainment service whose benefits dissipate after service is rendered. It may create jobs and generate revenue, but does not improve an economy beyond importing tourist dollars from other locales -- and given how many gambling destinations there are now, i don't think many will come to Texas for it. At best, we stop the gambling money going across the border, which I don't consider to be a problem needing to be addressed. The money doesn't come from thin air. The increased jobs and tax revenues will come at the impoverishment of gamblers, engaging in a vice that creates no value. I don't see that helping the economy of Texas as a whole; it just re-apportions wealth. I also don't like the way they are proposing to distort market forces by limiting gambling to a couple of casinos in a couple of counties. If we don't do that, you'll get seedy strip-mall casinos that are a public nuisance. But, this way, you are using government regulators to enrich a select few casino operators. And you invite corruption into the way these licenses are handed out and regulated. Both models suck. Altogether, I don't like it. It creates no value and increases vice. Where's the upside?
Galveston is holding on by a tiny string at this point. Three of the major employers on the island (UTMB, Shriners Burns, American National Insurance) have fired thousands, shut down, and moved jobs to the mainland. Local businesses aren't going to last much longer if the trend continues. The ability to open casinos on the island at this point may be the only thing that will save it's long term future. As a BOI I fully support spending my gambling money on the island instead of spending it in Louisiana.
Really silly question....but is it possible for $$ from Louisiana lobbyists to find it's way here to prevent this from happening?
Hell, legalize all of it everywhere. Casinos in Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, every half-decent beach town in this country? End this recession yesterday.
it doesn't say the amount of money, but yes. it's been going on for year. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/021609dntexgambling.3db28cc.html
Let me get this straight. Gambling destroys families. Somehow these families are behooved to have a gambler who also goes to the expense to drive to Louisiana and stay in the hotel? Nice logic...FAIL.
It never ceases to amaze me when fellow conservatives will one minute complain that government has taxed us out of financial choices that we should be entitled to make...then the next minute somebody talks about casinos, etc and that same conservative talk about government saving people from themselves. Interesting dichotomy.
I like your argument for against having casinos in Houston. I wouldn't mind if it's in Galveston, because they have like nothing there. But in Houston, I can see many college kids will be placed on probation their first year of college. Gambling can be addictive. It is like playing a video game, you don't notice it but you could be wasting so many hours playing games and think you're not addicted. Imagine if a casino is next to UH and not in Galveston. Being a student, you are probably too broke to drive everyday to Galveston, but if it's right by the school then you would be there everyday.
I never wrote that gambling destroys families. I don't want gambling in Houston. I think it is bad for society, brings crime, and the net result is negative despite any jobs or tax revenue that is created.
I don't know how you can compare over taxation with government restrictions against vice- apples and oranges.
No, it's not. When you overly tax, the argument can be made that you are taking away people's ability to spend their money how they see fit. Somehow government knows better where dollars should be spent. When you ban casinos, or cigarettes, or alcohol, government is taking away people's ability to choose whether or not to engage in these activities. In both cases, it is government abrogating the right to make choices for the individual. Before you even start making real apples to oranges comparisons, things like cocaine and heroin have a rational basis to be illegal. They are addictive 100% of the time and seldom does it have a result other than a total destruction of a life. The same cannot be said of gambling. Gambling is analogous to alcohol. Many people partake in moderation and it is not a problem for them. For others, they get hooked and it ruins everything they ever cared about. Should we count you in on the outlawing of beer as well as gambling?
