Gambling brings crime and corruption

While I don't really agree with gambling, I'd say I'll agree with you on this one. Probably the only time we'll agree. This just shows what happens when you listen to Republicans, cut taxes and increase pork-barrel spending. Something that the Democrats used to do without the tax cuts.

It's time to roll back the tax cuts, pull up or sleeves and get to work. While I'll admit I don't LOVE paying taxes I do consider it a privilege. Part of the privilege of living in this wonderful country. It's not perfect. There are things that I believe need to be changed but, all things being said it's still one of the best places to live on this earth. People want to live here reap the benefits but not help pay for the infrastructure that goes into making it such a wonderful place. Part of that also I guess is having the right to gamble away your life’s savings. Sad but you take the good with the bad.

 

I am not a gambler, I am a winner

I agree with your pov buddy, would'nt want gambling in my hometown either....That's what my trips to Vegas are for

 

Not that i have an opinion on this situation either way, but Arlie, if a casino were built right in your town, it would create thousands of jobs and would boost the economy of all the other local places by increasing business via more people via a constant flow of people into and through the town BECAUSE OF the casino... This would improve the economic stature of your area greatly - whether it needs it or not - and life would be good... Prices for a lot of stuff would undoubtedly come down, maybe you could even get a better-paying job out of the whole deal... Nothing says economic growth like "big business"... But i know, i know, behind that big business is a fat cat for whom you seethe and lie awake at night thinking about...

 

Damn, it must be a full moon. I agree with Horsey. Memo to self - check out window to see if world coming to an end.


Dale

 

Actually, no. Yes, gambling brings in dollars to your town. Sadly, they don't stay very long. There has been study after study that shows that the economic benefits of gambling goes largely to the large casino operators and politicians. Imagine that.

Dale

 

The other thing to consider is, who will be gambling (and losing) there? With all due respect to Hot Springs, it won't all of a sudden turn into Vegas and start attracting gamblers from all over the world/country. The bulk of the casino's revenue will be generated by localized gamblers. A lot of the money taken in will be money that isn't spent at other local establishments.

 

The better example for Hot Springs is Atlantic City, NJ. And, well, it's not exactly an advertisement for renovation by casino. In fact, they charter busses here in Philadelphia to visit casinos in Connecticut despite the fact that we're only 45 minutes from AC and closer to 4 hours from the Mohegan Sun.

 

Hot Springs actually seems like a nice small town that has some tourist appeal as it is. I would guess that it would be a little less of a nice small town with a bunch of casinos......

 

Did you know that tax revenue for the gov. is up to all time highs as a result of the tax cuts? If you increase taxes there is less money in the economy to create growth.

 

Sure. And there's no housing bubble. Trickle down economics doesn't work. If it were working there wouldn’t be a huge deficit since we’re swimming in increased tax revenue. The booming economy of the last few years isn’t due to tax rebates it’s due to interest rates that (even by Mr. Greenspan’s admission of late) were set too low leading to people borrowing against their new found wealth in their increasing home value. Sooner or later as home values begin to slow, flatten and recede, as they’ve begun to here in LA, this country could be in a world of financial hurt.

But, admittedly maybe I shouldn't have posted my first response like that. It really should be in P&R.

 

Recently the city of Hawiian Gardens CA put up a card casino. The city before had plenty of gang violence, and recently a cop was gunned down investigating a robbery. The overall petty crime has gone up (pick pockets, muggings) but auto theft has gone down. Murders are steady before and after. The Taco Bell across the street has BULLET PROOF GLASS at the drive through. Sign of the times. Just saying... what once was 'hit me' is now 'duck and cover'

 

True, sad, but most importantly...Funny! I think one of the problems is the gambling business is getting over-saturated. It's kind of a sad indictment when a town turns to gambling as a solution.

 

Well the tax cuts are not to blame for the huge deficit's, the over spending is to blame. I am neither a democrat or a replublican so I think we can cover this issue in this forum. If we were to raise taxes right now maybe the deficits would be lowered? But I think it would be spent on the other projects that have been cut do to the wars/hurricanes. Just think about where the economy would be right now if consumers were not spending at the rate that we are. There is a housing bubble in parts of the country, but not everywhere.

 

You can't use laws to control morality. Things like alcohol abuse, drug abuse prostitution and gambling will go on whether they are legal or not. This country passed a constitutional amendment that outlawed alcohol. The only thing that happened is that Al Capone and organized crime became rich and powerful. Countries in Europe that have legalized prostitution in certain ares have found that all sorts of crime statistics improved afterwards. I think it is better to legalize all this vice stuff control it and tax it. In the long run things will be better off

 

P&R.

 

Umm... OK.