Casino Tyranny

As my friend, Gladys pointed out, in The Playbook, there are standard rules that have been employed in other states and countries that have been thoroughly tested and evaluated and improved based on their success.

Because predatory gambling is so wildly profitable, they can afford the BEST!

They buy the best media shills like State House News that pretends to be impartial, best experts and spread money around with lobbyists monopolizing attention and spreading the propaganda.

Most folks follow like sheep, accept the pot o' gold at the end of the casino rainbow, like Palmer Town Councilor Paul Burns and vilify those who question.
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Leadership isn't bullying like Paul Burns or tyranny like Middleboro's very own Arrogant Gavel Queen, Marsha Brunelle who gavelled democracy to silence.

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Leadership is elected officials like Senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) and Representative Todd Smola (R-Palmer) for their serious commonsense in carefully examining the impacts of predatory gambling and a willingness to listen.

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Wisdom is the voters who support them.
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Dear friends,

I am writing to you to ask for your support of our state senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) who was unfairly and inappropriately criticized in the Springfield Republican newspaper today.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/palmer_town_councilor_paul_bur.html

Both Senator Brewer and Representative Todd Smola (R-Palmer) have extensively researched the complex issue of expanding predatory gambling and legalizing slots in the Commonwealth. They have attended numerous meetings throughout the Quaboag Valley and at the Statehouse on this subject.

Senator Brewer's participation and leadership with the Western MA Casino Task Force lead to the development of the ground breaking report that articulates 23 major concerns for impacts to the region and calls for an independent cost-benefit analysis.
http://www.pvpc.org/casino/web-content/docs/L-WMCATLegislatorsAugust200.pdf

In meeting with the designated "point person" on the issue of casinos/slots for the State Senate, Senator Rosenberg, the task force learned that Senator Brewer has been the most persistent legislator to approach him on this issue with questions, concerns and recommendations based on his knowledge of his district and our region. Representative Todd Smola does not represent the community where I live, but like his predecessor Reed Hillman, both gentlemen have been open, responsive and eager to communicate with me and others on the matters that affect our region.

Senator Brewer, Representative Smola and the majority of western MA legislators have taken a sober and mature approach by not signing the pledge to support expanded gambling and a casino, specifically in western MA. There is no specific legislation on the "table" for debate.

The lack of due diligence by legislators who behave in a knee-jerk reaction to a plea from a specific group, without analyzing the full costs-benefit of a specific bill is a disservice to their constituents and themselves as elected officials. These elected officials who do not have detailed knowledge of the communities and the region most impacted by these proposals, seem pleased to cater to a special interest group as long as the facility is not in their community.

Please consider writing a Letter to the Editor in support of Senator Brewer's measured stance on the complex issue of expanding predatory gambling and slots.
letters@repub.com
lstabile@repub.com

Regards,
Kathleen Norbut
Monson
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