Recently, former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger drew parallels between the costs and arguments employed by the Predatory Gambling Industry and those used in the past by Big Tobacco:
Reminds me of the public policy -- and legal -- arguments we used against Big Tobacco. e.g. if used as intended, causes death and disease; and the key to business success was/is to addict under-age teens --to become part of the 10% who consume 60% of the tobacco. Please remember, tobacco manufacturers successfully denied all the negative impacts (and effective regulation) of its product until they were forced to 'tell the truth" about their product and compensate the states for the costs of the public health impact.
Further, what other MA major economic development, jobs, or revenue initiative (aside from serious questions about the credibility of the short and long-term jobs and revenue projections), needs to start out by defending against, and having to build in compensation for, all the known --and admitted -- public health, consumer protection, law enforcement and regulatory costs and harms, and clear evidence that it will cannibalize other revenues --lottery, small business, entertainment, and other discretionary spending; AND has to PROMISE to limit competition because of the known adverse, negative impacts of unrestrained "casino/slot" expansion on the Commonwealth --and the race to the bottom it will trigger regionally (and with Native American rights/claims)???
You'd think any Governor or candidate for Governor, let alone any elected official or candidate, and the citizen-led Tea Party, would be deeply shaken by --and severely scrutinizing/critiquing -- the level of regressive taxation and the governmental intervention needed to mitigate the demonstrable cost, pain and unintended consequences the expansion of casino/slots gambling will entail.
As Governor Dukakis asks --Is this really the best we can do --in MA?? What's the Hurry?? Do we really know what we are doing??"
Reminds me of the public policy -- and legal -- arguments we used against Big Tobacco. e.g. if used as intended, causes death and disease; and the key to business success was/is to addict under-age teens --to become part of the 10% who consume 60% of the tobacco. Please remember, tobacco manufacturers successfully denied all the negative impacts (and effective regulation) of its product until they were forced to 'tell the truth" about their product and compensate the states for the costs of the public health impact.
Further, what other MA major economic development, jobs, or revenue initiative (aside from serious questions about the credibility of the short and long-term jobs and revenue projections), needs to start out by defending against, and having to build in compensation for, all the known --and admitted -- public health, consumer protection, law enforcement and regulatory costs and harms, and clear evidence that it will cannibalize other revenues --lottery, small business, entertainment, and other discretionary spending; AND has to PROMISE to limit competition because of the known adverse, negative impacts of unrestrained "casino/slot" expansion on the Commonwealth --and the race to the bottom it will trigger regionally (and with Native American rights/claims)???
You'd think any Governor or candidate for Governor, let alone any elected official or candidate, and the citizen-led Tea Party, would be deeply shaken by --and severely scrutinizing/critiquing -- the level of regressive taxation and the governmental intervention needed to mitigate the demonstrable cost, pain and unintended consequences the expansion of casino/slots gambling will entail.
As Governor Dukakis asks --Is this really the best we can do --in MA?? What's the Hurry?? Do we really know what we are doing??"
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