For the first time since NA Confidential's inception, I admit to being utterly flabbergasted.
To again reiterate what the Louisville Courier-Journal, NA Confidential and Volunteer Hoosier have been saying for several weeks, Indiana's Republican legislators are gaining momentum in their efforts to do to Harrison County (and other riverboat casino host counties) what the New York City police did to Abner Louima, by unceremoniously relieving the these counties of the majority of the casino tax revenue promised to them in 1993.
Not only that, but this act of fiscal rape is being perpetrated in broad daylight, sans rhetorical lubricants or the slightest sense of shame on the part of the G.O.P., with that party's pious posturings of "fairness" being completely contradicted by arrogance like that of Rep. Troy Woodruff (R-Vincennes), who has stated publicly that he's not interested in a casino, just the money from Evansville's casino.
Just for the fun of it, and understanding that my chances of getting a response are nil, my comments yesterday have been forwarded to the Governor, selected state representatives, the Floyd County Republican party, and Chris Morris, editor of the Tribune, who today surveyed the world around him and coughed up a hairball disguised as an editorial about the NCAA Final Four.
But to my surprise, these same comments generated all of two responses from NA Confidential readers, one of which did not address the budget issue. By contrast, there have been 29 comments on the two-week-old topic of the Cottom Street used house lot, with the most recent coming in today.
I'm forced to conclude that there's more than a little cognitive dissonance among those of you who proudly voted Republican last fall, and now are looking the other way while the Indiana G.O.P. falls over itself like the Keystone Kops, hurrying to violate the principles that it claims to hold dear, by plunging its grubby hands into the pockets of Indiana counties with no more coherent rationale than simple envy, so as to redistribute the ill-gotten booty in a manner that would make most socialists blush with embarrassment.
Perhaps we can petition the European Union for foreign aid to make up for the loss of revenue.
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6 comments:
Gambling boats are a short term fix to money problems for communities where there are placed. Greed finally wins out.
Remember what nickname W gave Mitch Daniels, "The Blade".
Here is my idea for a new bumper sticker or t-shirt;
Republicans=the fish=$$$$$
Not sure how long your post has been up, publican, but maybe the lure of a cool million to each county is a salve to the conscience. Would that I had elected to use your terminology - it is a rape - to describe what the looters are up to.
The dearth of commments on this topic could just be a sign that it's "not my fight" and the collateral effect of the $1 million bribe are, indeed, silencing the citizenry.
Oh, by the way. If this goes through, Floyd County is, at least, protected from loss (I believe the payoff would be an improvement to the revenue stream).
But New Albany is screwed. $1 million ain't chewing gum money, and that's what our city stands to lose when Harrison County stands battered and naked at the end. Kind of hard to put the arm on a victimized neighbor, so NA will have to go begging and just hope FC gives them a split of the tainted proceeds from this raid on the little guys.
This is not necessarily the issue I want to talk about, but I find it just a little tough to ignore the brazenness of this one.
Let's see, 20,000 cars passing through New Albany on the way to Caesars each day ... couple bucks a carload to pass ... minimal expenses up front.
Utilizing my plan to build a George W. Bush Memorial Toll Booth on the highway leading to the casino, we'll generate ample money to offset the losses incurred by the state G.O.P.
I'm not joking ...
Nor should you be joking. Toll roads are the natural consequence of the Republican "I got mine, screw you" regime...everything paid for by user fees and if you can't pay the toll, up yours.
I'm not at all happy falling on the side of casino gambling, but I'm not demanding my share of the loot, either.
For a party that screams about creationism and "what would Jesus do," they certainly offer a Darwinian solution to everything.
The only social compact the GOP offers in its current incarnation is a binding contract with corporations like Halliburton to ensure that they NEVER have to run any risk. At the same time, of course, they sing hosannas to the "free" market. For individuals, the elephant rule is to let 'em fall. But for their corporate sugar daddies, it's a no-bid, cost-plus contracts with sweeteners, tax exemptions, no-prosecution, anything-you-want environment. God forbid that any stock company lose money.
You're right, publican. Play by their rules. Want your streets paved? Pony up. Enough of these money-grabs and that party will be exposed for what it is.
Once again, the GOP message is "Screw You, Southern Indiana!"
Three lads at my work and their wives are maximus addicted. Good thought Joe.
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