Texas gambling proponents go all in

[Rose Siding]

AUSTIN – Gambling interests have raised their ante in the Texas Capitol this session, spending millions of dollars on lobbyists who are trying to end Texas' prohibition on casinos.

Pro-gaming forces – advocates for bingo, casinos, slot machines and expanding the lottery – have spent between $3.4 million and $6.2 million on their lobbyists this legislative session, according to state records.
...
Big City is employing Mr. Bashur and six other lobbyists at a cost between $660,000 and $975,000. They include Mike Toomey, who endorsed slots at racetracks last year, when he was Gov. Rick Perry's chief of staff.
...
"We are out-funded," said Julie Drenner, a lobbyist for Texans for Family Values, a conservative group that opposes slot machines at tracks. "However, I think the values of Texans are on our side. Morals and family values always win out over greed and out-of-state interests."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/031405dntexgambling.428c5.html

*cough choke sputter* How does DeLay's district feel about this issue? Have they gotten a whiff of his morals lately?

[Gman]

1. Gulf Greyhound in LaMarque, Tx

is in Delay's district and is pushing very hard for slots. My guess would be that there are a lot of people in Delay's district that favor legalized casino gambling.

[Ilsa]

2. The most "religious" people I know LOVE to gamble.

I guess they think the odds are in their favor since they are "Right with God". Or maybe it is because it is considered sin, so going out gambling is "dirty fun." Sorry about the quotes, but those are their ideas, not necessarily mine.

I'm not much of a gambler. I accept the odds and never feel like I can beat them, so I always think I'll lose. So it I don't find much entertainment in it.

[UpInArms]

3. I tend to look at those big glitzy structures

and know that more losers than winners come out their doors.

[heidler1]

5. The trick is to put a monetary cost on morality by claiming taxes

on gambling will lower other taxes, like sales taxes, property taxes, and income taxes. This is the type of argument that will win over the Religious even though the hardship that gambling causes in families is never enough to make it worth it. Pure token BS.

[TX-RAT]

4. I'm all for casino's in TX

I would rather that money stay in TX, instead of going to LA,OK,NM, and Las Vegas. I'll still make trips to Vegas, just because it's Vegas, but i don't see myself going to NM anymore.