Casino gambling a bad bet for Georgia

Look at Springfield when Burns opened his casino. Learn from the Simpsons

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Create a combination mega church casino.

Gambling for God.

Special decks of cards…..Jehovah’s always wild.

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Granny Godzilla

October 28th, 2011
8:04 am

Granny G.
Why not? The Catholics got Bingo…

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Again, the GOP blocks a very good way to raise money. Thanks Deal….

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There are some things more important than money.

I suspect an underlying premise of that claim is that everyone has a soul, compassion and a heart. Frankly, the heartlessness I see from the extreme right wingnuts puts that premise into question.

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Government says no to casino gambling, but has no problem with selling millions of scratch off tickets a year, mostly to the poor and lower middle class. But if I want to take a shot at the craps table, or put a hundred bucks on the Falcons game, I have to take my disposable income elsewhere to do so. Hypocrites, all of them.

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Jay – they are going after us down here big time. An asian conglomerate bought the miami herald building on biscayne bay and has big plans, 2 billion investment. With 11.5% unemployement, we need to shake hands with the devil and do it, besides miami lost its soul many years ago. Disney is screaming and hollering but our pious legislators seeing the promise of all those greenbacks is quickly losing their religion, as long as its not in their backyard. Do we really have that many gamblers to support this? Not me, too cheap…

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“Special decks of cards…..Jehovah’s always wild.”

With games like “Part the Oceans”, “Egypt Hold ‘em”, “Two Card Moses”, and “Black Judas”.

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Build them on the coastal islands only. If there are not cards and tables, its not real gambling.

Freedom to choose, regulated capitalism, and a steady flow of tax income for the state.

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Two Card Moses….

Screen cleaner please

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I agree, as long as the government is involved there will be far too much corruption. You can trust politicians to keep their hands to themselves. Next thing we know, one of the casinos will be failing and the government will bail them out and then blame the casino for our woes.

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Guy and Normal – 8:12 – visions of The Sting dancing in my head

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one casino at Lanier Islands is all I’m asking for.

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on the flip side, though … the mister and I used to love the Mohegan casino in Connecticut … very swank, they got some decent musicians to come perform, they really made it a big money-maker for the tribe

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Put it to a vote.

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So let’s just fire some more teachers and take more cops of the street so Mr. Bookman has something else to complain about….Gambling is inevitable, it’s just a question of whether the state is smart enought to take advantage of it….

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GG

U r so practical. I will spend time with him, but probably not while he’s in the middle of his bday party tomorrow. Oh how I can’t wait for being in the middle of 30 4-6 yr olds

UnU,

Was My Favorite Martian running the past-posting con in your head

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I’d align myself with religious conservatives on this one. It’s hard to quantify, but beyond the surface din of excitement, there’s an underlying sadness to casino towns that money just doesn’t alleviate.

Beautifully put and I agree 100%.

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The lottery corp. is merely looking for a new way to keep those big bonuses coming in every year.

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think of all the jobs legalized prostitution will bring!!

It’s a naturally recurring resource. 100% inventory 365 days a year. Get Nathan on the phone. I got a plan.

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“Next thing we know, one of the casinos will be failing and the government will bail them out and then blame the casino for our woes.”

the stoopid.

it burns us.

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let’s just fire some more teachers and take more cops of the street

No. You merely have to adequately tax the big stakes gamblers. That is, the folks who “earn” their income dumping vast sums of money millions of times per second and producing, you know, nothing whatsoever of value to the republic.

and yeah, ending the freaking wars and downsizing our military industrial complex to something suitable to actual defense needs would help too.

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Just think of the jobs casinos would bring. Construction jobs plus all the casinos workers

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And if you put the slot machines inside the stalls of Noah’s Ark, you can make it a fambly outing!!

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peadawg – there are loads of things that would create jobs … meth labs … brothels … pot greenhouses … doesn’t mean it would be good for the welfare of the state

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“meth labs … brothels … pot greenhouses” – Yes cause those are soooo similar to casinos.

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Mick,
plus Sigfried and Roy…Fabulous!

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ty – dammit, man … pass the screen cleaner

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“because the gaming industry casts a large shadow where other things have trouble growing. Go to gambling towns such as Reno or Atlantic City, and you’ll notice that outside the casinos there is almost no commercial activity. Casinos do everything in their power to keep visitors and their dollars contained on-site. As a result, you see few independent restaurants, hotels, bars and entertainment facilities. ”

I must disagree, and think you are comparing apples to oranges. Las Vegas and Atlantic City are based on casinos, a city like Atlanta is not based on gambling, it just wants a couple to generate revenue, and I think that is a huge difference.
I am from Detroit, and think that is a great example. The three casinos there have helped to re-develop the areas and bring back some of the suburbanites, if only for a night, and I think it would have the same affect in Atlanta.
As for the fewer independent retailers, lets face it, Atlanta is too large and without any mass means of linking transportation, so the current result is lots of little areas. Would casinos make this worse? Would casinos make it better? Would casinos eventually force some type of linking? Who knows, but its not like the current system is all that great….

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legalize it all…gambling, prostitution, weed, meth.

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gambling cash in lieu of taxes?… hooray!!! everyone wins!

nothing is better for society than taxing people who don’t understand math and have weak impulse control. they deserve to be taxed for their mental weakness and stupidity, don’t they?

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Granny – 8:04

I think you may be on to something. It used to be “kill a Commie for Christ”. Now it can be “roll the dice for Christ”.

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gambling – and why not?
afterall, even if I gamble away everything I have, can always count on that Obama money to be there to buy me food stamps, diapers for the babies, pay my college loan, the mortgage, etc.

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Think of the bright side, Jay. A whole new batch of people could learn math. Important things like how many times you can pull the handle on a nickel slot machine for a given amount of money in your pocket and even determining if you will have any change left over. In fact, I think Dave Ramsey could do a whole book on this one and maybe even Clark Howard too.

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How do you folks in Georgia keep your footing with the ground constantly shifting beneath your feet? You have a heavy Republican Majority, Lead by A Republican Governor. You know, the same people that scream at the top of their lungs LESS GOVERNMENT, MORE FREEDOM, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY! But whenever the subject of gambling or drinking comes up, they suddenly become the Nanny state in trying to regulate what they feel is best for everyone. All that spinning has got to make you dizzy sometimes.

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Jay 8:58

I thought “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”…..

Not on topic

I just want the deficit fixed and our debts paid down

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jm – “Miami is building a great new casino everyone can come to”

you’re in Miami?

LOVE Miami! (met the mister in Miami)

in fact, was just talking with a coworker about drinking mojitoes by the pool at the Delano (we didn’t stay there, but we did have a few cocktails there – very swish)

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We have enough gambling addicts without legalizing casinos here. If you just have to feed the monster, there are plenty of casinos within easy driving distance.

But never underestimate the power of the “B” word.

(I’d lay off the loving horse racing comments there Jay, lest PETA or ASPCA come find you…)

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I just want the deficit fixed and our debts paid down

I agree, and recognize that yours is a serious character defect.

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Study commissioned by the Lottery Corporation of Ga. Who would of thought that they would come up with the idea of casinos in Ga. being a good thing!

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USinUK – well, waaaaay North Miami

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If you want a casino in Georgia…here’s how:

1) Get the Seminoles to purchase 100 acres of land and declare it a RESERVATION!! Native American reservations are considered a separate entity from the state and are not subject to state taxation! Seen it in Minnesota, Iowa……

2) Build a hotel and casino on those 100 acres…..

3) Watch the money come in!!

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jm

Ryan is a pathetic shill for the rich, don’t like or relate to his thinking. Don’t the wealthy among us have enough advantages?

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Jay, I wish I would have had the time, etc to camp there. It must be a great experience…

One of the great “bennies” of that whole “It stays there” schtick, is how Vegas is, in some ways, just like a gigantic wedding. The atmosphere is very charged, if you get my drift…

Stevie, maybe it has something to do with his hugely bigoted statement on Muslims ONLY having to take a special oath to serve in his would-be administration?

Or maybe his beyond moronic observation that black people are brainwashed?

Just a guess…

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Paul Ryan obviously knows nothing about economics given his use of a Heritage Foundation paper that showed tax revenues increasing just as soon as we hits 2.8% unemployment rate and holds it there. What a tool.

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Must concur with Bookman.

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Mick – 9:10 – SA-WEET!!!

jm – how far north? Atlanta?? (I keed, I keed)

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Mick re Ryan

He has proposed cutting SS and Medicare for the rich via means testing

I don’t think he’s a shill for the rich. But given we’re in the realm of opinion, I think we’ll have to agree to disagree

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“There are some things more important than money.”

It’s a shame that when officials want more money for the general public good, they veer away from making the hard call and asking society, in general, pay for it.

And yes, Jay, that was some game last night. It’s been a good series.

AmVet

“Go Cards”?

I’ll humbly submit there are only two good things to ever come out of St Louis (and you’re with me when I say one isn’t Budweiser)

Interstate 70 and Interstate 44.

Going west.

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jm

Funny thing is you have it backwards, obama is the thinker and ryan is the divider. I mean seriously, his plan is a wet dream for the 1%, why do they always get the nod over the middle class? Enough is enough..

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USinUK

So how is gambling in the UK? Is there a nationwide policy or, does it vary from section to section?

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We can resolve this pretty quickly. All we need are a wayward band of American Indians willing to trade a little land (possibly in the middle of nowhere) for a chunk of the Buckhead construction zone. Oh, and a Buckhead developer willing to accept that trade. Instant casino!

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Wow Jay. You sure left out a lot of facts.

The casinos would be regulated by the georgia lottery commission. The “slot machines” are simply scratch off cards, distributed by machine instead of the sleazy guy at the 7-11.

Georgia already has legalized gambling. This just puts it in a nice, family friendly environment.

Here is a link to a system that is the model for the promoters:

http://www.doverdowns.com/hotel/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=dover%20downs&utm_content=Dover+Downs&utm_campaign=Dover+Downs+Targets

There are several entities pushing the “casinos”, at least one of them local. The outsiders like Harrah’s will try to push expanding into card gaming. You just need to get the local guys to do it and have them regulated

You are either purposefully distorting the issue or you just don’t know what you are talking about.

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BTW, for those who think that casinos are great for jobs, think about the type of jobs that’s being created. Low-end seasonal hospitality jobs, which are the worst-paying jobs out there. They pay even less than being a UPS driver, that low. Those kind of jobs in mass quantity do not help out an area’s employment situation and don’t attract high-end businesses looking for quality employees.

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Mick 9:22
I’d say kudos to republicans offering $600 billion in new revenue. I think that disproved jay’s point last night.

And while I think it’s nice that the total Dem deficit reduction is larger than the Republican one, I think the Republican savings are more real. Somehow Dems saved $2T without hardly touching Medicare. That stinks of “bogus”.

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I’m agin’ it! The the lying b–tard proponents will CLAIM the money will be used for schools, roads, firemen, reservoirs, etc., but we know better. The lying b–tard opponents will CLAIM they oppose it on faith-based, moralistic grounds, but we know better.

The people who really want this in Georgia: The privatized PRISON industry, and the state officials to whom they kick back.

Let’s tell the lying b–tards we want to produce things in Georgia instead!

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ByteMe

If you can come up with a way to put people to work at 50 grand a year, lets hear it. Any job is a good job in this Obama economy

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GLL: you mean the economy that Bush left us with as he slunk out of town, right? No, of course not.

And, no, not every job is equal. Those that keep a person employed 40-hours a week 250 days a year — which is what seasonal hospitality jobs can’t do — are needed. You’re the genius rock-thrower, you come up with a smart way to put more people to work.

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In related news, Republican Candidate Joe Barton, he of the “we’re soooo sorry how we’re treating you, BP” and “so what’s a bit of pollution? We don’t need no stinkin’ EPA” is now pushing legalized Internet gambling. Poker.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/25/3473329/barton-pushes-bill-to-legalize.html

I suppose the family that gambles together, stays together?

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Roll call says republicans offered $800B in tax revenue

Why are dems the party of no?

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Jm, they’ve been trashing the place since the early ’80’s. I have no doubt they want to do it with a casino or 3 next. I grew up there… can’t stomach going back much since they started killing the place.

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Sounds like GLL needs to visit some of Georgia’s farms. I hear they still have good jobs that need to be filled.

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Adam

If blocking Obamas programs have been so wrong, why haven’t any that he got through worked?

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jm

The location they are going to be using for these casino’s is perfect. The genting group (asian conglomerate) bought the miami herald building on biscayne bay, and the omni complex which has been an empty flop for the past decade. Their architechture is very futuristic, I say go for it, miami is an international city, might as well complete the circle…

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Yes, GLL, let’s talk about that after, say, 8-10 years, which is the normal time it takes for a credit crisis to resolve itself. Oh, that’s right, you’d rather do historical revisionism and act like nothing was bad on January 20, 2009.

As for the jobs, you really think that a single casino that might employ 2000 people will do ANYTHING to dent an unemployment rate above 10%? As Jay pointed out: casinos aren’t into being good friends with the businesses around them, so very little additional throw-off… except some tax revenue for the state that they’ll spend on boat ramps in the middle of nowhere or a golf course in the governor’s back yard or some such boondoggle.

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Sorry, Republican CONGRESSMAN Joe Barton

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It’s not a secret that the bulk of spending on lottery tickets in The ATL is made by black folk. All those folks already ARE addicted, which is good for all the HOPE “scholars” in the State, but the ticket buyers spend way more than they win; hence the built-in bad odds. It’s not just preachers that are agin it, but those who believe in social justice too. Ever see those little magic booklets they sell for a dollar or two that purport to have “winning” numbers based on some supernatural code? Just the fact that those exist and are actually purchased proves the ignorance of many of the lottery players. It’s sad, really.

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Mick

You’re welcome.

http://www.bard.org/

Plays I saw, nearly all the actors came from NYC and such locales. University theatre majors.

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I agree with you Jay. While a few casinos might make the State some money, there’s always a seedy “something or another” that tags along with them.

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GLL,

You’re the one proclaiming any job is a good job so what does it matter if it is a job in the fields or in a casino. The jobs in the fields are there right now waiting to be filled.

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Awww, GLL, what lovely revisionist nonsense. It’s almost like the Bush years of turning a regulatory blind eye to the financial industry while they gambled with taxpayer-backed money didn’t even happen.

Ok, we’re done. Reality isn’t your strong suit. Rock-throwing you’re good at, especially when it’s at “the other team” instead of your own team. But reality? Nah.

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The Republicans have offered nothing in the way of increased tax revenues.

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TaxPayer

I’m the one that is saying that it is not my business to decide whether or not others want specific jobs. Its a shame that you feel that you should decide what others should or shouldn’t want.

I say open the casinos and if people don’t want the jobs, let them set on their butts, but I would bet that there will be many more apply for the jobs than the casino can provide.

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ByteMe

Nice little adolescent digs. I’ll bet you are the king of the middle school playground. See you next year and then we can talk.

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What a great game last night.

Oh. the drama.

Heading to the Voodoo fest and do some gambling at the Harrah’s.

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A couple of more points before I get back to work:

I see the debating level here has not improved. Byteme proved that.

The Casino proposal is about one complex, probably using the old AT&T complex which has stood empty for years. The Jimmy Carter area could use a shot in the arm. Why would anyone be against that?

Billions for the Hope and without it the program is doomed. It is already a partial scholarship so it is failing to help the poorest in georgia.

This is not about legalizing gambling. It is simply having a great environment to play the GEORGIA LOTTERY. It will be a great venue for entertainment and will draw people from all over the South to Atlanta, giving the Atlanta area a great shot in the arm.

Again, it is not legalizing gambling like the bible thumpers and apparently Jay wants you to believe.

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Its a shame that you feel that you should decide what others should or shouldn’t want.

It’s a shame that truth eludes you, GLL. Of course if you can point out where I made such a claim, I’ll be glad to take a look. By the way, how do you feel about abortions and gay marriage.

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I’m sure GLL just can’t wait to take his fambly on a night out to the casino. Loads of fun for boys and girls of all ages.

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I just think gambling should be legal because it just should be. At some point there is a dimishing return though. There are only so many gamblers, you over build and you may not make the revenue up eventually.

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Thanks for that link Am……….brought back some memories……..I attended the ‘77 concert at the Fox…….

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Everybody uses atlantic city as a comparison but what would it be like if there were NO casino’s? Personally, I prefer point pleasant, seaside heights or cape may…

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Very small gambling would give conventioneers something to do. But I agree it is not a path to lots of jobs. We need to build stuff in GA for jobs to come here and restart the economy. And I don’t mean the housing industry. We have a glut of houses now, and lots of green space gone forever. I don’t agree with the religious right on anything. Gambling is a vice I don’t care to regulate.

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Jay, I don’t agree with you often but I certainly agree with you on this issue. Your last comment about the underlying sadness is “spot on”. I’ve seen enough misery in Georgia with the video machines.

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md

Casino’s are all about choices, just because there is one near to me doesn’t mean I’m going to turn into a degenerate gambler. As I said earlier, I’m too cheap to be handing over my hard earned money…

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Thanks TaxPayer. My company just decided they would not allow domestic partner health coverage next year and I would love it if my GA neighbors would decide to let me marry my partner of 20 years.

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Jay. Maybe they should have a $50 cover charge. Then only relatively wealthy people will go.

But then it might be too much like the HOT lanes….

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Just when I think I can get out west, they pull me back in-
http://www.commondreams.org/further/2011/10/27-3

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Taxpayer. You’re wrong.

Republicans offered $800B, BILLION, in tax and revenue increases. Democrats are saying no. Fact.

HAVE DEMOCRATS LOST THEIR MINDS?
(rhetorical question, yep)

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jm

At least the dems have minds to lose, with the repubs, there’s nothing there…

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Gambling is already legal in every convenient store on every corner in Georgia….Government is just trying to figure a way so that they can get all of the gambling money….for schools and education of course

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Im actually a lib that is for casino gambling. I mean, what is the difference between casino gambling and playing the lottery. Gambling is gambling. If it means restoring the hope scholarship to where it was and bringing pre-k back up to a 180-day school year, i’m for it.

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Mick 10:39 . I bet there’s some hops and barley up there

Gale. I read through the mess of this stuff at our Co the other day. You can’t just start offering partner benefits to anyone or there’s huge “free rider” risk. To offer it, they have to get all in your biz. You have to sign a variet of legal documents about prior and future activities. It’s an unholy mess.

Get a civil union, and if you don’t like that, keep lobbying for gay marriage rights.

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I have a problem with the fact that the government decides whether I can gamble or not…what “type” of gambling to allow…who gets to spend the profits and on and on.
If it’s ok to gamble, is it only morally acceptable if the state controls it and then, only if the proceeds go to fund education programs,etc.
I believe, once you allowed the lottery, it is hypocritical not to allow “all” other types of gambling.
I rarely gamble, but think it would nice to have that choice while on vacation. Now, we have the lotto only and extreme odds against winning anything.

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Libs are in a quandary. They loves that casino tax revenue but they hate it that a lot of poor dem constituents would just end up blowing their welfare checks in a casino.

Got a custr from baton rouge that was telling me around tax time is when all the poor and mostly minority people in louisiana give back their money. You can claim 3 kids max for the earnes income tax credit. In the hood they sell the social sec #s of all their other kids to friends and relatives who then claim them as dependents, cheat uncle sam, get a refund, and then blow it all at the casino every year like clockwork. The losers? Uncle sam, other taxpayers, and these poor ignorant people. The winners? Yep! The casinos

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I see the debating level here has not improved.

Bla, bla, bla. …Nice little adolescent digs. I’ll bet you are the king of the middle school playground. See you next year and then we can talk….Calm down. Take a deep breath and try to hide that hate and anger that frames you

Well I see our whiner is back with more of his “deep thoughts” and juvenile attacks when anyone dares disagree.

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The Hope scholarship probably got in trouble by being too lax in the requirements. Too many people not really ready for college who could not make it past the first year.

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Got a custr from baton rouge that was telling me … in a Whole Foods as they were loading up the Caddy with beer and whine.

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Taxpayer
Rollcall.com
Top headline
Second paragraph
More details in the whole article

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doom

You need to get out more, you only see life in shades of black and white. There are a lot more really interesting colors out there like blue, green, purple etc…. just open your eyes and see…

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No commercial activity in A.C.? They just built a HUGE commercial shopping district between the casino area on the boardwalk and the AC Train Station. Reno, did the same thing downtown.

As far as sin goes. I am so glad as an adult who can make choices for myself YOU are there to protect me. You are there to tell ME what is sinful and YOU can tell ME what to do and what not to do.

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Gale,

Can you believe the arrogance of someone who thinks they can solve your complex problem with a two-word QUIP? Like you’re going to say, “OH GEE! Thank you SO MUCH for offering that astoundingly brilliant two-word solution! Boy am I glad you strolled through my life today! You’ve changed the course of my life forever!”

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WOW!!! I agree with Jay on something. Somebody check on hell for frost!!

When did it become OK for our governments: local, state, and federal, to devise schemes such as this as a means of getting more money from the people? What’s up with this attitude of “we can’t get enough by taxing them, so lets come up with some other scheme to get a bunch more money we can spend”? This more money, more money, more money attitude needs to stop from the local city council all the way to the white house.

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Gale and Jm – and it isn’t just insurance – it’s inheritance, as well. If a hetero spouse dies, there is no question about taxing the survivor. However, if a gay partner who is not allowed to marry dies, the survivor gets whammied by inheritance tax.

snot fair.

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Gale

First time I discussed that topic in depth on this blog I said gov’t shouldn’t be in the religion business and religion shouldn’t be in the gov’t business. If people want to get hitched in a church they can call it ‘married.’ If they want to get married by a gov’t agent they can call it ‘civil union’ as it’s done by civil authority. No differences in the rights or responsibilities. Just the nomenclature.

Seems it would alleviate church concerns over ‘marriage’ (and there are some valid legal concerns, from their viewpoint, altho I’d wager most members haven’t a clue what they are). Seems to me the major points of contention would fade. Straights would have civil unions. Gays would be married. Straights would be married. Gays would have civil unions. It’s just a question of which authority does the ceremony.

Only candidate I’ve heard taking anything close to that position is Huntsman.

So much for Mormon stereotypes.

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As a frequent casino patron, I would not consider video lottery machines anything close to the experience you get in Vegas, Tunica, Biloxi, etc. Without table games and traditional vegas-style slot machineI think the $1billion estimate is way over estimate. Alabama has a dog track with ‘casino’ video bingo machines and it adds little to the state’s bottom line.

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I can see the Indians in Cherokee lobbying hard against any type of casino gambling in Ga. Where i live , about half the population goes up to Cherokee about every other month.

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Paul – 11:02 – you got your religion in my government!

oh, yeah? well you got your government in my religion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nUIlcNoUy4

(of course, now, they’d just cap each other)

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Yes, well. I CAN go to another state and get married, but GA where I live still does not consider me to be married. See, if it is not recognized at the federal level, it is not the same. Insurance and inheritance is two items in a list of over 1100 inequities I will not bore you with.

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How about Larry Hughes?

He is a 14 ppg career player and there’s no way he’s a worse defender than Jamal. He won’t cost anything.

Mike Dunleavy also. Can we steal him for 3M/year?

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jm – “So count me in favor of government getting out of the marriage biz too.”

see??? and you think we have nothing in common …

kumbayaaaaaaa, my lord …. kumbayaaaaaaaaaaaa

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Appropriate to absolutely NUTTIN … a little seasick steve for your Friday

http://www.youtube.com/user/ShazamVideoChannel#p/u

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Jm, It all seems so simple when you are straight. It is like so many other problems facing other groupss. If you are not a member of the group, it looks simple to fix the expressed problem. If we could pry religion out of this issue, it would be a simple fix.

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“Cool-Ade”

cool ade???

that’s not an oh, yeah! that’s an oy,vey!

“They make the Mafia look legit…..”

where’s Brocephus with the facepalm when you need him???

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Congratulations, Jay.

You’re making sense for the first time in your life.

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one more totally off-topic link … 10 years of iPod commercials

http://www.ecoustics.com/pcmag/articles/2395250

(dayum, I forgot how great their music selections were for these ads – ’specially Gorillaz)

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Whats the difference between Georgia selling lottery ticktes and the the casino? NOTHING! It’s ALL gambling. Deal is a joke!

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rb

Let me see if I can find your inner liberal thought, what’s your opinion of sex before marriage? OK or not?

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So sorry, Gale.

jm,

Per your linkee,

The Republican revenue plan, according to sources familiar with the talks, would include approximately $200 billion in premium increases and other fees for Medicare; $200 billion in other mandatory savings, including spectrum sales and reducing agricultural subsidies; $150 billion in individual tax reform; $50 billion in corporate tax revenue; and $40 billion in savings from enacting the chained Consumer Price Index, which would change the way the government measures inflation.

Of the $150 billion in individual tax reform, much of the projected savings would come from phasing out exemptions and lowering rates, an idea that Rep. Chris Van Hollen told Roll Call in an interview this month he was pushing colleagues to embrace.

That’s not 800 billion in tax revenue increases. That’s more Republican semantics.

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“Yes, inheritance tax definitely sucks. Do away with it.”

nope. spouses only. they contributed to the earning of it. children / cousins / etc didn’t.

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For USinUK:

Obozonomics says: They make the Mafia look legit….

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Matti……..most, if not all 401k’s have a cash option………..we do get to choose how it’s allocated.

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md – – you’re like me – I’m too frickin scottish to have a good time squandering my cash. I take a $20, play the cheap slots, hoard my winnings (if there are any) – and, as you say, when the original $20 is gone, so am I!

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sheets -

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Cheapskate gambling 101 – was sitting at the nickle video poker game at bullhead city when all of a sudden bunch of bells and whistles, got a quick $200. One hundred went into my pocket and the other $100 went back to the house. I did move up to the quarter games for the free drinks…

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Jay- I finally thought we could agree on something and too my surprise a liberal guy like yourself is opposed to casinos, we are more sophisticated than AC or Vegas- I think our restaraunts will be just fine.

The pols will always be corrupt though!

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“There are some things more important than money”

.. unless it’s taking it away from people who earn it and give it to those who won’t, right Jay?

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Eric: unless it’s taking it away from people who earn it and give it to those who won’t, right Jay?

Correct. The poor and middle class earn their money. The rich do not.

Ok, so that’s not ALWAYS the case. But can you really say that a salary that is 400 times that of the median income is actually because that person is working 400 times harder? It doesn’t add up.

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Follow New Orleans example. One and only one casino in Atlanta, but make it a high end casino with both table games and slots. Put it in Underground. It surely won’t make that area any seedier, I’d actually argue that it would clean it up.

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[...] Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jay Bookman makes a strong case against casinos in Georgia. Bookman rightly points out how little casinos have done to help cities [...]

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Ralph Reed comes to mind as I read a very well thought out argument against gambling. His relationship with Jack Abramoff and their on record comments that showed absolute disregard for the well being of the citizens of the states and tribes that had paid them to lobby legislation. Abramoff went to prison and Reed damn near ended up being Lt. Gov of this state.

In the major corruption scandal erupting in Alabama, Jay Walker of Lanett, Alabama, was chief of staff to former Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson. I am amazed this does spill over into the political conversation of this state. A dressed up crook operating as an old Dixiecrat or a new Republican can get away with murder in the south. It is my opinion the less state control of anything especially by this Georgia crowd the better this state is.

I notice in the paper today that Georgia wants the feds to carry the cost of illegal immigrants after they have been release from state prisons and are ready for deportation. In many cases the state doesn’t track these immigrant once released. This same crowd wants to make laws to handle what the feds don’t in illegal immigration. “If they won’t do it we will” is their motto. Right… The Republican southern branch stirs up already ingrained bigotry by offering these laws they have no ability or money to support. They then get elected by this emotional driven constituency, which allows them to steal from an impoverished state that can not afford it. You notice two Georgians running for president from the Republican Party. Lord!

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Don’t always agree with Bookman, but have to on this one. There is a certain sadness beneath glitzy surface in Vegas and other casino towns. Kind of an emptiness of spirit. And just because something makes money for government doesn’t mean when we have to do it. Some things are more important.

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Horse racing is barbaric. Gambling is entertainment for imbeciles. Atlantic City is a hellhole. You can’t even find a grocery store there.

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Jay, ‘underlying sadness’: You really think the Vegas strip is sadder that Underground Atlanta? I’ll take Vegas over downtown Atlanta any day. I work in downtown ATL, not a sadder place on the planet.

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GT, Their better than that terrible mistake Obama.

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O is going to win again. If you think Georgia looks corrupt from the inside what do you think people see from the outside?

TruthBe that was a prayer. Lord help us all, and I truly mean it. I don’t think God made us that stupid but we insult Him by not using what he gave us. We insult him more by using his name in promoting the corruption and pretending this corruption was part of his plan. We can fool most of these sheep but you will never fool God.

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There’s “financial benefit” of selling smack or coke, but they’re morally reprehensible. Casinos would draw a myriad of crime…pr0st1tution, drugs, “organized crime” & drunk driving. We don’t need any more of these crimes than we already have here.

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@ Jay

October 28th, 2011
8:31 am

Mob-run anything is likely to be pretty vile. The solution is not for the government to regulate everything, but to starve the mob by not forcing consensual activities such as gambling, drugs, and voluntary adult prostitution into a limbo of illegality where the mob can take over. However sick and evil these activities may be, outlawing them is not a good answer; it just makes things worse.

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RB: Heck, it’s worth more than double the pay just to put up with employees with attitudes like yours.

And a worker should be paid triple just to deal with any boss who has an attitude like YOURS.

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I’m sure there must be some, but the only casino I can think of that failed was that monstrosity Donald Trump built in Atlantic City. And, I think it finally came out of bankruptcy after Trump relinquished ownership. I could be wrong.

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It’s a big shock that Jay prefers the Government make our decisions for us.

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Unbelievable Georgia will not allow Casinos. Hmmm, let me see where I go play, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana to name a few and all within a relatively short drive. Guess Georgia just does not need the money or the jobs that the casinos will create. Must be proud of that 10.6% unemployment rate. But then again this is the same government that came up with the brilliant idea of screwing up the HOV lanes on I-85, and charging you for the pleasure. So much for their credibility and ability to make a decision for the “good of the people.”

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Put some gambling machines over at Woodruff. Those poor, misteated clowns will find money to gamble if they haven’t spent it all on dope.

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Gambling strictly limited to underground Atlanta might be a good idea. If you can remember back about 10 years, SC briefly allowed video poker gambling. It did not bring in any revenue and did nothing more than scratch a toxic gambling itch that people have. However, if tourist money is brought in, gambling can be profitable. Unless the money comes in from outside of the locality, money spent gambling merely churns, usually from the have-nots to the haves, and there are many have-nots in downtown who are probably predisposed to gambling problems. Atlanta might have the tourists and conventions to make gambling a worthwhile venture on a small scale. Otherwise, its a cheap solution to an expensive problem.

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Just think…if we legalized gambling in Ga….we could build more jails, hire more police, lock up more people…and help south Ga, counties with their unemployment issues. Sounds like a winner. After all…Hooterville does run Atlanta.

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Thomas Jefferson felt that as long as his neighbor didn’t beak his arm or pick his pocket he should be allowed to live his life in accordance to the dictates of his individual conscience . I think of this as the broken bone pick pocket rule. When I considered the lottery, way back in the olden days, it didn’t break the rule. Therefore, I was pretty much cool with the idea. The thing I never envisioned, at the time, was that the state would spend millions of dollars a year promoting the lottery. If the government ask us to eat a healthy diet, avoid drugs and alcohol why should it promote gambling. I love the hope scholarships, but I’m appalled when I see poor people lined up by the dozens to throw their money away. Just because I don’t feel that government should prevent people from engaging in self destructive behaviors, It doesn’t mean that they should promote them either. Based on what I’ve seen the lottery become, I’ll pass on the casinos.

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Gt, You should add those liberal corrupt progressive democrat liars to that bait.

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GT: Actually the real problem here is that the Republicans have decided to make stuff up in order to try to win. The goal seems to be consolidating power in order to have government do what THEY want it to do, and push out any dissenting opinion or fact that gets in their way. Some conservatives like to talk about facts, but the facts they talk about usually are either weak or don’t make the point they are trying to make.

A case study example of making stuff up is this personhood amendment in Mississippi, where an ad for passing the measure has a woman in a lab coat saying “Science proves that life begins at fertilization.” It doesn’t. There is no proof at all that even comes close to that from the scientific community.

(BTW, if you want to do your level best to get the word out to people in Mississippi just how bad this amendment is, please donate to this group: http://www.votenoon26.org/)

Other stuff that gets made up are things like the OWS people are ONLY students, or ONLY hippies, or ALL violent or that ANY of them are anti-Semitic etc etc. All of these things are not true. Recent lies involve saying Obama wants to take away your guns, premiums are going up because of the ACA, that Republicans have sponsored jobs creation bills (but only if you use the words Keynesian economics and suggest that jobs can only be created by messing with taxes and regulation), that the government took over health care, that Obama had an “apology tour,” etc etc. I can only conclude that because they can’t win on substance, and they know it, they have to lie or distort to get their way. And with the prevalent conservative media bias that is much stronger than any liberal media bias, if it even exists in the mainstream, these messages get out there through a huge megaphone that drowns out the truth.

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