> Given the unexpected massive state budget deficit, outgoing House Ways & Means Chairman Dave Bishop (R-Rochester) has again raised the issue of a state casino at the Mall of America. Here is the link to the Star Tribune story (which also has an excellent summary of some of the areas impacted by the budget deficit). http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/3477013.html > Any comments regarding a state casino at the MOA or in downtown Minneapolis?
We should do it. But can't you hear the preachers denouncing this from the pulpits already? Down with vice, down with evil! Truth is, while we're at it we should get rid of the rest of the blue laws like no car sales on Sunday, no liquor sales on Sunday or after 8PM, and closing bars at 1AM. These laws are appeasments to someone's moralistic sentiment and efforts to turn to government to enforce religious ideals. It turns society into babysitters and surrogate parents. Why don't we stop inforcing laws against pot and prostitution while we're at it? No doubt it is comforting to the preachers to imagine that fewer people are having sex outside of holy matrimony, but the whole thing is based on a flawed premise that moralistic behavior controls are the role of civil government. As a result of this moralistic emphasis, there isn't even enough money or jail space to deal with actual crimes against persons like assault or robbery. We're too busy trying to implement a religious agenda. It's no wonder our public saftey budget is skyrocketing when "forbidden foods" (like plants liquors and seeds) "illicit sex" and "evil games" are on the agenda. I maintain that the games people chose to willingly play, the food they choose to eat smoke or drink and the sex they arrange with mutual consent should never be the purview of a free societies public saftey departments. Outside of assuring standards purity and labeling goverment should serve the desires of people not try to shape them abitrarily. It's a mistake we'll continue paying for more and more dearly, until we grow up as a society and refocus our energies away from moral symbols. Perhaps budget realities will be the force to finally silence those who would turn our government into a tool to push epistimological agendas. If we truley had a government which served society instead of trying to legislate morality, we'd have plenty of money to do what is important for government to do, like build roads and improve education. John Bohumil North Side _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
