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Gambling Governor's Platform Issue in Kentucky |
Perhaps surprisingly, one of the major issues in the current race for the next Governor of Kentucky is gambling-related. Governor candidate Steve Beshear has gone on record as saying that he is in favor of passing a law that would legalize casino gambling in the state of Kentucky.
Beshear's stance on the issue of gambling is perhaps a new one for the state of Kentucky. Beshear, in a rare instance of common sense for a politician on morality issues, said he sees casino revenue as a great way to fund education in the state (well, I'll be!) and to keep state funds from passing on to other states where the action is legal, particularly the just-across-the-river state of Indiana. Beshear said he'd like to put this issue on the ballot for the upcoming election.
It's rather exciting, I think, to see a politician set up with the cojones to say that he can see the benefit of such an act. With so many others running scared, afraid to step on moral toes, Beshear's act could be considered one of bravey and, well, common sense. Funds gathered from gambling taxes would provide just about any state with much needed revenue, and how every other state has failed to see this, I have no idea.
This point became poignantly clear to me last night while at a local bar I noticed that were running KENO numbers for bets ranging from $1 to $10. So, you're allowing guys to take random stabs at hitting numbers while they're getting drunk at a bar, but they're not allowed to play an actual skill game for money in a setting where they're probably not even drinking? I rarely see people drink when they play these days.
Reactions to the possible Kentucky ballot issue have been mixed. Some people see the possibility of having casinos installed in Northern Kentucky as early as 2009. Others are more skeptical, thinking that it will be rather difficult to get such an issue passed in any due amount of time. Regardless of the outcome, I for one am stoked to see men in positions of power stepping up and admitting that it would do everyone: state, gamblers, school systems, students, and so on, a lot of good to let those who want to gamble, gamble, rather than making them run off to elsewhere like a fugitive. |
