Gambling Sense

• Must-read post on BMG about a little spar on the casino issue this morning, featuring State Treasurer Cahill (pro) and State Rep Dan Bosley (con). Needless to say, I think Dan Bosley has once again made great points that few across the state have considered. The biggest point: casino revenue isn't new revenue, it's revenue transferred from one market to another. David's recap of Bosley's argument on this point is this:
  

  Overall point is that we're rearranging money -- there's no new money. On the film industry: that's been very successful. We will make money off it. Difference between that and gambling: gambling is bad economic activity -- doesn't add anything. But film is a value-added industry -- you sell the product for more than you put in.

  Bosley really sums up a point I've trying to make, very well: mega-resort casinos are the death of local economies. Instead of people spending their money at local businesses, be it a restaurant, shops or even clubs, they'll spend it at the casino resort - where they can get all of those things, in a convenient package. Heck, many casinos - such as Foxwoods - have open bars to boot. Nothing will get you riding higher on your slot machine than being a little liquored up.
  
• Mike and I chatted up the whole casino issue on today's LeftAhead podcast. It was a good one, so check it out.
  
• I have a couple of unanswered questions for the Governor. Mainly, what about the effects casinos will have on local economies? And, even if we have "best-in-the-nation" social programs for addicts, how will we prevent addicts from ruining their entire families' lives before they're actually entered into a program?