Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Can video poker save the N.C. budget?
Posted by Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Legislating morals never works out well for government. Remember Prohibition? (Well, you probably don't -- so just try to imagine a world without beer, wine and liquor. Crazy, huh?)
Let me sum up: The government decided Americans shouldn't drink. That worked out well.
Now, of course, we're not supposed to smoke pot -- or consume any other type of illegal drug, we're penalized if we smoke, dip or chew (eww) non-wacky tobaccy and we can't be trusted with video poker machines.
Listen, elected officials: people are going to drink, smoke pot and gamble. You might as well get off your high horse and get your cut. (How's that new tobacco tax working out for ya, by the way?)
Supporters of video poker, which was banned in North Carolina three years ago, say the state's record budget shortfall could deal the industry a new hand.“When the state's looking at a $4billion deficit and there's $480million on the table, that's a real opportunity for the legislature to look at this issue again,” said Brad Krone, a consultant for the Entertainment Group of North Carolina.
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