March 10, 2007
Sewer of Corruption (XXXI)

Here's the legislature's analysis of the multi-tribe gambling expansion that was approved yesterday by the state Gambling Commission. Republicans in the legislature are trying to block the deal. A Republican-sponsored bill to require legislative approval of gambling compacts was killed in committee. Even without the expansion:

Tribal machines have more than tripled in the past 15 years and tribal gambling accounts for an estimated $1.2 billion of the $1.8 billion gambling industry in the state.
And a lot of that dough is recycled so as to protect and expand the tribes' privileged gaming franchise.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 10, 2007 04:43 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Damn, I am in the wrong business.

Can I open a casino?

No!

I am whitey.

Where's the ACLU we you need it.

Posted by: JCM on March 10, 2007 04:50 PM
2. Good to see the Dem's are paying back their supporters. They say no money gets back to the state....yes is does. To the state D's.

What a joke!!!

We need to re-vote on opening up machines in all areas and see how much real taxes the tribes will pay us.

Posted by: Dengle on March 10, 2007 04:55 PM
3. How about an initiative to ban campaign contributions from foreign governments and soveriegn nations--as any tribe putting in a casino would be.

Posted by: besquared on March 10, 2007 06:22 PM
4. Are these democrats running total roughshod over the state, or what????

Posted by: Michele on March 10, 2007 07:17 PM
5. Does anyone know where there is a native American dating site? I'm White and I want in on this gravy train

Posted by: Ed on March 10, 2007 07:59 PM
6. Rejoice.

There will soon be an indian gaming casino near you.

The Snoqualmie Nation has recently been identified as a tribe and they are soon to be breaking ground for a new casino East of Preston.

Nevermind that to my understanding, they have no reservation lands. The recent, and at one-time requirement for casino locations. Perhaps an oversight long time in coming.

This will become the closest indian casino to Seattle. "Ho-yaa-ho-S-U-V-come to me".

Not long ago indian casinos were restricted to locations on tribal lands.

Interpretation of federal laws have changed. I predict that within ten years Magnuson Park will host an indian casino.

And within fifteen years we will be playing indian slots next to the Northgate salmon pond.

Posted by: Bart Cannon on March 10, 2007 08:46 PM
7. Bart, they have already broken ground and the brand spanking new 144,000 sq. ft. Casino will be open in a year. Take Exit 27 East bound I-90 look left and your there!

Jim McDermott has put in for the Duwamish to get recognized too so we can anticipate a Alki Beachfront Casino action in a year or two. Maybe they can rate a Sound Transit Light Rail stop.

Posted by: Smokie on March 10, 2007 09:24 PM
8. OT.. sorry. Global Warming must be brought up again. We must all watch the BBC documentary. Then, and only then, can new comments be made. We've been duped, folks.

Posted by: ljm on March 10, 2007 11:21 PM
9. Here is an url that you can send to friends and family that will direct them to the video "The Great Global Warming Swindle".

http:// gorelied .notlong .com

Posted by: Sean on March 11, 2007 03:52 AM
10. wonder why we're the only state that never gets a peice of this revenue action. it does for everything else. they tax & crush little mom & pops with the inane B&O tax.

and im still waiting for tribes to "share" and be "good neighbors" like they always claim & build some state of art research parks or hospitals for ALL to enjoy.

when it comes to "share the wealth", liberals love the death tax & other taxes to glom onto others' successes--except--when THEY have to cough up & apply the law equally to their OWN golden geese & constituents.

not sour grapes. i hope they make billions. however, as a WA taxpayer, i'd like a little more for my subsidies/exemptions i allow to them.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on March 11, 2007 10:05 AM
11. What really happened: The Great White Mother (Christie) cut a deal with the tribes to collect Washington State Cig taxes in exchange for favorable gambling treatment...

Posted by: Lew on March 11, 2007 12:59 PM
12. A proposal for a theme song. With apologies to Barry McGuire and "The Eve of Destruction."

Sewer of Corruption

Olympia, it is exploding
Rights are dying, votes are stolen
You're old enough to vote, but it's not a countin'
You don't have much dough, but taxes are a growin'
And in the capitol the tribes are a crowin'

But you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're in the sewer
Of corruption.

Don't you understand this is the new way
Can't you feel the fears for freedom's way?
If the bill is signed, your rights are taken away
There'll be no one to save, their rights are in a grave
[Take a look around ya boy, it's bound to scare ya boy]

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're in the sewer
Of corruption.

Yeah, my rights are gone, feels like socialism
I'm sitting here, deep in a schism
I can't speak the truth, there's a regulation
Democrats, they passed some legislation
I keep hoping for legal intervention
But human will's disintegratin'
This whole liberal world is just too frustratin'

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're in the sewer
Of corruption.

Think of all the hate there is in King County
If you vote for freedom and not the party's mantra
You may leave here for your own space
But when you return it's the same 'rat race
Feet pounding on the street, unemployed disgrace
Voice dissent, you're gone without a trace
Hate a Republican, you're given special grace

And... tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don't believe
We're in the sewer
Of corruption.

Mm, no no, you don't believe
We're in the sewer
Of corruption.

Posted by: Joseph Cantu on March 12, 2007 07:36 AM
13. Actually, anthem would be better than theme song.

Posted by: Joseph Cantu on March 12, 2007 07:42 AM
14. One evening about a month ago, it was a Tuesday, I had to drive from Tacoma to Hoodsport and then through Yelm nd then back to Tacoma. On the trip I passed both the Little Creek and the Redwinds Casinos. Remember this was a Tuesday evening in early February and there was not a special show or anything unusual happening at either casino. Now get this, the "big shots" had their vehicles parked door to door in the parking lots of both and the lots were at least 80% filled. I don't know what percentage of the money being pissed away at these casinos was embezled or otherwise stolen but if I were a betting man I would say somewhere north of 50%. I base this on every time I have personally known of money being embezled there has been gambling involved, this includes the theft of the 4H club treasury when I was about ten years old. Furthermore I am actually familiar with an individual who frequents the indian casinos and gabbles his own money, and what really gets me is how this POS's signature issue is how he believes so strongly in the "Estate Tax." This irresponsible POS, who makes a good living, thinks that it is "unfair" that the offspring of some get a "leg up" on others and goes on and on regarding how "unfair" it is that his childeren don't have the "advantages" that other childeren of wealthy childeren have. Look the G'Damn bum and his wife make $110,000/year, if his childeren want for anything it begins with the fact that their "parents" piss at least $50,000/year down a rat hole at the casinos.

Posted by: JDH on March 12, 2007 08:15 AM
15. Bravo, Joseph! Can you sing? If so, record it to the music and send it to KVI! They'd have a LOT of fun with that on air.

JDH: I've met some of those types too, and their selfishness is amazing. And when they gamble away everything, they'll be looking for help from the taxpayers - us!

Posted by: katomar on March 12, 2007 09:26 AM
16. Last week, Hans Dunshee made a stink about LLCs making donations to Mike Hope. Some of the LLCs were related by being members of the BIAW. Under the Dunshee law, if you are a member of the BIAW and the BIAW makes a contribution, then you can't.

Does this work for Dunshee getting a tribe donation and that applies to all the tribes, or is each tribe separate? Does that mean that the BIAW won't get to make contributions, but organize the individual donations a little more?

Isn't the BIAW limited by the $1500 rule?

Gregoire, it seemed only got about $20,000 from the tribes. Hardly a bribe?

Posted by: swatter on March 12, 2007 09:46 AM
17. The tribes get to set up whatever type of gambling they want because they have the Democrats in this state in their pockets. I really don't have an objection to them building their casinos at all. It's when the Democrats in our state legislature go after things like online poker, making it a Class C felony, because it might compete with the tribal interests in the state.

Posted by: Palouse on March 12, 2007 10:30 AM
18. The Indian tribes in Wash. state have a great sweetheart deal with no oversight or auditing to show where the money goes, even though it was my understanding that the money earned by the casinos was to "help" the poor members of the tribes. There never was any authorization for the tribes to donate to US political parties or candidates but they do it all the time. That is one reason I don't gamble in Indian casinos. It's like giving money to a union that doesn't support your goals.

It is long past time that the Legislature should either give other groups the right to compete with the tribes or pass some legislation that prevents the tribes from wasting the money on politics instead of helping their tribal members.

Posted by: Clean House on March 12, 2007 01:33 PM
19. Palouse nailed it....online poker is illegal in Washington because of the tribes, and is a federal crime because of the NFL.

When are politicians gonna realize that if I want to own a gun, read a Playboy, and play poker on my computer in the comforts of my own home, I'm going to.

Enough of trying to legislate behavior! It doesn't work!

Now, quit jonesing the bong!

(Easycure for President 2012)

Posted by: Easycure on March 12, 2007 04:56 PM
20. katomar, I couldn't carry a tune if it had handles. Dave Ross at KIRO radio has a good voice, maybe he'd like to record it for me :-)

Posted by: Joseph Cantu on March 12, 2007 05:47 PM
21. Really not that great....why not just cry
some more and waste more space

Posted by: redland on March 16, 2007 10:15 PM
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