Ah yes. I love Alabama, BUT loving it, does NOT mean I get to ignore stupid. And, like every other state, we seem to have stupid in abdunance. And it seems to reside in two major places: Montgomery and Birmingham/Jefferson County.
What’s got me worked up today, is our fearless leader (Gov Riley) who, rather than worry about minor things like increasing state income and reducing expenses, so that we can actually balance our budget and escape the ills of proration, is staunchly looking out for our morality and ridding us of the evil bingo parlours (which on a side note, PAY TAXES). Receiving helpful moral advice from the Mississippi gambling interests that are rumored to have donated to his campaign, he moves against one of the industries that GENERATES TAXABLE INCOME.
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A former member of Gov. Bob Riley’s Cabinet said today that Riley received campaign contributions from Mississippi Indians who operate casinos, with the money intended to limit their competition in Alabama.
Bill Johnson said a senior official in Riley’s 2002 campaign, Dan Gans, told him the tribe promised $3 million in donations, but didn’t deliver all of it. He was unsure of the exact amount, but felt it has influenced Riley’s fight to shut down electronic bingo operations in Alabama….“( http://blog.al.com/live/2009/11/former_aid_says_indian_donatio.html accessed 1/9/10)
I cannot and am not saying that BR took money to attack bingo halls. What I am saying is a) there ain’t no smoke where there ain’t no fire and b) there are a lot better ways to spend time money and effort than killing off businesses that are PAYING TAXES. It IS NOT THE GOVERNORS JOB TO POLICE OUR MORALITY.
