Saturday, January 19, 2008

Why Californians Should Vote NO on Props. 94-97

My new blog is up at: http://www.apoliticalblog.com/?p=151 The rest of the list is there


Let me count the reasons:

  1. Because these are flawed compacts and we can have our politicians do better by us. If it doesn’t pass the smell test, DON’T DO IT.
    There are no guarantees of $9 billion. Even the commercials state “up to $9 billion. That only happens if every slot they put in averages the same win as the machines they have now. That ain’t gonna happen. If you can find 500 empty machines now on a Wednesday at Agua Caliente, and Sycuan, how many empties will you have when they add 10,000 more machines? I make that 11,000 empties, not generating money for CA.
  2. Because the tribes will be the auditors of their own businesses. Can you say, “two sets of books”? If you are a business owner, you know what that means.
    Because only 4 of 108 CA tribes will benefit from these compacts, all 1800 people. If the state gets $9 billion, the tribes get $36 billion $9B for 33,000,000 = $36B for 1800 Wouldn’t 50-50 split be a better deal for CA?
  3. Because one of the tribes, Pechanga is a violator of civil rights. Why reward them for that? We stopped doing business with South Africa, because of just those reasons. Should we grant a huge increase in income to a tribe that has eliminated so many people.
    Because it just doesn’t feel right. Why would the tribes try to keep us from voting on the propositions, and then spend $65 million on trying to convince us to vote yes? Follow the money, who benefits most? Those against the props, or those for it? Who is spending the most? The Yes tribes are spend $83 million and the No group is spending $20 million.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have to look at there history:

"Because the tribes will be the auditors of their own businesses."

Can you say "its an internal matter, and no business to the white man"

"Why would the tribes try to keep us from voting on the propositions"

Those in power in the tribe also have a history of denying there own people the right to vote by disenrolling huge blocks of members who were in opposition to those currently in power several times just before elections.

I would NOT be surprised if they even just ignored the election outcome and went ahead and installed the machines any ways. As they also have a history of ignoring there own election results and doing what they wanted regardless.

Anonymous said...

Why YES is the right vote:

Some money is better than NO money.

You probably don't know, because you didn't listen to the Governor's State of the State address, but California is facing a $14B budget deficit next year. The State Departments have implemented 10% across the board budget cuts in order to cope with the fiscal cuts. 7,000 State employees will be terminated, mostly from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations (CDCR).

These are people, husbands, wives, and families that will be affected by California's budget shortfalls. When there is an untapped resource such as Indian Gaming that can be utilized in order to generate more revenue for the State and help SAVE jobs, then I am all for it (and apparently, so are most Californians as the Measures have passed).

So the Reservations get more slot machines. Who cares? If it saves jobs, saves families, saves lives, then why is this not a good idea. You must factor in the human cost. Looking at the situation from an extrinsic and unaffected perspective will not provide you with a complete picture of the toll that the budget crisis will really take.

I am so grateful that the Measures have passed. Let more people squander away their earnings by gambling, because some of that money goes to jobs, infrastructure, and otherwise. I see no logical or coherent argument that would persuade the opposite point of view. Lack of accounting accuracy is hardly a reason to vote against this measure.

OPechanga said...

Let's see, VP, you probably didn't know, because you didn't take the time to research things, but the $14 billion deficit is MANY times the amount the 4 tribes are going to pay.

The CDCR has been paying overtime for so long that it's budget is way too bloated. Let's get rid of some of them, don't you think? They can find jobs out of state, but there is no reason why they should be making $150,000 per year. NONE.

So, you would rather have more people spending their money on gambling, rather, than, say, buying a car, a boat, a home, clothes, medicine, FOOD, so that some correctional officers can rake it in?

It's NOT just slot machines VP, it's MONEY and POWER. Now, the tribes will have MUCH more power than your beloved prison guards.
WHO CARES? The tribes, such as Pechanga has told you that they would take care of their people when they asked us to pass Prop. 5 and look what they have done, they threw 25% of their people OUT of the tribe, and have kept another 400 out when they rightfully belong. So, they have financially ruined thousands in California and have basically KILLED some by cutting of their health coverage. AND, Mr. Budget Crisis Worrier, they have put MORE people on the dole of the state.

NOW, again, you are grateful for the measures passing, which means you must have fallen for the $9 BILLION figure which is a fantasy. The tribes needed to start all 17,000 machines TODAY at full force for that to happen. The tribes don't even have the SPACE to do it, so that means they LIED and you fell for it.
Squandering the rent money or the food money, or the soc. security check is their own business, but when the state, or the Feds have to bail them out, it's OUR business and our problem.
Why should 1800 tribal members gain $45 Billion, when they have denied their own people their civil, human rights that you get as a citizen?
How about if we give your guards a raise, stiff them for it and then don't allow them to complain when they don't get it. That's what will happen here.
YOU screwed up VP, YOU didn't think this out, because you did't listen to the right people. You listened to Arnold and Macarro.

Pechanga has cheated their OWN people already, they will certainly cheat YOU.