Doug Rubin, long time aide for MA Gov Deval Patrick and Treasurer Steve Grossman, cashes in on Gov Patrick’s casino advocacy by becoming a lobbyist for the scrstch ticket and casino industry. And Grossman oversees the lottery. You don’t have to spin the wheel or play the slots to see how this one turns out. Never mind the revolving door–did Doug Rubin even leave the building? http://ow.ly/454pp
Continue reading Why gamble on a scratch ticket when you can scratch a few backs instead?casinos
Here is Jill Stein’s take on what’s happening today on Beacon Hill:
STEIN CALLS “ORGY OF BACKROOM DEALS” A TROUBLING REMINDER OF BEACON HILL DYSFUNCTION.
Visiting the State House to observe the frantic closing day of the 2010 Legislative session, gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein offered the following comments:
“The orgy of backroom deals culminating here today is another disservice to the people of Massachusetts, and a troubling reminder of how dysfunctional Beacon Hill has become.”
Continue reading “ORGY OF BACKROOM DEALS” OBSERVED BY STEINLast week Governor Patrick and the Democratic Party leadership came a step closer to realizing their dream of bringing big gambling operations into Massachusetts. After concerted arm-twisting by the Democratic Party leadership, the House of Representatives voted by a 120 to 37 margin to pass a bill authorizing two casinos and 750 slot machines.
Continue reading The Casino VoteDear Representative Story,
Don’t you understand that gambling brought down the world economy back in 2008? Gambling is a form of inebriation. The police tell us in ads on TV and on billboards not to let our friends drive drunk. Why the heck should we then let the whole society drive drunk by basing our resources to fund government on gambling?
Continue reading Casinos and Lotteries Are a Fraudulent Way to Run a SocietyAs we enter political fund-raising season, Speaker DeLeo and Governor Patrick are pushing hard to bring government sponsored predatory gambling into Massachusetts. If they succeed, it will be a BIG WIN for casino lobbyists and a BIG LOSS for the people of our Commonwealth.
Disturbingly, Speaker DeLeo has declared there will be no public hearings on his bill – shielding this latest boondoggle from desperately needed public scrutiny and debate.
They claim casinos will create jobs. But the facts show that casinos are jobs killers and community-busters. We need a secure green economy, not more of the failed predatory casino economy of the past.
Have you heard about the speech given this morning by Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo to the Boston Chamber of Commerce? Sounds like it’s going to be a very good year on Beacon Hill for the business lobbyists. But the news isn’t so good for the rest of us. Here are some highlights of the speech:
1) Remember all that talk about how casino revenues would be devoted to worthy purposes like education? Now DeLeo has a different idea: the priority is doling casino revenues out as gifts to corporations. You know, building infrastructure for businesses. It’s NOT graft – it’s economic stimulus. The recent Supreme Court decision allowing corporations to spend unlimited money in campaigns seems to be having its effect already. The politicians aren’t even waiting for the money to appear before they sell out.
Continue reading DeLeo’s Speech: A Disturbing Vision for Massachusetts