Pull the handle and watch the pictures fly by in a blur of excitement ? bars, cherries, oranges and more. As the lights flash, you scream for a winner. Then the rows of images begin to slow.
One after another, they whir to a stop with an unmistakable yellow hue.
Lemons ? every one.
In an ordinary casino, that means you win. In Maryland, that?s not a good bet. The machine, and 9,499 more like it, could dump hundreds of millions of dollars into the Maryland economy ? if our legislators can play nice.
Only, just like with slots, we?re stuck with a bunch of lemons.
Let?s start with the lemonhead? Gov. Martin O?Malley. He?s using the state?s $1.7 billion deficit to try and rework our entire tax structure ? and spend a couple hundred million extra. Rather than push for true belt-tightening in government (Does anybody even know what that means?), O?Malley pulled together a hate-the-rich package that raises almost every tax you can imagine and encourages wealthy people to move out of state.
The “plan” is a classic smoke-filled-room result. Now O?Malley expects the legislature and the abused public to acquiesce. And he wants it done in a special session just prior to the regular session to minimize debate.
Built into that package is one good notion ? slots. But to succeed, he needs the help of Republicans and Democrats in the legislature. Neither group is cooperating.
The GOP makes it clear it only approved slots because Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich asked nicely and didn?t spend like a teen with her dad?s credit card. GOP members say they especially oppose a special session because it?s designed to raise taxes. Duh. Of course it is. Everything O?Malley does now is designed to raise taxes. He probably turns on the Ravens game and the stadium tax rises just on general principle.
Then we have our would-be future governor ? Comptroller Peter Franchot. Trying to figure out his position is harder than playing slots. He opposes slots. He sponsors slots. Now he opposes them again but claims he supports O?Malley. Until he runs against him, of course.
The rest of the legislature, including slot opponent and House Speaker Michael Busch, would be better off listening to business input and push ahead for casinos. According to The Associated Press, the Maryland Retailers Association recommends that move. Imagine how that could serve as both a tourist draw and economic engine throughout the state.
But too many politicians oppose that idea because of hypocritical opposition to gambling. We live in a society where almost everybody gambles. Our own state runs a lottery that used to have a slogan ?You gotta play to win.? The current slogan is: ?Let Yourself Play.? If only the politicians would follow that advice.
Yes, Maryland?s long battle for slots has turned up all lemons. The question for the Maryland taxpayer is who has the ability to make lemonade?
Dan Gainor is The Boone Pickens Free Market Fellow at the Media Research Center?s Business & Media Institute, a career journalist and media commentator. He can be reached at [email protected].
