posted on March 8, 2005 05:35:37 AM
I only heard part of this while I was at my computer, but it seems Republican senator McCain is introducing a bill that will prevent Native Americans from buying land in other states for the purpose of building a casino. Sounds a bit unconstitutional to me. Yea, let's stick it to the Native American's again. What if someone of another heritage wants to buy land in another state to build a casino? They can, but a Native American cannot? What a load of crap.
Opinions please. Also, if you have more information on this bill than I do, please share!
Cheryl
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~ P.J. O'Rourke
posted on March 8, 2005 06:55:39 AM
Cheryl - I think you misunderstand the spirit of the law. Indian Gaming is legal in states where traditional gaming is not. Native Americans actually have MORE rights regarding casino construction than any other group. Put it this way... An Irish family can't build a casino in California but there are 22 Indian casinos there. The whole point of the laws that allow them is to allow them to use their tribal lands, as opposed to "the former location of Walmart" as they wish.
Many of the major casino companies are investing in Indian Casinos. Allowing tribes to buy property in other states and then build casinos opens a huge door to abuse of the system. All a company like Harrah's would have to do is find a small group of indians, infuse them with the money neccessary and wala- they have just bypassed state laws and using a small group of indians as a front, build a casino in a state where they never normally would have been allowed to build.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on March 8, 2005 08:15:51 AM
fenix is correct....but I'd add that they're avoiding state AND federal laws that apply to Indian casinos. They're multipuling like rabbits and even some of the already established tribes are upset that they followed the laws and now are getting unwanted competition from these tribes that don't live there.
It was Diane Feinstein (D) from CA who has asked McCain to address this issue as Indian casinos have become BIG business now ($18 Billion a year) and many states want more regulation of this expanding industry.
Across the bay from San Francisco there is/was a proposed 5,000 slot machine complex where they were trying to avoid being regulated by state and federal laws.
Not good, imo.
But it's not just CA that's struggling with this problem. Many states are dealing with the same issue....property being bought by Indians from other states building casinos in their states.
Last I read besides California, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Colorado and New Mexico are also dealing with this problem....and McCain is the person they're complaining to as he is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs - one who has always been supportive of Indian civil rights. But he IS concerned about corruption just like what took place in Las Vegas back in the 50's and believes they need more oversight.
Indian Casinos Need More Oversight -Sen. McCain Mar 08, 2005
"The one thing that we know about gambling ... is that wherever money is the item that is exchanged, there is going to be the issue of corruption," McCain, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, told reporters during a briefing. Revenue generated by Indian casinos has jumped to $18 billion today from $200 million in 1998, heightening the need for more scrutiny, McCain said. (Reuters -- US News)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on March 9, 2005 05:30:03 AM
I have to agree with Linda a fenix here cheryl. I'm a big supporter of Indian Gaming. My wife is indian, and her tribe runs a casino near here. I've seen the benefits to her tribe from the money that casino earns. Scholarships, job opportunities, health care, small business loans and grants, you name it. Having said that, the tribes are supposed to be running gambling operations on tribal land. I don't think that should mean they can go buy any piece of commercial property and suddenly call it tribal land, just so they can build a casino on it. That's stretching the spirit of the law pretty thin, and asking for trouble.
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