In November, Nebraska voters rejected expanded gambling. The College Democrats have never taken a position on expanded gambling because some of our members didn’t support the proposal in November.
Yesterday, the Council Bluffs City Council approved an Extreme Makeover: Bayliss Park Edition. The park will undergo a $5 million makeover that includes a $750,000 fountain and pavilion. Where in the world does Council Bluffs get $5 million to improve one park? The casinos of course!
Bluffs park getting a makeover - Omaha World-Herald
Artist selected for Bayliss Park project - Daily Nonpareil
This project was funded in large part by citizens from Nebraska, Iowa, and even more from Nebraska. If you’ve ever been to a casino across the river, then you are aware that many of the cars in the parking lot are from Nebraska. I hope residents of Nebraska (especially those that frequent the casinos) go visit the park after it is finished. If it weren’t for Nebraska, that park wouldn’t be getting a $5 million makeover. Maybe the Council Bluffs City Council can approve a plaque at the park that says “Thank You Nebraska.”
I’ve even contributed some money (after losing $6 at the slots) to the Iowa West Foundation.
I travel throughout Iowa and the number of firestations, community buildings, etc., that Iowa West has contributed to is pretty remarkable. If it were up to me, gambling would be limited to Vegas but the problem is here - we have all the disadvantages and none of the perks. Heck, Nebraska doesn’t even get any funding to help with problem gambling. Btw, if you haven’t seen the Bayliss park fountain area lately, it’s worth a trip. Lots of century old building renovation around an increasingly lovely area - yup we are genuinely suckers.
Have you guys seen Council Bluffs lately. C’mon Nebraska is much better off without gambling. Please tell me you guys havent bought into this gambling thing.
One has to remember that while a third of the money is coming from the casino’s, the other two thirds of the money is being raised by the city (thru taxes) and remainder is being sought out by private individuals by means of charity and events to promote the fountain.
There is no doubt that Nebraska contributes a great deal of money to the Iowa West Foundation, but to say that you are building the entire thing, seems a little off-key.
Yes Joe, I have seen Council Bluffs lately. The things they have done with the help of the Iowa West Foundation are amazing. I would hate to see what Council Bluffs would be like without the casinos. “Nebraska is much better off without gambling.” That is a pretty narrow statment to make. Gambling is already a part of Omaha. It is right accross the river. Take a drive by the casino parking lots. Omaha is getting all the negatives of casino gambling and none of the rewards.
Chad, take guess where the city is getting a huge chunk of sales tax revenue. It’s not coming from the Mall of the Bluffs it is coming from THE CASINOS! Actually, I said that Nebraskans were paying for a large chunk of the park which is more accurate than you think. It’s just simple economics.
And it is just simple economics to see the plain and obvious problems with casinos. My father had a friend who used to drop his kids off at the mcdonalds playground to play while he went to the casinos to gamble. One day he lost all his money that he owned at the casinos. He then got in his car and proceded to blow his head off commiting suicide. All for what, the fun and harmless sport of gambling. While Omaha may “suffer” which I doubt if you have been around Omaha. The rest of the state is much better off with out gambling. Let’s look at the realities not just a very small point of view which in my opinion is very small portion of reality. Let Council Bluffs have a park but I’ll take Nebraska with out casinos anyday of the week. Besides we have many parks were not suffering here in Omaha.
So wait, it’s too narrow to argue for gambling in terms of the economic benefits, but you’re somehow wise to argue against gambling on the grounds that your dad’s friend killed himself (may he rest in peace)?? I fail to see how these “realities” are any more real than the economic benefits. And another problem I have about arguing against legalized gambling simply because people can develop gambling problems, I’d assume that many, many more people lose everything they have to healthcare expenses and/or credit card bills, in fact, I’d be willing to bet many people have killed themselves for these reasons, right here in Omaha! So what do we do? I know!!! Let’s ban credit cards and healthcare!!! YAY!!! WE’RE SAVED!!!
By the way, Joe, you are such a poser conservative. Though, I will not deny you your republican-ness. And wait… you dropped out of college? If you dropped out, how can you boast your 3.8 gpa?
Actually Joe, your argument against gambling can be used against alcohol as well. Most people can control themselves, drink alcohol in moderation, and have a good time. Others can not. And others hop in a car when their drunk and kill off an entire family. It sounds to me like there is a double standard in Nebraska.
Who ever said I dropped out of college. And if you cannot see the problems with legalized gambling than your not fit to argue with me.
Do you think George Walker Bush is an evil man.
Ad hominem, Joe… Face it, you have no arguments.
Don’t like casinos? Don’t gamble but quit trying to take that right from me. Its your and my individual decision to know our personal circumstances and to know whether or not they allow for us to spend an evening at a casino. If an adult decides they wish to go to a casino, that is their decision. Who are you to second guess the logic and financial circumstances of all Americans. It’s not yours nor the governments role to babysit all grown adults when plenty of people are enjoying casinos responsibly and within their economic capacities.
I hate george w bush
but i’m against expanding gambling too.
There are lots of arguments to be made against it. (and to all you conservatives who act like us liberals don’t think for ourselves, here we have the president and the vice president of the same club holding vastly different opinions on an issue!)
First off I don’t want a casino in Nebraska because casinos conrtribute vast amount of money to political campaigns, and always give to the candidate most likely to sell their soul. Democratic party or GOP the candidates who take casino money are the worst candidates, but the best funded. Casinos also give way more money on average to republicans than dems.
Secondly, while the social addictive argument can be used against alcohol also (and yet I am in favor of keeping beer legal), the converse argument cuts bothw ways too. What i mean is that Chad’s “let adults do what they want to decide to do” argument works for legalizing meth and prositution too.
We need to admit that there are some social ills that we legislate away. I think having one or two states where smoking mj and gambling (and hey, even prostitution) are legal is good. But we don’t need to have expanded gambling just because our neighbors do. Iff anything, we should use our time trying to get Iowa to get rid of gambling, not help gambling spread like a disease.
The numbers show that gamblers are mostly the poor and in need of hope. gambling effectivley turns into a tax on those two things. And yet it is the poor and those in need of hope that most show the differences between the dems and repugs. Us dems fight for the oppressed and in their best interest. We would appose a tax that unfairly hurt the disadvantaged further, why not appose a casino that does the same?
These are rambling not well written arguments, but they highlight a few reasons why I strongly apposed gambling on the ballot in 2004, and was glad to see it go down in flames.
Thanks John for aggreeing with me. You reinforced every reason why I am against expanded gambling. You have very good points on why gambling is bad for nebraska.
So Tony we should add to the problems of credit cards as you talk about with building casinos. Sounds smart your right you changed my mind lets build casinos cause Iowa is doing so much better than Nebraska is. :()
I’m gay. I’m ready to admit it.
Damn, you guys have some HOT dem girls! Sweet - I’m transfering!!!
The people of Council Bluffs had a lot to do/say about the new fountain and plaza. Many people donated to the cost of the fountain, too. I can understand the argument about gambling, however - what irks me is why the people of Omaha have such a hard on against Council Bluffs when the majority of Omahans have never crossed the bridge to find out what Council Bluffs and its citizens are all about. If you would read the history of this area - the money makers of the 1800s in Council Bluffs were the ones who put their money into building Omaha. Today there are people who buy property in the Loess Hills (some are from Nebraska) and sell the dirt to Omaha. I suppose you could literally say that many buildings in Omaha are built on Iowa soil. Back to the gambling - historically, Council Bluffs/Kanesville was a dark and dirty town in the 1800s - that included gambling. In the late 1950s, and into the ’60s, there was dog racing at Playland Park - all that ended though. Omaha has had gambling for years, also - horseracing, keno, and the occational bingo parlor. I don’t ever remember anyone in Council Bluffs complaining because Omaha had gambling and Council Blfs didn’t. The gaming in Iowa is elected in - Iowan’s can vote either for or against it. I voted against it. Would the town have survived without it - yes. Is it too late to turn back - yes. Council Bluffs doesn’t get to keep the majority of the money that the casinos rake in - the first cut goes to the casinos - the second: Des Moines - from there it gets divied up across the state - yes, Council Bluffs gets a cut - not the citizens though. Our property taxes have been raised 10% every year since those properties have been put in - crime has gone up. Most of us don’t care who visits the casinos - most of them are the elderly. Many go just for the concerts or the restaurants - some to conventions. My family avoids them - because we choose to. The great thing is - God gave everyone “free will.” It’s up to us to exercise that gift properly.
Attorney Legal Services Attorney Legal Services Fast!
Do any of you play keno or even the powerball?? What makes this nationwide gambling different compaired to local casinos.
It may be your right to gamble in a casino chad b but is certainly not your families obligation to put up with your decision to spend entire paychecks on gambling. Not to mention cities that have a clean environment and friendly atmosphere get to go through crap because “the revenue produced by gambling is so great” NOT!!! the millions in revenue is being spent on more law enforcement and a once clean city turned to utter chaos and pawn shops stationed at every street corner. Look at Las Vegas, sin city, theres a prositution house in every county around them and one of the highest crime rates in the country.
Gambling offers no benefits exspecialy those low income familys trying to get a large return because believe it or not they are the main ones losing money in the casinos. Than we get to pay for their wellfare because they have no money to feed their family with. YaY gambling!!!
Maybe you should look at both sides and not just the $$$$$ aspect that gambling can only offer…