Words of the Profits
The article in the Times-Standard, accompanied by a nice “grip and grin” photo, credited the owners of the Bear River Casino in Loleta with a $17,000 donation to the Salvation Army. But the thanks really should go to the locals who left many times that with the casino.
I don’t know how much the casinos make, or how much the local Indians give to the Mafia for helping them build and run them, but it’s more than you or I make in a year. “We had some extra funds,” said the rancheria chairman, “so we decided to donate it.” I’ve never been a big fan of gambling and lotteries, because it seems like the most regressive tax possible. Has anyone seen John Campbell or Rob Arkley at Cherae Heights lately? No, I think John and Rob have demonstrated they’ve got better things to do with their money than flush it down the toilet.
Like the War in Iraq that’s really about oil, but is supposed to be about freedom (for the one million dead Iraqis?) or the “medical” marijuana shops that are supposed to be about providing care for the sick or dying, but are really about big bucks from peddling dope, casinos on (or off) the reservations have nothing to do with Native American culture and everything to do with exploiting human weakness. The same with TPZs: those who don’t want the laws tightened know there’s a loophole they can turn to profit, so they’ll fight to protect it. They want to keep the tax break AND the right to subdivide. Follow the money.
So Merry Christmas to those who left their money at the casinos, enabling the Bear River Band to give a little back to several worthy charities that DON’T make profits.
Next time, though, why not skip the middle man?
Comments
Boy ain't that the truth.
Sticking a quarter in a red kettle is sure to get you a lot more likely positive return on your investment than sticking it in a slot machine.
Posted by: Another Voice | December 22, 2007 05:09 PM
"Next time, though, why not skip the middle man?"
The people who used their free choice to indulge in gambling might not have donated the money in the first place.
If a friendly BOOKSTORE donated the money would you still be a crabby grinch?
Or would there be a loophole for you to exploit & claim it was a generous gesture?
Get off your high horse & be grateful that the Rancheria has a good heart when it's needed.
Merry CHRISTmas!
Posted by: Anonymous | December 24, 2007 03:46 PM
$177M per day, $7.4M per hour and $122,820 per minute.
Thats the cost of the illegal war in Iraq.
hhmmmmmmm?!
Posted by: texasfred | December 25, 2007 09:31 AM