On one side is David Meinert who wrote an essay for Publicola titled “An Adult Conversation about Adult Entertainment and Budget Deficits.”
Meinert is a Seattle music promoter and the owner of the 5 Point Cafe in Belltown. He argues for a wide-open set of laws to increase the number and hours of liquor stores, get rid of the 2 a.m. closing time, allow slot machines and negotiate revenue sharing with tribal casinos.
For Washington State, gaming and liquor are two revenue sources begging to be expanded. In Seattle, we’re squandering millions of dollars in potential revenues. Our current elected politicians are willing to sacrifice jobs, education, and health care in order to avoid an open discussion on how to make money from things they publicly find distasteful. It’s time we had an honest and open, mature conversation on adult entertainment.
On the other side is David Goldstein who produces the blog HorsesAss.org but who published his response – Stupid Budget Tricks – on The Stranger’s Slog blog.
In his passionate reply, Goldy notes not only that state voters have rejected both expanded gambling and more-liberal liquor laws but that Meinert doesn’t consider the social costs that would result. He also reminds his readers about the myth of free tribal gambling money that was perpetuated by the GOP in the 2008 gubernatorial campaign.
Fortunately, Washington voters have better sense, repeatedly rejecting at the polls both gambling expansion and state store privatization measures, most recently, Tim Eyman’s loathsome 2004 slot machine initiative in a nearly a two to one landslide, and this year’s decisive defeat of privatization in all but three out of 39 counties.
Which in the end is why I’m more than happy to give Meinert’s self-serving proposals the “adult conversation” he says he craves. In fact, I’d even support putting his proposal before voters… as long as voters are also given a reasonable alternative.
Please note that this particular adult conversation includes some adult language. If your ears are too sensitive for that, don’t follow the links.
Goldy links to his own explanation of the facts about revenue sharing and tribal gambling. Here’s what I wrote on the same topic during the 2008 campaign: Read more »
