Lottery – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?
Max Brantley breaks a bit of news this afternoon on the Arkansas Times Blog. It seems State Senator Sue Madison plans to file a bill that basically calls for a do over on the lottery. Her bill would repeal the enabling legislation passed by the state legislature in 2009, but the constitutional amendment passed by the voter in 2008.
It is an interesting proposal and as the leading internet right wing lottery watchdog, I have already had people ask my opinion. I am sure the rest of you are all too busy hitting the refresh key so many times on my blog that you have not had time to ask. So here it is..
While I opposed the lottery in 2008 and would support another separate constitutional measure to repeal the amendment, I do not support the state legislature circumventing the will of the people by effectively killing the lottery. I agree with Sen. Madison that the 2009 legislation has some problems. But I think the most prudent measure would be to revisit the legislation and make changes where necessary.
If sentiment against having a lottery at all is strong enough, then we should be forced to do what the supporters of the lottery had to do. We should have to draft an amendment, go get enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot, and then persuade over 50% of the voters to approve it. I am all for that but I am against making an end run around the voters by going through the state legislature just as much as I would oppose the legislature trying to legalize casinos without going through the amendment process.
Okay, enough of that prudent moderate advice from a crazy right wing blogger. Everyone go back to the normal gossip of how much Ernie P is making and what not.
July 31st, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Finally, an actual elected leader in the state of Arkansas who joins Trevor Drown and dares to make a difference by starting to recognize there is a problem and it needs to get fixed. Nice to see someone who cares more about the problems of the people and they way they feel rather then party politics. Wat to go Senator Madison.
July 31st, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Jason is right; the legislature should not go around the will of the people. If we want the lottery repealed, then there needs to be a ballot initiative to do it.
July 31st, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Ok so in the meantime, what happens is the incompetents take us down a path, which is surely to be filled with back scratching, payback, stepping on people, spending a ton of money and then we eventually realize 60 million bucks later we made a mistake. Then we stop it and the lawsuits ensue, the careers of people derailed, hopes of parents dashed and Arkansas becomes a national joke when it comes to lottery. Look at California, they have put themselves in such a mess because of the same crap, the political party’s agendas. It suits Jason’s purposes to let this ride, because it makes the Democrats look bad and the Republicans can stand on the sidelines and say, “I told You So.”
End result, the common man in Arkansas is the one that is hurt and pays and the election cycle continues.
July 31st, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Mr. Tolbert and I rarely agree. But in this convo I do agree with Tolbert the state legislature should not attempt to override the vote of the people concerning the lottery. If the lotto amendment gets repealed by the voters, so be it.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:48 pm
You know, Trevor Drown was not the only person every talking against the lottery. Jason has been on the case since the beginning before the vote.
I agree with Jason even though I voted against the lottery. It just doesn’t make sense economically. The people voted for the lottery; this is why we have elections. If we simply disregard this vote of the people, next time it may be your ideological opposites wanting to overturn a vote with which you agree.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Has the Arkansas Project gone down?
July 31st, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Good point, Brett. Maybe I should run for Senate. Although I am not sure anyone would notice.
The ArkPo down? I hope not. That would leave a hole in the Arkansas Blogosphere that Gov. Beebe himself could not plug.
August 2nd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Jason I think that is a good idea. All you have to do is pick one issue and continually beat it to death. Then talk about how you’re the one talking about that issue. You probably have more name recognition than most of the candidates. However we would have to do some serious polling on if that is positive or negative recognition…..I’m not too sure.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:16 am
“…an actual elected leader in the state of Arkansas who joins Trevor Drown and dares to make a difference…”
Roy – Does Treavor realize that the office of US Senate has no influence on the Arkansas Lottery? He should really run for a position in the Arkansas legislature.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 am
Actually, Robbie, your statement in itself is false and the posting above prove it. First of all it appears by all the postings above that even the Arkansas legislature has no influence on the lottery. Look at how it is already out of control. Furthermore, many of the posters on this thread, believe it should continue to stay out of control until the people can get together and vote again one way or another. So once again what influence does the legislature have, if they don’t exercise it.
Second point US Senate: for anyone to think a US Senator from a state doesn’t have influence is to believe the moon is made out of cheese. While they do not write bills or cater to lobbyists or even vote on internal state issues, trust me a US Senator of the State they represent has a lot of influence. Why do they make a big deal about all the pork they bring in. At a minumum they should be listening to the people they represent at all levels and try and facilitate problems and issues, even if it is in the background. To ignore the people is to commit political suicide.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
I see Steven made some good points. I would only add, too often leaders duck and run and worry about the political implications of their decisions in future races. To filter your decision making process based on a future election is a flight or fight reaction. In most cases for most politicans it is flight. For Senator Madison, she has shown true leadership by fighting. Good for her!
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:33 am
Steve & Roy – I would hate to think that if elected Trevor would want to tread on state’s rights by exercising influence in matters not related to his position in the US Senate. That would be a pretty liberal abuse of the office. I would hope he was running to be above that type of politics.
“So once again what influence does the legislature have, if they don’t exercise it?” – Guess that was my point. If he believes that the state legislature is not doing right, then he could be the one member that would be willing to be heard and make it right. The people voted for the lottery, so I am assuming that Trevor is arguing that problems are found in the legislation approved by the general assembly? What particular parts of the legislation would he like to see changed? I think that he should send a memo to our state legislators letting them know – so that they can make the changes under his needed direction.
Nonetheless, I look forward to hearing about his positions on national matters.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Something to consider, as I’ve thought about it: Repealing the lottery legislation would not go around the will of the people. Doing such a terrible act would require that the legislature repeal the constitutional amendment that Arkansans passed–and the legislature has no authority to do so. Repealing the enabling legislation is simply a do-over, and it seems to me that most Arkansans could get behind that.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
I have heard a lot of talk about how it is the democrats to blame on this, and I will agree to a point. Why did we not stand up and make some noise if we thought it was wrong? I hear that some made their thoughts known, but it must have been among other legislators because I sure did not see it in the media. Let’s face it we blew this one. The blame is our’s to share. It is time to get past the finger pointing and fix it. Senator Madison you deserve a pat on the back for having a back bone and standing up.