Deal created a stir when he said earlier this month that he was willing to keep an "open mind" about the possibility of casinos in Georgia. This week, Deal spokesman Brian Robinson said the former congressman from Gainesville "personally opposes casino gambling" and doesn't believe they're the best way to spur the state's economy. Robinson wouldn't say whether Deal would sign a veto a casino bill if one landed on his desk.
The campaign of Deal's opponent, Democrat Roy Barnes, said Deal's waffling shows he "is too unsteady for the job" of governor.
"Democrat Roy Barnes says he'd be reluctant because it might compete with the state lottery."
This bothers me that Roy Barnes is so far out of touch with what's been happening in Georgia the past few years because Georgia Lottery has been approached by two different gaming factions about partnering to allow legal gambling. One plan with Penn National involved locating a Penn National casino in Underground Atlanta under Georgia Lottery guidelines and profit sharing. Then the horse racing industry made a similar offer with horse tracks at up to four Georgia location. Again profit sharing with the Georgia Lottery AND possible racinos at the tracks, casinos and race tracks combined. The horse industry states that they will again bring up legislation next session as they have done for years and years.
Then there is the billion dollar illegal gambling already going on in Georgia that not only diverts possible lottery money but NO TAXES are being collected from it.
Deal saying he's "open to considering casino gambling in Georgia" is pure BS. If he was for it than he would say he WILL pursue it as a profit expansion for the lottery. All he is after by "considering" it is the pro gambling vote versus Barnes being in the dark.
At this point I dislike both of these candidates. Barnes is a total disappointment. I had higher opinion of him than he has desire to try. It seems to be going through the motions with him.
Not happy at all.
Read more: RN-T.com - Barnes Deal differ on casinos in Ga
Hypocrites trying to force others how to live. People wanting to go to a casino will go so Georgia should legalize it for the revenue. Perdue has already allowed the state to be flooded with illegal gambling. The machines are in about every convenience store and no taxes paid on them.
Alabama had one of those "prominent Christian conservative" that Gov. Bob Riley named to lead a task force to clean gambling out of Alabama. That fine "prominent Christian conservative" got caught over at a Mississippi Indian casino when he hit a slot machine jackpot. The same Mississippi Indian tribe that contributed $13 million to Riley's governor election campaign.
"According to a 2002 US Senate Indian Affairs Committee report, disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff boasted the Choctaw tribe spent $13 million to elect Riley in 2002. The report states Abramoff told William Worfel, the former Vice Chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, that Mississippi Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin spent the money to protect the Choctaw's gaming enterprise "to get the governor of Alabama elected to keep gaming out of Alabama so it wouldn't hurt . . . his market in Mississippi."