It used to be said that patriotism was “the last refuge of scoundrels.” I think that must have been before desperate Arizona politicians decided they could balance their budgets by promoting vice and lawbreaking.
The latest government proposal to acquire “easy money” comes from Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, who has proposed putting slot machines at Sky Harbor International Airport.
The door was opened to this nonsense by Gov. Napolitano’s budget, which relies on increased lottery sales and more speeding tickets through photo radar.
Government’s voracious appetite for your money apparently knows no boundaries. Even those who believe gambling should be legal recognize that it introduces significant harm into the community, breaking up families and leading to crime, bankruptcy and addiction. For government to need money so desperately that it actively encourages people to engage in destructive behavior is foolish.
Added to traditional “sin taxes” on alcohol and tobacco, it appears the government of Arizona is relying less on your ability to make positive contributions to the economy by starting and growing a business, and more and more on you behaving badly.
