Tribes Have a Friend in Diamond Jim Doyle
It's really nice having friends. It is even better to have really good friends, because good friends are much more likely to do you a favor.
Take for example, Governor Doyle. I'll bet tribal gaming interests who are looking to for a massive expansion in off-reservation casinos in this state consider him a very good friend. Why? Because Governor Doyle appears to be getting ready to veto a bill which would allow the legislature an up or down vote on all off-reservation proposals (AB 461).
Currently, once a tribe receives approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to build an off-reservation gaming facility, the request only needs the Governor's signature to allow such expansion. One signature means one-stop shopping for the tribes. Legislative oversight, as detailed in AB461, would give the legislature a say in any off-reservation expansion decision.
This check and balance seems to make sense.
It even made sense to Governor Doyle too, as AG and as Governor-Elect.
Once elected though, it didn't make sense to him anymore. Since being elected, Doyle has negotiated and signed compacts allowing the exponential growth of gaming in Wisconsin , over a billion dollars spent on expansion to help house nearly 17,000 slots machines and nearly 300 Vegas-style table games, at eighteen different facilities spread across the state. In fact, he's even permitted one tribe to build five new casinos without any local approval.
So, why has Governor Doyle had a change of heart when it comes to supporting legislative oversight? The list of weak excuses Doyle's shared publicly for vetoing legislative oversight don't include the one that matters most: good friends stick together.
5 Comments:
Why are the owners of casinos "gaming interests" when other business are just "businesses?" And, why do Republicans suddenly hate business?
I never said I hated casinos.
Why do Democrats try to change the subject rather than answer the question???
So, why has Governor Doyle had a change of heart when it comes to supporting legislative oversight?
Speaking of "changes of heart", take a gander at who is running the ads in Milwaukee to encourge Jim "Craps" Doyle (WEAC/Potawatomi-For Sale) to sign AB461. The Forest County Potawatomi didn't want the Legislative oversight when they were buying Craps' acquiescence in the unconstitutional "forever" and "almost-forever" deals they inked; but now that the Menomonees want to take over Dairyland, they want to protect their monopoly.
Taxpayers have a friend in Tribes and Diamond Jim - That's if you compare the huge increase in gaming revenue Diamond Jim secured to help Wisconsin versus the miniscule payments Tommy Thompson agreed to. Suddenly the Republicans have a change of heart on oversight with Doyle as Governor even though Thompson as Governor delivered far less revenue with his agreements.
Why do Wisconsin Republicans seem so anti-Indian? Ronald Reagan created the Indian Gaming statute which has taken 1000s of Native Americans off of government support. Tribes would prefer not to involve themselves in state or federal politics. Remember - Tribes are Sovereign Nations and are protected by federal law as decided by the US Congress and US Supreme Court.
Post a Comment
<< Home