The Upcoming Elections... Enough Already!

Yesterday we got yet another primary. I'm so tired of all this I can't even believe it.

But as bad as that is, here in California we have a bunch of propositions to vote on as well, and I simply can't wait for it all to end. The commericals on the "Indian Gaming Propositions" are almost overwhelming. Every commerical break it seems that there is one telling us we have to vote "YES" and another saying "NO". This goes so far as to have one "Indian Spokesperson" saying vote "NO", and another where a tribal spokesperson is saying "YES".

Then there's the misleading one saying that California needs the additional revenue, and quotes this absurd figure of $9,000,000,000. Of course they barely mention that that is over 20 years. So that works out to $450,000,000 per year. California's budget deficit for 2008 is projected at $14,000,000,000 (see here ). So that would only leave $13,550,000,000. Yeah that solves the problem. For a different view, California has about 36,000,000 people, so the deficit works out to $388.88 per person. Get the money from the gaming agreements and it drops all the way to $376.38 per person. That's a savings of $12.50 per person. I feel better all ready.

Seriously, why are even considering expanding the Indian Casinos? Casinos are not the answer to any question I can think of, except maybe "Where can the mathematically illiterate go to lose their money?"

I hope that we can find a better way to ensure that the local native tribes can become self-sufficient. I hope we can find a better way to solve California's fiscal issues (like maybe letting the State run a surplus, instead of forcing the legislature to spend the entire income during the good times).

But then mostly I just hope the commericals stop soon.