Tag Archive for online gaming

Governor Snyder Dismisses Bipartisanship

After four long years of legislative hearings, public education, and good-old-fashioned compromise, the Michigan Senate and House last week passed a series of bills to regulate internet gaming in the state.  Earning overwhelming, bipartisan supermajorities in both houses, the bills landed on Governor Rick Snyder’s desk with a clear mandate from the legislature.

What did Snyder do?  The Governor ‘dropped the ball in the endzone’, vetoed the bills at the 11th-hour, and then he was less than honest with Michiganders about his reasons for doing so.  Par for the course for someone who started with such promise but leaves the office with approval ratings in the 30’s – covered in the stench of the Flint water crisis and sexual abuse scandal at Michigan State.

According to his veto message, Governor Snyder killed regulated internet gaming because the data doesn’t exist to justify it, and he fears that internet gaming will cannibalize the state lottery and existing casinos.

The Governor knows this is nonsense.

You Betcha! (2)Nuh Uh.(2)

A Unicorn in Michigan?

Do unicorns exist? Is Christmas magic real? I say yes, definitely on the latter, but not so sure on the former. Until now… I now believe in policy unicorns, i.e., an extraordinarily rare and good event almost unheard of in politics and policy. Michigan policymakers can pull off a trifecta-of-a-policy-unicorn – fund essential programs, promote economic growth, and not raise taxes. Outgoing Gov. Rick Snyder can prove that policy unicorns are real by signing legislation legalizing online gaming in the Wolverine State.

Last week, the State Senate by a strong bipartisan vote approved a plan that would enable Michigan to join a growing roster of states that have legalized online gaming. The bill will create jobs and economic opportunity for thousands of Michigan residents.

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