SC

SC Government Solidifies Its Gambling Monopoly

THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN … STILL Last year S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley shot down a proposed casino resort in Hardeeville, S.C. This year her “Republican” allies in the State Senate – led by anti-free market former Democrat Larry Martin (RINO-Pickens) – have passed legislation cracking down on so-called internet…

THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN … STILL

Last year S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley shot down a proposed casino resort in Hardeeville, S.C. This year her “Republican” allies in the State Senate – led by anti-free market former Democrat Larry Martin (RINO-Pickens) – have passed legislation cracking down on so-called internet sweepstakes machines.

Martin and fellow fiscal liberal Wes Hayes (RINO-York) are the lead sponsors of an anti-sweepstakes machine bill which overwhelmingly cleared the Senate earlier this week. The legislation faces little to no opposition in the S.C. House, and Haley will no doubt sign it as soon as it reaches her desk.That’s a shame …

For those of you who aren’t familiar with these devices, sweepstakes machines sell items (most commonly long distance phone cards) prior to offering users the opportunity to win prizes via some sort of game – not unlike how McDonald’s sells french fries prior to offering diners a chance to win prizes via its Monopoly game. Video poker machines, on the other hand, have no “point of purchase” associated with them – they’re purely games of chance.

The goal of these two anti-gaming decisions? To solidify the state of South Carolina’s monopoly on gambling – a.k.a. the “South Carolina Education Lottery.”

How pathetic …

South Carolina is moving in the wrong direction on this issue. At a time when the Palmetto State needs to be legalizing all forms of gambling, it has chosen to more aggressively secure its government monopoly. As a result our state is saying “no thank you” to billions of dollars in income and rejecting tens of thousands of jobs (and millions of dollars in tax revenue, assuming you care about that sort of thing).

We expected this sort of pro-government, anti-free market behavior from Hayes and Martin – but to see Haley embrace it is disappointing.

We were also disappointed to see several strong free market supporters in the State Senate – notably Tom Davis and Kevin Bryant – vote in favor of this sweepstakes ban.

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11 comments

BigT January 16, 2013 at 6:40 pm

Good….Sanctioning VICE is always a bad idea…no matter what Ron Paul Tells his brain-dead dolts to say…

These “Everything-Goes” politicians are not around when you bring an STD home to the mother of your children. Nor do they rush in to pay the heating bill, when you put your whole check in some Video Poker machine, so some sleaze-ball bar-owner can make a payment on his Town Car…

Good Move…and Good Riddance…

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Booty Warrior January 16, 2013 at 6:48 pm

I’m coming for you sister and I’m not going to be gentle.

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T Banger January 16, 2013 at 7:20 pm

If she looks anything like BigT, you might want to flip her over first.

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Booty Warrior January 16, 2013 at 7:32 pm

You missing someting holmes. Big T is my she. I only do he’s cause I make dem my she’s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxThsRCyoOM

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T Banger January 16, 2013 at 7:41 pm

My bad…just do it the hard way!

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BigT January 16, 2013 at 8:14 pm

You Dumb@$$#$ cannot stand it when I bend you over…and put my foot up your @$$…

Hard to argue w/ the TRUTH, ain’t it….

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The Truth January 16, 2013 at 9:18 pm

Well that makes you the exception now, doesn’t it?

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Joe Wilson Is A Very Smart Man January 16, 2013 at 6:49 pm

Good to see Fits back in his natural habitat,bashing “Rinos” and other such miscreants

Leave that constitutional stuff to the heavy GOP “thinkers” like Rush Limbaugh,Sean Hannity ,and our own Big T!

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Peter O. January 17, 2013 at 1:24 am

I don’t understand how Will is all for prosecuting the “Lexington Ring” for their alleged involvement in sweepstakes machines on one hand, but is against a law that bans that very activity?

And thinking these machines are already illegal and covered under the video poker ban makes you a RINO? Too bad Will’s heroes Tom Davis, Lee Bright, and Kevin Bryant SUPPORTED this. Everybody knows they’re anti-free market RINOs.

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BigT January 17, 2013 at 6:23 am

FITS is all over the place…that’s how you know he’s politically dishonest..and likely playing both sides trying to get paid…

He’s developed a formidable Hit count..so people will pay to get their names on here…

It’s left to be seen how much good it does…other than Oboma, not too many people in his pocket have fared well..

And Obama would have gotten re-elected w/o FITS…(And Obama got his Ignorant @$$ kicked in the Palmetto State, anyway)…..

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? January 17, 2013 at 10:09 am

“I don’t understand how Will is all for prosecuting the “Lexington Ring” for their alleged involvement in sweepstakes machines on one hand, but is against a law that bans that very activity?”

Well silly, because they are currently illegal and the idea of LE breaking the laws instead of enforcing them pretty much tells everyone else the laws are only for them.

“And thinking these machines are already illegal and covered under the video poker ban makes you a RINO?”

Well, as you alude to later….the notion that people can’t make those own choices as to how they spend their money is not only authoritarian/anti-freedom, but the act of making it illegal IS ANTI FREE MARKET.

So in the context that “Republicans” are for limited gov’t & free markets…yes…a vote to further restrict gambling would be a reasonable case to suggest they are “Republicans In Name Only”.

Although, many a Dem here rightfully points out that most Republicans don’t follow the GOP platform anyway…so by their definition these type of people are “Republicans” and the “weirdos”/non GOP type are the ones that actually adhere to the platform ideals.

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