Social Security, gambling, and idiotic politicians

Nope, not a running topic (though there may be an Ellen topic later for all you Ellen lovers/dog haters out there).

 

I really should get out and run, or ride, or something.  Working in the back yard is a good workout, but it’s not exactly exercise.

 

ANYWAY…

 

So, there’s at least 1 idiotic politician who continuously is calling for legalizing gambling in Texas.  This idiot is Rodney Ellis.  He wants to transform the Astrodomain into some kind of gambling mecca because all our Texas money is going to Lake Charles for gambling.

 

I say let Louisiana have that money.  They need it.  They can also have the destitution, desperation, crime, and degeneration that comes with the rot that takes from the have-nots and gives to the haves.

 

What got me thinking about that particular balloon headed politician was a rousing discussion on the same topic last night as I was returning from classes.  One of the radioheads was pondering whether or not (specifically) a Vegas-style gambling park would be keen here in Texas and (more generally) whether gambling should be allowed at all.  Well, first off if Vegas were in Texas Vegas wouldn’t be Vegas.  You know, what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas?  Well, that only works if Vegas is over there, not over here.  If Vegas is over here, then what goes on in Vegas happens right here, and that’s no fun.  There’s plenty of opportunities to piss away money and forget about it here in town—it’s called a bar.  Trust me, I know.  I’m told that’s how I spent many nights in college (not that I remember, what happens in the bar gets vomited out and flushed).

 

But that conversation got me to thinking about social security.  Why?  Because one of the blue-hairs that goes down to Lake Charles called up and said that she and her fellow retired husband head to the mistake on the Lake two times a month with about $700 between them and sometimes they’re up, sometimes they’re down, and then they head home (I’m willing to wager that sometimes they’re up, but usually they’re down otherwise the casino wouldn’t operate, but that’s just splitting hairs, right?).  She talked about how most of the people on the bus that heads down there during the week are fellow geriatric social security types and that got me to thinking…

 

Why the hell are WE paying them to go gamble with the social (so called) security money that won’t be there when we retire?  If they have enough money to piss away in Lake Charles, should they have enough money to not take the social security payment that neither me nor my child will be getting when we retire?  Or even more importantly, that my disabled sister NEEDS in order to feed and clothe herself and put a roof over her head since her deadbeat (soon to be) ex husband took everything and left her with neither her health nor security?  While she HAS to get a social security payment, these people who don’t need the money are going and freely giving it away to a multi-billion dollar multinational corporation.

 

Maybe instead of spending tax dollars on the infrastructure needed to support an industry that breeds crime and sows the seeds of poverty we should spend money on a wealth building program that would reduce crime and sow the seeds of wealth?  How different would the economy look if the driving desire was for better stuff rather than cheaper stuff?  How different would the world look if America was an investor nation and not a consumer nation?

 

Bah.