Racino shouldn't be up to majority
(My Eastern New Mexico News column from October 31, 2018- posted in its entirety now that the paper's exclusivity has expired)
Come election day, those who play politics are asking people to vote for or against the "racino". Some say it will help the economy. Others say it will bankrupt people, both morally and financially. I say such things should never be up to government control.
Nor should it be subject to majority opinion. People need to grow beyond this notion that they have a right to control what other people do on their own property with their own money. They don't, even though politics gives them the illusion that they do
This venture shouldn't be subject to a license or any other kind of government regulation. It shouldn't be rationed by a "racing commission". These matters should be left up to those who have the only possible right to decide: the property owners and those who want to build the racino.
Admittedly, this wouldn't please governments or the people who feel powerful because they are on the racing commission, nor those who want to use politics to control other people and stop them from doing something they enjoy. Getting government out of it would please me.
I'm not in favor of gambling, nor am I against it. I simply understand it is none of my business what other people choose to do with their time and money. I see plenty of people doing things I think are a waste of time and money, but I don't imagine it's any of my business, and I would never use the power of government to force my will on them. I'm not that antisocial.
There are many vices out there. Not one of them is legitimately subject to majority opinion nor should a single one of them be subject to laws and punishment. If the vice is really bad it will bring its own punishment. If you don't like it, don't participate. Yes, you really do have a choice.
The only reason for an election would be as feedback to measure whether there are enough potential customers in the area to make it worthwhile. A vote should never be binding on whether someone is allowed to open a business of any kind, or do anything else.
The only other time a vote on something of this sort could possibly be legitimate is when tax money will be used. In such cases, those who vote in favor should be the only ones who pay any additional tax. Those who vote "no" should be completely off the hook.
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That last paragraph could be an essay on its own. If only voters were taxed, and declining to vote meant exemption from tax, imagine how that would lay bare the nature of political plunder as voters are suddenly transparently subject to the nature of the system they pretend is altruistic benevolence.