Betting on Election Day

Howdy all.

I realize it has been a while since we have been able to have a conversation about Troy. Since that time, Alabama has won a National Championship, and gambling made its way all the way out to California with an anti-Bob Riley sign flying above the Rose Bowl.

This past year, Alabama football represented a whole lot of what's good about Alabama. Mark Ingram won the Heisman trophy, and in his tearful acceptance speech won the hearts of a nation. A gritty, collegial team made its way out to California where their character proved itself in the game against Texas. For those of y'all who pull for Auburn, their gritty OT performance spoke pretty highly of leadership as well.

I bring this up to say that, in a world of bad, there is good news out there about Alabama. There are reasons to be proud, and it's time for our politicians to live up to this expectation as well.

So, it's now an election year, and the gambling issue has morphed into a full-fledged forest fire, complete with resignations, allegations, and grandstanding. Troy King is trying to play both sides of this issue, and he's doing so rather cleverly. At some places and events, he laments that his hands are tied, telling voters that he is anti-gambling and merely bound by the horrible, inflexible law which needs to be changed by voters. In other newspaper stories, he is criticizing Governor Riley for threatening to shut down jobs. Thus, in some places, he is anti-gambling; in other places he is parroting the Milton McGregor line that gambling brings jobs to our state.

I realize that gambling is a tough issue, and I realize that there are passionate folks on both sides of the aisle. That said, I think many conservatives can agree that it is a bad thing to build an economy based on addiction. Just look at Nevada, which I cited last year. They had a particularly bad time in this recession, because as people made less money (or worse, lost jobs), they gambled less. They refused to travel, and the economy tanked. This does not even consider the crime and lewd behavior which can surround casinos. If we want to talk about economic development, how about we focus on energy, technology, or other forms of businesses which are on the rise? By focusing on gambling, we're really just selling folks short. Look at the Indian establishments which have been protected by federal law for several decades. Instead of rehabilitating communities, it has really reinforced other problems such as poverty and alcoholism. I, for one, as a conservative, support real and lasting economic growth.

That said, economic growth and 'jobs' are beyond Troy King's duty, by his own admission. His job is to respect the law, which as many have reported, the Supreme Court has made quite clear. BINGO in Alabama refers to card-and-token bingo played in a senior center or veteran's center. It is a community activity meant to bring people together, not a big business meant to enrich the pockets of special interests. Alabamians have gone to the polls locally and statewide to restrict gaming in this state. Troy King wants our state to spend more money to have more elections on an already jaded issue.

Why does Troy King do this? I believe the evidence is pretty strong that political motives are behind this. He issued an opinion favoring Country Crossings (now a household name) several weeks after attending a special party held in his honor (he was listed as a special guest) at the developer's home. PAC-PAC research demonstrates that people like McGregor have been supportive of Mr. King, and this, compounded with his other questionable ethical decisions, suggest that politics is the motive.

I, for one, support real economic growth, and I believe that all conservatives believe fervently in the rule of law. Troy King claims to support the rule of law, yet he has taken every opportunity to make that law far more confusing than was intended or necessary. For these reasons, it's time to replace him with someone who will do Alabama proud and bring the clarity needed to resolve this situation.