October 01, 2008
Gary Larson: Hatchet Job Slashes at McCain for his Casino Positions

Gary Larson, below, responded to the New York Times article, For McCain and Team, a Host of Ties to Gambling, with a number of good points in his article, Hatchet Job Slashes at McCain for his Casino Positions, http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/10/01/hatchet-job-slashes-at-mccain-for-his-casino-positions/.

Aside from the obvious, such as the fact that the New York Times is guilty of "yet another misleading, loaded-for-bear 'expose'," he correctly notes that Senator McCain is hardly a champion of tribal casinos:


  • "Truth is, McCain has distanced himself from Indian "gaming" after first supporting it, for the benefits it provided to impoverished tribes."

  • "On the stump, McCain calls it a business "out of control." Much of the public agrees. Indians with casinos do not, of course. They now seek their "adversary's" defeat."

  • Yes, McCain has proposed to reform IGRA. For this he is an object of scorn in self-dealing, cash-disbursing Indian casinoland. (His bill to reform IGRA, by the way, was shot down by non-reform Democrats. They, not the "Rs," despite Abramhoff headlines, receive more from casino-rich tribes in political contributions and vote support. ...)

While I think the author makes some valid points and I am equally disgusted with the attacks on McCain and Palin, I think he and many others underestimate the intelligence of the majority of tribal members. There's plenty of respect for and support of Senator McCain in Indian Country.


Posted by RodVanMechelen at October 01, 2008 06:56 PM | Email This
Comments
1. As long as McCain is opposed to that unwanted monstrosity you clowns are try to jam down our throats down here in Clark County... that's good enough for me.

Posted by: hinton on October 1, 2008 10:28 PM
2. I don't know his position on that...or the proposal for the sprawling riverside development, but I do know this: Two years ago in May 2006 I stood before a panel of government officials in Clark County and said that in 2008 America would be going into a recession and that Clark County would be happy for the jobs our project would bring.

Following this, Scott ran a series of articles in his newspaper bragging about Clark County's economy. Fast forward to 2008, Scott's paper had to lay off a lot of people and the business section of his paper admitted that the unemployment rate in Clark County is the highest in the State of Washington.

Our proposed project will bring jobs, attract other businesses, and tourists who come from Asia and elsewhere to visit will need places to stay, like the Hilton in downtown Vancouver. Staying in local hotels they will shop in the local neighborhoods and stimulate the local economy.

Earlier this year I toured a tribal casino in California that is larger than what we propose to build. It's easier to navigate than Southcenter Mall, traffic flows smoothly in, out and around, and it's not a "monstrosity" at all but fits well into the landscape.

Who would be opposed to something like that? People who prefer the "casino capitalism" of the stock market, perhaps?

I don't know Senator McCain's position on our proposed casino. What I do know is that he's a hero, a man who makes up his own mind, a man of integrity, a man who had the good sense to pick Sarah Palin to be his understudy, a man who has a lot of support in Indian Country, his concerns about tribal gaming notwithstanding, and he's the candidate who has my support.

Posted by: Rod Van Mechelen on October 2, 2008 05:48 AM
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