The Missouri Senate should be embarrassed. The Missouri House of Representatives passed a sports wagering bill 118-35. The Senate, on the other hand, fumbling with their personal sense of morality combined with the weight of their political donor’s money, has stalled and complicated such a simple matter and cannot advance the cause.
The party stance of the Republicans is that they oppose any form of gaming expansion, yet the Republicans in the house overwhelmingly approved it and many Republican senators support expansion, including Platte County’s Tony Luetkemeyer.
The fact that Missouri citizens are driving to Kansas, Iowa and other states to make wagers is ludicrous. The year is 2023. We can smoke weed, have a closet full of guns, shut down businesses for “health pandemics,” but we sure don’t want our citizens placing a bet on the Chiefs game Sunday afternoon. That would be so harmful to our moral character, right?
Unfortunately, this is a great example of Jefferson City for the last 100 years or so, it’s just this is one of the rare issues that any of us pay attention to. Money and lobbyists absolutely rule Jefferson City, and they have for decades and decades, probably forever.
Republicans and Democrats are both in on the deal. Beyond the typical political contributions, many representatives and senators are set up with cush jobs on the side, with little responsibility beyond voting the way the people that give them the jobs want and it shows in these ambiguous stances like gambling.
Multiple interests that are directly involved in gambling want less of it. Casinos and lottery terminal owners for one and they have flexed their Missouri might in this case and it’s embarrassing for those of us with an ounce of common sense to watch. The only moral turpitude that is being revealed by the lack of action is the lawmakers that are bowing to money interests behind this debacle of inaction.
There are about four weeks left for this to get passed this year. Just fyi. I don’t recommend calling anyone with your thoughts, unless you are following it up with a large check or job offer.
I have survived Easter, which is always a difficult holiday for non-church people like me. I’m good at celebrating the Easter Bunny and all, but feel a little awkward saying “He is Risen” on my Facebook page. Kind of feel like I need to be more invested to say such things, but it kind of leaves me on an island; kind similar to being half-pregnant.
For the record, I have never been half-pregnant, but you get the point, right? Truthfully, I’ve never tested myself and have just assumed that.
Anyway, another Easter in the books, I hope you enjoyed your turn with the Bunny or Jesus, both are deserving of your attention.
Feeling pretty good. Worked Trump into a column last week, religion this week, my creative flow is waving in the wind again. Spring has sprung.
Not gonna lie. I sported some wicked sick Easter outfits back in my adolescence. My mom was all about that 1970’ish Easter picture and she’d throw my sister in some dress that made her look like a young Woodstock attendee and throw me in a good looking pimped out car dealer style leisure suit and march our butts down to the Christian Church for all the world to see. It was glorious.
My sister is a 60-year-old hippie/gypsy type woman in Oregon now, going to see if she wants to recreate that look next Easter and stroll back to our small-town church. At least she could legally be high at this point and heck, I’m old enough to probably sell a Buick after service as long as I don’t place any illegal bets.
(Guy Speckman can be reached preparing for Easter Sunday Service 2024)