If you can’t beat ’em, Join ’em?

Jun 12, 2009 | 0 comments

Video Poker Distributors Accused of Tax Fraud , Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (11 June, 2009) – Just recently investigators found that video poker vendors “can make well into the millions of dollars per year in untaxed revenue through this criminal enterprise.”  In response to this fraud, Governor Rendell nobly suggested that we legalize video poker machines and use the money for the cost of tuition at state-owned universities.  Reasoning to himself that “Legalizing video poker would help cut out the criminal element.”

It is interesting to me that people find stealing money from their very own neighbors to be an honorable source of funding.  Governor Rendell’s proposal encourages education for young adults so that they can find jobs, while at the same time it encourages people to use gambling as their source of income or “job” (rather than to work).  Not to mention, how could a person or a state with any integrity, knowingly legalize a business that has a “criminal element.”  Of course putting up a fight against bad industries and crime involves more effort and time, but the responsibility of legislators, citizens, and governors is to stand, even if against the current, for what’s right.  Therefore, if we can’t beat ’em, we’ll tax ’em out of business!