It should come as little surprise that Question 2, a Maryland constitutional amendment to legalize slot machines at select locations throughout the state, passed overwhelmingly on Election Day. Whenever Marylanders have a chance to vote away their freedom, they rarely hesitate to do so.
Former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr., who preceded Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, tried repeatedly to legalize slots, but was rebuffed by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. Ehrlich supported slots as a means to relieve the burden on taxpayers by generating revenue at the expense of gamblers. After O’Malley won his election, Democrats in the legislature changed their minds and introduced gambling initiatives of their own.
Unsurprisingly, the state GOP — along with Ehrlich — opposed the initiative this time around. This wasn’t just a partisan decision. While some Republican legislators may have opposed it as a means to punish Democrats, many voters did so out of a personal or religious opposition to gambling. While in office Ehrlich opposed a full-blown constitutional amendment like the one passed to legalize slots because he did not deem the issue worthy of changing the constitution. And he rightly fears the new plan will encourage unrestrained government spending.
At this point you probably think I oppose gambling. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s none of my business what anyone does with the money he earns. What I do oppose is government control over gambling (as with anything else). People should be free to use their property however they please. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what many Marylanders mistakenly believe this new law will allow.
According to The Capital, William Marshall, a motorcycle salesman from Russett, said, “Anything might save me a dollar on my taxes, I’m in favor of,” adding, “We already have vices in the community. I’m not concerned about slot machines bringing any in.”
I certainly appreciate Mr. Marshall’s aversion to government theft. Sadly, however, he has been hoodwinked by the state, along with everyone else in his shoes who voted for slots.
To believe O’Malley will alleviate taxation in the least is wishful thinking. As soon as O’Malley took office he pushed through tremendous tax increases in the attempt to close an enormous budget gap created by his own deficit spending. Slot machines are nothing more than an attempt to generate revenue to cover the governor’s profligacy. After all, it’s not like he hasn’t already proven he’s perfectly willing to spend money he doesn’t have. What makes anyone think he’ll restrain himself when he’s actually accumulating billions in gambling revenue?
Maryland politicians disingenuously give the impression that they’re giving citizens the freedom to gamble, when all they’re actually doing is asserting their dominance over all of us by giving themselves a right they do not morally have. We should all be able to open a gambling parlor or run slot machines out of our basement if we like — only a handful of politically connected businessmen apparently have this luxury — but we’d soon feel the full wrath of the state’s storm troopers if we ever even attempted such a thing.
By dictating the course of human action, the state is merely determining, according to its own standards, how we may live our lives. This latest legislative atrocity paves the way for even more government growth and power over how we choose to live our lives.
Trevor Bothwell is a freelance writer living and Maryland.
