Question One on the Massachusetts ballot is about expanded slot machine gaming. I'm voting no on this one.
When the last gambling question came up I was in favor of it. I have no particular issue with gambling. I personally don't engage in it. I've been to a casino a couple of times and don't find it of any particular interest. My reason for voting in favor of gambling then was that people were leaving the state to engage in gambling in Connecticut and I didn't see why Massachusetts should forgo that tax revenue. Yes, some people may engage in self destructive behavior with gambling, but I'm not a fan of telling adults what they can and can not do. I'm very much in favor of personal liberty and letting people do what they want so long as they don't cause harm to others and if they do cause harm to others we have plenty of laws to deal with that.
Why am I not voting in favor this time? I have a problem with this particular referendum. This was ywritten in such a way that only one location could possible be suitable for the new slot parlor. I'm just not a fan of this type of targeted agenda in the referendum process. It won't hurt me or pretty much anyone that I can think of it passes, but this type of referendum just doesn't fit what I consider to be a good purpose of the process. It sets a standard that anyone with a personal agenda can push to get a law passed that fits their desires. I just don't agree with that approach.
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