Miami-Dade Voters To Approve Slots Expansion

"I enjoy going to play slots, it is fun and helps me pass time. It is very difficult for me to travel to Broward, there should be facilities closer to home."

This year will more than likely see further expansion of gambling in the State of Florida. The January 29, 2008 Ballot Question in Miami-Dade County is for voters to approve slot machines at the counties existing parimutuels.

Once before, this issue was voted on, and it was narrowly defeated. Since then, Broward County has installed Slot machines, the Seminole Indians have gained a long sought after gambling compact with the State, poker is allowed at higher limits, and there is more to come. Demographics are changing and more and more, people are walking away from religious groups that appear to be too influential.

The ultra-conservative, freedom-hating, restriction-loving, organization led by 
Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family, has come out against this, as they do anytime gambling is talked about, and in its latest issue of the Internet magazine citizenlink.org, is misleading their followers.

The title makes it appear that the majority has already turned down the question. Its title reads:

Miami-Dade Voters - Plan to Vote "No" on the January 29, 2008 ballot.

They offer no reasoning for this position. Fully expecting their followers to blindly vote the way they are told to.

While in the past, this group, as well as other right-wing religious organizations have had the ear of politicians, their influence is diminishing as the country's youth, and many adults, have begun to see that they are wrong on their positions more often than they should be. Educated youth and adults alike are no longer responding like sheep. They are learning for themselves, and acting independently.

The ballot question is clear, easy to read and understand, and is as follows:

SLOT MACHINES LIMITED TO EXISTING HORSE AND DOG TRACKS AND JAI ALAI FRONTONS

SHALL SLOT MACHINE GAMING BE PERMISSIBLE AT EXISTING HORSE AND DOG TRACKS AND JAI ALAI FRONTONS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AS AUTHORIZED BY, AND SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS OF, STATE LAW AND SUBJECT TO STATE TAXES ON ALL SLOT MACHINE REVENUES THAT MUST BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING STATEWIDE?

YES ?

NO ? 

Manny Diaz of South Beach said he is in favor of this expansion, "We should approve slots in the county. There are so many of people that now leave the county and go to Broward where the Hard Rock Casino and parimutuels offer gambling, this money should be kept here to help our schools."

Colletta Ries, an 80 year old life-time resident of Miami Beach said, "I enjoy going to play slots, it is fun and helps me pass time. It is very difficult for me to travel to Broward, there should be facilities closer to home."

Christina Littleton, a 22 year old from Adventura, said that she and her friends often 'Go to the Hard Rock, or Isle of Capri to gamble and meet new people, the clubs in South Beach are OK, but there is so much more excitement and offerings at the casinos."

The general feeling among the younger generation is that the government and religious groups have gone to far in restricting freedoms, preaching things that are wrong or don't work, such as abstinence education, and also violating their own beliefs that god created all men equal when it comes to gays.

"It is so hard for our generation to believe them when we know from our own research that what they are preaching and teaching, goes against logic," said Milton Johnson, a former member of a Christian Church in Miami. "Our parents are even beginning to doubt the honesty from these groups," he added.