SC

The Time To Move On Gambling Is Now

LAS VEGAS’ LOSS COULD BE THE PALMETTO STATE’S GAIN … About a week ago we got our dirty little fingers on a poll we probably shouldn’t have seen … one raising the issue of gambling in South Carolina. What did it say?  Well, that’s proprietary … but we can say…

LAS VEGAS’ LOSS COULD BE THE PALMETTO STATE’S GAIN …

About a week ago we got our dirty little fingers on a poll we probably shouldn’t have seen … one raising the issue of gambling in South Carolina.

What did it say?  Well, that’s proprietary … but we can say the issue appears to be gaining momentum in the Palmetto State.  Not only that, there are certain critical demographics which become more receptive to the issue if it’s framed the right way.

But that’s not the point of this post …

Regular readers of FITS are well aware of our position on this issue: We favor breaking up state government’s corrupt monopoly and opening the door to expanded gaming run by the private sector.  We’re particularly supportive of allowing casinos on the South Carolina coast – and other locations capable of generating out-of-state business.

South Carolina’s leaders?  They’re not so hip to the idea – especially Nikki Haley and Lindsey Graham.

Anyway … we’ve long said South Carolina’s coast (in particular its Grand Strand) has everything it needs to become the next Las Vegas or Atlantic City.  Well … everything except politicians with the economic vision, free market allegiance and testicular fortitude to push such a plan.

In the Palmetto State, our leaders have a terrible habit of saying “no” to anything that could conceivably break their stranglehold on power.  As a result, instead of glitter and glam the Grand Strand has violence and pollution.

That has to change … now.

Why do we say that? Because despite its chronic problems, opportunity is still knocking at South Carolina’s door.

Las Vegas is in deep trouble – the victim of a devastating multi-year drought that’s slowly depriving the nation’s gambling capital of its water supply.

“The situation is as bad as you can imagine,” climate scientist Tim Barnett said in a story published by The (U.K.) Telegraph. “It’s just going to be screwed.  And relatively quickly.  Unless it can find a way to get more water from somewhere Las Vegas is out of business.  Yet they’re still building, which is stupid.”

Vegas’ problem?  Ninety percent of its water comes from Lake Mead, which has been drained of four trillion gallons of water over the years.

Here’s a NASA satellite image of the lake from 1985 …

(Click to enlarge)

lake mead 1985

(Pic: NASA)

And here’s the same terrain photographed in 2010 …

(Click to enlarge)

lake mead 2010

(Pic: NASA)

Talk about a metaphor for the country, right?  “Tapped out.”  In fact by 2036, the lake will be dry …

Vegas’ loss could be South Carolina’s gain, though … in fact it would  be our gain if state leaders had followed our advice and legalized casino gambling on the coast.

Four years ago, this website called for precisely such a show of leadership.

“We have a tremendous competitive advantage staring us in the face,” we wrote at the time.  “Think about it. Myrtle Beach could become the next Las Vegas – except with an ocean.  We’re talking thousands of new jobs, billions of dollars worth of new investment and yes … a new revenue stream for government (although we would propose using this money to provide long-overdue tax relief as opposed to spending it on state and local governments that are already too big).”

In the intervening years we’ve toyed with our own ideas to capitalize on such a bold move …

Unfortunately, there is no vision, no free market allegiance and no fortitude to be found anywhere in South Carolina’s government … and as a result the Palmetto State continues to let this tremendous advantage go to waste.

What’s that sound, South Carolina?

It’s a prosperous future … passing you by.  Again.

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105 comments

GrandTango June 30, 2014 at 8:51 pm

Doesn’t FITS already think we’re backward in SC? All we need now is to sell the local Dumb@$$#$ on the virtues of vice, in the form of gambling.

Liberal-Tarians are GREEDY. They want to feed their lust w/ money, any way they can get it. Danny Frazier is an example of FITS type morality. They don’t care what they do to society, it’s packing their pockets, and F*#k you, after that…Selfish, Sanford-type Greed…

SC needs to run these pieces of $#!* out on a rail. They are bad for our state, and damaging to society in general.

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Ms. Lindsey June 30, 2014 at 9:07 pm

Your butt is greedy. Even the penis pump didn’t do the trick.

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CorruptionInColumbia July 1, 2014 at 6:11 am

Greedy? You mean as in using someone else’s blog to push your own blog, while damning the guy whose blog you use to boost your own?

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GrandTango July 1, 2014 at 7:44 am

CinC…you’re reaching bro. Go look up ‘opportunistic’ then look up the word ‘greed.’

And you may also want to study Social Media, and expanding your mind w/ more than one source, too.

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Smirks July 1, 2014 at 9:13 am

Not to mention, his blog also bashes this blog.

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Mamma Tried July 1, 2014 at 8:10 am

GT, mamma called and said for you to pick her up at the bowling alley. Her
moped broke down again and she is jonesing for a Newport.

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Understands Visions June 30, 2014 at 9:08 pm

“everything except politicians with the economic vision, free market allegiance and testicular fortitude to push such a plan.”

What vision? Your vision? Could you state for the record your visionary successes? Bedding a newscaster? Kissing a Governor’s ass? Kissing his top aide’s ass? Kissing the ass of a convicted drug felon? Bedding a future Governor? Slapping around a fiance’?

“our gain if state leaders had followed our advice.”

Are you effing kidding me? Follow your advice?

You do have a lot of balls. That’s indisputable.

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Smirks July 1, 2014 at 9:08 am

Your vision?

lol… Reminds me of that drawing Willie posted one time:

https://www.fitsnews.com/2012/07/18/the-idea/

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Squishy123 June 30, 2014 at 9:45 pm

Lexington Mafia on Line 2.

I believe there’s less to draw people here than an Indian casino.

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Ludwig Von Mises June 30, 2014 at 9:49 pm

There’s something almost Quaint about this latest Fits gambit.

The country is littered with politicos ,hucksters and others who have seen Gambling as some kind of answer to a states economic woes.

I’m not opposed to it morally,but can the hyperbole.The harbinger of some economic nirvana?Hardly.

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Sandi Morals June 30, 2014 at 10:16 pm

Just a stupid ass article. The Colorado River is vibrant and Vegas has plenty of water for several hundred years.
Only problem Vegas has are the public sector unions that drain the state of needed revenue to support Democrat voters and illegal immigrants. FITS brings the ‘ocean’ up and yet just hammered MB for dirty water. Which is it?
Weird that FITS would play the climate change ‘card’ in support of ‘politicos, hucksters’ like a Bill Howard in Myrtle Beach?
Is it true Bill and Wanda Howard were convicted of tax evasion and Bill is in the ‘Gambling’ business and ‘$ bill’ still got time to run for mayor every election cycle!
racino’s ,casino’s , crablegs are worth a Benjamin according to FITS! :-)

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Wow! July 1, 2014 at 7:03 am

Wow…not only is Sandi a Haley hack but she is now some sort of Climate scientist / hydrologist, wonders never cease.

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Reality need not apply July 1, 2014 at 8:07 am

The satellite images be damned, tell her the sky is blue and she’ll argue it’s purple.

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nitrat July 1, 2014 at 9:11 am

Sandi probably doesn’t even know that the entire Southwest has had people coming, growing large civilizations, then moving on when the water went away for millennia.
The people in the American desert are ultimately going to have their homes vanish under the sands the way the people on the coasts see theirs swept out to sea.
And, the real estate developers will want bail out after tax break after more manipulation of the ‘free market’ for their benefit.

Sandi Morals July 1, 2014 at 9:52 am

You damn lib/soc supporters of killing the unborn look at a human being in an ultra sound and argue it is not despite a beating heart!
Next!

Reality need not apply July 1, 2014 at 10:03 am

What the hell does that have to do with a dwindling water supply? What, broken water or something?

Sheesh, your stupidity is limitless Queen of the Red Herring’s…I’ll bet you smell like one too.

truthmonger July 2, 2014 at 10:01 am

FYI, I’m against abortion based on both religious and legal grounds. I ALSO happen to support UNIONS as a balance to the bargaining power of businesses and government. Think of it as akin to a corporation that bargains for best prices for 200 restaurants in a group, rather than for best prices for each individual restaurant. Same general concept. In reality, businesses can simply fire striking union workers. They generally negotiate because the negotiated cost is cheaper than rehiring hat many people. It’s all cost-benefit. Oh, and companies entering into contracts with unions for employees is NO DIFFERENT that the same companies entering into contracts for purchasing goods and raw materials. If you don’t like the terms, don’t sign the contract.
Or do you believe that the law should only apply to SOME people???

Buz Martin July 1, 2014 at 7:31 am

Howard is on nobody’s radar but yours. One of your many weird obsessions.

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truthmonger July 2, 2014 at 9:52 am

So, anything bad is the product of “public unions” seems to be Sandi’s mantra. How about SC, where there ARE no public unions, and employees (not the highly-paid Haley employees, rather the average workers) are generally mistreated and abused to save a few bucks?

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Smirks July 1, 2014 at 8:31 am

What gambling can do for us is provide a source of tax revenue and help bolster some tourists spots. That’s pretty much it.

Las Vegas will fix their own water problems at some point, since the casinos will eventually perceive it as enough of a threat to fix it, either by themselves or by sticking their arm up the asses of the local government.

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Will Folks aka Sic July 1, 2014 at 8:33 am

Economic Nirvana? Ha! The point is simple: SC would be better off letting the free market come in and run gaming industries than the system we have in place now.

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Ludwig Von Mises July 1, 2014 at 2:54 pm

Yeh Yeh the “free market.” Anytime anyone replies to anything you say,all we get is that mantra,”the “free market.”

Whats that got to do with the point that Gambling s not going to be some economic boon as you implicitly claim in your article?

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truthmonger July 2, 2014 at 9:48 am

Like in Biloxi, Mississippi? That whole region suffered when gambling was introduced. Crime went up, and the monies the casinos were supposed to pay didn’t cover the cost to the community. Oh, and you might want to look at just how “free” the gambling market really is. I have family that works in a casino down there, and believe me, the casinos kill any shred of democracy that might threaten their stranglehold. Feel free to travel down there and see for yourself.

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euwe max June 30, 2014 at 9:52 pm

Talk about a metaphor for the country, right? ”Tapped out.

——–
The libertarian ideal at work – allow “personal responsibility” and future self-interest to manage common resources.

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I call BS July 1, 2014 at 8:06 am

There’s no pricing structure to determine how much water should cost in that area…because the government arbitrarily decides what price/gallon is and it’s not based on supply and demand obviously…

So the big failure here is once again government and it’s central planning…which has planned the water resources to what will obviously be ‘zero’ very soon.

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Ted Turner July 1, 2014 at 8:14 am

Ya’ll give me a call, I’ll send you all the water you can buy.

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Economist July 1, 2014 at 8:23 am

Latest scam on water rights.
Craft breweries = beards for Big Business
Craft breweries sound good. Very popular. Comes across as capitalism at it’s best. Small company – somebody’s dream.

In reality, craft breweries are popping up all along the fresh headwaters of America. They are covers for obtaining water rights. 60 Minutes exposed the water companies for trucking out billions of gallons of water.

So what do you do. Call it something everyone gets on-board with, BEER. Now sit back and watch as they bottle more and more water. Once they are in, they have guarantees that they can withdraw a minimum amount of water FOREVER.

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Will Folks aka Sic July 1, 2014 at 8:31 am

Nice … haven’t heard that. Sounds worth looking into.

I call BS July 1, 2014 at 9:08 am

Don’t fall for that BS….for God’s sake believe in the free market or don’t….you can’t convince anyone of anything if you halfheartedly believe it yourself.

CNSYD July 1, 2014 at 9:10 am

As Sic Willie’s pic with the backwards hat shows, he has no clue whether he is coming or going.

Gregory Geddings July 1, 2014 at 12:23 pm

He’s just trying to keep his neck from turning even redder than it already is.

I call BS July 1, 2014 at 8:34 am

So mass beer consumption is drying up America’s water supply? How has Germany managed for so long?

Oh well, sounds like a great way to use up all the water to me.

:)

CorruptionInColumbia July 1, 2014 at 8:36 am

I don’t see how that can dry up our water supply. Everyone knows when you drink beer, you make water like crazy. We replace what we take in.

I Get It July 1, 2014 at 8:57 am

I haven’t seen anyone say that it would dry up the supply. The supply is and always will be whatever mother nature delivers. I can’t understand why this is a concept that is so hard to understand. If Joe can take out a million gallons per year with his pump, then Fred should be able to grab a million gallons per year. Ok. They both have little Gould 5 hp pumps. So 100 Joes and Freds all want to sell water. They can sell it to a third-world country if they want. It’s their business. But now IN-BEV decides that they want to go to the same pristine Blue Ridge Mountains and bring in their 1000 hp pump, build a station, a fleet of trucks and withdraw 7 billion gallons per year and distribute it all over the world and call it Blue Ridge Mountain Water (like say Blue Mountain Coffee from Jamaica). Now, Brevard, NC no longer has a good trout habitat, the citizens of Hendersonville are having water pollution issues so they have to spend more to filter and clean their water before pushing it out to the citizens. It cost more. Now, while it isn’t a tax, it is an increased fee generated by a government controlled entity.

This is entirely different than two public water systems trading water back and forth to meet peak demands, deficits, etc. The power companies do this every day.

EJB July 1, 2014 at 9:57 am

but you take it from a place where its scare and deliver it to a place where its not needed, the ocean eventually.

Economist July 1, 2014 at 8:44 am

You miss the point. Privatizing the public water supply is where the controversy lies. Sure they will sell beer but just how many varieties of beer are economically feasible.

If you allow more water to be pulled out of the streams and sold in a private enterprise that drives the cost up for municipalities.

It is a public resource necessary for basic survival. It belongs to everyone.

In South Carolina the concept is currently foreign to most landowners but in states such as Montana you often find land for sale that has water withdrawal restrictions. Therefore, if you are not careful, you may purchase a ranch and not be allowed to draw water from the stream that crosses your land. In this case, you would have to purchase or haul water for your animals. The same goes for crops.

Hope that helps.

I call BS July 1, 2014 at 8:48 am

Hope that helps?

…nothing you said was even remotely interesting and some of it tripe.

“It is a public resource necessary for basic survival. It belongs to everyone.”

Water belongs to everyone? Is this some type of neo communal philosophy? What about people that have ponds, fresh water springs, etc. on their land? Is that community property too?

For an “economist” you don’t seem awfully bright or well versed in what a free market would do for water conservation.

First, if a brewery uses up all the water available to it, it’s out of business. Second, if someone buys land with a restriction on it for water drawing and doesn’t factor it into his decision who’s fault it is? It’s free market dynamics that would determine the price of what water is in any area and what it would get used for….and if you don’t believe that then I posit you need to go back and take some more Econ courses.

Yep, If you say so July 1, 2014 at 9:04 am

Just watch and wait jackass. As for ponds, having built several in my days, the regulations that go into the navigable waters regs are paramount to the same argument. A pump and a dam have the same effect. Posit as you wish, with your logic there would be so many dams on every stream in the country that there would not be enough flow to generate the electricity that you need to blow dry your toupee in the morning.

I call BS July 1, 2014 at 9:05 am

Aw, didn’t I hurt your feelings to the point of which you went from “Economist” to a pond expert to justify your ramblings?

lol

EJB July 1, 2014 at 9:55 am

as the price of water increased fewer people would move to those areas thus free markets would influence where people moved and how they behaved. No government restrictions, no making criminals out of otherwise honest people, no filling jails with productive citizens.

EJB July 1, 2014 at 10:06 am

global warming, uh climate change, uh weatheritis is melting a glacier somewhere and the uh, water is, you know, like flowing around, and it, like, gets there and they make beer and stuff with it.

Smirks July 1, 2014 at 8:43 am

They are covers for obtaining water rights. 60 Minutes exposed the
water companies for trucking out billions of gallons of water.

Some areas have no water issues at all, far from it in fact. Why can’t they sell what they don’t use? Not selling it is wasting a good resource.

If Las Vegas is doing this, the government should ban the practice for obvious reasons. Exploiting a resource you are in short supply of and desperately need is pretty damn stupid.

EJB July 1, 2014 at 9:49 am

ah yes, even more government control, because they always get it right.

Like Milton Friedman said;

“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there’d be a shortage of sand.”

We truly need to get away from the “government is the answer” mentality. You have some good ideas and good posts, please use it to get away from government control, we’ll all be better off.

truthmonger July 2, 2014 at 10:09 am

Yep, and the late1800’s/ turn of the century was the high point of the free market -and of employee abuse, child labor, etc. Sometimes the “free market” has a cost that we as a society can’t afford.

I call BS July 1, 2014 at 8:24 am

Good to hear you can meet the demand. I’m sure it’s gonna cost a hell of a lot more than what the good people of that area have been paying for the last 20 years.

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Ted Turner July 1, 2014 at 8:28 am

Been buying up all the water rights I can get my hands on for 35 years in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. I tell people its because I like them Bison burgers and all but you know the deal.

I call BS July 1, 2014 at 8:31 am

It’ll be private ownership that will save what’s left if it’s allowed…kudos to you. It’s the new “buffalo”….:)

Once people actually start paying an accurate market price for water several things will happen:

#1 People will get really interested in conserving water
#2 The population/infrastructure will settle in to what’s supportable by the local reserves

If free markets were allowed in water there in the first place it wouldn’t have been a huge catastrophe waiting to happen…yet another failure in central planning.

euwe max July 2, 2014 at 10:04 am

Let’s see… the rich would buy it and hog it, so it would still be there, right?

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Smirks July 1, 2014 at 8:20 am

Meanwhile the city’s casinos are
attempting to improve their water efficiency, with the famous gambling
zone, known as The Strip using just seven per cent of the city’s water

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2676186/Is-Sin-City-run-dry-Las-Vegas-danger-running-water-14-year-drought.html

The problem isn’t that the private sector is draining the water supply, the problem is that they rely on a source of water that was not designed for the level of population that is there now. The article mentions they went from 400k to over 2 million, that’s 5 times the population. You’d see growing pains from that level of increase in any part of the country, whether the water company was private or public.

Long term droughts will accelerate this problem, but even with a decent amount of rainfall I’d expect problems at some point.

EDIT: Took out “more than 5 times” since I thought the article said more than 2 million, but it just says 2 million.

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guest July 1, 2014 at 11:12 am

EDIT: Smirks is a moron!

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SomalianRoadCorp July 1, 2014 at 11:19 pm

derp

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Bible Thumper July 1, 2014 at 1:23 am

Since 2006, Atlantic City’s casino revenue has plunged from a high of $5.2bn to $2.86bn last year. 
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/29/atlantic-city-casinos-close-gambling-new-jersey

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aikencounty July 1, 2014 at 6:37 am

The next Las Vegas or Atlantic City.
Gee, those are some lofty aspirations.

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The American July 1, 2014 at 8:08 am

I must admit I like playing the ponies and the pups but looking at the old suckers at the matinee in knee socks dragging their oxygen tank along is just depressing. Now, if you’ve been to one of those Mexican horse races set up like a drag race you know…..that is big fun! Problem is the Mexican girls that cross the border are just not much to look at and the Colombianas wouldn’t be caught dead at a Mexican horse race.

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Capitalism= Win/Win July 1, 2014 at 8:27 am

While we all know MB would never be LV or AC, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to allow some more profitable business in the area.

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Pegonia July 1, 2014 at 8:36 am

I understand they need more fried chicken restaurants.

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Capitalism= Win/Win July 1, 2014 at 8:51 am

Maybe you should go get a bank loan or use your savings and start one up.

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Anonymous July 1, 2014 at 9:07 am

Scrolling through the comments it seems that you are looking to pick a fight with anyone that will engage you. You must be GT.

Capitalism=Win/Win July 1, 2014 at 9:10 am

Yep, you got me.

Sandi Morals July 1, 2014 at 9:35 am

Yes indeed. It would break your heart to see the thousands that live in the streets and underground in Vegas.
Thousands literally live in tents or boxes on the sidewalks in certain areas of the city.
However it would be a good place for politicians without a life to gather 10,000 signatures to get on a ballot. Maybe that is the purpose of a gambling push in South Carolina.

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GrandTango July 1, 2014 at 7:23 am

Gambling was a pretty dirty affair in SC in the 1990s. And it’s at the root of what got Sheriff Metts indicted. All that money, couple w. human GREED!

There is a GREAT companion piece here: http://scdigest.blogspot.com/.

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Bookie July 1, 2014 at 8:12 am

You need a fucking a companion!

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GrandTango July 1, 2014 at 8:24 am

Would you like to be my companion, Bookie?
Just click the link..and you can be one of my many, and growing list, of friends. Thx.

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BlogoQueer July 1, 2014 at 8:31 am

F&%^ y%^$ m^%$#^%f^&%&^%$ mother you F%$^$#%^%$##%%%^

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EJB July 1, 2014 at 10:03 am

you put one too many % in the second word.

FudgePackerAtChocolateMonkey July 1, 2014 at 8:32 am

Just so everyone knows it Tango has got a companion. That companion is me. Nobody else will put up with his little needle dick and flaccid starfish the way I do.

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Squishy123 July 1, 2014 at 2:48 pm

You do realize that GrandTango’s real name is Emily don’t you.

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FudgePackerAtChocolateMonkey July 2, 2014 at 3:37 pm

That’s just his role playing name that he uses to make himself feel more feminine when I’m pounding him from behind. His old starfish has been pounded so much so many times by so many mens that it has meat curtains.

Smirks July 1, 2014 at 9:15 am

Downvote, flag comment, collapse.

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GrandTango July 1, 2014 at 9:39 am

Smirks…it’s people like you that keep me up at night, making sure I succeed…

The same repulse reflex you have to truth, I have to Cindy Ross Scoppe, John Monk, Warren Bolton, Andrew Shain and Cassie Cope…

Your interloper gods and goddesses flood the media market, and get the pontificating, “no-heavy-lifting” jobs, despite a lack of talent, insight or compassion for South Carolinians…

You are Filthy, unjust and Stank. So with Rebel Yell and a mighty’ F*#k You’…I will move Upward and Onward, slapping the $#!* out of @$$-holes like you, as I go… Enjoy…

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Squishy123 July 1, 2014 at 2:46 pm

Emily, I figured it was the fear of your blog failing (or has that already been confirmed) that would keep you up at night.

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GrandTango July 1, 2014 at 2:55 pm

You would be surprised, you ignorant Dumb@$$…. And when I read your contempt, it is sweet indeed, knowing what I know, and what will send you – and close-minded idiots like you – over the edge. LMAO…

EJB July 1, 2014 at 7:44 am

It is too late in the game for South Carolina to open up for casino gambling. For one, no company will locate a casino in SC without public money. Even if they did build a casino and it took off like gang busters it would whither and die shortly thereafter, five or ten years tops. I will put links to several stories below stating such and it will be easy enough to find counter stories, mostly by gambling and government web sites, but there can only be so many gambling outlets. It would be like the popular bars, one is the top, most popular bar for a while and then for whatever reason it goes under then another bar on the other side of town is the top, most popular bar. Casinos bring in a bad element also. I’ve seen, accidentally, the ghetto conditions that exist around Atlantic City’s casinos and would rather not have that here in our state.

People say there is lots or “revenue” to be had from gambling. I say looking to such a business model for state “revenues” is short sighted. I saw the blight with the video gambling establishments we used to have here, the crime around those places, the stories of people hurt, robbed and killed from those places being held up. A lot of the “revenue” the casinos would create would be eaten up by the need for more police and security. I’ll vote no and say no to casinos as long as I breath. I figured casinos were good as long as they were somewhere else, go there, gamble (don’t wander off the beaten path) come back home, let others worry about the problems.

Our various governments are spending too much money and are desperate to find new sources of revenue. They tax things now that were never taxed before. They let their lascivious eyes wonder towards endeavors such as casinos with the dark promises of riches untold. “Invest” in casinos they tell public officials and get a return on your “investment” of a millions times over. It never works out good. Quit spending like a drunk watching the QVC Shopping channel late at night and we wouldn’t need more revenue.

The links mentioned above:

http://business.time.com/2013/10/03/too-many-casinos-looks-like-weve-reached-gambling-saturation/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/26/stateline-gambling/2459685/

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-03/casinos-close-as-revenue-falls-in-gambling-saturated-u-dot-s

http://www.aproundtable.org/tps2.cfm?ID=24&issuecode=casino

There was a better story some time back but I couldn’t find it for this post.

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Say It Aint So July 1, 2014 at 7:56 am

So you think Fits is casting a “lascivious” eye in search of more “revenue?”

Fits,who never met a tax he didnt hate?He wants more taxes?

My God,what has the world come to?

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Will Folks aka Sic July 1, 2014 at 8:35 am

Certainly agree with your point that SC should “quit spending like a drunk watching the QVC shopping channel late at night.” No doubt about that.

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RogueElephant July 1, 2014 at 7:46 am

When I first came to SC back in 71, someone told me that back in the early fifties a guy came to I think it was Santee talking about a theme park. Every one said for some reason the locals didn’t want it so he went to Fla. and built Disney World. Sounds like something that could happen in SC. Just asking ?

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Pablo July 1, 2014 at 7:58 am

Disney was a snake oil salesman who finally figured it out. Most people who knew of him turned in the other direction when they saw him coming. The Seminoles were the suckers on that deal.

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S. American style commune July 1, 2014 at 9:38 am

Yea, I’m sure all those people with jobs tied to Disney in Orlando feel like suckers. I’m also sure the local & state governments that are getting all sorts of taxes as a result feel like the biggest suckers.

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Squishy123 July 1, 2014 at 2:45 pm

Have you ever looked into employee issues at Disney? I believe McDonald’s employees have it better and get paid about the same.

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S. American style commune July 1, 2014 at 10:52 pm

Strange, as evil as Disney must be they are able to to staff their park. I suppose it’s better than being unemployed.

Sheriff Cash Jones July 1, 2014 at 7:54 am

Seeing how you enjoy the Myrtle Beach area it is understandable why you cannot see the damage that an influx of casinos would do to our great state.

If you want a story you may connect the dots between Operation Lost Trust and it’s proximity to the highly popular para-mutual betting bill that was making its way through the House at the time.

Fast forward today to your top secret poll (if their is any truth to it) and the timing with the gambling indictments and recent developments around the midlands.

Big money (existing casinos) does not want more competition and has the ability to sway the feds to squash any potential competition.

As for futility, the headline yesterday on CNN was that 25% of the casinos in Atlantic City are about to close.

In summary, international destinations like Maccau are luring the whales, most Americans no longer have endless cash to donate, the well-known practice of kicking winners out on the street and the increasing popularity of on-line gaming are the real reasons that Vegas is becoming a thing of the past. The supply of water is the least of their problems. It is the dwindling supply of cash that will ultimately close the doors.

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Sheriff Cash Jones July 1, 2014 at 8:02 am

Sheriff Cash is correcting his own error. This Arabica coffee is not getting it done this morning. there vs. their. Yes the Sheriff is over 25 years old.

p.s. – just make those campaign checks out to Cash please.

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Cop Block July 1, 2014 at 8:22 am

I notice your use of illeism, are you related to TBG or Sic Willie? Do you suffer from NPD?

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Sheriff Cash Jones July 1, 2014 at 8:33 am

among other things.

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HD July 1, 2014 at 8:09 am

If Folks thinks Atlantic City is something to which any city would aspire, he’s stupider than I thought (no mean feat, that).

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nitrat July 1, 2014 at 8:37 am

Woefully uninformed, isn’t he?

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LD July 1, 2014 at 8:22 am

Unfortunately that makes too much sense for SC, thus it will never happen.

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idcydm July 1, 2014 at 8:40 am

Gambling, be it private or government run, is a sucker bet for the public.

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nitrat July 1, 2014 at 8:43 am

Who is paying FITSNEWS for this very particular push for Myrtle beach to have gambling?

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cruzzin on od July 1, 2014 at 9:24 am

Not sure if anybody is. However a very SMART person who recently was defamed and won some money once told me that we will NEVER see gambling in SC in our lifetime.
A silly subject and tying it into Lake Mead is something I figured only an idiot and conspiratorial lunatic like Buz could create! :-)

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John July 1, 2014 at 8:52 am

Good luck selling that in the Upstate. Mike Fair is not going to be your friend.

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I call BS July 1, 2014 at 8:53 am

Puritanism: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere is having a good time. – H.L. Mencken.

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Gregory Geddings July 1, 2014 at 7:45 pm

I love Mencken’s work. You should check out his obituary to William Jennings Bryan…devastating

http://www.peeniewallie.com/2005/06/h_l_menckens_ob.html

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Philip Branton July 1, 2014 at 10:25 am

Ya know…..if there was a planet discovered in the next solar system, Wil Folks would want to put a casino on it….!!!

Those “private sector” casino operators would take all that “profit” and invest it where….South Carolina..? ……South Carolina schools..?? ……donating more to SC politicians than they already do now..??

….are they going to invest in new technology to close down ALL landfills in our state….??

…..are they going to install the newest elevate transportation system across our state to end school busing…??

……are they going to use 100 % LOCAL wind and SOLAR and tidal energy to run there casinos instead of fossil OIL…??

…..does Wil Folks stop to realize how many campers at Ocean Lakes would be irate after some big casino comes in a buys that entire campground for their “treasure island”…??

….does WIl Folks not understand how many “used Golf carts” would be dumped on the market if that campground was to close…?

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Tazmaniac July 1, 2014 at 11:00 am

At least water issues are real and measurable and beneficial to everyone , unlike climate change bullshit.

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idiotwind July 1, 2014 at 11:07 am

public benefit from gambling is a mirage. look anywhere. its a sugar high that could have lasted maybe 20 years before a devastating hangover – if we’d started 20 years ago. but now the high would be over in a decade. and all the money would be in private hands.

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idiotwind July 1, 2014 at 11:18 am

…and that isn’t a photo of lake mead. its a small upper piece of lake mead.

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Fat Greg Dulli July 1, 2014 at 11:21 am

Has anyone seen the story on the Blaze yesterday about the failing, and folding, Casino contingency in Atlantic City? That could work in two ways for the decision making in SC. Either, someone will see it as an opportunity to lure east coast gamblers down south, or a red flag that lets decision makers know that the market is not very strong. The whole “build it and they will come” mentality completely blew up in the faces of Hard Rock and Burroughs and Chapin. Sure that’s an amusement park, but that’s the same caliber of person that frequents casinos. (If you need an example of the typical SC gambler, go out on a casino boat out of Little River.)

One thing working in Myrtle Beach’s favor on this matter, the low life quotient is already exceeding critical mass so it just might work there!

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aikencounty July 1, 2014 at 12:01 pm

Why aren’t the the powers that be pushing para-mutual horse betting in South Carolina?
I am sure Aiken and Camden would benefit from tracks.

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willblogformoney July 1, 2014 at 7:40 pm

God I would love that

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aikencounty July 1, 2014 at 9:42 pm

Twenty or so years ago AT&T pushed the idea.
The reason for their interest, all the tote boards were run by them.
However, their research said that due to all the horse infra-structure in the Aiken area, the Aiken area would be on a par with Church Hill Downs within 18 months.

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willblogformoney July 1, 2014 at 7:48 pm

Is there a connection between casino rumors and the new Chinese company Giti opening a plant in SC? Asians love to gamble. I forced Pia Gow poker in our future.

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HD July 2, 2014 at 9:19 am

One can reasonably expect any such “casinos” to be nothing more than video poker parlors on steroids. http://americanvalues.org/catalog/pdfs/why-casinos-matter.pdf

Thanks but no thanks.

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truthmonger July 2, 2014 at 9:42 am

I can remember when they legalized gambling in Biloxi, Mississippi. Big promises made, then the reality hit. The additional money didn’t cover the costs to the region. Crime went through the roof, the area became congested and unlivable, and the local culture was destroyed. Gambling CREATED more problems than it had promised to solve. Be careful what you wish for… you just might get it.

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euwe max July 2, 2014 at 10:07 am

Yeah, look what happened to Detroit.

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