CHARITABLE GAMING FIGHT GOES ON

Yet another fiasco is being attempted against Charitable Gaming in Kentucky. It seems like the State morons just cannot get enough power and control in everything so they have to continue going after the ones who doe the most for our community.

According to this story: Proposal revamps how bingo is run courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal, the state Department of Charitable Gaming wants to centralize purchasing for bingo and pull-tab supplies and computerize the charities' record keeping. The agency believes the steps will reduce prices, improve accountability and leave charities with more money to support their causes.

Sounds like they really care doesn't it? I call bull. The real problem is they just want more money as usual and are concerned when they cannot get enough. They also just lost the slots issue and need to set up another fight for the necessity of saving Churchill Downs by eliminating the charitable gamers. Take this for example from the article:

Based on audits of some of its charities, the department estimates that $100 million a year –— about a fifth of the total amount accounted for in charity games — goes unreported because of theft and clerical errors.


The state also estimates charities lose $600,000 a year from accepting bad checks and have to pay $300,000 for bookkeeping to deal with the current paperwork.

Therein lies the real truth. They are concerned because they THINK that $100 million goes unreported and therefore can get more money by squeezing the gamers with yet another example of government being involved in private affairs.

No one is naive enough to think that some money would go unaccounted for. That is a problem EVERY business entity that deals in cash as their main staple, whether charity, non profit or for profit, has. Investigate each and every one of them. Hell start with the grocery stores who deal primarily with cash. Why not control the food supply then we can really be dependent on big brother right?

By the way while you are at it investigate the Charitable Gaming Commission itself. Why would I say that?

Because the Commission itself fines any Bingo or Charity that does not have the quarterly reports turned in on time and yet cannot produce an annual report from 2007-2008 of their own yet. Pot meet Kettle.

The article goes further to quote Kaven Rumpel, “I think this is a train wreck for the department to get involved in free trade,” said Kaven Rumpel, president of the Kentucky Charitable Gaming Association and owner of the Highview bingo hall, who said that the changes could result in less competition and higher prices for supplies

I agree totally. For the Government to continue involving themselves in free trade should be a serious concern to us all. As a matter of fact we do have FEDERAL laws to prevent this and this could cause a serious lawsuit against the State. What do the feds say about this. It is time we asked them.

Why do we continue to allow these idiots to continue this obvious attack against charities here at home? I do not know.

You can read my previous stories on charitable gaming throughout this website. The State has continued to try and persuade the public opinion into thinking that there are rampant thieves throughout the industry by implying that there is $100 million unreported and taken by thieves.

They have the right to their opinion right?

My opinion is that I believe the money spent by our legislators through graft, greed, corruption, and pork barrel spending throughout the State, is more than the $100 million they IMPLY is being stolen. Of course ours is stolen taxpayer money by our legislators.

I would almost bet I can prove my amounts faster than they can prove theirs.

It is a pathetic attempt once again to decide where money does or does not go. Who the hell is the State to decide what profit a business can make from anything?

If they want to use the failed logic that the industry has to cover bad checks for example then what gives them the right to decide that?

If any business decides to accept checks in the course of conducting their business it is their responsibility to accept any repercussions that go along with that choice. For the State to act like they care is yet another attempt to gain public sympathy that would allow them access to that which they are not entitled.

Is the State now going to force the business that does not allow personal checks to start accepting them and pay the State a fee to monitor the program for them?

They want to imply $100 million is stolen each year? Great then why are you not out attacking ALL other business that gets ripped off each year. Go check out the construction industry and the cash jobs that go unreported each year. Investigate how much money Cordish has received or paid to elected officials. What percent of profit has 4th Street live made? It is relevant since there is essentially a profit sharing agreement for Cordish with the City. Cordish has never paid a dime towards that agreement so where is their 40% threshold?

I guarantee if you ever got hold of all this information $100 million would be a drop in the bucket.

Go check out the cash that gets dispersed among the elected politicians or funneled into campaign accounts against the intent of campaign finance reform for reelection. Wanna bet that money adds up quick as well?

Of course they will not do that. It would cost the political appointed cronies their jobs and perhaps put some in jail. Instead follow the orders of "leadership" and go after those who can least afford it. But hey once they are gone we can get Churchill Downs the money they want and line the pockets of our legislators as well right?

Charitable Gamers make money to support their cause by the use of Bingo's etc. They fund their OWN issues. They are not asking for handouts. Thanks to the previous attempts by the State to act like they cared about the Charities many have disappeared altogether from the Bingo halls.

When faced with undue "profit" margins by the State, I use this phrase because most charities are considered non profit, many have had no choice but to quit trying to provide for themselves. The profit threshold by the State is essentially 40% with no allowances in many cases, of write offs afforded every other business.

When you cannot provide for yourself where do you go? Oh yeah the government. Let's ask the taxpayer's to fund our charity or let big brother take care of us making us dependent once again instead of free.

Why would a charity be forced to have a minimum profit margin? If a charity makes a dime that goes into their own charity itself, is that not a dime they did not have to ask for from the taxpayers?

Should they be punished for only making a 10% profit for example versus a 40%?

So many questions and no answers because the people at State want to CONTROL everything as usual. Using the State logic why do they not just go ahead and force EVERY business in Kentucky to post a 40% profit for doing business here.

If it is good enough for one business it should be good enough for all.

They do not because they know they cannot. Because that would probably be the final tipping point to us getting rid of these idiots.

Is this what it will take to wake us up to stand and be counted?

You know our government is needed for so many things and I always acknowledge, and recognize that, but to continue involving themselves at will in selective private business is a major concern for myself and indeed should be for us all.

Free trade and competition is what drives the American economy, for the State boys to think they can continue driving a wedge into the rights of private business is a steppingstone to destroying the very fabric of America itself.

It is insulting to each of us that they choose to destroy our way of life in favor of protecting their own.

In their own words from the Courier:

“We're not taking away the competitive process,” she said. Manufacturers are “still going to want to compete with each other because one manufacturer is still going to want to outsell another manufacturer. The only way they can do that is by putting the games in the market and taking out the games that they don't sell anymore just like they do now. That is not going to change.”


And yet the very next statement he makes is this:

Boggs said competition would be removed from the distribution system.

Lackey said “ideally” there would be two distributors in the state, compared with 23 now.

Um doesn't the statement itself say ultimately there would be 2 distributors instead of the 23 we have now?

Of course they are taking away from the competitive process and it is high time we stopped them from doing so.

Kevin Mills, leader of the St. Gabriel Catholic Church bingo, stated “What they're basically doing is ruining all the competition, and … there's nothing anybody can do about it.”

Well said Kevin Mills and Kaven Rumpel but there is much we can do about it. Stand and get the message out and help get outsiders elected to office.

The time to change is now before we all get left even further behind.