"The nearly $20 billion nationwide Indian casino industry began in Michigan some 40 years ago when a federal judge ruled that a 19th century treaty permitted tribes to ignore commercial fi shing regulations.

The tribes quickly realized the ruling had implications broad enough to let them also ignore anti-gambling laws.

Now 223 tribes run 411 casinos in 28 states, as The Associated Press reported in this newspaper last week. Michigan has 20 of those, 17 of them owned and operated by tribes.

Their enterprises are lucrative enough that the AP found they've spent $32 million in this state alone to protect their turf. They've fought the establishment of more casinos, including rival Indian casinos, and the expansion of other forms of gambling.

Now the quarrel over an attempt to establish a casino in Allegan County midway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids has become such a political slugfest that U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers has introduced a bill that would stop any new Indian casinos nationally for two years. He wants an attempt on Capitol Hill to sort out the mess. Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, also will conduct hearings on the situation."

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Editorial: It's time to make tribes fold on casino expansion in state (The Oakland Press 2/27)