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Editorial: Presidential politics derailed off-reservation casino bid

Tuesday, January 27, 2015


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Newspaper attributes rejection of Menominee Nation off-reservation on the presidential aspirations of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R):
To understand how Illinois dodged a large fiscal musket bullet shaped like a roulette ball, you’d have to understand what Wisconsin Gov. Scott “Scooter” Walker wants more than anything else.

He wants to be President of the United States.

To achieve that improbable goal, he has to play nicely with very conservative primary voters in Iowa. They don’t like the morally tainted expansion of state-sponsored gambling and told him so.

So his rejection of a new $800 million gambling palace just over the border from Lake County made them happy.

Also very happy are the Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk tribes who run casinos in Wisconsin under a compact that pays them if any new tribal gambling halls hurt their incomes. A new casino in Kenosha certainly would have done that. So they fought it with millions of advertising dollars.

Get the Story:
Editorial: Presidential politics trumped Kenosha casino deal (The Chicago Tribune 1/26)

More Opinions:
Gov. Scott Walker kills the Kenosha casino, and he's right to do so (The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 1/24)
NO CASINO - OUR VIEW: Disappointing and outrageous (The Kenosha News 1/24)
Editorial: Walker deals a win to Potawatomi, big loss to this area (The Racine Journal Times 1/25)
Bruce Murphy: How Walker’s Presidential Bid Hurts Wisconsin (Urban Milwaukee 1/27)

Also Today:
Kenosha casino supporters say they're still fighting to change Governor Walker's mind (WTMJ 1/26)
Paul Ryan thinks win-win was possible on Menominee casino (Wisconsin Radio Network 1/26)
Kenosha Left to Pick Up The Pieces in Wake of Casino Decision (WUWM 1/26)
Mayor foresees bright future for Dairyland property (The Kenosha News 1/27)

Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet: Menominee Nation Decision | Section 20 Determination: Menominee Nation Off-Reservation Casino Related Stories:
Governor rejects Menominee Nation off-reservation gaming plan (1/23)