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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Proposition Politics

On February 5, California votes on several ballot measures dealing with Indian gaming.

The Associated Press reports:
The bulk of the contributions this year is flowing to the campaigns over four Indian gambling compacts – propositions 94 through 97. The proposals would allow four Southern California tribes – the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation – to add 17,000 slot machines at their casinos. The four tribes and their allies have raised $101 million, almost all of it coming from the tribes.

This news report confirms a point that we discussed in class: that groups with an unusually deep stake in a policy area will have an incentive to bear the cost of organizing. Check out campaign finance disclosures. You can see the same thing in ads for and against the measures:

2 comments:

bigchris1313 said...

"n the name of fairness, California Indians urge you to send these deals back."

Blunt, but effective; however, as I've seen all season, the pro-90whatever agreements are much better done. From the Firefighter ad to the radio spots that highlight the new revenues for the school children of small tribes, the pro side of the lobby has been on top. This ad didn't disappoint:

"Don't let these special interests take away the billions of dollars the Indian Gaming Agreements provide to our state."

Of course, all this proposition business is but another nail in the coffin for the supporters of direct democracy.

bigchris1313 said...

Why do all blogs seem to lack an edit button?

I wanted to add that the bold in the quote was mine.