Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Horse Racing Subsidies Fail to Win, Place or Show
Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 8/30/2010 | Michael LaFaive

Posted on 08/31/2010 6:04:46 AM PDT by MichCapCon

A column in today's Detroit News shows remarkable sympathy for government support of Michigan's dwindling horse racing industry. Several points stand out:

Column: "Lansing is allowing an established segment of the entertainment industry - horse racing - to wither, taking with it hundreds of jobs and small businesses."

Response: Who died and made Lansing the savior for any industry? Tastes and preferences in entertainment change, but that reality hardly justifies taxpayer subsidies to a lucky handful, whether they were buggy whip makers turned obsolete by Henry Ford in the past or horserace promoters today.

Column: "When you're in a state that is losing jobs daily, you need to protect the ones you have." - Quote from Patty Dickinson of the Michigan Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association.

Response: At whose expense? Government has nothing to give anyone it doesn't first take from someone else. That means Lansing can only "protect" (subsidize) horse racing jobs by causing other jobs to disappear or remain uncreated in the first place. If Michigan's annual horse racing subsidy is $10 million, that's $10 million taken from families and business owners elsewhere who might cause employment to grow in expanding industries, not contracting ones...

(Excerpt) Read more at michigancapitolconfidential.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Music/Entertainment; Sports
KEYWORDS: horseracing; michigan

1 posted on 08/31/2010 6:04:51 AM PDT by MichCapCon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: MichCapCon; cripplecreek; MaryFromMichigan; PGalt; magslinger; grellis; Kieri; Darren McCarty; ...

Michi ping


2 posted on 08/31/2010 6:05:23 AM PDT by MichCapCon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MichCapCon

Where’s Willie Green, he loves this type of cash flush.


3 posted on 08/31/2010 6:07:44 AM PDT by Leisler ("Over time they create a legal system that plunders and a moral code that glorifies it." F. Bastiat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MichCapCon

Ugh... NO MORE CORPORATE WELFARE!!!!! If a private business can’t hack it without taxpayer money then by definition it is better for the economy if it goes under!


4 posted on 08/31/2010 6:31:12 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pnh102
Ugh... NO MORE CORPORATE WELFARE!!!!!

Exactly! Defund all collectives, including countries. It's 2010. Stand on your own. Fail on your own.

5 posted on 08/31/2010 6:47:10 AM PDT by PGalt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: MichCapCon
"Lansing is allowing an established segment of the entertainment industry - horse racing - to wither, taking with it hundreds of jobs and small businesses."

Short translation: "People aren't spending money at the track".

So instead, they spend it at the movies, or at a restaurant, or on their house payment so they don't get foreclosed.

All of which are good and legitimate uses for the money they don't spend at the track.

6 posted on 08/31/2010 6:52:52 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Leisler
Where’s Willie Green, he loves this type of cash flush.

Recently sighted libeling Ilario Pantano

7 posted on 08/31/2010 7:04:25 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: MichCapCon

I wonder what Bernero vs. Synder would have to say about this.


8 posted on 08/31/2010 7:06:05 AM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring; Leisler; Willie Green

If you knowingly mention a FReeper, ping him.


9 posted on 08/31/2010 9:31:54 AM PDT by magslinger (DISCLAIMER: No liberals were harmed in the making of this post. I'm sorry and will try harder.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: magslinger
If you knowingly mention a FReeper, ping him.

;)

10 posted on 08/31/2010 1:44:07 PM PDT by MaggieCarta (Your tagline here. Reasonable rates. Fast turnaround time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: MichCapCon

Thanks, MCC!


11 posted on 08/31/2010 1:47:24 PM PDT by MaggieCarta (Help keep Michigan working! Post your tagline here. Reasonable rates! FReepmail for details)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: magslinger

No. I’ll do as I please, with in the rules of the site owner, and or their representatives, which is not you.


12 posted on 08/31/2010 2:12:37 PM PDT by Leisler ("Over time they create a legal system that plunders and a moral code that glorifies it." F. Bastiat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson