As American Indian casinos close for coronavirus, industry seeks $18 billion aid

Reuters ^

[ameribbean expat]

TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) - The Native American gaming industry on Tuesday requested $18 billion in U.S. federal aid as it shut casinos that are the sole source of commercial revenue for dozens of tribes in a bid to slow the coronavirus epidemic.

Tribal governments will be unable to provide health and education services and will default on loans unless they get federal support to make up for lost casino money, the National Indian Gaming Association said in a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Providing the means for tribal governments to continue paying all employees’ salaries and benefits will immensely help this country recover," according to the letter addressed to Representatives Deb Haaland and Tom Cole of the House Native American Caucus.

[ameribbean expat]

Get in line behind the NY subway, Geronimo.

[familyop]

Another portion of the great “service industry” under two generations of the rotten, international trade regime.

[Fungi]

We’re dead—not from the corona virus, but from brain dead leaders shutting down commerce and the economy, only to spend us into oblivion by giving out billions to everyone with nowhere to spend it. Pure crap. They destroy the economy and add insult to injury with printed debt money. We are doomed.

[PGR88]

Uhhh. No.

[Ex gun maker.]

Just NO!
“Separate sovereign nation”, immune to many of the laws the rest of us must endure.
Yet still take billions from the U.S. treasury annually.
No, not a dime.

[SpaceBar]

Privatize the profits, socialize the losses.

[max americana]

Are we sure the white man won because these savages don’t pay taxes, get free land and run a billion dollar business catering to the white man..trail of tears my ass.

[Shethink13]

Get in line behind the NY subway, Geronimo.

LOL! That's what happens when you feed the strays.

[tinamina]

My sister works as an accountant at one of these casinos. They shut down at 5pm today.

[Magnum44]

Aid for casinos?

[roadcat]

Just NO!
“Separate sovereign nation”, immune to many of the laws the rest of us must endure.

Agree. Let them shut down. Just as other casinos have in Nevada and Atlantic City, etc., when times get tough. Why should Indian casinos get special treatment?

[SoCal Pubbie]

“Privatize the profits, socialize the losses.”

Definitely the way lots of huge corporations operate today. In this case though, when the government is shutting you down, there’s a case to be made for compensation.

[SaveFerris]

[ Geronimo. ]

Geronimo!

Geronimo!

Me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlmQONDjwWM

[righttackle44]

Pretty stupid comment, ameribbean expat. Grow up.

[boycott]

These casinos pay tribe members not to work. Why should we bail out people not working?

[cherry]

fork off.....they are "sovereign" which means they don't follow our laws or pay our taxes....

they've leached so much money off the American citizen they can just go jump in the lake.....maybe their gravy train is over....

[Jeff Chandler]

Heap big wampum.

[Svartalfiar]

Tribal governments will be unable to provide health and education services and will default on loans unless they get federal support to make up for lost casino money,

What? These casinos rake in so much money year-round, why would they have loans out for anything? If so, they definitely have enough in the bank to pay the entire loan off tomorrow.

And, as others have mentioned, aren't they "sovereign nations"? Even more so than all the States that have taken the FedGov boot a couple times too many? Why should they get any bailout? let them ask their tribe for a bailout, see how that works! (Oh wait...)

[llevrok]

Casinos are making money hand over fist while these “sovereign nations” are still getting hand outs from Uncle?

You’d think they would have taken care of their people better /sarc

[Ratman0823]

shut casinos...in a bid to slow the coronavirus epidemic.

I must have missed the memo that upgraded the coronavirus problem from "pandemic" to "epidemic".