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Rep.
Callaway changes his vote
on video gambling in Georgia
By
Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
NORCROSS, OCT. 23 -- One key guy instrumental in getting the Georgia
Legislature to outlaw video poker is Sen. Mike Beatty (R-Jefferson).
Largely due to his persistence, video poker bit the dust in Georgia.
Now two groups, the Georgia Family Council, and Georgia Bureau
of Investigation, have cited the senator for his crusade against
video poker. The recognition is well deserved. Without Senator Beatty
pushing, video poker could still be growing in Georgia.
Hats off, also, to The Hartwell Sun, the weekly newspaper
in Hart County, for its long efforts to make people aware of the
video poker menace. Publishing right on the South Carolina border,
The Sun was the first newspaper realizing that video poker was moving
in from South Carolina, when that state banned such gambling. And
The Sun kept up the pressure about this vulture-like menace unrelentingly.
This story has a good ending: The Sun happily put out a four-page
EXTRA edition when the Legislature voted to outlaw the gambling
machines. It's not every weekly newspaper that produces an EXTRA,
but The Sun thought the news that important to its readers.
By the way, you may still see video poker machines in Georgia.
The ban does not go into effect until January 1, 2002. So, we will
still have people losing money in video poker machines throughout
Georgia until the new year.
There is one thing you, individually, can do. If you go into a
convenience store or other operation between now and January 1,
and they still have the gambling devices ripping people off, simply
make a vow. Determine that you will not give such establishments
any of your business, not between now and January 1, nor even after
then. Such retail operations are not worthy of your patronage.
* * * * *
Votes by individual legislators seldom get our attention, since
we figure the legislative process is mostly a trading game, one
big compromise after another. So we send our legislators down to
broker what they can do best for us by voting their best instincts
on each issue.
Yet we are indebted to The Hartwell Sun for telling us the
12 state representatives in Georgia who voted against the ban on
video gambling devices. Eight were Democrats and four were Republicans.
(In addition, three did not vote and seven were excused.)
In case you did not see the list voting against the ban, it included:
Gene Callaway (R), Lilburn.
Karla Lea Drenner (D), Avondale
Brian Joyce (R), Lookout Mountain.
Craig Lanier (R), Metter.
David Lucas (D), Macon.
Jo Ann McClinton (D), Atlanta.
Arnold Ragas (D), Stone Mountain.
Jay Shaw (D), Lakeland.
Georganna Sinkfield (D), Atlanta.
Pam Stanley (D), Atlanta.
Ron Stephens (R), Garden City.
Doug Teper (D), Atlanta.
At least, that was the way the tally came out when initially voting.
We talked to Gwinnett's Gene Callaway, and found out that he "changed
his vote" on video gambling. "I looked up at the vote,
and said 'Oops' and went down immediately and told the clerk to
change my vote," Callaway told us.
Callaway said that initially "It was a tough vote. Since the
state already regulates the Lottery, and gives cash payouts on it,
it seemed hypocritical not to allow video poker if we allowed the
lottery....But I ended up voting in favor of eliminating video gambling,
after changing my vote."
FEEDBACK
10/23: Raises question
of whether Rep. McKinney crossed the line
Editor, the Forum:
It appears that the major concern about Rep. Cynthia McKinney's
comments are not centered around the Constitution's clause on free
speech but on whether she crossed the line in Article 1, Amendment
XIV, Section 3 of our Constitution.
It reads:
"Section 3: No person shall be a Senator or Representative
in Congress, or Elector of President and Vice-President, or hold
any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under
any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of
Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member
of any State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer
of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States,
shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same,
or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may
by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."
It is important that both citizens and our elected officials understand
that this is a time in our history that demands unity to preserve
our way of life and
not dissent which could lead to the destruction of the same.
-- Craig Newton, Norcross, Ga.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
About Bob Barr and the Bunny
"Like the Energizer Bunny, Bob Barr just keeps on going. And
I suspect it will take more than gerrymandering his district out
from under him to keep him out of Congress."
-- Joe Kirby, Oct. 7, 2001, Marietta Daily Journal.
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for future publication.
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