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Devious Gambling Initiative - I was going to the library the other day, and a middle aged white lady and a tall black kid were outside with clipboards. I tried to avoid making eye contact with them, but they came up to me and asked if I was a registered voter. I said yes. Then they asked, "Do you think gambling dollars ought to be used to create scholarship money to send Ohio's youth to college?"

Of course I said no, but the vast majority of people walking by were enthusiastically signing their petition.

Basically the way it's being presented, it seems as if gambling is already legal in Ohio, and these helpful samaritans are out there to heroically take some of that gambling money and give it to Ohio's youth!

But the truth is, the petition is one to legalize gambling, and there's probably some minor clause in there that says "2% of profits will go towards a scholarship fund". But these guys are highlighting the latter, and completely glossing over the former. It's the most deceptive petition I've ever seen.

I'm not even gung-ho anti-gambling, but if this is how the pro-gambling side wants to win people over to their cause in Ohio, I am going to join the other camp.

Go back to Vegas, you sneaky bastards.
posted by paddington to news at 3:52 P.M. EST     (14 Comments)

Comments ...

Yes, it is deceptive. They are claiming 30% of the profits from slot machines will generate one billion dollars a year to create college scholarships.

They call this "Learn and Earn" and it is being run by a professional organizatin called Fieldworks that was hired by several of the gambling corporations including Penn National which owns Toledo's Raceway Park. The plan would call for over 30,000 slot machines to be operated at 7 racetracks and two possibly three other locations in Ohio 24 hours a day. The amendment would also not allow proceeds from this gambling to be further taxed.

If you'd like to read more about this group you can visit their website:

http://www.ohiolearnandearn.com/

Where you can see their new ad that will be on tv and radio soon that does not mention gambling at all. You can also read discussion from other local residents as well as a paid spokesperson from Learn and Earn who's job it is to visit Ohio blogs to promote this. He found the discussion and accused me of "twisting the message" by pointing out that this constitutional amendment is really about gambling not education. It has ended up being a rather long discussion but you might find some helpful information including a link to the actual language of this proposed constitutional amendment:

http://glasscityjungle.blogspot.com/2006/06/learn-and-earn-ad-farce.html
posted by psyche777 at 09:51 A.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

same way the anti smoking people were trying to get the smoking ban petitions signed.

No matter where you stand on these issues, deception is deception. If it's a good enough idea, then it ought to be able to garner enough support thru truthful representation.
posted by billy at 10:04 A.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

When I signed it they never said a word about gambling. I guess I should have asked a question before scribbling my name.
posted by Toledolaw05 at 11:28 A.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

I'd suggest everybody send out a little advisory to your email contacts that might be approached in Ohio.

This is really deceptive and IMO it violates the laws regarding how a ballot initiative can be presented.

If you go to that website - you will not see any mention of gambling. And that's the core issue of the matter.

How anyone feels about gambling is not the issue here. It's that some slick marketers are lying to us and using our love for our children to trick us into voting to bring gambling in.

And that's about as slimy as it gets - to use children in an underhanded manner to fuel your own hidden purpose.

Yuck.
posted by katie82640 at 11:39 A.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

Yeah I got hit up for the same petition at the OWE festival last weekend for a "scholarship petition"

How slimy... then again I signed the petition thinking that I'd research it later if it made it to the ballot... and it'll get a big NO vote from me.
posted by timault at 04:05 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

I also have another suggestion, that people contact the Attorney General's office to complain that this consitutional amendment was approved using the name "Learn and Earn" in the first place.

Contact - Jim Petro
Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro
State Office Tower
30 E. Broad Street, 17th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-3428
(614) 466-4320
posted by psyche777 at 05:21 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

Oh dear God, it's like push polling.

If you want to gamble, that's fine with me, and I reserve the right to call gambling/lotteries the idiot tax. Just don't do it for the children.
posted by Bruno at 05:39 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

Don't most petitions have literature attached to it that explains in detail what the proposed action is?

Unless I disagree with the issue (in this case I disagree more with the proposed statewide smoking ban than I do with slot machines) I try to be open minded, sign the petition and put it to vote, and let the voters decide.

Once the petition is passed and it is on the ballot, then I would research it further, like timault did. There should be a plethera of petitions every year, in my book, and we should sign them, not because we agree with the issue, but because having issues on ballots gets people politically involved.
posted by jdmsbyrd at 09:24 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

in this case it's a campaign to legalize gambling. But they are proposing this as a college education fund.

No mention of gambling - that's what we're taking issue with.

Personally I think the idea has merit - but first the secret agenda needs to be exposed.

Then you could have a real dialogue about the issue.
posted by katie82640 at 09:46 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

I can't say I agree with you on wanting a plethera of petitions to change the Constitution of the State of Ohio. Personally I think that should be something not taken lightly.

When it comes to petitions designed as an example to for a candidate to run for an election I agree that's a situation where I view with a little less scrutiny. I have signed petitions for candidates I knew I would not be likely to vote for because I believe we should have more choices.

Kate and I are on the same page as our major issue being the way this is being promoted.

:-)
posted by psyche777 at 10:57 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

buh buh bingo :-)
posted by katie82640 at 11:10 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 05, 2006     #

I can't say I agree with you on wanting a plethera of petitions to change the Constitution of the State of Ohio. Personally I think that should be something not taken lightly.

I wasn't taking the issue lightly, my perspective is that people support what they help create. There is no real "buy-in" in politics or voting. But if each year we had more issues to decide on every level, it may spur more interest at the polls.

I also think we move too slow as a nation. We argue about the strangest issues and we keep things going forever.
posted by jdmsbyrd at 09:36 P.M. EST on Tue Jun 06, 2006     #

I think you're right. It probably is a very good idea that people will be voting to legalize gambling in Ohio while they THINK they are actually just setting up a college fund for their kids.

This is strange to to argue about. It's a good thing.
posted by katie82640 at 10:03 P.M. EST on Tue Jun 06, 2006     #

I would just be interested if the issue was brought to more people, what the outcome would be. We hear all of the time about polls and people's opinions. I would be good to see where we stand, as a state, when it comes to expanding gambling.

I have no argument for the deception during signature gathering! I just think the bigger audience for some of these issues, the better. It can get people passionate and involved, on both sides of the spectrum.
posted by jdmsbyrd at 09:11 P.M. EST on Thu Jun 08, 2006     #

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