@ the Crossroads
Amidst all that is going on in the world and right here in the US of A, there is one bright spot — online sports betting in my home state of New York.
With inflation raging, and parents not knowing if they’ll see their child return safely home from school, the New York State Gaming Commission recently boasted of the $7.5 Billion in total online sports betting handle since its January 8th Opening Day.
That is more than the GDP of 4 countries that have UN ambassadors.
The NFL’s 65th season will kick off (literally) on September 8th and this will be the first time fans will be able to legally place an online bet on the over 500 regular season games to take place. The NFL believes in sports gambling. Their contracts with multiple sports betting operations will collectively earn the NFL over $1 Billion.
At a 10% royalty on sales, the NFL projects $10 Billion in legal bets will be made on NFL games. And that doesn’t include the Super Bowl — the big Kahuna! Just think of what that money could be used for instead of sports betting. Baby formula for one. Oh, but there is no baby formula. Forget that choice. But give me a few minutes and I’m sure there will be other ways where that vast amount of money could be better spent.
Last week, out of necessity, I learned the official definition of a Mass Killing. It’s four or more people killed. Probably by an AR 15 type assault weapon most likely in the hands of a teenager. To watch how Congress creates a new bill to help minimize the number of mass killings is questionable.
The Red state senators belittle the notion that mass killings are caused by weapons of war. They say, we need to give every teacher and cash register attendant a Glock pistol or maybe an AR 15 so that at least it’s an even fight. The Blue state senators have tried to raise the age to purchase a lethal weapon, so that at least after purchasing a gun, the perpetrator can buy a cold six pack as he scans the carnage in the school or grocery store du jour.
On a beautiful Spring day, in Buffalo, NY another innocent site was forever transformed. An 18 year old, after months of racist social media rants and a large manifesto, drove 200 miles from his small town on the NY / Pennsylvania border to murder 18 innocent people, including the store’s security guard.
The shooter’s parents, both with college degrees who work for New York state, say they did not see it coming. WTF? Should they be arrested as accessories to each of the murders? Or will the horror and shame that will haunt them into eternity be enough to keep them out of a spiffy orange jumpsuit?
The TOPS grocery store atrocity becomes just another sad event to add to the long list of tragedies that elicit strong reactions from so many, but not yet enough to change the gun laws, like several countries across the world have successfully done following a single mass killing.
“Did you see the 1/6 committee hearing?” “Yes, but I had it on Mute.” “Mute? Why watch and not be able to hear?” “It’s better that way. At least I can see what appears to be a government that follows the constitution. By not listening, I cannot hear the bullshit, although I’ve heard that the former AG did use the bullshit word on a live airing of his taped deposition.”
“Whatta ya mean? The commission seems to really have done its research and developed a timeline that predates the Insurrection. Isn’t that what you hoped for?”
“Initially I thought I did. However, there are those who support the Stop the Steal movement (after all that this what it is) will still remain after whatever happens to their svengali. He might even become their martyr. Which could alter the course of history or even rewrite history. And the poor kids who just escaped the pandemic, with mental and social scars for sure. They will have to live their life saddled with the moral debris of their parent’s generation.”
Where is your comfort level?
The highly anticipated Mid Term elections a few months in the distance will unfortunately bring out the worst of many who yearn to lead their countrymen in one of two different paths. One that follows the US Constitution, effective March 4, 1789, which makes it the oldest written and codified national constitution in force.
The other road slopes downward. We as a nation are at a crossroads, on which direction the US of A stumbles toward.
Actually, the Nation has only one path. The other direction is toward a new country, or whatever type of nation state they decide to call it. Because, the Declaration of Independence is non transferable. The US Constitution will remain the supreme law of the US of A.
If the Red take over, by hook or crook, we may well resemble the backdrop of a streaming (which used to be cable) movie where the despot in charge closely resembles, “a character detached from reality”.
I haven’t been this anxious about a Mid Term since my junior year of high school. I knew then my grade on my mid term would play a role in matriculating to college. The good thing is, I don’t have to study for this year’s Mid Term. Although I might volunteer for a political candidate with whom I share similar views on Roe v. Wade and a sensible Gun Law.
This is the one two punch that will decide many of the Mid Term elections, along with it, the future or demise of our country.
WHOA! You might say.
The US of A is at a crossroads. Not about which version of the US of A we will become.
Rather, the choice between a Democratic Republic or an Authoritarian country of a different name and bound by a new set of laws, sure to be shorter than the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
The Red hats crave a leader who disregards the populace vote and think it’s kinda cool to take over the Nation’s Capitol and change a state’s vote totals by “. . . finding 11,000+ votes”.
YIKES! This is scary shit people. Whether Democrat or Republican. You, me, we all were witnesses to an attempted coup as is common place among Banana Republics. It’s currently going on in Nicaragua and other countries, where the person in charge has total authority, most commonly arresting and detaining the opposition.
How the story here at home evolves will be explained by whichever National Cable News network your remote is currently to set to.
#STOPGUNS
