unfortunately the bought and sold democrats in this state and their indian tribe masters (campaign donations) will never let that happen. well at least as long as the dems control all 3 brances in MN. thankfully there are some elections coming up soon. I don't disagree with your take that the E-pull tabs fiasco was brought to you by the Dayton adminsitration because his chief of staff press Secretary Tinnucci and the head of the Stadium commission Kelm-Helgen all have fundraising ties and lobbyist ties to the native american casino lobby. Pawlenty was every bit as culpable about blocking gambling expansion and kicking the can down the road on the Vikings Stadium. This fundraising influence was just as prevalent when Tim Pawlenty was governor as an Evangelical he was morally opposed to gambling and took fundraising dollars from the Native casino lobbyist. It is easy to see why they have been so successful at blocking any legislation that involves expansion of casino gambling, both parties have financial ties to there fundraising dollars and they spread there money around and influence enough in State government that I could see there monopoliy going on for infinity.
Republicans like Anette Meeks and Tony Suttons wife along with all of the morale majority Republicans eat at the same trough of fundraising as the DFL legislators and the governor both take money from the Native gaming lobby for undue influence.
If you have been to any of the legislative hearings that involved laws that involved the expansion of gambling you will know that the Morale Majority Republicans have been just as obstructionist and protective of the Native Casino gambling lobbyist and protecting the Native Casino Monopoly on casino style gambling as the DFL. The money is spread around on both sides pretty effectively.
Sen Dave Thompson Lakeville (HE will be having his hand out in his run for Governor just like Dayton) to the native lobbyist and Sen Hahn of Eden Prairie were just as culpable as the so called bought and sold Democrats like Dick Cohen of South St Paul. The native gaming lobbyist teet is sucked on by both Republicans and Democrats, and the SMSC have former lobbyist employed by both parties in both legislative branches. It is border line ridiculous how much Native gaming influences all levels of state government. If KSTP did an investigative report on much money is spread around by these lobbyist people would be appauled by how much influence a foreign "tribal" government has in State business and laws. Most patrons of Native American casinos in Minnesota would also be appauled by how little regulation and inspections of there gambling operations have taken place since 2007. There is very limited oversight, and inspection in whether they are doing what they say they are doing as far as payouts % on the slot machines negotiated in the compacts with the State. There have been zero inspections by the gambling control board since 2008 of slot machines.
