And so it grows ....

As more questions are asked and more people review the numbers, casino gambling is exposed for the failed public policy it is.

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The numbers simply don't add.

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Well, they don't add except for the casino investors.
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And Middleboro's annual contribution is limited to $7 Million some years down the road.
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Here's a link to a recent forum in Weston on casino gambling. http://www.wickedlocal.com/weston/homepage/x1925662940 Please note the reference in the casino bill, "Patrick’s proposal plainly admits that 1 in 20, or 250,000 people, in the state could become problem gamblers and mocked his proposed $50 million mitigation fund for problem gamblers." The number of increased problem gamblers outweighs the potential jobs created by 12:1 ratio.

Kathleen Norbut

Monson

Casino Gambling Forum

The following is passed along from Carl Offner:

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On January 8, a number of us from the Sudbury Democratic Town Committee attended the forum on casino gambling at the Weston Middle School hosted by the Weston Democratic Town Committee and the 3d Middlesex Area Democrats.

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There was a panel of four people:

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*) two representatives of the Deval Patrick administration (one lawyer and one legislative director) -- they were of course in favor of the casino gambling proposal.

*) A person representing the League of Women Voters. She represented the League's position, which is against casino gambling. (She did not speak particularly forcefully, which was unfortunate, in my opinion.)

*) Tom Larkin, one of the co-chairs of the 3d MAD. Tom is a clinical psychologist specializing in problems of addiction. He spoke against the casino gambling proposal.

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The two representatives of the administration spoke first. They actually said very little, as I remember it. They seemed to be leaning over backward to focus the issue on jobs and on the fact that there would be lots of good non-gambling entertainment involved -- principally, golf and restaurants.

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The LWV person spoke next, and Tom spoke last.

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Tom made a number of points which I found significant. Specifically, he mentioned that gambling money was"sterile" money in economic terms. I had been aware of this, and came back to it in what I said (below). He also pointed out something that I had not really been aware of -- that the only way casinos really make money is by exploiting people who have gambling problems. The person who occasionally goes and drops a few dollars at a casino is not profitable for them. They really depend for their income on mental illness. I hope Tom writes up what he said and publicizes it -- it would be a real public service.

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After the panel had spoken, the floor was opened for general comments and"questions". It was pretty clear that if a vote had been taken at that meeting, casinos would have lost overwhelmingly -- it would not have been close.

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One of the speakers who spoke before me, after giving all the reasons why she was opposed to casino gambling, said that she was "cynical" about casinos. I mention this only because I referred to it in what I said subsequently (I wrote this down from my notes afterward):

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------------ ------

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I'm Carl Offner, a member of the Sudbury Democratic Town Committee. Our Town Committee passed a resolution against casino gambling a couple of months ago. I won't read the whole thing here, but our chair Beverly Guild has copies of it, and there are also copies on the table outside, so you can get one if you don't have it already.

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Let's first clear the air a little bit:

The administration spokespeople here have talked about casinos as a way of creating construction jobs. Well there are a lot better ways to do that. There are school buildings crumbling all over this state. Just fixing that problem would provide an enormous number of good jobs.

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And we need to stop talking about these casinos as if the issue was entertainment. We've heard the administration spokespeople talk about golf and restaurants and such. Well, developers aren't drooling over this, and tripping over each other lining up because they want to build golf courses and restaurants. There are enormous profits in gambling---that's what's at stake, and let's not pretend otherwise.

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Now Tom Larkin mentioned that gambling profits were "sterile" money from an economic point of view, and he's absolutely right. Another example is military spending. Economists have long known that probably the least efficient way to stimulate the economy is to pour money into the military. If you make a bomb, it can't be used for anything that will benefit anyone. Under the best circumstances it just sits there, and from a purely economic point of view, you've thrown money down the drain. And at worst, of course, there are really terrible consequences.

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Gambling is similar. No goods exchange hands. Nothing of value is produced. The economy doesn't benefit in any real way. And most of the money leaves the state in any case. Look at Connecticut, which everyone talks about: Do you know how much money Connecticut takes in from their casinos? Less than we get here from the Lottery. That money isn't being used to benefit Connecticut.

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So where is this proposal coming from? We had this guy who ran for Governor. I worked really hard for him. When he ran, he wasn't talking about casinos. He was talking about building up the things that really contribute to the economy and to the quality of life of people here---things like investing in renewable energy, biotechnology, and putting some significant money into education. All those things create real wealth---both intellectual and economic---and real jobs.

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So he got elected, and to start funding some of these things he tried to close an ancient tax loophole that had been given to the telephone companies a hundred years ago. Maybe it made some sense at the time. It certainly hasn't made any sense for most of the last century. And he couldn't do it. I think he gave up awfully easily. But the point is that politicians have been spooked by the Republican assault on taxes. And so no one talks about where taxes come from, and where they are going. The fact that our Federal taxes,which should be used to build up this country, are being squandered and sent to Baghdad and Halliburton. The fact that large corporations and people of great wealth now pay taxes at much lower rates than they used to---none of this can be discussed. I want state legislators and a governor that make an issue of this. I'd like to see our governor go to Washington and make a Federal case out of it. I think we need to talk about these things on a national level.

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But instead what we get is a proposal for casino gambling.

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And I have to disagree slightly with one of the people who spoke before me. I don't think it's cynical to be opposed to casinos. I think it's cynical to *support* casinos. Because the whole casino proposal is predicated on the assumption that we can't have a discussion about where money comes from and where it goes. The whole proposal reflects the notion that we can't build a society that reflects our values, that brings us together and realizes our hopes. It's a tremendously cynical proposal. We deserve a lot better.[[At this point I spoke directly to the administration representatives.]]

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I don't actually have a question for you. But I do have an answer.

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The answer is no.

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--Carl Offner

To Talia: Casino Corruption #4

Talia, as you know, I generally steer clear of casino commentary because of the many issues confronting Middleboro caused by historical poor leadership, but there are clearly times when comment can be provoked.

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To those who were otherwise occupied and unable to attend CFO's first General Meeting, there is commentary offered elsewhere for review.

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On a Casino Fiend site, there is much deliberate MIS-INFORMATION to which one must urge caution. In particular, there is a wrenching commentary of the 19th Century injustices committed in the westward expansion and Trail of Tears and land grab.

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THIS DID NOT HAPPEN IN THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY.

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MIDDLEBORO LAND WAS PURCHASED. You may have heard the names of the purchases, i.e. Little Lot Men's, 8 Men's Purchase, Wood's Purchase, and so on. A review of Middleboro history will reveal as much. This should not be used as an emotional justification for acceptance of this mega monster that will benefit wealthy investors.

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The proposed Middleboro Casino IS NOT about Indians, heritage or reparations.

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The proposed Middleboro Casino IS ABOUT wealthy international casino investors.

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The proposed Middleboro Casino IS ABOUT a secret deal signed by a convicted rapist and liar the terms of which remain secret that promises to cheat the Native American Tribe, much as Kerzner and Wolman have accomplished in Connecticut.

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Curiously, the author of the Casino Fiend site attended the CFO meeting and has misrepresented what transpired at that meeting. Perhaps he should have taken notes since his memory seems questionable.

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And Talia, you might find the following article from the Enterprise interesting. Below are several comments (emphasis mine):

Reversal of fortune
By By Alice Elwell
Sat Jan 19, 2008, 09:39 PM EST

Perkins said what’s changed is that the Aquinnah didn’t offer a clear proposal, they were just looking for land. According to minutes from 2003 Perkins said he did not feel a casino was “what’s best for the direction of the town“, nor was there a benefit to the residents.

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“At the time that’s how I felt, given the set of circumstances,” Perkins said. “The difference between then and now — the Mashpee came with an offer,” Perkins said. There was no deal from the Aquinnah, he said.

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“Had they approached the town with something concrete that made sense, sure we would have looked at it and listened,” he said.

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Perkins said the Mashpee tribe offered an economic engine for the region, giving Middleboro 2 percent of the net gaming revenue, annually.

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“I don’t think I ever changed my stance,” Brunelle said. “At the time (2003), I didn’t think it was right for Middleboro.” But today, five years later, Brunelle says the financial picture is different. “Financially we need the jobs for Middleboro and the region.” Brunelle said after investors for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe bought town land at an auction, selectman had to negotiate, and what they came up with was “the best proposal in the nation.”

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In 2003, Plymouth created an informational presentation that was offered to surrounding towns. Middleboro, and SOLELY MIDDLEBORO refused to hear that presentation at that time.

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So, it would seem consistent with Mr. Perkins' and Mrs. Brunelle's policy of making decisions without information.

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Plymouth Selectmen arranged to transport elected officials from the communities surrounding Foxwoods (Ledyard, N. Stonington and Preston) to answer questions in a public forum.

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Not so Middleboro Selectmen. They apparently believe in their ability to make decisions in a vacuum and arrogant enough to believe it was their right.

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There has been much speculation about a DEAL being on the table prior to the land auction. Is Mr. Perkins confirming that in his statement?

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When voters attempted to initiate public discussion PRIOR to the land auction, Mr. Perkins said the town isn't in the real estate business. Did Mr. Perkins have a DEAL at that time?

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Mrs. Brunelle was equally as vehement in her refusal to allow VOTERS --- MIDDLEBORO RESIDENTS to discuss their concerns with her in a public forum. She said 'we won't discuss the land auction' even when it was publicly known that casino investors were interested in the Precinct St. property.

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How does Mrs. Brunelle KNOW this is the BEST DEAL? Has Mrs. Brunelle reviewed all of the others?

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The AGREEMENT STINKS. Re-read it.

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Only Rep. Calter has had the courage that the Middleboro BOS lack to call attention to the flaws in the AGREEMENT.

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And does anyone remember Mrs. Brunelle's tearful commentary on a conversation she purportedly overheard in a restaurant suggesting her corruption? She has failed to recognize that corruption is more plausible than sheer stupidity.

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Mr. Perkins has previously commented on grandiose promises made by the Rapist Raven, but failed to note the legal wording in the Agreement that DESTROYS, PREVENTS, NEGATES ANY AND ALL THIRD PARTY PROMISES. One must wonder if Mr. Perkins has read the hastily prepared Agreement.

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And Talia, more importantly,

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THE AGREEMENT DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY SHARE OF GAMING REVENUE EVER

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And finally, Talia, I would call your attention to the Casino Fiend author who wrote:

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I'm not an enthusiastic fan of casinos for reasons you can read on Casino-Fiend.com.

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Judging from the blue and white signs he waved, feathers he wore and TV interviews he gave, his comment betrays the reality. Was his public conduct just an attempt to gain personal attention? Or is it now buyer's remorse?

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Get the FACTS. Casino gambling DOES NOT MAKE SENSE to anyone other than the investors. The numbers just don't work for Middleboro or the Commonwealth.

To Talia: Another Abramoff Buddy Bites the Dust!

Perhaps Rep. John Doolittle's constituents find comfort that he quoted the Bible in announcing 'his departure' after such conspicuous corruption, but yet another Abramoff connection may occupy a cell next to 'Duke' Cunningham in continuing investigations.

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Indian Casino Gambling offers too much profit and too much advantage to casino investors to expect corruption will end with Abramoff and cronies imprisoned.

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This ceased being about 'helping' Indians long ago and became HELPING ONESELF.
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This unwinding sage bears watching.
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Doolittle: 'The time has come for my departure.'
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Doolittle's legal problems were spawned during the heady days for Republican conservatives when former Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, first as whip and then as House Republican leader, was the caucus's ideological enforcer.

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Doolittle was a faithful lieutenant on DeLay's whip team and started up the leadership ladder as conference secretary. As DeLay's power rose on Capitol Hill, it also spread throughout Washington. Doolittle thrived in DeLay's reflected beam.

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In 1995, DeLay conceived the K Street Project, a scheme to rid the major lobbying houses of Democrats. His message was clear: If you wanted to do business with House Republicans, you had to go through purist Republican lobbyists.

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Jack Abramoff converted his association with DeLay into an empire. He was not alone. Several DeLay staffers, including chief of staff Ed Buckham, formed their own lobbying firm, the Alexander Strategy Group.

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Doolittle knew them all and grabbed the perks as they came along. He used Abramoff's skybox at a downtown sports arena for fundraising, dined at Abramoff's Signatures restaurant, gloried in political contributions from them and their clients and helped with letters and federal money whenever he could.

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But there was plenty of money flowing to Doolittle and his political action committees from Abramoff's other clients, especially Indian tribes. Abramoff would later admit to grossly overcharging in lobbying activities that generally involved tribal gambling. In all, Doolittle received more than $140,000 from Abramoff, his associates and clients before his empire collapsed in 2005.

SacBee

To Talia: Casino Corruption #3

To Talia:

As attempts to obtain White House visitors' logs winds its way through the courts in Administration attempts to conceal Abramoff's connections and obstruct justice, you might want to subscribe and watch this site below for information.

Whether Glenn Marshall and other Mashpee Wampanoag tribal leaders who made generous political contributions at Abramoff's suggestion escape investigation and prosecution remains to be revealed.

This seems to paint a clear picture of the impact of casino investors on the process and Middleboro's failure to examine the their business partners.

CREW

To Talia: Glenn Marshall and the Abramoff Corruption Connection

Talia, you raised questions about casino gambling scandals and the sleaze surrounding Abramoff and the Mashpee Wampanoags.



The following articles posted below might be of interest to you.

Although it seems that Scott Ferson, mouthpiece for the international casino investors might have you believe this is a done deal, it appears Mr. Ferson's employers are loosing.

The lies surrounding the convicted rapist, Glenn Marshall have clearly been noticed, circulated and are being pursued.

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Sadly, periodic reports are made that rapist Marshall is actively involved in tribal affairs, or protecting the wealthy international casino investors and probably promises made to him.

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Hope he got those promises in writing, unlike Middleboro.

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He either doesn't have the sense to recognize his shame or he's too well-paid for his endeavors.

CCT: Tribe stays on fast track toward casino

CCT: Wampanoag Tribe meeting petition approved

Stolen Valor:
LINK
LINK

Courage, Heroism, Arrogance, Cowardice and Truth

As the year draws to a close and our historical custom of reflection surrounds us, the most striking presence has been COURAGE and HEROISM.

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Ordinary, anonymous citizens came together to oppose something they knew was just plain wrong. They sacrificed their anonymity and endured venomous attacks, criticisms, catcalls.

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More than a thousand signed recall petitions to replace a tyrannical board.

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One truly heroic Middleboro Mom stood before a crowd of orange-t-shirted, out-of-town goons and was booed for her public tears.

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One cowardly Middleboro elected official gavelled truth and opposition to silence while allowing cheers, disruptions, signs, supportive out-of-towners like Bob Saquet to ramble endlessly and the ever-present photographer climbing over furniture.

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Five arrogant elected officials decided they knew best the future path of Middleboro and followed like mindless Bobble Heads a scheme that appears hatched by the former Town Manager and Wayne Perkins to avert the fiscal train wreck they created.

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One frail tribal elder heroically questioned tribal finances, a question the state and feds noticed. She was shunned, isolated and expelled for her heroism.

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Amelia Bingham's courage should stand as a lesson to us all about our personal values about 'doing what is right.'

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Ordinary anonymous citizens have crossed Middleboro's borders to offer support, speak out in protest and join the fight to circulate the facts of this flawed endeavor.

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The Regional Task Force has courageously shunned Middleboro's participation.

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Rep. Tom Calter courageously spoke to the facts of a casino presence on surrounding communities and the flawed Middleboro Agreement.

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Middleboro's other reps and state senator instead chose the cowardly path of campaign support.

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An arrogant Middleboro official foolishly challenged Middleboro's Reps. to pledge support, even as his career and image are imploding. (Some may remember that he defended a convicted rapist by saying 'everyone has skeletons in their closet' and criticized the League of Women Voters for their impartial analysis of casino gambling.)

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Middleboro Superintendent and School Committee lacked the courage to gather the facts and make an informed decision, as did the Police Union and others. The Casino Study Committee defined itself, as did its chairman.

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Ordinary anonymous citizens around the state are speaking out, participating and recognizing flawed public policy.

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Organizations have stepped forward to analyze and publicize the flawed figures.

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The greatest cowardice were those too intellectually lazy to examine the facts, review the flaws in the Agreement, reflect on the future or step away from the cheering crowd.

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The greatest heroism arose from those willing to speak Truth to Power and endure the daggers of criticisms because they're winning.

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Let's make the New Year filled with COURAGE AND HEROISM of those willing to speak against well-funded international investors and campaign contributors. Let's fill the year with TRUTH.

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Best wishes for an enlightening holiday season.

Government for sale?

Prior to the public exposure of the Abramoff political corruption, gambling, money laundering empire which involves the Mashpee Wampanoags and Glenn Marshall, the K Street Project was widely discussed and the consequences of government for sale clearly apparent.

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The willingness of Americans to allow their DEMOCRACY to be sold to the highest bidders was astounding.

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As the year draws to a close and reflection permits, who would have guessed that the corruption caused by lucrative gambling proceeds would invade our Town, invited by our elected officials?

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The solicitation for advertising contributions for Common Cause served as a reminder of where Middleboro has been placed by those unable to manage the Town's finances, but also the importance of being involved in governance, attending meetings and making your voices heard over the well-funded casino investors. Common Cause

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CREW has been actively involved in fighting corruption in Washington and their email advisories are available.

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As a New Year approaches, will voters choose a more active role? Will voters work to inform themselves of the issue to avoid the continued pattern of government for sale at all levels?

you are responsible for the company you choose to keep.

you are responsible for the company you choose to keep

(emphasis mine)

6/28/07 Middleboro Gazette:
Casino opponents' message becoming one of rudeness, racism

Dear Editor:
I am disappointed and disheartened by the recent behavior of the casino opponents at town meetings. I applaud anyone who is interested and passionate enough to get involved in the town politics. (However, it is discouraging that it takes a mega casino to motivate you. Where were you on the Eagles Club issue -a real and physical threat sitting on the edge of the Peirce Playground literally endangering the children of our community?) There is a point where your passion can get away from you and I feel that I must address your emboldened behavior of late.
It is inappropriate to cat-call, shout-down and be generally rude to your fellow citizens. I am truly distressed to hear that one citizen who asked you all to quiet down in the hallway after exiting this past Monday's meeting (why stay to hear all of the town business, after all, you're only concerned with your own backyards), was reportedly called an "Indian Lover." This is pathetic, and, as far as I am concerned, the entire group of you should be ashamed of yourselves.
I noticed, while looking at your site this evening that you carry the following disclaimer:
"We can not control the content or take responsibilities for pages maintained by external providers/organizations that can be accessed through our site."
I know that it is difficult to control the flow of information and harder still to ensure that the people jumping on your bandwagon share your values and beliefs.
Here is the problem: you are responsible for the company you choose to keep. So, if you're shrill, rude and now, apparently racist behavior continues, it will reflect on you. It will become part and parcel of your message. And you will be heard.
It is outrageous that the folks in this town who are in favor of a casino are being bullied by an overly loud minority that have put forward not one single solution to our current fiscal crisis.

You complain that crime will increase with a casino. You attempt to scare people with the thought that suddenly houses will be robbed when the casino opens its doors. Houses are being robbed now, or perhaps you don't read the police blotter. There was a stabbing in downtown Middleboro recently. Drugs are a serious problem in this town right now.
Let's imagine where we will be 5 or 10years from now, without a casino, without an override, and a severely scaled down police force. We will have a town that can not afford to support the services it needs. We will have a park department that can barely afford to offer programs to our youth and a library stripped to the bone, possibly de-certified, relying on its own meager collection of books. Where do you think our children w:ill be then, having received a substandard education with few if any prospects for employment? We won't need to talk about a crime rate then -we'll be living it.

But it probably won't affect you, the rude ones screaming about your backyards, you'll have moved on to someone else's pasture by then. And you'll want the door to that town closed behind you. You'll shun change and growth there too, claiming it as you found it -calling it your own.
By the way,the fellow that you slurred the other night has lived in Middleboro for more than 20 years. I imagine he too calls this place his own. He deserves your respect. I sincerely hope that bit of common decency isn't beyond you.

I, for one, do not have concerns about "the introduction of low-wage casino workers who will bring 20+ languages into the school system..."as you recently posted on your site. It seems to me that a bit of diversity is precisely what this town needs at the moment. Tolerance is a lesson that clearly needs to be learned here.

Victoria Bond

7/27/07 Middleboro Gazette:
No vote doesn't ensure no casino, just no money from casino
TotheEditor:
As a resident of Middleborough, I feel strongly that the people of our community be left alone to make decisions regarding our community. Recently, several neighboring towns have begun to insert themselves in an issue that is uniquely Middleborough's. While I am aware that many people within the South Shore are concerned about what impacts the Wampanoag resort will have within their respective communities, that is an issue to be dealt with on the state level. When the Wampanoag tribe solidifies their plans regarding their resort, they will have to enter into a compact agreement with the state. It will then be up to each concerned community and their town officials to negotiate for mitigation of any perceived impacts with the state. It is wholly inappropriate for anyone to suggest that somehow Middleborough should be responsible for that mitigation and in kind, inappropriate for any neighboring community or its citizens to pressure the individuals within our community regarding their personal vote.
This proposed resort presents a unique opportunity for our town. We are all painfully aware of the financial straits in which we currently find ourselves. This proposal can and will significantly mitigate our current situation.
Our police and fire departments will be substantially improved (three fire houses open in Middleborough?!?), our schools will once again be solvent enough to foot the bill for

JV and freshman sports, our COA willonce again be able to care for the elderly with home visits and meals, and our precious library may, with any luck, escape decertification
If we vote against the resort proposal none of the above will be true. We will continueto bleed from our financial ulcer and our quality of life will definitely suffer -you think the current trash fee is a burden? Think of all of the families who are going to have to come up with additional monies just to provide their children with the extra-curricular activities that were once a part of our quality of life. The folks in Oak Point are going to be waiting longer for a response to their emergencies. Our elderly will no longer be able to turn to the town for help so they will have to rely on family, provided they have any. Crime and drugs, which this year alone jumped 30-40%, will continue to worsen until it finds itself on your very doorstep, that is if it hasn't already.

It seems that some of the folks who are opposed to this resort have been advising voters that a NO vote will ensure that the resort will not come. That is simply not true. The resort will come. They do not need our permission to build it. The town being opposed to it may make their fight more difficult, but to assert that it will defeat it is, quite simply, a lie. If in the end the tribe is successful (they are tenacious and proud, they just won a 33 year legal battle for recognition) they will build it and people will come. The only difference is that Middleboro will still be bleeding out, have received no financial compensation and have a bad relationship with the tribe.
I know that there are negatives to this proposal, which is why the town is negotiating with the tribe to protect and prepare our community to adequately deal with those negatives. The anti group is ONLY focused on the negatives. If they were going to be honest with themselves and their community they would have to admit that there are also a lot of positives. Here are just a few:
-You will finally have some place, close by, where you can go to see a show, have a five star meal, do some high-end shopping, take the kids to the water park or go to a: museum.
-It will create 16,000 jobs for Middleboro and her surrounding communities.
•It will provide the town with much needed improvement to our gas and electric and water systems which are currently insufficient to access all of the water available to us, which is the real cause for the water bans we have to deal with yearly -it's not because we don't have the water -we don't have adequate pumps to bring the water up. Those pumps, by the way, have already reached their half-life and will have to be replaced within the next 15 years.
-The resort will feed local industry. Think of all the supplies that it will require from toilet paper to sheets and towels on up to food supplies and dishes.
-Bordering towns will have the opportunity, should they so choose, to create industry and
commercial tax revenues within their communities.
-The completion of Route 44 will finally fix the problem at the Middleboro rotary and complete the loop on the South Shore from Boston down 495/95 and 24 across to route 3 making the whole of the South Shore more accessible and easily traveled.
-Keep in mind that Foxwoods Resort and Mohegan Sun, combined, have contributed more than $432 million annually to Connecticut and have deposited more than $ 4 billion into the state treasury. Importantly, the casinos are two of the state's five largest employers with more than 20,000 workers (The New London Day, editorial, June 17, 1 2006).
Everyone seems to be forgetting that the Wampanoag are coming home. This will once again be their home, and they want to be as proud of it as we are. They are not looking to destroy it or desecrate it in any way. They are looking to open a business here and unlike most big business, they will be living amidst that business. Don't you think that gives them added incentive to be thoughtful and cautious in their planning? We have a choice: we can either share this town or fight over it. I don't think change is a bad thing-I think it is a necessary thing. I, for one, will embrace this change by voting yes to the proposed agreement with the Wampanoag tribe on July28.
Victoria Bond (Victoria Bond's husband is Selectman Adam Bond.)

Mr. Limo, where are you?

Let me clarify --- the following was intended to shed sunlight on vermin.

The diplomatic criticisms that have been attempted have failed to provoke an appropriate moderation in the tone of MANY of the comments.

Several posters have labelled others or posted outright lies, then deleted the posts and they are NOW denying that they ever made the comments.

Public discussion forums are PUBLIC. What is posted has been saved and will be saved. Delete as you choose or prevent others from posting, but what you post WILL come back to haunt. There are additional comments that have been posted that I will continue to add.

It is not my intent to create controversy, but rather to calmly explain some of the issues that confront Middleboro because of questionable leadership that has blundered on numerous issues that have caused a fiscal train wreck.

But the tone of the public comments needs to change.

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When Casino Facts posted a commentary regarding an offensive blog that is being maintained by an out of town business owner, that blog immediately went into DENIAL MODE!

NUMEROUS offending responses were deleted. Posters were banished from the site.

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Victoria Bond, wife of Selectman Adam Bond who is seeking to become the Town Manager, wrote a letter to the editor protesting the interference of those OUT OF TOWNERS intruding into the management of the Town. (I will post her letter separately.)

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The primary offensive posters on the inflammatory web site DO NOT LIVE IN MIDDLEBORO, one doesn't live in MASSACHUSETTS, are totally unfamiliar with the Town, but Mr. Bond has provided MUCH mis-information, devoid of facts to one poster.

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One must wonder, why the double standard, Mr. Bond?

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If you protested the exclusion of Middleboro from the Regional Task Force, why aren't you protesting this? And since you chose to grandstand when it suited your purposes about a SINGLE post on the CFO blog, why are you silent now? Mr. Bond, you have posted in this forum and are fully aware of its content.

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(Some added emphasis is mine. Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors are as posted. Not all of the inflammatory posts are included. There are far too many, but I will continue to add unless the tone of the forum changes.)

http://www.casino-friend.com/whoarewe.html
Donations to date:
$300.00 Hal Brown (editor)

$100.00 Kathy Ryan (secretary)

$150.00 Joe Freitas (associate editor)

$ 20.00 Joe Runci

$ 50.00 Jeanne and Tom Morse (6/27/07)

$ 50.00 Janet Parker

$ 50.00 Sondra Scott

$ 50.00 Tom White

$100.00 MSM Executive Limo

$ 75.00 Tony Lawrence

$ 50.00 David Tedesco

$ 30.00 Bonnie and Christopher Stiner

$ 100.00 Wayne Lee

$ 25.00 Eleanor and Dominick DeAngelis

$ 100.00 Mary-Lauren and Thomas Garafalo

$ 20.00 Judith Bigelow-Costa

$ 50. Jim LeRoy

$150 "Splendid Splinters" from Ted Williams Camp

$ 100.00 Dr. "Bud" Martinson and Donna Martinson
Total donated: $1,620.00
.
"By the way, one of Bond's main backers, Tony Lawrence, is associated with Casino-friend.com, whose editor and publisher, Hal Brown, has compared casino opponents to the Ku Klux Klan. " (Media Nation)


Hal Brown:

I don't claim to have read everything Val wrote and maybe I should go back and look at whatever is still online. But it would help to have someone give, say, five examples of her worst transgressions.

My view is that the minimum basic of good citizenship doesn't require that one becomes actively involved. It just means that citizens cast informed votes.

Some of us heard anti-indian comments like "send them back to the reservations" and Mike himself had someone use the N-word in a verbal attack against him.

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I do think that some people in the anti-casino movement are more classist than racist. They are totally accepting of lower middle class and above people of any race, but prejudiced against people they view as "lower class".

Who wants to come out in public and say they don't want their children going to school with ragamuffins (to put it more or less politely), urchins and guttersnipes who can't even speak the mother tongue?

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Neither Val nor I have said that CFO was racist.

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I am referring to a certain kind of political persuasion which attempts to communicate by using code-words to people with prejudices, and doesn't have anything whatsoever to do with whether the person using those code-words is prejudiced themselves....CFO is campaigning.

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They want to win. What will they do to win? I don't know, but I am not sure they aren't willing to engage in, dare I say, Rovian politics.

Anti-casino posters repeatedly tried to distort what I wrote.

This has to to with what I suggest is a political tactic being used by at least on CFO board member to scare potential voters who do not want lower income people, some people from ethnic minorities, living near them.

I noted that many bankruptcies don't involve people becoming destitute. I don't know the statistic but the few people I know who declared bankruptcy did so to restructure their debt.

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They kept their house and nice cars and in the instances I know of made out quite well.

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Hal Brown, compassionate therapist:

Lives totally destroyed?

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Quite an assumption there if you mean that otherwise perfectly healthy individuals with no predisposing mental or emotional impairments will have their lives, and hence their families, totally destroyed because of a casino in our midst.

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Not to wear out this subject, but just because an individual has his or her life totally destroyed (whatever that means) doesn't mean the family is totally destroyed.

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It sometimes mean there is a divorce, and the spouse and children are actually better off.

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There are times when a spouse's behavior has to get intollerable before their partner ends a destructive marriage.

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You are dealing with a small number of bankruptcies before the casino, about 2.98 bankruptcies per 1,000 residents which increased to 3.27 bankruptcies per 1,000 according to the study you cite.

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To relate that to Middleboro, rounding off its population to 20,000, that would mean bankruptcies would increase from about 60 to 66.

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VegasVal, anonymous poster, OUT OF STATE RESIDENT:

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a certain radical right wing element has latched on to the allegedly "flawed" agreement

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Perhaps, I'm a psychologist conducting a study on Internet harrassment and cyberstalking?

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It is very interesting to watch the escalation in anti-social behavior patterns with each battle that is lost by the casino opposition

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I, honestly, don't know how some of you can hold your heads up in public

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You must be living in fantasy world if you don't see how DISGUSTED the majority of your neighbors are with your behavior.

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Wow! Now there's a really defamatory little diatribe! I hope everyone has printed out a couple of copies of this!

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Damn straight! Glenn Marshall has a lot more honor than the woman in that video. You can say whatever you like about him. Your opinion doesn't really matter. Only the opinions of his people, who know Glenn's character and his heart, really matter here. Glenn Marshall may be "on hiatus" for a little while, but many of his people stand silently by him and they will stand by him in the future.

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Geesh! Not this again! Didn't Adam come on this very forum and quote (for you) the exact section of the agreement in which Middleboro DOES get a backend percentage of NOT ONLY the slots, but all other gaming profits? I seem to recall that he did.

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(NOTE: There is no percentage of gaming profits included in the Agreement.)

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It should be noted that the statistics CFOfacts was using regarding comp rooms were apparently for Atlantic City and are among the highest in the country.

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No, I sincerely believe a formal investigation IS in order. There have just been too many problems created for town employees by a certain individual who clearly is out of control . I sincerely hope that some sort of investigation is launched.

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Looks to me like they may deliberately be misrepresenting the value of the contract so they can call it a "lousy" deal.

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So, are you saying that ethnic diversity is too expensive for Middleboro? What about African Americans? Most of them speak English. Would it be "too expensive" to incorporate them into the fiber of the community?

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I have stated that CFOFACTS' blog (attributed to their Directors) expressed what I perceive to be a racist agenda. As a person of Native American heritage, I stand by my perception quite firmly.

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Why, indeed? From my perspective that blog is ALL about racism. As I see it, it's not an attack on a casino - it's an attack on an INDIAN casino.

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When their supporters cite the influx of "non english speaking" and "special ed" children into Middleboro's school system as a negative impact - one must ask WHOSE children are they talking about??? Are these people SO stupid themselves that they believe Native Americans in this country are incapable of speaking Engilsh?

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I described your POSTING saying: "Ignorance and RACISM raise their ugly heads for all to see!"

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Here we have it, folks! Ignorance and RACISM raise their ugly heads for all to see!

Yes, ThePM, YOUR children might have to go to school with those poor, dirty, dark skinned, stupid little NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING children.

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Thanks for letting us all see your true colors. Next time you're at church, why don't you share this little love letter with your pastor. I'm sure he could tell you a thing or two about bigotry.

Better move! Quick! You're daughter might end up marrying an Indian!

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You are dangerously close to the edge with your insinuations of potential wrong doing on anyone's part. I would caution you against making potentially libellous statements about people, based upon your unsubstantiated personal suspicions.

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Yes, there clearly are some anti-casino supporters who have PUBLICLY made statements that would lead any reasonable person to believe that they harbor racist sentiments.

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Does anyone REALLY believe that a coallition of groups from across the state invited Rich Young to lead this group? Please! I would suggest you do what I have done, research the "individual people" who make up their group.

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What you will find is that they all seem to have individual "axes" to grind that often have nothing what-so-ever to do with the arguments their group sets forth in the media. Likewise, the people who rail about drunk drivers are well know to local liquor store staffs.

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How hypocritical.in my opinion, many of these people strike me as uneducated, ill spoken, unpolished and unattractive - yet there they are smiling for the cameras..

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IMO, none of these people have any business being on television - yet there they are scrambling to grab their fifteen minutes of fame and they don't seem to care who they have to step on and hurt to get that moment in the spotlight.

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They pay lip service to irradicating libel and slander from the various blogs they promote and support.

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Without the negative innuendo and libellous personal attacks I doubt they'd have an audience.

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It is also apparent from a number of public comments that have been made, including ones made on this forum, that some of their supporters are simply racists who take issue with minority children infultrating the school system.

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How can anyone take such people seriously? I wouldn't worry about compromising with or working in conjunction with Casinofacts. I strongly suspect that organization will be disbanding in the near future.

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Now, hush, I wouldn't give those evil witches and wizards a second thought. Maybe we're not lying.... maybe we're right!!

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No, maybe you are lying and maybe the developer is lying, too!

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Honestly, I seem to recall there being something in the agreement regarding the casino's design.

I can't imagine that ANY business would be so imprudent as to affiliate themselves with CFOfacts.

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I continue to be STUNNED at the fact that people are apparently naive enough to assume the legal liability connected with serving on their Board.

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I find it so offensive that these folks involve their children in "picket lines" during school hours.

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Honestly, I think that sort of behavior should be reported to child protective services. It strikes me as abusive.

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IMHO, they are propagating racism and bad feeling towards the Indians for having the "audacity" to exercise their legal rights. Afterall, it would be so much more profitable if they didn't!

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Most of the anti-casino people are well meaning and aren't bigots. I really believe that. However as far as I know, their primary spokespersons have not incorporated a clear, unambiguous, anti-racist and anti-bigotry statement into their message.

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"What difference has CasinoFacts.org made - really? What HAS this group and their supporters accomplished? As I see it, this group -1) Tried to convince voters not to support the casino agreement with the Wampanoag - AND FAILED

2) Tried to convince the media and the State Attorney General's office that there had been some sort of vote tampering - AND FAILED

3) Tried to organize a massive rally with hundreds of anti-casino supporters on the State House steps - AND FAILED

4) Tried to sway the Governor's opinion regarding casinos in MA - AND FAILED

5) Tried to recall three members of the Middleboro Board of Selectman - AND FAILED

6) Tried to create a big media splash with a massive showing for the debut of "CasinoFreeMass" - AND FAILED

There are a great many more unsavory things this group's supporters have TRIED to do - behind the scenes - but I won't mention them here.

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So, what is it that Casinofacts is so thankful for? Attention?

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It seems to me they haven't accomplished any of their primary goals. What they have managed to do is create a lot of division, discord, anger and hurt feelings in the community"

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In response to a question about how usage of town vehicles are tracked: Who cares? You people are too busy trying to insinuate yourselves into the nitty gritty details of Town Government.

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It's so lame and so offensive. Why don't you get out of the way and let the professionals - the town employees - do their jobs?

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Am I bitter? Absolutely not! Am I angry? In general, no, not at all. I've won. There WILL be a casino in Middleboro.

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What annoys me is all the unnecessary personal attacks, libel and clear cut defamation of character I have seen on so many blogs and message boards posted by what I see as a desperate, vengeful crew of sore loosers. I have exposed these people for what they truly are. I suspect that is what makes them so angry.

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So, I was watching the Nancy Grace Show the other night. Anyone who has followed my postings might well suspect that I'm a BIG fan of Nancy's! I'm often told, we share a lot of similar mannerisms and personality traits! LOL! Anyway, the panel was discussing Don Imus' recent return to the airwaves, replete with two African American co-hosts. Of course, Sharpton and some other talking heads were strongly objecting to the network's decision to return Imus to the airwaves. Apparently, in their view anyone who uses the "N" word or any other kind of racial slur directed at African Americans should be denied their basic right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Gee, I'm confused.

When did it become illegal in this country to use the "N" word???? (As I understand it, Imus made some offensive remarks of an inflammatory nature, but he didn't actually even use the "N" word.) Being part Native American myself, I'm no fan of racial slurs of any kind - but aren't we over reacting a bit? Should people really be fired from their jobs and never allowed to work in their given industry again, for SAYING something insulting? I'm troubled by this mode of thinking, and I'll tell you why. Although I find racial slurs directed at African Americans disturbing and unacceptable, why is this sector of the population given what seems to be a "special right of vengeance"? So many comedians on the major networks make jokes at the expense of Hispanic, Asian or Southern Americans. How frequently do we hear jokes about Irish "drunks" or stupid "Polacks", or ignorant "rednecks" on television? Aren't these comments JUST as offensive? Yet, we don't see any group of Irish people demanding that people be fired from their jobs for a joke or two about Conan O'Brien. How is the situation for African American people any different? What makes the "N" word unspeakable and the terms Mic, Spic, and Chink somehow a bit more acceptable?I'm interested in hearing others thoughts on this topic......

"Is Jessie Powell out of her mind, or just drunk?"

You may not LIKE my opinions, but I am entitled to them and should not be personally attacked, harassed or stalked for exercising my legal right of free speech. Please, provide ONE example of an instance where I personally attacked another poster.

... implying that I am the type of person who might engage in some sort of violent or criminal activity seems pretty out of bounds to me.

It would be better not to answer that question at all than to just make something up. That is not the reason. You know it isn't. Why say such a thing?

Who cares? You people are too busy trying to insinuate yourselves into the nitty gritty details of Town Government. It's so lame and so offensive.

...it should be obvious that Mike doesn't share your views so I suggest you stop trying to speak for him.

You can't provide a quote, because I have never said anything of the kind. Moving forward, please, refrain from putting words in my mouth.

.... Well, here we have a place where they have a very limited ability to CENSOR opposing views, but that doesn't seem to stop people like yourself from trying.

There is no question, in my mind, that predjudice runs rampant throughout that organization, whether it be overt racism or discrimination based upon class.

Do you have ANY idea how crazy you sound? Are you a racist? You tell me. I couldn't care less about you. We are discussing CFOfacts anti-casino publicity campaign - not you and your views.

This isn't personal - and I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from making personal attacks and attempting to goad others into doing the same.

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The views expressed publicly by CFOfacts strike me as inflamatory and potentially appealing to prejudice. Clearly, others share my view. We are entitled to our opinion and if you don't like it - that's just TOUGH!

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Honey, no has said "CFO is racist" - stop trying to put words in people's mouths. We've commented on THEIR public statements and offered our view. Perhaps, the "good folks" at CFOfacts should give a little more thought to how their propaganda campaign might be construed before they use inflamatory phraseology?

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It never ceases to amaze me how frequently people on the anti-casino side of this debate resort to personal attacks and name calling when confronted with actual facts or arguments they can't refute.

In other words, you are are attempting to alarm and frighten people based upon nothing more than speculation and personal opinion. It does sound like the rhetoric of a professional politico. It smells a lot like CERA propaganda to me.

Your post is inappropriate. There is nothing hostile or personally insulting in the post you cite. I take offense at your characterization of me as a "bully". That is a personal attack, which is against the rules on this forum.

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I fail to see the "muck & mire" you attribute to my simple one sentence reply. There is nothing inappropriate in my response above - the same cannot be said for this posting of yours.

CFO's methods haven't exactly been lily white, so they are not in a position to criticize anyone.

The reprinted postings are being taken out of context, editorialized and spun in a misleading manner in some cases.

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My own observation from reading her blog and her postings here is that her thought process has become increasingly disordered, delusional and irratic.

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She seems consumed by a series of personal vendettas, and I am SERIOUSLY concerned that this woman could potentially become dangerous.

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....I do sincerely believe that it is probable that you could end up potentially losing the personal liberty you seem to cherish.

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Village Idiot Alert!

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I appologize for calling you ignorant. I really only referenced your "stupidity" in order to get your attention and it seems to have worked.

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You come off like a stalker, who is harrassing this person, much in the same manner in which you harrassed the firemen.....

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...I think you've really crossed the line into an area where you seem to be pursuing vendettas against innocent bystanders

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We need a FINANCE DEPARTMENT, with a TOWN CONTROLLER at its head....

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This dame's lack of perspective is MIND BOGGLING! What PLANET is she living on? We need a TEAM of qualified CPAs to help us FIX our financial mess.

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I doubt anyone is trying to flush money down the drain by ONLY requiring a 4 day work week.

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With all due respect, I work in the area of Finance and it is very obvious to me that you are speaking (with great authority) of an area you really do not understand.

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I have little doubt that the town has a three or five year plan and years of budget forecasts and projections laid out well in advance.

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I really wish you would stop trying to make trouble, because it's very obvious that you don't know what you are talking about.

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Whether or not you can AFFORD the costs is irrelevant.

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I will GUARANTEE you that there are YEARS of budget projections in the mill.

To Talia: Glenn Marshall and the Abramoff Corruption Connection

Dear Talia:

There is much that needs correcting within the Town of Middleboro. Many people fail to understand how Town Meeting Government should work and voters are still asking the most basic questions about their rights to information and to ask questions at public meetings.

It requires time for voters to understand that they are being denied the transparency and answers to which they are entitled. And it takes time to understand how poorly managed the Town has been.

And it requires time for voters to understand their importance at Town Meeting.

As such, I have attempted to allow others to comment on the Casino Fiasco that an arrogant Board of Selectmen imposed on Middleboro with no discussion, no facts, no input.

When a small group of Middleboro voters attended a packed Selectmen's Meeting Room to protest the auction of the Precinct Street property (along with several others that were problematic) that was widely reported in newspapers, as well as the Town Planner's memo, as being of interest for a casino site, we were gavelled to silence.

Not allowed to speak ? Prohibited from asking questions. Prohibited from being added to the Agenda for the following Selectmen's Meeting.

Wayne Perkins said the Town is not in the Real Estate business. (He also told you in March that towns that have casinos don't pay taxes. Has anyone asked him why he only agreed to $7 million to sell the town?)

Marsha Brunelle said 'we won't discuss the land auction.'

NOT ONE SINGLE SELECTMEN VOTED TO QUESTION THE LAND AUCTION AND THAT INCLUDES MR. BOND.

Mr. Bond failed to speak up UNTIL voters protested.

Some of those in attendance just understood that a casino was a mistake.

I was familiar with the efforts in Plymouth several years earlier when a casino was proposed in the Cordage Park area. The Plymouth Selectmen transported the elected officials from Ledyard, N. Stonington and Preston, CT to Plymouth to answer questions in a public forum.

Not so, Middleboro!

The opposition group in Plymouth provided EACH State Rep. and State Senator with a free copy of ' Without Reservation.'

Plymouth prepared a presentation regarding the factual issues surrounding the experience of Connecticut that was offered to surrounding communities. Middleboro declined.

It would seem that Middleboro Selectmen have a long history of making decisions without the facts and without consideration of surrounding towns.

When the Federal Government allowed casino gambling as a source of revenue on reservations, in my opinion, a grievous injustice was committed. Instead of providing a source of revenue for Native Americans, it has placed them at as much risk of exploitation by wealthy investors as the rest of us. One need only follow the contorted trail of Jack Abramoff filled with money laundering, fraud, political corruption that was first reported in the Washington Post (link below).

Casino gambling is extremely lucrative -- to the CASINO INVESTORS. They have wisely made political contributions to buy support. The BIA is notoriously corrupt and fails to fulfill its obligations to Native Americans.

You can do your own google search for: Abramoff, Wampanoags and Abramoff, and Glenn Marshall. It's not a proud heritage, but rather a sordid tale that the Tribal Council seems reluctant to shed.

You might find the following of interest:

Mashpee Election UpdateMystery write-in is none other than the infamous Glenn Marshall
By Peter Kenney
There are two seats open on the Mashpee Wampanoag tribal council and the election to fill these seats will be held at the council headquarters on Sunday. Aaron Tobey, Darryl Frye and Gail Hill are running for the seats. Now it appears there is a member of the tribe running as a write-in candidate. He is a former Portuguese activist, rapist and freelance imaginary hero from Falmouth named Glenn Marshall. He is also a nationally known and disgraced figure who was forced to resign as chairman of the tribal council when the full extent of his sordid past and his dishonest present became known. Marshall resigned at the end of August in 2007. CCT

The meeting that wasn’t The secret meeting at a posh resort for "Special Wamps" only

By Peter Kenney
Last Sunday was to have seen a meeting of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribal council -- not at its usual venue, though, in council headquarters on Great Neck Road in Mashpee -- but at the Sea Crest Oceanfront Resort & Conference Center in Falmouth. Sources within the tribe say that the meeting and its location were planned in secret to prevent participation by the tribe’s rank and file members. But, someone found out. CCT

Freedom of Speech is not a Glen Marshall obligation
Get ready for "King Marshall's War" against Joe Wamp

By Peter Kenney Amelia Bingham is 84 years old, but her voice is as strong as her convictions. She is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, an elder. She, along with three other members of the tribe have been shunned by the tribal council. Her reward for opposing the rule of tribal council chairman Glenn Marshall, for publicly demanding an accounting of tribal funds, was expulsion from the tribe's lands, benefits and activities. She was officially shunned for seven years. Both of her daughters and one of her sons have been removed from the tribal roles. Glenn Marshall does not tolerate opposition. CCT

White House Ordered to Keep E-Mails

With Suits Pending Over Missing Messages, Judge Issues Directive on Backup Tapes
JUDGE ISSUES TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER IN CREW LAWSUIT AGAINST THE WHITE HOUSE
12 Nov 2007 // U.S. District Judge Henry Kennedy granted Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington's (CREW) request for a temporary restraining order to prevent the White House from destroying back-up copies of millions of deleted emails while the lawsuit is pending.
WP Archive Search Results
WP Abramoff Search Results
It was also reported last week that Marshall was convicted in 1981 of raping a 22-year-old woman in West Barnstable. CCT
Congressional testimony of Glenn Marshall
Glenn Marshall, the chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag, testified at a congressional oversight hearing on March 31, 2004, speaking in support of tribe's request for federal recognition.
"I am a survivor of the siege of Khe Sanh in Vietnam," he said, according to the transcript, evoking the name of a famous battle that lasted from January through April 1968.
However, the Cape Cod Times reported today that records show that when the battle took place Marshall was still a senior at Lawrence High School in Falmouth. Marshall didn't graduate until June 9, 1968, according to the Times.
...I am a survivor of the siege of Khe Sanh in Vietnam. Our ties to our community at home compliment our record of service and sacrifice to the country... Boston Globe
The truth about Glenn Marshall
Media Nation
Glenn Marshall's bizarre threat

Media Nation

Source: Feds stopped at Falmouth PD and Tribal Council HQ today Marshall missing, along with his motorcycle and trailer Cape Cod Today

Tribal council to act on Marshall

Cape Cod Times

Military Awards Expert Reports Marshall To FBI Report of five Purple Hearts, Silver Star 'raised a red flag' CCT

Mashpee Wampanoag leader stepping aside

Asked whether there had been any other arrests, Marshall replied: "Not that I remember."

Boston Globe

Tribe members worry about Wampanoag image
Say controversy casts shadow on recent recognition
By Anna Badkhen, Globe Correspondent August 26, 2007
PLYMOUTH -- Members of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe said yesterday that revelations that their leader was a convicted rapist who had lied to Congress about his military record cast a pall over the tribe's recent hard-earned federal recognition. Boston Globe

Wampanoag divisions grew deep

MASHPEE - Amelia Bingham had been told not to come.
But the 84-year-old tribal elder came anyway, clad in tribal dress, holding a small brown feather in her hand, ready to partake in the Mashpee Wampanoag annual Pow Wow in July. Bingham had been shunned by tribal leaders for doing the unthinkable: She had taken on the tribe's controversial chairman, Glenn Marshall, filing a lawsuit alleging that he failed to account for $14 million advanced to the tribe by a casino developer. Boston Globe

Liar's poker

As Michael Leighton, a Marshall classmate at Lawrence High School in 1968, told the Cape Cod Times: "When I first saw his photo as tribe chairman, I said, 'When the hell did he become Wampanoag? He always talked about being Portuguese.' " Boston Globe

Casinos and the American way
By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist August 26, 2007
SOME SCENES from the casino wars:
Governor Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky wants his reelection battle with Democratic challenger Steve Beshear to turn on the issue of casino gambling. Fletcher opposes any expansion of legal gambling in Kentucky beyond the state's famous racetracks. Beshear favors amending the state constitution to legalize casinos. Last week, the governor embarked on a "No Casinos Tour" and began airing commercials warning that casino gambling will mean more crime, bankruptcy, and broken marriages. His opponent points out that casinos will generate $500 million a year in new state revenue.

Then there is Kansas, where the attorney general wants the state supreme court to decide if a new casino gambling law is constitutional. And Michigan, where legislators are fighting over letting racetracks add casino-style gambling. And Ohio, where Governor Ted Strickland has ordered hundreds of bars, clubs, and game parlors to shut down their electronic gambling machines or face criminal prosecution. Boston Globe