The ‘Lame Duck’ session has officially began in the US Congress, by the end of the year the make up of congress will be radically different and dominated by Republicans. I’ve always thought of the lame duck session like a substitute teacher, where just about anything goes that wouldn’t under normal circumstances.
The Democrats have a few items on their agenda they’re looking to push through before their reign is over, among them is extending unemployment benefits, extend government oversight of food and safety, ratify a nuclear weapons reduction treaty with Russia, allow gays to serve openly in the military and give social security recipients a $250 check to make up for no-cost of living increase year. It is this last item, that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opened with today in Congress.
The Democrats plan to give out $14 billion in gift checks but they’re saying it’s likely to stimulate the economy because the old folks will spend the money quickly. Well, I wonder what many old folks will be spending that money on? Gambling and slots machines? Nah, old people don’t love those things…
Here’s a suggestion, instead of making the lame duck session more lame, it might not hurt to make gambling legislation on that list of things they’re trying to sneak through. At least if there was proper online gambling legislation, a good chunk of that $14 billion would be going right back to the government, as opposed to some operator overseas.
