Dems' casino scheme is cronyism, not free-market
The Illinois legislature recently passed a law that allowed the state government to license a single operator to run a casino in Lake County.
The effort was led by the leader of the Lake County Democrats, Sen. Terry Link, and former Democratic Party state senator and current CEO of Tap Room Casino, Michael Bond. Bond's company is one of six to submit an application for the monopoly license to develop and operate the prospective casino in Lake County.
Some advocates of free markets and economic liberties herald the expansion of gambling. They argue that adults should have the right to spend their money on blackjack if they so desire. This misses the point, because there is no free market when one business is granted the exclusive monopoly to engage in the activity.
Indeed, it is under more socialist economic systems, not free-market systems, where politicians and bureaucrats pick who owns the means of production.
Corruption usually follows economic socialism and crony capitalism. Pro Publica and the Daily Herald recently published a detailed exposé highlighting how former state Sen. Bond and Tap Room Casino take advantage of political connections to gain advantages for their machine gaming business.
The article also uncovered how Tap Room, working with a local Democratic Party organization funneled hundreds of thousands in financial contributions to the campaigns of several Waukegan City Council candidates last year, presumably in an effort to ensure continued business privileges via corruption of the political process.
There are a number of reasons for people from different ideological perspectives to oppose the Illinois legislature's gambling monopoly scheme. Advocates of economic liberty in our region should oppose it because we do not agree that politicians should be picking winners and losers in our local economy.
Philippe Melin
Lake Forest