Freedom takes another hit in Maryland

Ed. Note: This article was originally published in the Baltimore Examiner on Nov. 19, 2008, but is being reprinted here as the paper has gone out of business.

It should come as little surprise that Question 2, a Maryland constitutional amendment to legalize slot machines at select locations throughout the state, passed overwhelmingly on Election Day. It seems that whenever folks here in the People's Republic of Maryland have a chance to vote away their freedom, they rarely hesitate to do so.

Former Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich, who preceded current Democrat Martin O'Malley, tried repeatedly to legalize slots while he was governor, but he was constantly rebuffed by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. Ehrlich's intent ostensibly was to relieve the burden on taxpayers by generating revenue at the expense of gamblers who would willingly part with their own money, knowing full well the state was grabbing its cut. Fittingly, Democrats in the legislature jumped right on board with a gambling initiative once one of their own was at the helm.

However, Ehrlich and the state GOP were opposed to the initiative this time around. While in office, Ehrlich rightly opposed a full-blown constitutional amendment to legalize slots and now fears that this new plan will encourage unrestrained government spending. Of course, one probably would be foolish not to assume that petty partisanship accounts for at least some opposition today among Republican politicians and voters, if not personal or religious aversion to gambling itself.

At this point you're probably thinking that I oppose gambling. However, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s none of my business what anyone does with the money he earns. What I do oppose is government control over gambling (as with anything else). People should be free to use their property however they please, and, unfortunately, that's exactly what many Marylanders mistakenly believe this new law will allow.

According to The Capital, William Marshall, a motorcycle salesman from Russett, said, “Anything might save me a dollar on my taxes, I’m in favor of,” adding, “We already have vices in the community. I’m not concerned about slot machines bringing any in.”

I certainly appreciate Mr. Marshall's aversion to government theft. Sadly, however, he has been hoodwinked by the state, along with everyone else in his shoes who voted for these slots.

To put it charitably, it is wishful thinking to believe Gov. O'Malley will alleviate taxation in the least. As soon as O'Malley took office he pushed through tremendous tax hikes in the attempt to close an enormous budget gap created by his own deficit spending. Slot machines are nothing more than an attempt to generate revenue to cover the governor's profligacy. After all, it's not like he hasn't already proven he's perfectly willing to spend money he doesn't have. What makes anyone think he'll restrain himself when he's actually accumulating untold millions in gambling revenue?

Maryland politicians are disingenuously giving the impression that they’re giving citizens the freedom to gamble, when all they’re actually doing is asserting their dominance over all of us by arrogating unto themselves a right they do not morally have. We should all be able to open a gambling parlor or run slot machines out of our basement if we like -- only a handful of politically-connected businessmen apparently have this luxury -- but we’d soon feel the full wrath of the state's stormtroopers if we ever even attempted such a thing.

By dictating the course of human action, the state is merely determining, according to its own standards, how we may live our lives. This latest legislative atrocity is nothing but another step toward totalitarianism that will lay the foundation for even more government growth and autonomy over the rest of us.

Trevor Bothwell is a freelance writer living and Maryland and is the national Libertarian Examiner.