Maryland Qestion 2, Should We Be Directed By Political preferences or Common Sense?



Posted: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

by Luis Mispireta
Mispi Enterprises LLC

In a few days we will be voting for our National, State and local government representatives. In the State of Maryland, as well we will be voting on Question 2, I believe that this vote goes beyond the question if we are in favor or against legalizing slots in our state.

To begin Question 2 is approving slots by an amendment of the Constitution of the State, therefore to make any change would require a wait period to next election and a new change to the constitution.

Any changes, or for that matter any action, has a potential for unintended consequences. We are living trough the result of unintended consequences with the current financial crisis. As a contributor to that crisis I believe we have unintended consequences of such a well intended action as equal opportunity housing. That concept created a lax lending policy; with loans with one hundred percent financing, interest only loans and abandonment of the tried out rule of housing expenses not to exceed 33% of income etc.

It worked, if only, in the sense that the demand for single family housing increased tremendously. The median prizes for homes increased progressively with a frenzy that culminated with doubling and more in 2005-2006. A modest increase in interest rates was all that was necessary to bring the House of Cards tumbling down.

All this is only to illustrate the fact that unintended consequences can have a dire effect in our lives. So I worry that unforeseen consequences of the Question 2 could require prompt corrective action and we are setting us up for a situation were prompt corrective action would be not feasible.

I for one will vote against Question 2.

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Teresa Ortiz
 3 years 208 days ago.
188 fans.
Thanks for writing about something we all need to consider. There is always lasting effects of the decisions we make. We should spend more time considering out options and pondering the affects.
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