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Artvoice Weekly Edition » Issue v12n44 (10/31/2013) » Section: Letters to Artvoice


Lessons From the Government Shutdown

It is over for now. The plan of the Tea Party led by Ted Cruz, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and a dozen more right-wing demagogues ended up in failure…for now. The federal government was shut down for 15 days and the debt ceiling was nearly breached. The consequences were serious, the cost enormous. Over 800,000 people were furloughed (including thousands in Western New York alone), the EPA, CDC, NLRB, FDA and dozens more agencies were shut down, threatening our health and safety. A world-wide economic downturn was a near reality. The full faith and credit of the US treasury was compromised, all this at a cost of around $24 billion. Why? For what? And the more important question is for whom?

Take a Hard Look at What a State-Run Casino in Your Town Won't Do, Then Vote "No" on the Gaming Referendum

First, let me state for the record that I am a Mohawk, my wife is Oneida and I live on the Seneca Territory of Cattaraugus south of Buffalo, New York. In spite of my connection to all three Native gaming communities, I receive no gaming proceeds from any Native gaming nor does my family.



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