Today’s Theme

The moral of the story today is that leadership is not so much about right and wrong, as it is playing with your constituents’ medullas oblongata to trick them into giving you more money.

What? Shall We Drink that Sobriety May Abound?

People on the Cherokee res keep voting against legalizing alcohol, so referenda continue to recur about every three years. Odds are, a majority will eventually vote yes, and a ratio of five no majorities to an eventual yes majority equals yes.

Advocates of keeping the res dry say greedy businessmen would rather get tourism revenue than help people think twice about exerting themselves to have a swig of firewater. Proponents of legalization claim people who want to drink will do so, anyway; and legalization will cut down on drunk driving because people would be able to drink in their own homes rather than driving to and from Bryson City. The same goes for tourists. Since they are not supposed to drink and drive, if restaurants offer firewater, they shall be compelled to sleep it off in a local hotel before hitting the road again. A third plus is that revenues from alcohol sales, and not, say, lawnmower sales, can be used to educate people about drinking responsibly. If people drink a whole lot, there will be enough proceeds to build a rehab center.

Raise up Your Glass, to Good Queen Bev

The governor is coming to Asheville to announce the gifting of tax dollars or tax breaks to another business. The Mountain Xpress is supposing the lucky recipient is going to be New Belgium, yet another beer company.

Book the Moody Blues Again, and I’ll Hush

Legislators would like to see table games at the Cherokee casino before Governor Beverly Perdue leaves office. The state hopes to collect 4% of house-always-wins funds for five years, and then 8% for the next five years. The legislature is divided on whether the proceeds should go toward education or the general fund. The table games would create 400 jobs and bring “millions” of dollars to the community.