Congress Authorship Speech Name:_ Sarah Sophomore______
Introduction:
Attention Grabber:Tony Suarez, a husband and a father, shot himself to death because of a gambling addiction, leaving behind a heart-wrenching note apologizing for the disaster he'd made of his family’s finances and lives. His death wasn't altogether a surprise; Mrs. Suarez watched helplessly as he took two years to waste away their once considerable savings at the blackjack table of a nearby casino in Nevada.
New Policy/Intent of bill:To prevent situations like this,a person should only be allowed to visit a casino once a year and purchase a lottery ticket two times a year.
Preview Contentions:The adoption of this bill willsolve the following issues about gambling: its inability to help the economy of a state, the raised crime rate it causes, and the financial and social problems it can create.
Claim/ContentionA:Firstly, we need this bill because gamblingis causing a lot of destruction, yet does not help a state’s economy in any significant way.
Data 1: According to Harvey Chinn, “last year, California sold 2,896,372,533 of these brightly colored [lottery] tickets…yet the statehas a $35 billion deficit this year. Even with the lottery, 51 operating casinos, gambling on horses, bingo and poker parlors,California is desperately poor.” A somewhat similar statistic goes for the other thirty-nine states,who are marketing a product where most of the customers must lose.
Warrant: A state can have tons of gambling opportunities thinking that it will improve the economy when they are blinded from the fact that gambling usually requires a large expense, which comes out of its own profit.
Data 2- For Faith & Family claims, “A lottery returns to the state an average of only about 32 cents of every dollar taken in. The remainder goes to prizes and administration. In only three or four states does the revenue from lotteries, casinos, pari-mutuel betting, and any other existing forms of gambling contribute more than 3 percent to a state's total budget.”
Warrant: While gambling seems like it would help a state’s economy significantly, it barely adds anything to the state’s total income. What it does bring in is compensated by the social and personal problems it creates.A restriction would only benefit a state’s revenue, by lowering the money spent on casino regulation and prizes, yet still bringing in some profit from ticket sales and casino visits.
Claim/ContentionB:In addition, gambling has led to an increased crime rate in states where it is legalized.
Data 1: Scott Harshbarger claims, “Across this nation, police departments in cities that have casino gambling have recorded surges in arrests due to casino-related crime. The most storied downturn is, without a doubt, Atlantic City. Since 1977, when casinos were on the rise in New Jersey, there has been a 230 percent increase in crime in Atlantic City. . .”
Warrant: Studies in the past decade prove that if a county has a casino, more crime, such as rape, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and auto theft, will take place, whether it is organized or not. A restriction might bring these high and gradually growing crime rates back down.
Claim/ContentionC: Lastly, the con argument that gambling is a source of relaxation for some and that shouldn’t be taken away from them is offset by the fact that many gamblers can’t avoid the financial problems and tension that is created in their homes, resulting in families breaking apart.
Data 1: Gambling not only affects the gambler, but their family members as well. Arnie Wexler digs deeper saying, “The husbands or wives of gamblers may sit at home alone day after day, afraid of being deserted by their gamblingspouses. At the depths of despair, they may suffer from nervous breakdowns, may begin using alcohol and drugs to cope, and/or may consider divorce or suicide as the only available options.” For Faith & Family claims, “The children of gamblers suffer when a gambling parent loses the money for such necessities as food, rent, clothing, and medicine.”
Warrant: Many people suffer other than the gambler when their problem turns into an addiction.While some people can control their gambling, many others have issues keeping a hold on what they thought was just a fun pastime. We can’t let people continue gambling because sooner or later, they not only will affect themselves, but those around them, as well.
Data 2-One anonymous problem gambler describes his story: “After three years of my gambling addiction, I lost the family that I was blessed to have. My beautiful wife and children have left me and I have not seen them in over two years… The high education, good status and jobs that I once had seem to have vanished. For two years I lived in different shelters, sought food and clothing from hand-me-down sources, yet I continued to gamble every chance I had money, no matter how little it was!”
Warrant: It’s hard for the gambler to realize what they’re losing when they gamble. They get so focused on wins and regaining losses that a whole chain reaction occurs. First, the gambler forgets about the debt they are creating for themselves. After a while, they realize how much money they owe and become overwhelmed. They then turn out to be suicidal and/or end up committing fraud and lying to their family, friends, and associates. While some can avoid these problems, many are lead down a path of devastation. A restriction is the only way to ensure that fewer relationships will be destroyed.
Conclusion: In conclusion, please vote for the partial outlaw of gambling! Your vote could help put a restriction on this harmful addiction and keep crime rates from rising to an extent where they would be hard to deter and lessen the number of families being torn apart. Also, the economy would benefit from this system. Thanks for listening!