Two leading Democratic candidates for 2006 governor have had a serious divergence in their views induced by the everlasting debate over slot machine gambling that has prevailed Maryland's legislative agenda for the past three years.
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan stood up to slots proponents at a news conference in Annapolis, ratifying that the state's economy is at stake with slot machine legalization which will blight the Maryland generations to come. He drew the unattractive picture of a prospective society where career pursuit would no longer be the aspired goal. Instead, the younger generation would spend time squatting on streets, changing cash for people. Black ministers were backing Duncan exhibiting fierce opposition towards slots, emphasizing gambling addictions and other social ills.
Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, meanwhile, had a private meeting with Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), the proponent of slots and asked his collaboration in passing a slot bill to be signed into law by the Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich. In his disbelief in the alleged economic slot gambling redemption, he nevertheless argued that a compromise has to be reached after three years of heated debates, so that state leaders would be spared to devote themselves to other priorities.
Most of the Marylanders, as the poling has shown, support legalization of the slot gambling if the money be used for education.
