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Although most people across this large state did not see the editorial headline in the Mirror's Aug. 22-23 edition, they nonetheless agreed with that headline's message, based on news coverage in their own region of the commonwealth. Meanwhile, it must be acknowledged that many people here and in other locales disagreed, also based on news reports in their own communities.
The headline in question: "Lawmakers must prioritize skill game regs."
One important message under that headline was "the General Assembly should have been able to muster the courage to address the skill games issue when the unregulated and untaxed games first started showing up in convenience stores, bars, private clubs and other venues."
Another was that "right-thinking lawmakers need to admit -- and proclaim -- once and for all that the question before them revolves around the question of unfair competition -- unfair competition that runs counter to the commonwealth's financial best interests, as well as others.'"
The editorial continued that "therefore, the first acknowledgment needs to be that one gambling option should not remain the proverbial sacred cow."
But despite a state Supreme Court decree giving the state until Oct. 13 to begin enforcing its ruling that skill games are illegal gambling machines, the legislature essentially thumbed its nose at its responsibility to act on needed regulations governing the devices, presumably hoping the issue will go away -- or at least deciding to wait until after the Nov. 3 general election, when the seats of all House members and half of state Senate districts will be on the ballots.
State residents must keep in mind the attitude of lawmakers that the voters have short memories and that, whatever the decision after Nov. 3, that decision won't impact balloting in 2028.
Perhaps it won't; perhaps, for some voters, it will.
But, for now, hopefully the following message delivered by way of an Oct. 13 Mirror headline will, through other news sources across the commonwealth, reach the bulk of other Pennsylvania residents:
"Lawmaker pins blame for skill games failure on Capitol."
The lawmaker in question is state Rep. Russ Diamond, a Lebanon County Republican.
Diamond's message, voiced on Oct. 12, was that "there are lots of people to blame (for the lack of substantive skill games action) and most of them work in the Capitol."
Of course, he was referring primarily to the occupants of state House and Senate seats -- the same people, by the way, who can't pass a state budget on time and who dropped the proverbial ball on enacting timely e-bike regulations.
Most people who work in private businesses and industries can't continue to shirk important responsibilities without being "pointed to the exit."
Closing in on the two-week mark before this year's general election, it is apropos to remind the voters about campaign claims of being tough and courageous and always keeping the voters' financial best interests at the forefront. Then, regarding skill games, the voters need to be reminded that lawmakers' failure to act regarding skill games has been costing Pennsylvania's coffers hundreds of millions of dollars, potentially impacting negatively worthwhile state initiatives.
Regarding Pennsylvania's "gambling fever," indeed, there must be no sacred cows, and the state Supreme Court was right in denying formal requests to set aside the Oct. 13 deadline and reset the date to sometime months from now.