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From: ANDY@SUSHI.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: mod.politics
Subject: The Mob and Atlantic City
Message-ID: <12233658854.16.MCGREW@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 25-Aug-86 12:55:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: RED.12233658854.16.MCGREW
Posted: Mon Aug 25 12:55:10 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 25-Aug-86 21:44:06 EDT
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Approved: poli-sci@red.rutgers.edu


Our beloved moderator, Charles McGrew writes:
[who, me? - CWM]

       If you think that legalized gambling will make the mob go away,
    go look at who OWNS the casinos in Atlantic City.  Look who takes
    protection money from the prostitution houses in Nevada, look who
    owns the big loan sharks.  They won't go away; they're making too
    damn much money to stop.  You underestimate the mob: they're smart
    and mean.

Atlantic City is an example of artificial scarcity.  (Las Vegas is
also artificially scarce, but there is much less govt involvement.)  A
better example would be gambling and Nevada.  Are the slot-machines in
the service stations mob-run?  What about the blackjack tables in most
restaurants?

I see nothing wrong with the Mob owning casinos in Atlantic City.  If
they are committing real crimes, then they should be prosecuted for
those crimes.

"Mob" paranoia is more dangerous to most of us than the mob itself.
One example is the racketeering laws.  Smart lawyers add RICO charges
to civil software licensing lawsuits.  (Yes, Virginia, that adds a
powerful incentive to settle out of court.  Imagine the publicity,
"MocroHard Rackeering Trial in Third Week.")

When the Mob is doing something illegal, like extortion, then that's
something to worry about.  We have gone too far; it is illegal to be
in the Mob even if you haven't done anything.  Try to defend yourself
against that.

-andy
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[ Lepke, Capone and thos other 'businessmen', wherever they are, must
be smiling at this.  "I'm a legitimate businessman" is the mob's
answer to people who worry about their heavy-handed techniques.
   As I understand it, organized crime owns most of the slots
companies, so I'd say yes to your questions on those.  
   I don't know much about the racketeering laws, so I can't comment
on those.  I still stand by my original point that making gambling,
etc. legal will not make organized crime disappear.  They own a lot of
stuff, and use their on clever, subtle techniques to ensure that
business stays good. - CWM]
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