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Damon Runyon's Long Gone
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This article from Defector outlines how tax dollars -- a LOT of tax dollars -- are subsidizing horse racing. The horse racing industry is totally beholden to states propping it up with massive infusions of money. Why? Why is money that could go to other things being sent to a dying industry? You know that younger folks aren't at all interested in horse racing, that it's not that popular anymore, that it won't grow, that it can be downright cruel or even fatal for the horses. Why are race tracks and purses being fueled with casino revenues when there are other things that slot machine money could support? And before you go to the "think of all the jobs" argument, actual investigation shows that the number of jobs involved is way, way fewer than the industry groups claim, as in Pennsylvania, where the industry alleges that losing racing would kill 20,000 jobs and the actual number of full-time jobs is around 1,700 and the total including part-time and seasonal is 10,000, a dop in the bucket compared to other industries that don't get subsidized. This is a long article but worth it because it's asking questions everyone should ask. (Defector)
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