KEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKET

Possibly the only good that has come of the virus shutdown. I have described St. Louis in these pages as Little-Las Vegas-On-Mississippi. (And the Missouri, too.) There are five good-sized casino-hotels ringing the metro area. When this was first legalized the casinos literally had to be riverboats, you know, actually floating. Now they only have to be kinda sorta near the rivers, allowing for much bigger operations.

Lumiere Place, a big one, is just north of downtown. The complex has a very expensive Four Seasons Hotel. I know there are people who like it and can control their spending, but, like the lottery, I've always thought casinos were ethically indefensible, preying on the most vulnerable. But, hey, this is America! Business ethics are an oxymoron.

Note from the Language Police: shouldn't the verb in the next to last line be "are"? Or does the whole place consider itself a collective noun?               

Thursday Arch Series - CLOSED

The Arch is a national park so it is closed. I was surprised to find that the grounds were open. It has a large, unfenced perimeter so it would be difficult but park rangers could chase people away. I wonder if they will mow the grass.

The most thoughtful analysis of the shutdown I've seen so far was in Thomas Friedman's column in yesterday's New York Times. His thesis is that the far right's outrageous conduct is designed to destroy representative democracy in the US. In that form of government people vote for the legislature and executive. Whoever gets enough votes passes laws. The majority rules. Losers have to accept that, then try to elect enough of their numbers to make changes.

The right says to hell with democracy. They will not accept that they lost the Senate and White House fair and square. The Tea Partiers demand whatever they want in defiance of the will of the majority, threatening to damage the economy and cause untold personal suffering if they don't get their way. It is extortion.

The far right  is ready to destroy the best of the American system of government. You can read Friedman's column here.

Shutdown

We live in a madhouse. We have an utterly dysfunctional government. I found this sign last night on the doors of the Old Courthouse. Many people don't know it but this building and the Arch, so often seen on this blog, are part of the National Park system. They are closed. 

But that's trivial. This is a St. Louis photography blog, not a political blog, but I can barely contain my rage at what is going on in our House of Representatives. As some of you know, I represent people on claims for federal disability benefits. Scheduled hearings are being held for the moment but no decisions will be issued during the shutdown. I had a hearing yesterday for a woman with a devastating spinal injury. The judge told us he would approve her but he cannot issue his ruling. My client is desperate for income and health insurance. She won't get them any time soon.