Editorial
Gambling too complex to be reduced to yes-no

Gov. Ben Cayetano says he thinks putting a proposal on gambling on the ballot next year would stir up a lot of lively debate on the issue.

He's right about that. But we hardly need a proposed constitutional amendment to stir this debate.

The battle over whether Hawai'i should continue to be but one of three states without legalized gambling is already fully engaged. Every legislative session takes time out to hash over the issue.

Letters to the editor and talk shows return to gambling again and again.

No, if it's just debate we are after, the idea of an amendment on the ballot is unnecessary.

But Cayetano says he thinks putting it on the ballot would accomplish another purpose. It would test once and for all whether Hawai'i's people want gambling or not.

"If the people say no, then that settles the issue forever," Cayetano told The Associated Press. "If they say yes, then we should make the most of it."

Hardly.

For starters, it would be nearly impossible to craft language for a constitutional amendment that would cover all the nuances involved. Would it be generic, or would it propose specific kinds of gambling, say a state lottery or casinos? Would it suggest gambling on land controlled by Hawaiians, or only at sea, or perhaps only in resort areas?

In short, the issue of gambling cannot be easily reduced to a yes-no equation. That was the conclusion of The Advertiser's Hawai'i Poll, which has quizzed on this issue from time to time.

For instance, in 1996, the poll found moderately strong support for charity bingo and a state lottery, but not for casino gambling, horse racing, cockfighting or shipboard gambling. And it appears from the poll that support for legal gambling has been slowly declining over the years.

The proper place to hash out these issues is in the Legislature, which can approach things from a nuanced point of view. The pros and cons of each and every form of gambling can be debated and balanced.

Our position, of course, is that gambling would be a mistake for Hawai'i. But the point here is not whether gambling is good or bad, but where it should be addressed.

That place is the Legislature.

After all, leadership is all about making tough decisions. Even unpopular decisions.

Simplifying the issue, then throwing it back to the voters, is not leadership.