WORCESTER, Mass., — August 21, 2013 — U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., reiterated her opposition to the cuts the so-called federal sequester has imposed on the American populace at a meeting in Worcester on Wednesday, while also dishing on the state's casino question and even a former opponent's presidential ambitions.
Warren said she doesn't have a strong opinion on casino gambling, but rather appreciates the fact that any plan must pass a vote in its host community.
"I spent a lot of time studying families in financial trouble. There are two pieces that are relevant here. Gambling can be a real problem for individuals and hard for families," Warren said. "But, I've also studied what happens when people don't have jobs. I think Massachusetts is trying to find the balance, and it's a tough one. The state is trying to make sure it's an economic engine and not a financial drain.
"We understood from the beginning the pluses and minuses and collectively did our best to make certain that the gambling that's permitted here creates more positives than negatives. No one can guarantee that," Warren added, "but it's the shape of it."
On the topic of transportation and infrastructure financing, Warren said she feels the federal government's job is to be a good partner and provide funding when possible.
"It's our collective investment in our collective future," Warren said, adding that things are currently up in the air as far as passing a budget in Washington considering the partisan divide about spending.
Warren said sequestration, which took effect mandating layoffs and furloughs when Congress failed to pass a budget in December, is likely to continue until something changes in the nation's capitol.