Michigan taxpayers owe ESA $182,349, rules judge
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Dec 1st 2006 at 1:45PM }
US District Court Judge George Caram Steeh has ordered Michigan to pay $182,349 to the Entertainment Software Association for costs incurred during litigation over the state's now defunct anti-violent game law. In April, the law was ruled unconstitutional.According to the ESA, more than 1.5 million tax dollars are currently owed to the organization as a result of similar rulings in other states and cities, including: Illinois ($510,000), Washington ($344,000), Indianapolis ($318,000), and St. Louis ($180, 000). ESA president Douglas Lowenstein delivered some harsh words in the wake of the Michigan ruling, suggesting, "States that pass laws regulating video game sales might as well just tell voters they have a new way to throw away their tax dollars on wasteful and pointless political exercises that do nothing to improve the quality of life in the state ... What's worse, the politicians proposing and voting for these laws know this will be the outcome."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NeoteriX @ Dec 1st 2006 2:09PM
It's sad when many of our elected politicians don't even have a basic grasp of the Constitution.
JodyAnthony @ Dec 1st 2006 2:26PM
I live in Illinois, and I am fine with a portion of my tax money going to the ESA.
also, I love Lowenstein's quote.
eno2090 @ Dec 1st 2006 2:06PM
no what's sad is that parents dont bother to actually know what their kids are playing so thats how little 8 year old Billy gets his hands on GTA. If parents would just take an interest in what their kids do these events would most likely cease to exsist.
martin @ Dec 1st 2006 2:38PM
It is easier for a politician to jump onto a religious bandwagon and cost people tax money than to win on legitimate issues they can actually do something about, but have nothing to do with religion. Honestly, for a secular constitution, most of the countries decisions are based on religion ideology.
Robert P. @ Dec 1st 2006 4:08PM
@eno2090
You're completely right. My dad still takes an interest in what I play (and especially anything he gets for me for birthdays/Christmas) and I'm in my mid 20's. He wouldn't stop me from buying and playing an overly violent or sexualized game at this point but he sure as heck would say something about the game and wouldn't buy me anything like that. When I was a kid he even used to watch me play games and asked me about them. Of course that was probably more curiosity than anything but he still took an interest and honestly to this day I don't see a need to own an M rated game.
Bernard @ Dec 1st 2006 2:20PM
Oh, what the SHIT.
KaneRobot @ Dec 1st 2006 2:24PM
Michigan is so ignorant as far as government affairs. The mayor of Detroit and the governor of Michigan were both reelected in their most recent re-election bids, despite the fact that the city/state has gone completely down the toilet since they have been in office.
I'm tired of living in a state with ignorant people who vote based on whoever plays the race card better. Democrats have run this state into the ground (which of course they pass the buck onto Washington...but that doesn't explain why other states are doing ok, it's not like they have a different president) and people are too stupid to boot someone doing a crappy job the hell out of there. I want out of this P.O.S. state before it falls apart completely.
Pixelantes Anonymous @ Dec 1st 2006 3:21PM
JodyAnthony, the money is not going to ESA, but the lawyers of ESA.
WedgeTalon @ Dec 1st 2006 10:26PM
I'm still trying to figure out how the kids buying these M-rated games both get to the store and somehow magically have $60 in cash to blow. Regularly.
All I can figure is they are good bicyclists (or actually have good public transit, ha!) and they get wads of money for an un-earned allowance.
ManekiNeko @ Dec 1st 2006 2:55PM
KaneRobot: I just so happen to live in Michigan. Believe me, I didn't want to vote for Granholm either... for those of you who don't know her, imagine the mayor on South Park with blonde hair instead of green. However, her opponent was somehow even worse. He was the CEO of Amway, and you could tell that he was just itching to get into office so he could send the few jobs we have left in this state over to China. Calling Granholm the lesser of two evils is a serious understatement, but it's also true.
JR
satoshi @ Dec 2nd 2006 1:19AM
As a Michiganian (Michigander?) I am highly disappointed in this. But at the same time, I laugh. Maybe now people will see how stupid this is.
'Tis a shame that Chicago is only my temporary residence... (I love Michigan and all... Sterling Heights for the win)
TwilightKnight @ Dec 1st 2006 3:32PM
At least with DeVos you can give him the benefit of the doubt that he could bring in jobs to Michigan. With Granholm you know she is completly uncapable let people still voted for her.
I think that I heard a while ago that she is going try again. This should be amusing at least.
And yes I live in Michigan.
Madmatt @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:42PM
I bought a devos bummper sticker for my car and covered the S with a picture of Devo. So now it says "vot for Devo!"
GOD @ Dec 1st 2006 5:56PM
KaneRobot, if you hate Michigan so much and the people, then PLEASE move. I'm tired of dealing with people like you who can only blame others and call anyone who doesn't think the same as you, ignorant. I voted for Granholm because DeVos has never held a public office and didn't even have a real plan to get Michigan jobs (you would know that if you watched the debates). I'm tired of rich people like DeVos trying to buy elections.
/political rant... sorry
psychoticdream @ Dec 1st 2006 6:52PM
give the bill to jack thompson
otakucode @ Dec 1st 2006 6:58PM
How about this? The oath which lawmakers take is to uphold their states constitution. When they pass a law which is judged to be unconstitutional, the lawmakers who voted for it should be tried for treason. If it turns out that they knew the law was likely unconstitutional, we send them to Gitmo as enemy combatants against the United States, since they ARE actively seeking to destroy our way of life through passing laws designed only to give them more power and us less.
Will @ Dec 1st 2006 7:40PM
To anyone saying that they need to move out of Michigan, I say your thinking is very short sided. I so happen to live in "South Park", I mean Michigan also. Sadly though moving to another state isn't going to get you away from this stuff. Moving out of the country is what you really mean.
kallussed @ Dec 4th 2006 1:01PM
I left Michigan earlier this year for Costa Rica, and I couldn't be happier. Nothing like watching unions drive a state in to total despair, and claim it's the "greedy business owners" that are to blame. In the old days we didn't have the laws to protect the workers, and unions were needed. Now they are the main reason why jobs are being taken out of the state. Amazing how Honda can still make most of it's cars sold in America, IN AMERCIA and make a profit. Not to mention paying honest salaries to their workers. MI is beautiful, but now only for vacations.