For two years in a row, Maryland's Democrat House Speaker Michael Busch has killed a bill to allow slot machine gambling at the state's horse racing tracks. This year Busch refused to bring the measure to a vote unless it was paired with a huge tax increase. Republican Governor Ehrlich was at his wits end.

Ehrlich said he would not introduce another slots bill until Busch agrees to pass it. He said he's tired of looking like the political equivalent of Charlie Brown, the cartoon character who "always wanted to kick that field goal and Lucy was always pulling that ball away at the end."

But Marylanders may get to play slots after all, thanks in part to the State of Pennsylvania.

The vote would put at least 36,000 more slot machines within driving distance for Maryland gamblers, who already travel in significant numbers to horse tracks in Delaware and West Virginia to play slots.

In the view of many Maryland legislative leaders, Pennsylvania's plans for 12 new gambling venues -- eight at horse tracks and four at free-standing slot emporiums -- would create such a huge competitive draw for dollars that pressure to match the effort would be immense, and all but the most die-hard slots foes in Annapolis would be forced to abandon their opposition.

Call it poetic justice that Pennsylvania realizes that the only thing better than gambling revenue is gambling revenue coming Maryland. With Maryland unwilling to meet the demand for slots, Pennsylvania is more than prepared to install thousands of machines right across the state line. It's something that has Maryland lawmakers in a bit of a tizzy. Pro-slots lawmakers are crying "I told ya so", while opponents of slots in Maryland have turned to lobbying in Pennsylvania.

Dels. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince George's) and Curt Anderson (D-Baltimore) said they believe they have a moral duty to stop slots before the machines encircle their state. During their meeting with Pennsylvania lawmakers, they pledged to try to pressure African American members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to flip their position.

I understand that some people are always going to have a moral objection to slot machine gambling, and the 'not in my back yard' (NIMBY) phenomena is nothing new. But I never thought I would see Maryland lobbyists crossing state lines and arguing 'not in your back yard either'.