When even the flinty folks in New Hampshire are talking about expanded gambling to plug their expanding budget hole, well, you know the landscape has changed and changed dramatically.

Except here in Massachusetts, of course. We may be suffering as much as the next state but when times are tough here our elected and appointed leaders turn to things like punitive toll hikes or gas tax increases to pay the bills, while ignoring a well of resources that people are willing to part with voluntarily.