The Maine Sunday Telegram has a long history of wrongheaded editorials, but “Gambling vote gives Maine a ‘time-out’” (Nov. 13) was the most wrongheaded.

To suggest that the solid vote against gambling should encourage the Legislature to ignore the vote is championship bad thinking.

“The Legislature could have spared voters at least one decision by authorizing the casinos in Biddeford and Washington County without a referendum but opted to pass the buck,” the editorial proclaimed. But the voters clearly didn’t want the casinos in Biddeford and Washington County.

What the Legislature should do is at last accede to the unmistakable message sent again and again and again by the people of Maine. We know gambling won’t solve the state’s financial problems. We know the profits will proceed directly from the pockets of Mainers to the pockets of out-of-state gambling interests. We know that — despite the endless commercials — schools and hospitals and hay-raisers won’t be saved by casinos.

The Sunday Telegram’s editorial writers apparently think the Legislature knows better. When it comes to straight thinking at the Telegram, all bets are off. And should stay that way.