Bill Proposing Retraction of Online Gambling Ban Gets New Support
Barney Frank's bill that would forbid the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department from enforcing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 has gained several new supporters among Congressmen.
Yesterday, five new Representatives joined eleven who previously signed on as co-sponsors, giving Frank's legislation a building wave of momentum. Russ Carnahan of Missouri, Michael Capuano of Massachusetts, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado, Charles Gonzalez of Texas, and Joe Baca of California all agreed to the need to undo the damage being caused by the UIGEA.
The Financial Services Committee, of which Barney Frank is Chairman, heard testimony in April from a variety of groups concerning the efficacy, or lack thereof, of the UIGEA. Bankers admitted confusion as to what the law considered an illegal transaction; representatives from the Fed and the Treasury testified as to the vagueness of the bill, and the impossibility of enforcement, and poker entusiats questioned why playing their sport was suddenly a crime.
Meanwhile, nations around the world have protested the unfair trade practices created by the UIGEA. Antigua has already won a settlement from the United States, and several European countries have presented cases to the World Trade Organization for review as well.
Continuing to support the UIGEA costs the federal government taxpayer monies as they attempt to pursue foreign citizens for crimes committed without ever entering U.S. jurisdiction, and makes the Bush administration look even more foolish than usual, as the President pushes for global free trade even while his executive branch enforces the trade-blocking UIGEA.
If Barney Frank has his way, online gambling will be properly regulated, protecting American citizens from unscrupulous operators while taxing the online casino industry for a source of revenue.
Is this really even debatable? Should the country fight to enforce a problematic prohibition, spending millions, or accept the popular will as well as reality and allow freedom to citizens while generating monies for the Treasury?
Please advise your Congressman and Senator how you feel on this issue.
Recent Comments
| Posted by: Todd | When: 05/17/2008 07:09:23 PM EST |
| Barney just needs to attch this bill to must pass legislation in the final hours of this session of congress. That is why we have the stupid law in the first place. John Kyl and Bill Frist added it to an unrelated but must pass safe port legislation in the waning hours of the last congress the republicans still controlled. Is it any wonder that the republican party is projected to lose 20-30 more seats in the 2008 elections? Poker is and will be America's game and Americans should be allowed to play without the rascally republicans getting in our personal business. Once they figure this out they might win back the congress. Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neal were poker players and stuff got done. What would reagan Do? He would get the government off the backs of the American People. | |
