Congressmen Send Letter Against Online Gambling Enforcement
Congress has grown tired of the wasteful and ill-conceived war on online gambling (hard to imagine the Bush administration taking action without thorough analysis of the consequences, and a clear plan of action). To demonstrate that the will of the people's elected representatives is against any attempt to further impede online wagering, a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to the heads of the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, ordering them to stop creating methods of enforcement for the UIGEA.
Four members of the House Financial Services Committee addressed the letter to Tresury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, urging them to concentrate their efforts on the mortgage crisis and the credit crunch, and avoid any implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Democrats Barney Frank and Luis Gutierrez joined Republicans Ron Paul and Pete King in insisting time spent devising enforcement would be wasted, as they are determined to supersede the UIGEA with new legislation.
A committee hearing earlier in the month resulted in a litany of complaints about the UIGEA from groups as diverse as banks, government officials, poker players, credit card companies, and individuals concerned with infringements on personal liberties. Further, the U.S. has found the UIGEA puts the country at odds with foreign alies in regard to free trade treaties.
Opponents of the bill have begun to organize politically; on the day the letter was sent, the Poker Player Alliance anounced it had enrolled one million members, and was forming both a political action committee and a voter registration program.
Until it is officially overruled and removed from law, the government would be wise to treat the UIGEA as some states do with outdated statutes that seem laughable today: ignore it. One day very soon, the concept of the UIGEA will be as humorous as old Tennessee laws against women crossing the street unattended.
