Crime: Provide Online Poker Services
Effect: Provide willing Americans with the same services available in B&M casinos in a cheaper, safer manner.
Indictments: 11
Crime: Mortgage and Packaged Derivatives Fraud
Effect: Bankrupt America for generations. Worst recession since Great Depression.
Indictments: 0
Heck-of-a-job, Bommy
I suppose you feel justified ignoring the fact that the scumbag Bill Frist (R) TN, sponsored the UIEGA back in 2006?
Although, like many people, I also have strong political opinions, I feel we should focus our efforts on legalizing poker. There are many other forums available for political spin and frankly, this sort of thing is a turn-off.
While I realize that we are a marginal community and that President Obama has much bigger things to worry about, the DOJ has wide latitude in exercising discretion in picking and choosing the matters it investigates and prosecutes, and ultimately the President is responsible for the DOJ's actions.
As Barney Frank pointed out, this is a highly questionable use of the DOJ's resources given that it is a consensual activity among adults for which the only federal appellate court ruling has held that the DOJ has no authority to regulate or prosecute. It's not as if there are not real federal crimes which the DOJ should be and addressing where they could better put such resources to use.
In fairness to the President, this is probably something that started under the Bush administration, but given the previous action of the DOJ last year, freezing select bank accounts that processed payments to online poker sites, it is something that he at least marginally became aware of at that time. He clearly doesn't seem to care, and it now seems abundantly clear which side of the line he stands. Focusing our efforts on legalizing poker requires that we not fool ourselves into thinking otherwise.
It is undeniably true that all the forces which culminated in the Black Friday indictments where first let loose by Bush and the Republicans who forced the UIGEA upon us.
But Obama is the one in charge now. Even giving him the benefit of doubting that he knew in advance that the indictments were coming down, they are here NOW. Under Obama's watch.
Obama could direct AG Holder to issue a similar decree like the one stopping (sort of) the prosecution of medical marijuana suppliers.
If he does not do that or something else that would help us, then he obviously does not care about us and I intend to remember that come November 2012.
That said, poker is not a republican/democrat issue. We have opponents and supporters in both parties. In looking at who supports us it is vital that we not let other partisan politics obscure our view.
Skallagrim
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