Comments on: Gambling Away the Republican Future?

By: Starks

Starks — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:10:37 +0000

This is why I left the Republican Party or as I know call it The Christian Conservative Party. My father was a Republican Legislature for 20 years. Our family has been Republicans for a lifetime. My wife also a Republican for a liftime. We have all switched and left the Republican Party. Yes I voted for Obama and will continue to vote away from the GOP. Horsecrap about the GOP making ground. They will lose it again the blind idiots. The southern states and midwest states may support the GOP but that wont be enough. I have joined the No New Tax Party in my community which is for business, less government and of course less taxes. Regulate and tax the internet gambling and let Americans gamble on the net if they want. Support the American gambling establishments and become pro-business. The GOP has made me sick. They continue to pursue their run to the cliff.

By: sinz54

sinz54 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:10:20 +0000

The GOP has to decide once and for all if it’s going to support truly limited government–or a Big Government which uses its power to support “traditional values.”

If it’s the latter, it loses center-rightists like me. It will also lose suburbanites, single women, and minorities–the fastest-growing voting blocs in America.

Christian evangelicals don’t realize how much they scare many Americans. Those Americans know from history that when the zealotry of religion gets married to the power of government to use force, the result is disaster.

By: Rich Muny

Rich Muny — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:55:39 +0000

Ireign,

Big government social conservatives certainly did push the legislation. They weren’t the ONLY ones pushing it (see Jim Leach and Sen. Dianne Feinstein), but they were the ones who pushed the GOP to support this legislation.

Check out:
- FoF’s Anti-Poker Action Site: http://www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/gambling/A000004244.cfm
- Letter from a coalition of big government social conservative groups including Focus on the Family to Congress supporting prohibiting online poker: http://fota.cdnetworks.net/pdfs/2009-06-04-gambling-letter2.pdf
- Family Research Council’s Tom McClusky at Congress arguing against this freedom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jw-eScfbgM
- Expired Focus on the Family alert to tell Congress to prohibit online poker: http://capwiz.com/fof/callalert/index.tt?alertid=11928116
- FoF gleefully proclaiming the passage of UIGEA: http://www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/gambling/A000001162.cfm

By: Rich Muny

Rich Muny — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:50:58 +0000

Ireign,

Big government social conservatives certainly did push the legislation. They weren’t the ONLY ones pushing it (see Jim Leach and Dianne Feinstein), but they were the ones who pushed the GOP to support this legislation.

By: joemarier

joemarier — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:02:42 +0000

With Leach, I’m not so sure. Considering the weird effects of Gramm-Leach-Bliley, I’m kinda glad he’s not part of the health care debate on the floor.

I’ll concur that anti-gambling lobbyists don’t represent conservatives (always). But neither do pro-gambling lobbyists! Or the internet freedom lobbyists! Or the bank lobbyists! It hinges on the circumstances, alas.

And I’m happy to leave it at that. Unless I want to get an article out of this.

By: Rich Muny

Rich Muny — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:34:25 +0000

Joe,

True, pro-Obama turncoat Jim Leach is no one’s idea of a conservative, but conservatives would be better off with him voting for GOP House Leadership than with David Loebsack.

The funniest part is that GOP leadership was so out of touch that they thought pushing UIGEA would HELP Leach retain his seat. LOOOOOOL! They needed to get beyond the beltway, rather than assuming FoF lobbyists (yes, they have lobbyists) represent conservatives.

By: joemarier

joemarier — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:23:02 +0000

Jim Leach wouldn’t have been a reliable vote against health care; he, of course, switched to the Democratic party after his loss, and is currently Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Virgil Goode made a series of racially inflammatory statements, and I’d chalk up his loss to that.

By: Rich Muny

Rich Muny — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:59:42 +0000

Here’s a good David Broder column on Leach’s loss: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/29/AR2006112901268.html

By: Arch

Arch — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:56:03 +0000

I’m a member of the Poker Players Alliance (well… probably lapsed, but definitely have contributed) and I used to play online aware it was legally gray if not definitely black and white. I live in Washington State however where the governor is in thrall to some local native american tribes who own most of the local casinos, and so Washington state passed a clear bill outlawing playing poker online. Which sucks.

Poker isn’t completely a game of chance, there is demonstrably skill involved. Meanwhile, other games of complete chance, the State lottery leaps to mind) are legal. It seems like a small issue to care about, or course there are much bigger issues facing our country, but I have to say, I will go out of my way to support politicians who will legalize internet poker.

By: Rich Muny

Rich Muny — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:51:08 +0000

Joemarier,

“But, hey, I’m obviously not the person you’re trying to convince!”

I do encourage you not to think of this in a vacuum. Opposition to this does harm other conservative goals, as I mentioned in the article.

Anti-poker former Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) liked to say, “click your mouse, lose your house!” (not a true statement, as sites don’t extend credit). Well, poker players have a saying, too – “Don’t let me click my mouse…lose your seat in the House!” Leach found that to be true. Check out http://theppa.org/headlines/2006/11/17/poker-players-we-helped-beat-leach . Leach later conceded that poker players were, in fact, responsible for his defeat. Check out http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/WireStory?id=7377226&page=3 . Poker players similarly defeated former Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA).

So, opposing online poker actually helps government-run health care!