Fighting H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act

[LisasLuck]

I'd send him a polite email back, with something like:

Dear Mr Lewis,

Thank you for your swift response. I can understand why state authority is a concern of yours, however as an elected congressman, I'd like to question whether in fact this should be the driving force behind your support for the Bill.

My understanding was that we elected you to represent our opinions on US law rather than to take a personal view on what is wrong or right for us. That aside, what also strikes me as odd, is that 126 congressmen prefer to simply ban something rather than look at ways of controlling it. This strikes me as penalising everyone to protect a few.

By way of example, we would never consider banning driving so that the few that drink-drive, or drive carelessly, can no longer do so. And we are happy as a nation to allow firearms in the home on the basis of regulation, yet we are not prepared to enter into agreements with other nations regarding the emission of greehouse gasses, which has a far greater effect on our lives, and those of future generations, that internet gambling ever could. So why is online gambling so much more of a threat to us?

I struggle to see why I should be banned from spending my hard-earned money on a form of entertainment I enjoy, simply because a few people oppose morally, or others cannot follow a passtime in moderation. Education is a far better solution than prohibition. Our 20th Century History has taught us that.

I'd seriously ask you to consider whether your support for this Bill is indeed in the interests of the majority of your electorate, or whether it is simply politically, or morally, motivated.

Kind regards

<me>

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May I use that ? Its a perfect response..... Thank YOU

[Simmo!]

May I use that ? Its a perfect response..... Thank YOU

LOL - be my guest

[managra]

Simmo, i, too, think that it is a fantastic letter that you wrote and i would like to borrow very heavily from it in some more emails i hope to fire off soon. Thanks!

[Simmo!]

Simmo, i, too, think that it is a fantastic letter that you wrote and i would like to borrow very heavily from it in some more emails i hope to fire off soon. Thanks!

No problem managra - anyone can feel free to use it and bastardise as fit

By the way there was a small typo in it (now rectified) - "greehouse gasses" - now "greenhouse gasses" obviously!

[Westland Bowl]

Another co-sponsor picked up from Illinois. Total co-sponsors now at 131. Don't know if Delay is going to be dropped off the list or not.

[Cynthia777]

Ok folks..sorry I haven't posted/been on here too much frequently (inundated with overtime, primarily amendments on Immigration Act)..but here are some quick updates...

- H.R. 4777 was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on March 31. The subcommittee held hearings Wednesday, April 5.

- H.R. 4411 was reported (amended) by the House Committee on Financial Services last night 4/6 at 9:30pm. The report number to look out for is
109-412 (text not available yet, more than likely GPO may have had to "cut" the Congressional Record last night- if we cannot get everything done by the deadline in morning, the remainder gets published with the next day's record) (it's been insanely busy this week)
H.R. 4411 has been referred now to the House Committee on the Judiciary for a period of review not to exceed May 26, 2006 for consideration of the provisions, amendment, and Financial Services' committee report of this bill

More to come as it becomes available......

[Cynthia777]

Just a note too.. Congress will be out of session for the Spring Break District Work Period for the next two weeks and will return April 23/24. Let's take advantage of these two weeks to get writing if you haven't already done so, because business will resume when they come back in two weeks...

[managra]

Cynthia, as always you're very helpful to keep us informed on what's happening on the Hill. Thanks. Hope to have some time this weekend to fire off more emails.

[Cynthia777]

2 links on the testimony/hearings on 4777

http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdf...gham040506.pdf

http://judiciary.house.gov/HearingTestimony.aspx?ID=382





at work now..gotta go

[jetset]

The US and European press has been very active in reporting the April 5 proceedings, in general taking the line that the serious objections on carve-outs and enforcement difficulty to the Bill is a serious hurdle and the harbinger of more difficulties to its passage.

The bank guys don't want to be dragged into enforcement and said so, and Goodlatte and the DoJ had an embarrassing conflict at one stage.

Pressed by Conyers on the horse racing issue (that's one of the carve outs) Goodlatte couldn't or wouldn't comment and sidestepped the issue, illustrating I think how sensitive his Bill is to this aspect.

London stocks took an upward trend Thursday and Friday - Party Gaming by as much as 10 percent - on the optimism following this opposition to the Bill.

Rep. John Conyers was not the only one this time to call for a thorough investigation by a committee before any prohibition.

David Carruthers's public email debate with Rep. Leach on his Bill, which was conducted by the Wall Street Journal has also achieved massive coverage - most seemed to think that Carruthers made some very telling points. And the Poker Player's Alliance got a lot of coverage from their high profile opposition to the Bill on behalf of millions of American poker players.

All in all a pretty positive week for the anti-prohibition lobby - the April 7 issue of Casinomeister News has quite a lot of material on these happenings this week.