MN 5th District Candidate On Our Side

[Drac]

I have tried to contact the Democratic and Independent candidates for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District regarding their stances on internet gambling. Frankly, there's no way in hell I'd vote for the Repub as he's too big of an idiot, even if he's on our side on this issue. The Dem has not bothered to reply but the Indep candidate, Tammy Lee, responded quickly to my emails. After admitting she knew little about the issue I gave her a brief updated on what has happened. This was her reply:

I don't have a moral objection to online gambling either. Gamble away. You've got my vote in Congress on this issue.

While she has little to no chance to win as this is by far the most Dem district in the state I will be voting for her and thought 2+2 should know that we have another supporter running for office.

[joseki]

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This was her reply:

I don't have a moral objection to online gambling either. Gamble away. You've got my vote in Congress on this issue.



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Did you reply that you she should keep her 'moral objections' to herself and take policy stances based on logic, her constiuency, and the constitution?

[Nikoms]

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Did you reply that you she should keep her 'moral objections' to herself and take policy stances based on logic, her constiuency, and the constitution?

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...unless of course she was elected by her constituents based on her moral stance on various issues.

[jay1313]

The Independence Party candidates will all be in favor of personal freedoms as they tend to be more libertarian then anything else. However, the 5th district is a solid Democrat district and I don't see that changing. Ellison will go with whatever the democratic move on this will be as he has more urban issues on his plate.

[Drac]

I'm well aware of how things will fall on election day but thought I'd share what I found. I don't really have a strong opinion either way on Ellison but I'm happy to vote for somebody that is pretty similar to Ellison but I know supports keeping the government out of our online business.

What's wrong with her stating she doesn't have a moral objection to online gaming? Don't most of those that do object to it do so on moral grounds (at least that's their public stance)?

[TANKSTER]

I'm not sure which District in MN i'm in. But Betty McCullom is my rep. I wrote her a letter when I originally heard about the bill some months ago. I did get a response from her. Basically she said that the Republicans are to blame, blah, blah, blah. She wouldn't state her stance on the issue (big shock). Guess what? EVERY Congress-Ape in Minnesota voted in favor of the bill. This state sucks balls politically. Republicans who act like Democrats, Democrats who act like they belong to the Green Party, and so on and so on and so on.

[jay1313]

That was probably just a vent on this whole moral issue thing about online gambling and the hypocrisy of it. As far as Minnesota voting goes, I did vote for Ventura in 1998 and I think it sent a good message. In 2002, I voted Pawlenty (I tend to vote Republican for the perceived fiscal conservative nature), however, the litmus test of having MCCL approval in order to be a member of the Republican party has turned me away from them. If I lived in the 5th district I would vote for Lee as well. I was a Hutchison supporter but this whole Republican reaming has me for the first time voting against candidates rather then for them. As much as I dislike Hatch, I am focusing my vote this year against Republicans. I have actually become vocal this year even among my more 'Republican' friends about how the R's have taken that next step of legislating inside my house. I may not have convinced all of my friends to vote Democratic this year, but I know they are thinking about what I have said.

Lets hope Ellison hears and supports the message we are sending.

[Busted_Flat]

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I was a Hutchison supporter but this whole Republican reaming has me for the first time voting against candidates rather then for them. As much as I dislike Hatch, I am focusing my vote this year against Republicans.

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I'm pretty sure Hatch is not internet gambling friendly. I believe as Attorney General he has ruled internet gambling is illegal in Minnesota, although he has done nothing to enforce it. I dislike both Hatch and Pawlenty and will vote my consience for Hutchinson. He won't win, but maybe it will help keep the Independence Party viable in Minnesota.

[jay1313]

You are probably right, but Hatch is more interested in self promotion and getting vengence against the Republican party. If we get the federal law repealed or thrown out, Hatch will not be banging the drum to outlaw it in Minnesota. Hutchinson may still get my vote, But I really want to send a message to the Republican party all the way down the line that this kind of legislative behavior is completely unacceptable.

[Drac]

I prefer Hutchinson by a large margin over Pawlenty and Hatch but I don't think I can stand another 4 years of Pawlenty so will probably vote Hatch unless Hutchinson has a big leap in the polls soon.

I'm surprised at how anti online gambling the entire state was. We have casinos and cardrooms and lotteries and a horse track. Clearly we need to have online gambling outlawed as we are a puritanical society.

[jay1313]

Practically every representative in the country voted for the bill. The Safe Port Act was very important legislation that needed to get addressed. The UIGEA was a non-germaine amendment to that bill that was not 'hot' enough to cause voting down the other important legislation.

The key thing to remember is that the law was snuck in to another unrelated, yet very important, bill and forced on the representatives without true debate.

The Republicans (Frist, Kyl) gave the democrats or I should say most of the representatives in congress, no voice on the amendment.

[joseki]

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Did you reply that you she should keep her 'moral objections' to herself and take policy stances based on logic, her constiuency, and the constitution?

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...unless of course she was elected by her constituents based on her moral stance on various issues.

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Does the phrase "tyranny of the majority" mean anything to you?