[Hock_]

Here's my letter, cribbed from the letter above:

I am very interested in the hearing Wednesday on Internet Gambling.

I support the efforts of many in Congress to un-do the unworkable, immoral UIGEA passed last fall. I find it offensive that the government would try to regulate voluntary activities Americans take in the privacy of their own homes, in particular an activity engaged in by so many law-abiding citizens, and which presents no real potential of harm to others.

Even aside from the flawed policy underlying the UIGEA, the manner in which the legislation attempts to end some forms of on-line gaming (some types are specifically excluded) is misguided. History is bound to repeat itself, and much like prohibition, the number of Americans who participate in on-line gaming suggests that it is here to stay. Rather than driving the activity "underground", as the poorly drafted and ambiguous UIGEA is bound to do, the only sensible approach is to regulate and tax.

Finally, it is absurd for the federal government even to be entertaining the possibility of sacrificing American jobs via trade sanctions (because of the repeated rulings of the WTO on this specific issue) in an effort to satisfy the misplaced morals of a few.

I hope that the clear error of the last Congress will be reversed before additional harm is done.