Was about to start a thread of my own (as promised but was slow to get to.) Good thing I spotted this first. Here's mine to Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV)
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As one of your constituents, I am writing to ask you to strongly consider co-sponsoring Rep. Barney Frank's bill, HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007.
As I understand it, 31 house members currently cosponsor this legislation that would effectively repeal the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, passed in the dead of night without debate via a shameful attachment to a "must-pass" port security bill. This smacks of politics at its worst and, regardless of any opinion of gambling in general, should be repealed simply for the manner on which it was passed. Your help is needed.
The need to repeal the UIGEA goes far beyond the general libertarian philosophy of Nevada residents like myself who consider gambling, whether in a casino or online, to be a personal liberty. We understand, as you do, that gambling as entertainment is a personal choice and realize that the majority of the population should not be made to suffer for the few who may be unable to gamble in a responsible manner.
Repealing the UIGEA is necessary not simply because national polls consistently show 75% of Americans oppose federal efforts to ban online gambling. It is necessary because we must, as a nation, strongly oppose any efforts to circumvent the normal legislative process in order to satisfy a personal agenda. It's no secret Senator Bill Frist attached the UIGEA in the manner he did because he knew he would not be able to get the support he needed to pass the bill on its own supposed merits. Already, the FBI is overreaching their authority and using the UIGEA to make the unsubstantiated claim that all online gambling is illegal. See the following link:
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june07/gambling060607.htm
I know you have been working with Rep. Shelly Berkley to pass a bill that would study whether Internet gambling can be regulated. I appreciate the bipartisan effort, however the bill doesn't go far enough. Quite frankly, history has shown us prohibition simply does not work. When will we learn? I see little difference between the attempt to ban online gaming and the failed attempt to ban alcohol. You may as well be asking to ban the Internet. The question to ask is not whether Internet gambling can be regulated, but rather how can we best satisfy consumer desires to gamble online, while still providing the same checks and controls we have done successfully for years in our brick-and-mortar counterparts. Rep. Barney Frank's bill addresses these issues and for this reason I ask for your support.
Thank you for your time and service.