Keep up the pressure (discussion at National Review)

[StringerBell]

From The Corner at National Review Online:

Frist's Folly [Andrew Stuttaford]
Well, I've finally got round to my emails on the topic of that Internet gambling/national security bill and there are far, far too many to reply to. No-one who wrote to me was a fan of the move and there were a good few that said this was the 'last straw' so far as their November vote was concerned. Most of the opposition to the law was on broadly libertarian grounds, but there was another strain too, which made interesting reading in the light of Congress' reputation at the moment.

Supposedly, the reason (apart, of course, from national security) that Senator Frist rushed through this legislation was to send a signal to the more moralistic voters out there. Maybe that will work, maybe it will not, but a revealingly large percentage of my correspondents felt that the real reason for passing the law was to protect the interests of Las Vegas, Indian tribes and other entrenched gambling interests. In other words, a piece of law designed to make the GOP look clean has made them look even dirtier than before.

One reader sent me in some words on the topic on July 11th from, of all people, Barney Frank:

"If an adult in this country, with his or her own money, wants to engage in an activity that harms no one, how dare we prohibit it because it doesn't add to the GDP or it has no macroeconomic benefit. Are we all to take home calculators and, until we have satisfied the gentleman from Iowa that we are being socially useful, we abstain from recreational activities that we choose?... People have said, What is the value of gambling ? Here is the value. Some human beings enjoy doing it. Shouldn't that be our principle? If individuals like doing something and they harm no one, we will allow them to do it, even if other people disapprove of what they do."

Barney Frank talking sense, Senator Frist not.

Draw your own conclusions.
Posted at 5:15 PM

http://corner.nationalreview.com/

[Botchman]

Who is Barney Frank???

[Zele]

Congressman Barney Frank

[StringerBell]

Barney Frank is a well know gay, liberal, Democratic congressman. National Review is a major conservative publication. The author was noting the irony that Frank was the one standing up for traditionally "conservative" principles.

[JPFisher55]

July 11 was the only time that I agree with Congressman Barney Frank. I checked to be sure that the world was still turning. Former Republican.

[StringerBell]

Possible good news jumped out at me in this New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/us/pol...agewanted=print

"Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, who is in line to become chairman of the Financial Services Committee in a Democratic House"

An outspoken opponent of the Internet gambling prohibition is in line to become chairman of the House committee that oversees the banking industry ( http://financialservices.house.gov/ ) if the Democrats take control of the House.

[malo]

Good catch, StringerBell. It could be very good for us if we can get a Dem majority in the House.

[Uglyowl]

[ QUOTE ]
July 11 was the only time that I agree with Congressman Barney Frank.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually in the past year+, Barney Frank has said many things that are "common sense" that alot of politicians just aren't getting. I have listened to his stance on the immigration, the war, internet gambling and he "GETS IT".

Go Democrats [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

"Former Republican" Uglyowl

[roxtar]

I hope by "former Republican", you mean "newly registered libertarian". Excellent article OP, thank you.

[pifhluk]

Saw Barney Frank on Real Time with Bill Maher, agreed with alot of things he said. If you have HBO on demand check it out.

We Need to get out and vote Democrat, do whatever you can, take some friends with you who wouldn't normally vote, convince your family members, talk to your college friends. Democrats taking over would be a huge win for us.(and not just for poker.....uh oh)