FoF back at it again

[TheEngineer]

FoF has an updated action plan out. I guess these busybodies have nothing better to do than to worry about what WE do in OUR OWN HOMES! I guess this makes them feel morally superior.

Internet Gambling Take Action
3-29-2007

by Chad Hills


In 2005, U.S. citizens illegally exported $6 billion dollars to unknown, unaccountable foreign online casinos. Congress passed legislation to stop Internet gambling in the U.S., but the Department of Treasury needs to hear your voice to keep this legislation strong. Representative Barney Frank recently introduced dangerous legislation that would legalize Internet gambling. The fight is on and we need your help to defend the family!



Updated: 8-3-2007




Pro-Family Coalitions and Sports Associations Write Congress to Uphold Intergrity of UIGEA



Read letters faxed to Congress Members concerning recent bills that would legalize Internet gambling and reverse the Unlawful Internet Gamblnig Enforcement Act of 2006.



Sports Associations' letter to Congress (7-30-2007)
Coalition sign-on letter to House Members (8-1-2007)
Coalition sign-on letter to Senators (8-1-2007)
We encourage citizens to contact their Members of Congress by phone, fax or e-mail and share why the Unlawful Internet Gamblnig Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is so important for families and homeland security. Recent bills have been introduced that threaten to reverse UIGEA (bill mentioned specifically in above letters).



When Congressmen promote the interests and profits of foreign lobbyists at the expense of American families and our national security, we've got a problem on our hands. People must be the common denominator in any decision.







Desperate Foreign, Online Casino Lobby Travels to D.C.




This July, a Canadian-based organization called Casino Gambling Web plans to march on Washington, D.C. and flood Congressmen's desks with reasons to "regulate Internet gambling for the benefit of society," or at least for the benefit of their foreign online casino operations.1 They have collected nearly 5,000 American signatures on their Repeal the Internet Gambling Ban petition, a relatively small number of citizens when compared to an estimated 15 million or more people afflicted with a problem or pathological gambling addictions in the U.S. Nonetheless, this is America and we all have the freedom to speak out.



The loudest and most desperate voices, however, seem to be coming from abroad: the United Kingdom, Costa Rica and the Caribbean Islands, amidst continuing U.N. pressure from the European Union on the World Trade Organization. Signs of desperation are popping up in other places, as well.



During the past three consecutive days, Focus on the Family has received a "list fax" from Vega Promotions encouraging investors to sink money into their sharply declining online gambling market. See fax and hi-lighted areas (PDF).



Back in Washington, D.C., these foreign "voices" plan to "enlighten" U.S. Congressmen about the "impending ramifications" concerning trade violations by not allowing the European Union to dictate U.S. foreign policy. The voices "will arm each representative with a new found understanding" of the safeguards "to prevent" problem and underage gambling. Is this why online gambling addiction and underage Internet gambling grew so rapidly while these foreign gambling operators mocked U.S. laws and ran illegal casino sites within the United States for nearly a decade? What safeguards?



"We will show them the tax revenue that can be realized," say the voices. This "revenue" will come from the losses of millions of people by deceiving them and exploiting their weaknesses. Is Congress elected to protect special foreign interests or to represent and defend the people of America? Should foreign special interest groups, particularly predatory industries like online gambling, be dictating policy for the United States?



Congress passed legislation to protect American families from online gambling predators and to prevent potential threats to our national security. Congress intentionally chose not to legalize or "regulate" online gambling, but rather to enforce existing federal laws that prohibit online gambling. In spite of the mounting desperation and pressure from foreign gambling interests, Congress must be encouraged to stick to their guns. Encourage your members of Congress to uphold the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 for the safety of our children, families and our national security.







NEWS FLASH: Barney Frank Bill Threatens Families, National Security



Representative Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, sponsored a bill (H.R. 2046) that would legalize Internet gambling in the United States. His bill, if passed, will undo nearly a decade of Congressional efforts to protect children and families from gambling predators on the Internet. It also threatens homeland security in the midst of terrorist threats.

Before the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was signed into law, children were being assaulted by Internet pop-ups and advertisements for more than 2,000 instant, online casinos. More than $6 billion left the U.S. economy and poured into questionable off-shore gambling operations. Barney Frank's bill must be defeated for the sake of children, families and homeland security.

On June 8, 2007, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on Rep. Barney Frank's legislation, H.R. 2046, the "Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007." H.R 2046 has 19 Co-Sponsors.

H.R. 2046 sets up a scheme for legalizing, licensing and regulating Internet gambling operations. Rep. Barney Frank's bill excuses Internet gambling operators from prosecution or enforcement action under any Federal or State law, if they simply obtain a license and follow the bill's requirements. Thus, H.R. 2046 effectively overrides all other gambling regulations or limitations under Federal or State law.

An Internet gambling news site exposed an interesting statistic, indicating that "probably more than 70%" of Internet gambling operators have a prior arrest record ["Barney Frank Will Have Few Online Gambling Luminaries at Friday's Hearing," Gambling911.com, 6 June 2007].

"The industry [foreign Internet gambling] in general is skeptical of Frank's proposed legislation since it restricts those with prior arrest records (including bookmaking) from operating an online casino, poker room or sportsbook. That's probably more than 70% of the industry. The sports betting side in particular was started off shore mostly by individuals who left the States because they tired of having law enforcement bust their doors down every couple of months."

Still want to place a bet online with your bank account number or credit card? Again, this emphasizes our concern about the potential for Internet gambling to fund money laundering operations and organized crime through predatory, unscrupulous operations.

Jack Abramoff and Barney Frank have something in common: they both want to expand gambling. One man's in jail, the other man's still in Congress. We know who was behind Abramoff, but we're curious to know who's behind Barney Frank's legislation? Frank says he doesn't gamble, so why is he suddenly online gambling's mascot?

Are you tired of being assaulted by thousands of online gambling pop-up ads? Are you worried about your children, a spouse or an extended family member becoming "hooked" on highly addictive Internet gambling? Barney Frank seems more concerned about a handful of disgruntled poker players and the special interests of foreign casino operators.

Oppose Barney Frank's bill (H.R. 2046) and support strong regulations for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. Take action now!



Take Action - Barney Frank Bill

Oppose Barney Frank's legislation (H.R. 2046), because it jeopardizes the safety of our families and our nation.

The House of Representatives, specifically those who serve on the Financial Services Committee, need to hear an outcry from families and pro-family groups by this Thursday (6-7-07).


Fax, call or e-mail your Representative. Urge your House Representative to oppose HR 2046. If your state has a Representative on the House Financial Services Committee, contact them as well (see Committee members). This Committee held a hearing on Barney Frank's bill June 8, 2007.
Be sure to contact House Judiciary Committee members (202-225-3951) from your state and urge their opposition to Barney Frank's bill (HR 2046).


Other Things You Can Do:

Submit testimony (your experience, your thoughts) about Internet gambling for the Congressional record (by 6-8-07).
Send out e-mails to friends to call their Representatives.
Mention this issue in your church, to radio programs or other pro-family organizations
Write to the local newspaper editor with your concerns.


Background on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was attached to the SAFE Port Act (H.R. 4954) and passed in 2006. This legislation delegated authority to the U.S. Department of the Treasury to determine the details and regulations pertaining to the Internet gambling portion of this legislation (Title VIII).

Needless to say, the foreign online gambling industry hired a number of lobbyists to influence this legislation and ultimately weaken the UIGEA. Foreign Internet casino operators lost an estimated $6 billion when Congress passed this legislation in 2006. They are intent on lobbying to reclaim their lost business by advocating porous Internet legislation and regulation.

The U.S. Department of Treasury is expected to release their regulations very soon, so voice your concerns today (see talking points listed below). Read the letter written by professional and amateur sports organizations that encourages strong regulations against Internet gambling.



Take Action - Unlawful Internet Gambling

Send a message to President Bush:

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461 (most effective)
E-mail: comments@whitehouse.gov

Emphasize these points:

The Department of the Treasury is tasked with drafting strong and thorough regulations. Word from legislators working closely with this bill is that the regulations are too weak, and the law will may be undermined by the rules and regulations. A handful of federal agents could create and maintain a list of unlawful Internet gambling operations to existing Pro-family organizations and citizens must contact the White House and urge President Bush to direct the Treasury to create strong regulations to uphold this legislation.
A second concern is Rep. Barney Frank's (D-MA) bill, HR 2046. His bill would effectively repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, reversing nearly a decade of Congressional efforts to keep families safe from the predatory online gambling industry. Citizens need to voice their opposition to the dangerous bill that would open the gates wide for Internet casinos.
Citizens should also be aware that Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) sponsored a bill that seeks to "study" the option of Internet gambling in the United States and ultimately justify its legalization. Oppose HR 2140, because more than 230 million Americans access the Internet, including children. We do not want thousands of virtual casinos tempting adults and children to gamble, nor can we verify whether these sites are funding criminals or terrorists. We don't have to study Internet gambling to know that risks are too great.

You can also contact Secretary Paulson, of the Department of Treasury. Express your concern for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act regulations to remain strong.

The Honorable Henry M. Paulson

Secretary of the Department of the Treasury

1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20220

Phone - 202-622-1100

Phone - Department of the Treasury Main Switchboard - 202-622-1100

Fax - 202-622-6415

Web site: http://www.ustreas.gov/

[TheEngineer]

FoF's letter to the House (they sent the same one to the Senate as well):

http://www.citizenlink.org/pdfs/fosi/gam...AX_to_HOUSE.pdf

August 1, 2007

Dear Member of Congress,

As a bipartisan coalition of family and faith-based organizations representing millions of
citizens nationwide, we thank you for your efforts to protect families from the dangers of
Internet gambling. Last year, Congress took the very valuable step of enacting the Unlawful
Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) so that U.S. gambling laws could be
better enforced on the Internet. We are concerned, however, about ensuring the integrity of
UIGEA in upcoming months. We have three primary concerns:

• Congressional support for strong UIGEA regulations from the Treasury Department
o Add list of illegal Internet gambling to FinCEN and OFAC lists, block
transactions
o Create a system for reporting illegal sites to the DOJ (Internet, phone, mail)
o Enforce prosecution of illegal online gambling operations
• Your support of UIGEA's integrity and your opposition to contrary legislation
• Congressional support for U.S. withdrawal from WTO obligations that jeopardize
UIGEA

Internet gambling represents the most invasive and addictive form of gambling in history.
Speed, accessibility, availability and anonymity make Internet gambling the perfect storm for
gambling addiction. Internet gambling also creates fertile ground for criminal activity and
threatens homeland security by potentially funding terrorist activity.

More than 230 million Americans access the Internet, many of whom are children and
adolescents. Internet gambling extends beyond state borders, beyond democratically enacted
laws and is piped directly into millions of homes. Before Congress passed UIGEA, nearly
3,000 online casinos could be accessed instantly with the click of a mouse.
Since its passage, UGIEA has severely cut unlawful U.S. profits to foreign gambling interests.
Now these Internet casino operations are willing to spend millions of dollars influencing
Congress to gain legal access into U.S. homes. In fact, the UC Group (a leading paymentservice
provider in the U.K.) claims to be "leading the initiative" behind Rep. Barney Frank's
bill, H.R. 2046. The misinformation campaign is in full swing, and Congress is the target.
You should be aware of several bills that threaten the integrity of UIGEA:
• Rep. Frank's bill H.R. 2046 – far-reaching legalization of Internet gambling, providing
online casinos with exemptions from federal and state laws
• Rep. Wexler's bill H.R. 2610 - exempts poker and "games of skill" from UIGEA
• Rep. McDermott's bill H.R. 2607 - licenses and taxes Internet casinos
Foreign gambling interests are also pressuring the World Trade Organization (WTO) to force
the U.S. to legalize Internet gambling. They claim that the U.S. is obligated to legalize
gambling because it committed to free trade in “recreational services,” and a WTO panel
agreed. Now the U.S. is seeking to amend its trade commitments to make clear that Congress
never intended to turn over to the WTO its right to set gambling policy. Congress should
return the favor to the U.S. Trade Representative by supporting these negotiations.
Again, thank for your time and service in preserving families. We hope for your ongoing
support of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the upcoming months.

Sincerely,

Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President
Focus on the Family Action

Guy C. Clark, D.D.S.
Chairman
National Coalition Against Legalized
Gambling

Gary Bauer
President
American Values
Roberta Combs
President
Christian Coalition of America

Rev. Donald E. Wildmon
Executive Director and Founder
American Family Association

Phyllis Schlafly
President and Founder
Eagle Forum
Tom McClusky
Vice President for Government Affairs
Family Research Council

Dr. Keith Wiebe
President
American Association of Christian
Schools

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
We (FoF) have three primary concerns:

• Congressional support for strong UIGEA regulations from the Treasury Department

o Add list of illegal Internet gambling to FinCEN and OFAC lists, block transactions
o Create a system for reporting illegal sites to the DOJ (Internet, phone, mail)
o Enforce prosecution of illegal online gambling operations

• Your support of UIGEA's integrity and your opposition to contrary legislation
• Congressional support for U.S. withdrawal from WTO obligations that jeopardize UIGEA

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess we have three concerns as well -- the opposite of FoF's.

[Uglyowl]

I will have to find the article, but in the upcoming elections the message of a "separate of church and state" is getting on the radar of key ideas that is makes a favorable candidate. Although it wasn't the top "slogan" it was up there in well inside the top 10. Fortunately they have lost some strength but, are still pretty powerful force.

[tangled]

• Congressional support for U.S. withdrawal from WTO obligations that jeopardize UIGEA

This entry is fairly interesting. It has been discussed on this forum whether the administrations actions on the WTO situation would have to be approved by the Senate. This entry seems to be saying that it is likely that they will. The FoF feeling on this is probably reliable since I'm sure they have some pretty good lawyers,... and, of course, they have exclusive access to God himself, too.

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
I will have to find the article, but in the upcoming elections the message of a "separate of church and state" is getting on the radar of key ideas that is makes a favorable candidate. Although it wasn't the top "slogan" it was up there in well inside the top 10. Fortunately they have lost some strength but, are still pretty powerful force.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's almost humorous that they're sending this stuff to the current Congress. It does give us good opportunities to expose them for the big government nanny-staters that they are.

[TheEngineer]

The "bipartisan" coalition (LOL):

[ QUOTE ]
Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President
Focus on the Family Action

Guy C. Clark, D.D.S.
Chairman
National Coalition Against Legalized
Gambling

Gary Bauer
President
American Values
Roberta Combs
President
Christian Coalition of America

Rev. Donald E. Wildmon
Executive Director and Founder
American Family Association

Phyllis Schlafly
President and Founder
Eagle Forum
Tom McClusky
Vice President for Government Affairs
Family Research Council

Dr. Keith Wiebe
President
American Association of Christian
Schools

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd hate to see their partisan group!

[Uglyowl]

Is FOF going over the line; can an argument be made? It seems to me they are abusing their tax-exempt status.


"Churches which want to keep their 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, however, must refrain from overt political activity. Specifically, pastors or church representatives may not use their official capacity to endorse any one candidate, nor do too much to advocate for the adoption or rejection of specific legislation. Official church newsletters or other publications may not endorse specific candidates or legislation."

Source: http://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2006/1141/

------------------------------------------------
Focus on the Family is a 501(c)(3) organization; gifts to the organization are deductible as charitable contributions for Federal and Minnesota income tax purposes

[oldbookguy]

OK, we need this as an action alert, FILE COMPLAINS AGAINST THEM IN MASS TO THE IRS and DETAIL A GOOD CASE.

Doubtful it will matter but we need to. AND send them copies of the complaints as well perhaps, let them know we mean busuiness!!!!!

Engineer, ACTION ALERT?

obg

[oldbookguy]

Also, from what I can surmise it seems they are monitoring us as well as us them.

obg