is barney frank jeopardizing his own online gambling bill? - Page 2

PokeReader · #11 07-03-2007, 04:43 PM

Are you joking? There will not be a vote if leadership is pissed enough, it will just not come up for a vote this year.

Legislurker · #12 07-03-2007, 04:55 PM

Do we really care about a floor vote or not? No way it goes through the Senate. Maybe the press will run with, FoF et al will step up the rhetoric, calls and donations. I think we are better served waiting for it to get tacked on in committee than scaring FoF and the horsefuckers to fight more actively.

PokeReader · #13 07-03-2007, 05:27 PM

I actually think there is more chance for this then you think, because of budget problems. It would help solve AMT. However, the Senate is the problem.

TheEngineer · #14 07-03-2007, 05:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I actually think there is more chance for this then you think, because of budget problems. It would help solve AMT. However, the Senate is the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pay-go in general can help us, I think. In fact, I always figured that was our ace in the hole, in that someone would eventually need the tax revenue that can be generated by Internet gaming.

As for how Rep. Frank handled it, it sounds like that may be a problem. I guess we'll see. At least he successfully made it a pro-family bill of sorts. I look forward to seeing how it works out.

oldbookguy · #15 07-03-2007, 07:34 PM

Ok, think of this as well.

Does anyone really think any one of the 3 bills / 1 study bill can actually pass as a stand alone bill?

Did not think so.

Is this an ideal bill? Maybe not. However, a last minute pre-election MUST pass bill only comes along at a minimum every 2 years.

Is this a good bill? Well, for the liberals it may be, afterall, it helps the poor with better, more afforable housing and can create jobs in the weak housing market.

Lets give it a chance, perhaps we can spend some energy SUPPORTINg this Frank bill as well, show congress we are not single minded.

obg

Jerry D · #16 07-03-2007, 08:19 PM

It is a VERY good move to add in funding for low income housing. People who don't give a flying fishstick about poker will vote for a housing bill giving poor people a chance to put a roof over their heads. This is VERY, VERY good news folks and will make it MUCH easier to pass.

TheEngineer · #17 07-03-2007, 08:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Ok, think of this as well.

Does anyone really think any one of the 3 bills / 1 study bill can actually pass as a stand alone bill?

Did not think so.

Is this an ideal bill? Maybe not. However, a last minute pre-election MUST pass bill only comes along at a minimum every 2 years.

Is this a good bill? Well, for the liberals it may be, afterall, it helps the poor with better, more afforable housing and can create jobs in the weak housing market.

Lets give it a chance, perhaps we can spend some energy SUPPORTINg this Frank bill as well, show congress we are not single minded.

obg

[/ QUOTE ]

I was fairly certain this bill would be attached to something, then pushed through under a pay-go rationale. The question here is if Frank alienated the House leadership in the process. Perhaps they're mad because they wanted to bury it and this is pushing the bill to the forefront. I don't know, but I guess we'll find out soon if it's really coming up for a committee vote on the 12th.

As for us, I don't know why any of us would stop supporting the bill over this. Although I could personally think of better places for the money, this move makes me MORE in favor of it, as it seems to have improved its chances of passing.

oldbookguy · #18 07-03-2007, 08:59 PM

No, no, you misunderstood, or it may have been me not being clear.

I mean support the housing bill as well.

Will post a draft letter later.

Show our reps we really are interested in the goings on in congress!

obg

TheEngineer · #19 07-03-2007, 09:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
A billion is too much though. With the new pay-as-you-go budget rules this is a sure death move.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why? If online gaming generates $1B per year in tax revenue, how does eliminating this revenue source help pay-go? If anything, it seems this (in and of itself) would enhance the bill.

As for the article, it's confusing in that it claims there is $1B, then digresses into discussion about how only some of this is from Internet gaming, then further fails to make clear if this is one bill or two, so I checked.

Barney Frank announced legislation (H.R. 2895) creating the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund on June 28th. It allocates between $800 M and $1B per year to the trust fund. Funding:

[ QUOTE ]
The National Affordable Housing Trust Fund will be funded from amounts provided in the recently passed Government Sponsored Enterprises’ (GSE) Affordable Housing Fund (H.R. 1427), from savings from Federal Housing Administration reforms contained in H.R. 1852, the Expanding Americans Home Ownership Act, and from any other funding sources that may be subsequently identified.

[/ QUOTE ]

So, maybe SOME Internet poker revenue goes there. It seems what's annoying leadership is H.R. 2895. H.R. 2895 is online (linked above); it contains no gaming revenue verbiage yet. Perhaps a change is forthcoming. Rep. Frank did promise to honor pay-go:

[ QUOTE ]
The new bill, H.R. 2895, will initially allocate between $800 million and $1 billion annually to states and local communities, without increasing government spending or the federal deficit.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess someone will have to call him and ask.

TheEngineer · #20 07-03-2007, 09:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]

No, no, you misunderstood, or it may have been me not being clear.

I mean support the housing bill as well.

Will post a draft letter later.

Show our reps we really are interested in the goings on in congress!

obg

[/ QUOTE ]

Affordable housing is a pet project of Frank's anyway. I wouldn't take that article at face value just yet, but I suppose we'll want to get behind whatever we have to to push the legislation forward.