One thing we can do to reduce debt, and actually generate income, is to stop pursuing the demonizing of online poker. This is a product of holier-than-thou politicians and lobbyist for brick and mortar casinos that see online poker as a threat to their bottom dollar.
This is a huge expense to the federal government to try to block it and to prosecute the “offenders”. All in the misguided ideal of stopping terrorism. WTF, Really? Terrorism? So now Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth are terrorists, or supporting terrorist. Yeah, right. Not a fan of Hellmuth, but I would not try to pin that on him.
Terrorism is the new boogeyman that can be used to get the mindless sheep in this country to roll over and take whatever they are given.
Let’s just look at this for a minute.
First, we overturn the UIGEA and its offspring and mutations.
Next, we try to lure some of these companies back to the US. That is an addition of new jobs and federal tax income. Both on the business and its employees.
Next, we sit back and collect the taxes from the winners as we do from the brick and mortar casinos. Taxes many players have said they would gladly pay for the privilege to play online.
Truly, do you care if the guy across the street spends 3 hours a night playing poker online? Do you?
If you agree, you can voice your opinion here. If you want, you can use the same letter I posted.
Dear Honorable Joint Select Committee Members,
Please support HR 2366 — raise revenue without raising taxes
As a voter and tax payer, I am writing to ask that you please consider H.R. 2366, the Online Poker Act of 2011, during your deficit reduction discussions. This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX), will provide much needed federal and state revenue without raising taxes. It will also bring American companies into the Internet poker market, creating thousands of new jobs that we so desperately need. It will provide for strong consumer protections and age verification requirements as well.
Former Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge supports federal licensing of online poker because it addresses control and accountability of cash flows. Additionally, WiredSafety, the world’s largest Internet safety group, concluded that “combining a thoughtful regulatory scheme with education, technology tools, and support appears to be the most effective means of handling the realities and risks” of online poker. This groundbreaking study can be found at www.theppa.org/harvardstudy. U.S.-based horse race wagering sites have proven that online betting sites can successfully implement these important protections. The game of poker deserves no less.
This bill does not authorize video poker or any other house-banked casino-style game. Rather, it provides for sensible regulation of the game of online poker — the electronic version of the game families across America play at the kitchen table — and is limited to this person-to-person game of skill.
Every federal dollar wasted on efforts to stop American adults from playing online poker is another dollar added to the federal deficit. Quite frankly, there’s simply no reason for the deficit reduction super committee to ignore HR 2366.
Also, buy legalizing and regulating online poker, if companies choose to move here, it will be an added tax revenue from those companies as well as the taxes that the players themselves would pay on their profits.
Thank you for your consideration.
Posted by WTF Really