Online funding legislation

[justus]

House panel backs limits on online gambling. Washington--A House subcommittee voted Tuesday to make it harder for Americans to gamble on the Internet, opting not to consider an alternative proposal that could lead to states legalizing and taxing online casinos.

Democrats on the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime said they would raise that alternative when the full committee considers the bill.

By a voice vote, the subcommittee approved legislationthat would prohibit the use of credit cards, checks and electronic fund transfers to pay for online betting transactions.

The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa, previously passed the House Financial Services Committee. The full House approved a similar measure in the previous Congress, but it died in the Senate. From the May 7th Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

[RiverMel]

Welcom to America! The land of the free and the home of the brave. Hmmmm... 1 out of 2 ain't so bad..

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

They'll have a hard time keeping you from using NETeller. It isn't a gaming site and is used for many other kinds of transaction. It's not a US company, so they can't regulate the services it provides you.

[RiverMel]

What you say is partially correct. However, the bill allows for the "flagging" of foreign entities as "gaming-related." If Neteller is flagged, the law will prohibit any transfers to Neteller from US accounts, hence plugging that gap.

[FA_man]

Sorry, but that is exactly what it is.

The congressman who sponsored the bill feels that is what a majoity of his constituents want, and if that is what the public wants to disallow, then the public should be able to make that law. You do not have a constitutional right to play online poker.

-FA_man

[Emperor]

This is completely ridiculous. The vote should have been to lift the ban, and to reccomend to the committee that they draft legislation to regulate the industry.

Banning these transactions because it is gambling is hypocritical when they allow billions of dollars to flow internationally for every other kind of commerce.

Where is Gamblers of America website where I can put my name on the mailing list to these draconian "Representatives"?

[Emperor]

Kind of like the PM of Israel continuing to build new developments while displacing Palestinians, all the while the people of Israel are screaming for him to stop. Hmmm

Politicians spin legislation so that thier constituents think that thier views are being represented. Whether or not they are is another story. The public doesn't make laws, we don't hold referendums like other countries, and thank god. I say this because the majority of Americans are completely clueless about what is best for them.

I love America, I think that it could be an awesome country.

Politicians like this scare the heck out of me. This guy is a right wing, bible thumping, save the world from sin, kind of politician. I know because I used to vote for guys like this. They scared me less than the passive, environazi, lets save the world by giving them all of our money types.

Politics seem to be overrun with these types of extremists lately and this country is going to hell in a handbasket because of them.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Please cite the appropriate passage in the US Constitution that denies my right to play online poker.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

In fact, I would argue that taken in conjunction with Article 8, Amendments IX and X specifically *deny* congress the power to make such a law.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

You wrote:

"The congressman who sponsored the bill feels that is what a majoity of his constituents want, and if that is what the public wants to disallow, then the public should be able to make that law."

What the majority of those citizens wants is irrelevant *if* it contradicts the rules of governance as outlined in the constitution. Remember, the US is NOT a democracy, it IS a constitutional republic.

-In a democracy, 3 wolves and 1 sheep vote on what's for dinner -
-In a republic, 3 wolves and 1 sheep elect representatives who vote on what's for dinner -
-In a constitutional republic, dinner is not subject to a vote, and the sheep are armed -