Originally Posted by
ltrainkoja
I have heard Druff four or five times on this topic. It is true this passed due to being piggy backed on th the safe harbor (port) act. Everyone of us would have voted in favor of this act. I came to this site because of my interest in poker. I am sure there are some here for other reasons. I am looking to get the record straight. I realize we live in a world where people believe their opinions are factual. I am looking for supported facts. My understanding is Bill Frist is the author of the UIGEA. I can name several of the republicans who helped author this "addon".
I know this site leans hard conserative. I am hoping for an constructive discussion of the actual history. Please elaborate, with verified facts, where the UIGEA is not an act of the republican party. Druff has never stated the author of this "addon" Druff should spend some time on the next radio show acknowdleging this factor or atleast going over the fine details of who is responisible
This is a subject we should all be on the same page -- who ever is responsible for the UIGEA is not our ally. It has affected us all.
The UIGEA itself was the act of a few Republicans who got it inserted into the Safe Ports Act of 2006. That was a last-minute addition which wasn't major enough for anyone to change their minds on the otherwise non-controversial (and important) bill, and nobody was going to take the chance a month before the midterm election to vote against safe ports.
But it's wrong to assume that this is a completely partisan issue. While it's true that Democrats are more friendly toward online gambling than Republicans, neither side cares about it too much, and there's people on both sides of the aisle with dissenting opinions.
In 2008, there was an attempt to kill the UIGEA. However, Democrats Brad Miller, David Scott, Gregory Meeks, and even the very liberal Maxine Waters voted against the bill challenging it. On the flip side, Republicans Kevin McCarthy, Ron Paul, and Peter King voted FOR challenging the UIGEA.
In fact, this bill (HR 5767) was co-sponsored by the Republican Ron Paul and Democrat Barney Frank.
https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-new...lenge-to-uigea
And guess who one of the earliest proponents of legalizing online gambling was? One Newt Gingrich.
In 2008, when Obama was elected, many poker players erroneously concluded that this meant the UIGEA would be repealed and perhaps online poker would be legalized. Instead, Obama appointees in the DOJ went after the online poker sites harder than ever, resulting in Black Friday.
That's not to say Obama or Democrats are to blame for Black Friday. They're not. However, this is really an issue which often crosses party lines, and isn't a well defined conservative or liberal position in the US. Many Republican want to see online gambling legalization left up to the states, for states' rights reasons. Many Democrats want to see it legalized for individual liberties reasons. Many on both sides simply think it's silly to make online gambling illegal, and that adults should be free to spend their own money as they wish.
This is just one of those matters where, even when politics are involved, it's not at all a clear cut left-versus-right matter.