Support for Congressman Frank's bid to regulate online gambling in the USA grows

July has been a good month for Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of the influential House Financial Services Committee and author of Bill HR 2046 the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act which proposes the regulation and taxation of Internet gambling in the United States instead of banning the pastime.

Five more Congressman have signed on to the Bill as sponsors, including Representatives Anthony D. Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) who attached their support to the bill July 10, and Representatives Steven R. Rothman (D-N.J.), Michael M. Honda (D-Calif.) and Albert Russell Wynn (D-Md.) who signed up late last week.

The addition of the latest representatives grows the current list of co-sponsors to 32, up from the bill's original 11 when Frank first introduced the Act to the House in April.

The new sign-ups join the following politicians who have previously signed up to support the Frank bill, which calls for online gambling in the United States to be taxed and regulated by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

Alcee L. Hastings
Don Young
Gary L. Ackerman
Howard L.. Berman
James McGovern
Julia Carson
Joseph Crowley
Bob Filner
Luis V. Gutierrez
Peter T. King
Jim McDermott
James McGovern
Charlie Melancon
Ed Perlmutter
Linda T Sanchez
Melvin L. Watt
Shelly Berkley
Michael Capuano
Wm. Lacy Clay
Steve Israel
Carolyn McCarthy
Ron Paul
Ross Carnahan
Ciro D. Rodriguez
Edolphus Towns
Robert Wexler
Vito Fossella

Frank's aides have repeatedly said that interested parties calling their political representatives with expressions of support for the Frank bill were having a positive effect in encouraging politicians to re-examine the implications of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the alternatives which HR 2046 presents.

If passed, Frank's bill will neutralise the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, signed into law by U.S. president George Bush last October. The UIGEA prohibits financial transactions from banks and credit card companies to Internet casinos, poker rooms and sports betting sites, and has been described by Frank and other politicians as "preposterous," "one of the stupidest laws ever passed by Congress" and as an invasion of American personal freedom.

This may be the only way to get it back, with the govt's. hands in it.

What a bunch of garbage !  Originally, they pontificated about how their legislation was to "protect" people from financial ruin due to online gambling.

Now their true colors come out.  All they really wanted was a big piece of the pie !  It's all about the money  and how much of it they can get into their coffers to spend!

How much you want to bet (even though its illegal at the moment) that they will tax your winnings, but not allow you to deduct your losses?

I think the intent is to tax and regulate the gambling operations of internet gambling, not the gamblers.  I don't think they will mess with individuals and 1040 reporting.  I would prefer that these internet wagering operations be on shore for some degree of recourse.

P.S. It has always been about the money,  it is funny though that not many are reporting the huge deficit reduction that has occured over the past three years.  Even spending like madmen it has come down so much, it may go surplus in less than a year.

Do those Democrats know how to do anything besides gripe and raise taxes?

I sincerely hope you're correct. But I've never seen a politician that ever met a dollar he didn't want to spend.  Add to that the fact that they are now pushing the limit on the people's backs with their massive and ever-increasing spending, and they are seriously on the lookout for each and everything they can tax. Our own governor wants legislation that will even tax e-cards on the Internet.  They really go berzerker when they see something that isn't taxed.  They can't stand the idea that there is money "leaking" away from them because they seem to feel that all money is theirs.  So it wouldn't surprise me if they end up having the online gambling sights issuing a 1099 form each time a member takes cash out. I'm not sure they can do it with such sites that are not onshore in the USA though.  That's one good thing about the Internet.  While people can complain that its like the Old West, that's not necessarily a bad thing: it makes it really difficult for government's grubby fingers to grab hold of it.....

Yes...they also know how to spend the taxes on all kinds of pork. (and they seem to have taught the Republicans who used to be in power how to do it also...which is why they are no longer in power)

Excuse me - Repugs didn't need teaching $$$$

Neither party does, although I think it's "Republicans", right?

The large majority of politicians are in it for the power.  They will do anything to keep their power, including throwing all the principles out the window that got them elected.  It's that way on both sides.

There is no such thing as "working together for common good" in Washington.  Good things only get moving when average, middle-class people get off the butts and actively do something to make their voices heard.

An example of this would be the border fence.  I think we'll finally start to see some progress, now that the folks in the middle screamed their heads off at the moronic ideas behind the almost-passed "immigration reform bill".  People are saying "the laws already exist for this stuff.  Stop trying to add new laws.  Enforce the laws already on the book and build the wall.  Let's see if that doesn't fix the problem."