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Pelosi Puts Foot Down on Online Gambling

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will prove a major stumbling block in the quest to re-legalize online gambling in the United States. Senator Pelosi is morally opposed to gambling in all forms, and has made the explicit statement that she will do everything in her (considerable) power to veto an appeal of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) as passed by former President George Bush. The controversial UIGEA prohibits financial transactions between internet casino sites and American gamblers. As the second in line for the Presidency, Pelosi’s voice on the matter will undoubtedly weigh heavily in the discussion. Pelosi is a staunch Catholic, and is therefore religiously against the practice of gambling. In her home district in California, Pelosi’s constituents are primarily rural voters with an equally conservative leaning on issues like gambling. There are many Congress members who dislike the idea of reintroducing gambling for a plethora of reasons, but Pelosi is undoubtedly the one who will carry the most political weight.

Obviously, Pelosi is facing string opposition. Massachusetts state Representative Barney Frank is leading the charge to decriminalize online gambling, such as internet slot games and video poker tables. Many other officials are enthusiastic about the idea of bringing gambling back in as a way of generating tax revenues in the midst of economic crisis, and other dislike infringement on citizens’ rights to spend their time and money as they wish. President Obama, a former poker player himself, has suggested that he is amenable to re-legalizing online gambling. Pelosi’s objections will undoubtedly make the process more difficult, but we are hoping not impossible!

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