Recently, Congress took a radical step to protect our nation. Under the guise of protecting our country from terrorists trying to attack our harbors, it passed a ban on Internet poker games. Of course, it may be the case that someplace, somewhere, someone actually believes that Internet poker players are third-world terrorists out to destroy our way of life. Unfortunately, one of these people is a United States Senator.

Real Americans know: Internet poker players are not terrorists. They are regular Americans, just like you and me. They have a hobby. They play cards. To meet more opponents, they play over the internet: On the internet, they can meet thousands of new opponents, from the safety of their own living rooms.

Real Americans know: Poker is as American as apple pie. It’s a game that has been played by tens of millions of your fellow citizens since before living memory. Poker is no more a terrorist threat than the Statue of Liberty is a terrorist threat.

Americans recognize: The Poker ban had nothing to do with stopping terrorism. The Poker ban was passed because too many Congressmen are ready to go down on their knees before their political allies. Unfortunately, those political allies are well meaning Americans who think they should use the Federal government to impose their moral ideas on you.

My position on the Internet Poker Ban is simple: Even for Congress, the Internet poker ban was an unusually dumb idea. Congress should stick with things it understands, like renaming French Fries. They’ve done that twice now. The Internet poker ban should be repealed immediately. Don’t quibble about the details. Repeal the whole law the ban was attached to. Start over with a clean piece of paper.

Two counties over from where I type, America was settled by the Pilgrims, good people who fled to the New World because they were persecuted for their moral practices. Two states southwest of here, Pennsylvania was settled by the Quakers and the Amish and the other Plain People, who fled to the New World because they were persecuted for their moral practices.

Our Founding Fathers, the authors of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, looked back at the Old World. They realized: Congress has no business establishing a religion. Every American should be free to make his or her own moral choices.

That choice can be praying three times a day, as millions of our fellow Americans do. That choice can be sitting down every evening for a good game of cards, with a few friends and a few dollars in the pot, as millions of our fellow Americans used to be allowed to do.

That should be your choice, not Congress’s.

It’s time to put a stop to Congressional foolishness. It’s time to elect grownups to Federal office. In 2008, you’ll have a vote. Use that vote wisely! Vote for the only Party that wants to protect your right to gamble on the internet. This 2008, vote for the Libertarian Party.

Meanwhile, please support the presidential candidate who wants to re-legalize internet poker playing. Support George Phillies, Libertarian, for President.

Remember, no matter your hobbies, no matter your faith, someplace there is someone who does not approve of what you are doing. To paraphrase Pastor Niemoller, they’ve already come for the poker players. You, too, could be next.

For more of the same, vote Republican-Democratic.

For Real Change, Vote Libertarian.

In 2008, Vote Phillies, Libertarian, for President
www.phillies2008.com

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George Phillies is a candidate for the Libertarian Party’s 2008 presidential nomination. His campaign web site is located at www.phillies2008.com. As a matter of course, Rational Review will publish, unedited, the submissions of libertarian presidential candidates. For more information, or for assistance, contact us at info@rationalreview.com.