Stansfield returns…

…and champions the cause of – internet poker?!?

Let’s play a game. List the current issues in the world that you feel need addressed. You might have included the following:

1) Terrorism
2) Poor relations with the global market
3) Rising gas prices
4) Disaster planning and preparation
5) The ballooning deficit

We could go on and on. Now, would it shock you to know that certain members of Congress think that all those issues take a back seat to the issues created by internet poker?

I wish I were kidding. Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) calls internet poker a ‘social pathology.’. Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte has sponsored legislation aimed at curing the world of this problem. In fact, this bill just made it out of subcommittee and is headed to the floor.

Several big name poker players went to Washington to propose alternative legislation that taxed gambling sites, but still allowed people to play. The taxes from such could be used to do such novel works as helping Katrina victims or funding research for new fuel alternatives.

No, Senator Kyl and Rep Goodlatte would rather ban the blight than control and tax it. Boy, does this sound like anything else in our history? Seems like the Prohibition Amendment worked like a charm, did it not?

How about the fact that these Congressmen would rather work on this portion of the internet than address the child exploitation that occurs daily? Child molestors can rest easy; Senator Kyl would rather deal with the Texas Hold’em problem.

And don’t give me this crap that these Congressmen also support anti-terrorism bills, and other pertinent issues. These men are voted into office to ‘represent’ their constituent’s views. Instead of spending all their time doing that job, they have championed causes that are important to them personally.

This was the final straw for me, America. I nearly lost my mind when I read about this, and not just because I love poker. I am simply amazed that our current leaders would rather debate the merits of a game that 70 million Americans play than address the actual issues of the world.

I was formerly a member of the Republican party. No more. I will not vote for anyone – anyone - who is not dedicated to the true issues of the world. In fact, I will actively campaign against those who waste the blessing and responsibility they have been given by being a member of Congress.

It is time we as Americans stood up and called this Congress – nay, this Administration – to the carpet.

Stop wasting my tax money and time on issues that do not immediately matter!

Senator Kyl wants to address poker rather than address Iran? Vote him out.

As Sisyphus is so fond of saying, wake up America. Our leaders are letting us down on a daily basis.

And if you see someone picketing Capitol Hill when the poker bill comes up, know that Stansfield had some vacation time he needed to use.

Write your Congressmen and –women. Tell them what’s important. Don’t let Congress waste our time.

And, if you happen to be a poker player who thinks this is as ludicrous as I do, check out the Poker Player's Alliance. The very fact that there even needs to be such a group tells you how pitiful our Congress has become.