Don’t Forget About Freedom This Time
I haven't blogged in ages, but the recent events have me here ready to roll.
The DOJ going after the three major sites is not an outrage. They've been telling us they were going to do this since 2007. We just didn't believe they'd be able to do it. We were comfortable with a status quo for so long, ignoring the implications of the UIGEA and keeping the obvious gun in the room under a curtain.
Perhaps now people will see what the UIGEA really meant. It was a personal attack on our freedom as human beings. A political power play to restrict ways that Americans can spend their own hard earned and overtaxed money. The government gave us the middle finger, and we scattered like cockroaches.
We dealt with the interest free theft of our money in the Neteller situation. We dealt with a direct attack on our earning power. But that isn't even half of the problem. The problem is that the government looked us in the eye and said,
"You there. The one doing a completely victimless act. The one playing a game with other grownups who know the rules before they play. The one who gambles in a game of skill in a way that is legal in several states. The one who makes a fraction of the money off of gambling that the state does. YOU CAN NO LONGER DO THIS! WE DEMAND A MONOPOLY ON GAMBLING!"
And what did we do? We had modest outrage, and then we just found ways to subvert the intent of their law. As poker players, we(myself included) should be ashamed of taking that lying down. As human beings, we cowered like children before an abusive father holding a belt. Our fellow Americans scoffed at us since our enterprise wasn't mainstream, and ignored this injustice altogether. For more examples, see: how gay people's rights are treated, immigration laws, civil rights laws until they were changed, a woman's right to vote - the right to play poker is relatively small here.
But we have ourselves to blame. The gun was in the room the whole time - the only thing that has changed is that it has been unveiled. The issue is that these government run monopolies have been moralizing for our families and passing and enforcing laws that they say are for our betterment when they are BLATANTLY to line their own pockets. Liquor licenses, gambling licenses, tobacco taxes...it's not for your good. As a poker player, hopefully you see that now.
But I BEG you. When the US regulates poker and FTP, PS, and UB or whomever are on the outside looking in as far as "obtaining a license." And you are back to making big bucks - sitting on your yacht - milking American fish while you and the government both get rich off of legalized and regulated poker in the US. I BEG you not to forget the lesson learned here recently.
The government is not there to ensure your freedom. The government is a profit making enterprise. They don't care about stopping our earning potential so they can scratch the backs of their lobbyists. They don't care about freezing the funds of families who might REALLY need the money sometime soon. When you are rich from poker when it is finally regulated - don't THANK the government for giving you back your freedom.
They are using our tax money to buy something we most certainly do not approve of. It doesn't matter if 51% of people want this. We don't. We are human beings, and our say matters beyond the tyranny of the 51% majority(or in this case, the whims of a lame duck govt. official who would have his own political means reached on a rider to bill). Have Americans ever even voted on this issue? Do average Americans even care if we play?
Poker is not a big deal. It's a niche market. People playing poker or not isn't the point. The point is that they are shrugging their shoulders at us and saying, "We really don't care what you want. We don't care about tying up your money, stopping your earning power, or you, really." If that is representative government, I must not know what representative means. This isn't a precedent, either. It's common practice. I just hope that I don't hear a single "thank you" to any government official when poker is regulated to make them money. I don't want people making excuses for government theft and coercion in the future. I don't want any rationalization or moralization of government action.
A business's unstated first priority is self-preservation. The government is acting to preserve itself and make money. Nothing more, nothing less.
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April 16th, 2011 - 21:18
Nice post. Thanks for taking the time to express so many of the same thoughts I have during this horrible time.
April 17th, 2011 - 04:13
“Nice post. Thanks for taking the time to express so many of the same thoughts I have during this horrible time.”
twss
and +1. well stated.
April 16th, 2011 - 22:39
I hear ya
April 17th, 2011 - 01:00
The US government creates ZERO profit, but they crave spending more than a crack addict craves a rock. This is a big money grab … we’re talking BILLIONS. I do agree with you, James, and I also tend to think the big poker businesses will pay a fine and then make a deal with the US gov to start reporting US player transactions to the IRS.
April 17th, 2011 - 22:06
I approve of this message
April 18th, 2011 - 12:26
Loved your post man. My “day job” is teaching h.s. History and I love discussing with my students about the many times that a government takes away the freedoms of it’s people “for their own good”. The UIGEA is just another example of this. Remember Prohibition?? That was done for our country’s own good. A “moral minority” made a big enough stink and the government crushed an industry that no one wanted to see go away. The Patriot Act had some well intentioned ways to protect our contry from terrorists, but it went way to far. It stole many of our rights from us which we may never get back. The UIGEA is just one example of this.
April 18th, 2011 - 12:58
Thanks, HJ and Freakytiki.
Freaky,
I’m very glad to hear that a HS history teacher is teaching a less statist view of American history. This attack on the offshore casinos is a perfect masterstroke. It’s such a common view that the sites “deserve it” for breaking various laws. “The law is the law.” By forcing these casinos to either run with their tail between their legs before an unjust law(the UIGEA), or break the unjust law to continue operating their peaceful businesses, the government has played right into the pro-law bias of the American people. We are so used to hearing “Well, it was against the law…” as the ultimate trump card, and it’s beyond scary.
I mean 4 years ago, people were outraged at the UIGEA. Then a few years past, and all of a sudden this law is being cited as totally reasonable and the sites are the ones demonized for breaking it! The implications are staggering…the US govt. can just pass a law, not enforce it for a while, and then sweep in after enough time has passed and the law has been grandfathered in to people’s consciousnesses.
April 19th, 2011 - 22:05
Glad to see a fellow poker player realizing this goes far beyond Poker. Its about the ever expanding central Gov and the gradual erosion of our Freedom. Gov by its very nature is parasitic; they do not produce or create any wealth and must take (steal) from those of us that do work and produce. If we don’t stand up and do something soon it will be to late. We will get to a point were the only solution is a second bloody American Revolution. I encourage everyone to explore the below site for honest, logical, and refreshing analysis of GOV, Freedom and the economy. http://mises.org/
April 22nd, 2011 - 12:57
Agree completely, bp. This is a great opportunity for many poker players to enlighten themselves to the true nature of government regulation. I only fear that when the govt. gives back what it has stolen we’ll see a lot of bowed heads and “thank you, master” type comments instead of the bristling suspicion that is appropriate when dealing with people who have stolen from you and stopped your ability to earn.