There were statements made by politicos recently that had
serious direct ramifications to the gambling rights community. One avowal was
made by the current President of the
United States, George W. Bush. The other assertion was by one of the final
three contenders for the White House, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In his State of the Union,
President Bush claimed, “The people’s
trust in their government is undermined by congressional earmarks—special
interest projects that are often snuck in at the last minute, without
discussion or debate. Last year, I asked you to voluntarily cut the number and
cost of earmarks in half. I also asked you to stop slipping earmarks into
committee reports that never even come to a vote. Unfortunately, neither goal
was met. So this time, if you send me an appropriations bill that does not cut
the number and cost of earmarks in half, I’ll send it back to you with my
veto,” said Bush to applause from both sides of the aisle.

The “To Bet a
Man Square Massacre” was a result of the so-called Unlawful Internet
Gambling Enforcement Act, a pork barrel favor to conservative
traitor Bill “Jesus” Frist attached to the completely unrelated Security and
Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006.

Knowing that respecting the democratic process would mean
defeat, Frist was able to circumvent debate and discussion by waiting until midnight on the final night before Congress
adjourned for the 2006 elections.

Could there possibly be a better (if not bettor) example
of as Bush said “special interest
projects that are often snuck in at the last minute, without discussion or
debate”? What the President failed to
mention is he signed the bill.

More recently, Democratic President hopeful Hillary
Clinton sat down with Bill O’Reilly of Fox News in what appeared to be more of
a courtship between forbidden lovers than a no-spin interview.

In response to how she would control spiraling oil prices,
Clinton answered, “Nine of the 13
biggest oil-producing countries that are in OPEC are also members of the WTO. I would file complaints.”

The direct implication that statement has on online gambling is that the United
States deemed the World Trade Organization
irrelevant when the international body rightfully ruled that the US
unfairly targeted offshore websites by passing the anti-gambling rights act
while making an exemption for US firms that offer off-track betting on horse
racing.

In his two-part love fest with Clinton,
O’Reilly opted to follow up with scripted softballs instead of challenging Clinton’s
courting of the WTO.

Would it not make imperative that Clinton
insist we honor the WTO rulings against America
before appealing to them for assistance against OPEC? Why should OPEC respect a
ruling against them anymore than the US
has?

O’Quixote opted not to derail
his dalliance with Clinton. He sidestepped
asking her what say she about the obvious conundrum. Get a room you two.

Frankly the chances of a potential President Clinton
making good to the WTO is about the same as Bush
refusing to sign Frist’s earmarks.

If politicians on either side of the aisle actually
practiced what come out of their big mouths, the right to gamble would never
have been infringed on to begin with.

The author Joe Duffy is CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com and
widely accepted as one of the all-time great sports handicappers of all-time.