The failed assumption is, of course, that the U. S. of A. gives a flying fark about what the WTO says WRT internet gaming.

As you can see from the 2+2 post, SSIGI is an organization that has been created to encourage the legalization of Internet gambling in the U.S. We believe people should have the freedom to gamble online, without the government getting in the way.

For more information, we encoruage you to visit our website at www.safeandsecureig.org.

The U.S. will never legalize Internet Gambling. At least not in the lifetime of anyone reading this post.

The U.S. operates as a Puritanistic society, regardless the numbers of people we have with slightly or severely looser morals. Just look at the mega-impact a single nipple had on all of the U.S. entertainment industry if you doubt that statement.

Your goals are actually not very aligned with the goals of U.S. poker players. The only real hope we have of getting Poker exempted from the Frist bill is to convince members of Congress and the President that Poker is primarily skill; not gambling. Throwing our lot in with your organization can only be a detriment to that.

Keep Poker and Gambling separate. Poker is not gambling.

Sorry BigPhish, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. The US could end up legalizing Internet gambling if given the proper incentive. Current incentives we are promoting are the opportunity to help resolve the WTO dispute, generate tax revenue from online gambling activity and protect consumers who are going to gamble online despite the prohibition.

Congress is not going to just decide that poker should be legalized because some argue it is a game of skill. They need incentive and we are working to promote all the benefits of legalization and regulation.

We are also trying to provide the best incentive, which is the will of the people. Though you may think it makes sense to stay quiet on this issue, we are trying to recruit people to visit our website and use it to send emails to their elected representatives.

It is fine to be pessimistic, but don't encourage people to sit on their hands when we are trying to help send a message to Congress that our freedom to gamble online should be protected.

How many groups do you see as organized as Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative out there saying what we are saying and doing what we are doing - fighting for you? If sports betting is not included in the Frank bill and all we get is legalized Internet poker, we will be just as thrilled as you. The difference is that we will keep fighting until Congress makes the right decision by legalizing sports and all betting and stops deciding what we can and can not bet on over the Internet.

Let's see...

WTO dispute - They don't care. Really. Why do you think they do? And no other country is going to fark with the U.S. over this issue (fine for disallowing internet gaming) because they want our dollars!

Generate tax revene - Not worth losing the votes of the Christian Right, and not worth the headache to set up the regulatory agencies, especially with Republican (read: smaller government) rule.

Protect Consumers - LOL! You don't live in the U.S., do you? Republicans are all about big business bending Joe Consumer over to extract profit from every orifice.

You are never going to get a bill passed that "legalizes" sports betting, online casinos, or any of the other "classic" form of gambling. It will be tough enough to get a bill passed that exempts Poker, an activity that has been defined by at least one government body as skill-based and not gambling, from the Frist bill.

Actually, I take that back. If you can convince Haliburton to buy Party Poker or any other major internet poker or gambling site, your bill will pass the next day. Maybe you should consider that track? But you better be quick; that window is only open another 15 months or so...