by Hillary LaClair, Senior Editor
March 6, 2007
Greg Raymer, the 2004 World Series of Poker champion, joined the Poker Players Alliance to present the “conservative” case for online poker to U.S. legislatures last week. Distinct members of the Republican Party came together at the 36th-annual Conservative Political Action conference, which takes place in Washington, D.C., to discuss their position on various political issues as well as to reflect on the status of their party.
Raymer attended the meeting with many representatives of the PPA to lobby in favor of regulation and licensing for online poker sites, claiming that it follows the true ideals of a conservative lifestyle and should therefore be on the Republican agenda.
“I think a true conservative is someone who wants little or no government in his life,” said Raymer. “He doesn’t want the government to tell him what to do.”
The PPA has made it very clear that it does not wish to divide either political party, but there is no denying that the strongest opponents of proposed legislation to regulate the industry have been Republicans - due to the staunch Republican belief that gambling of all kind jeopardizes the moral structure of the U.S., and is particularly dangerous to youths in America who may be more susceptible to problem gambling.
Since the inception of online poker, it has been only natural for Republican activists to oppose internet gambling. As a conservative himself, Raymer sought to convince the party that not only is online poker less harmful to the general public than most believe, but that it actually conforms more to the Republican platform.
“A lot of people, when they think of conservatives, they think of conservative Christians…who are obviously against gambling in all forms and would not be in favor of the PPA and what we’re trying to accomplish,” Raymer continued. “But I think the true Republican, certainly someone who’s a good conservative, is going to say that if it’s an activity that is engaged by an adult who is mentally competent, if they’re not hurting other people, I’m just going to have to…let them do it.”
A major element to the Republican way of thinking is that the government should be less involved in regulating the people of the United States – that caring for the people, both physically and mentally, is more of a personal and family responsibility than the government’s – an argument that Raymer used to lobby for online poker. Raymer also expressed his disdain for the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) and those legislators that wrote it.
“I don’t think those guys are really conservative. They may or may not be good Republicans, but they’re not good conservatives. They don’t want the government telling them what to do, but they feel it’s their place to tell us what to do. Basically, they’re being paternalistic, and to be honest, they’re being idiots,” Raymer said.
Raymer says that his meeting with the Republican party went well all in all, and that he is optimistic for the future of online poker gambling and the repeal of the UIGEA.
|
