Despite warnings from Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), the Republican congressional leadership of 2005 and 2006 ignored the burgeoning national problems that we now live with every day (gas prices food prices, the housing meltdown, recession, etc.) in favor of wasting time and money on misguided attempts at legislating morality. These GOP leaders, who at one time claimed a belief in limited government principles, were exposed as frauds when they showed no reluctance in using big government to legislate social issues. In these cases, the sky was the limit! This was especially true with Internet poker.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is typical of Republican leadership efforts to legislate morality. To pander to anti-poker extremists like Focus on the Family, the GOP leadership embraced the power of the federal government to tell Americans what to do in their own homes with their own money. The GOP leadership also embraced UIGEA’s deputizing of banks to enforce the law, as if America’s banks were an unpaid arm of the Department of Justice.
Rep. Frank, Rep. Wexler, and Rep. Paul are leading the efforts in Congress to repeal or substantially amend the deeply flawed UIGEA to preserve our liberties. Unfortunately, many Republicans are still wasting time fighting this! Of these, 26 are expected to be in competitive races this fall. I've listed them in the article that follows this intro.
I hope we'll all write to Congress to tell them we don't need them to legislate our morality for us, and we certainly don't need them to censor the Internet! You can write today in only 60 seconds. Just go to http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/... and submit the Poker Players Alliance letter to your Congressman today. It's customizable, so it won't arrive as a form letter.
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The Leach List
http://theengineer.pokerplayersallia...
July 9, 2008 - The Leach List, named in "honor" of anti-poker extremist former Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) is comprised of 26 congressmen opposed to poker rights who are in tough reelection fights.
(in alphabetical order)
Bachmann, Michele [R-MN]
Rep. Bachmann is F* rated in my Congressional guide, at http://theengineer.pokerplayersallia... , as she voted no on the pro-poker H.R. 5767 King Amendment. The DFL (Democratic) nominee is Elwyn Tinklenberg. The Independence Party has endorsed Tinklenberg as well.
Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
Rep. Capito is F rated in my Congressional guide, as she voted for the anti-poker HR 4411 and cosponsored the anti-poker HR 4777. She also voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. Her Democratic challenger is Anne Barth, a longtime former aide to U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd.
Chabot, Steven [R-OH]
Rep. Chabot is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. He won by 52% to 48% in 2006, compared to 60% to 40% in 2004. State House Democratic Whip Steve Driehaus is the Democratic nominee.
Dent, Charles [R-PA]
Rep. Dent is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored HR 4411. Allentown Democratic Party chairwoman Sam Bennett is the Democratic nominee.
Diaz-Balart, Lincoln [R-FL]
Rep. Diaz-Balart is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. He is being challenged for the Republican nomination by Dean Santoro. Well-known former Hialeah Mayor Raul L. Martinez and Richard Allbritton are seeking the Democratic nomination. The primary elections are on August 26, 2008.
Drake, Thelma [R-VA]
Rep. Drake is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as she voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. She won in 2006 by only 51.3% to 48.5%. Diplomat Glenn Nye is the Democratic nominee; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) named Drake a "targeted Republican".
Feeney, Tom [R-FL]
Rep. Feeney is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. He also voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. Former State Rep. Suzanne Kosmas is seeking the Democratic nomination, as are 2006 challenger Clint Curtis and Jason Davis. The primary election is on August 26, 2008.
Garrett, Scott [R-NJ]
Rep. Garrett is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. The Democratic nominee is rabbi Dennis G. Shulman.
Gerlach, Jim [R-PA]
Rep. Gerlach is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. The Democratic nominee is former businessman Bob Roggio.
Goode, Virgil [R-VA]
Rep. Goode is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. Goode is running for re-election against Democrat Tom Perriello.
Hayes, Robin [R-NC]
Rep. Hayes is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. Hayes barely hung on in his 2006 re-election bid against Democrat Larry Kissell by a 329-vote margin. They will have a rematch this year; Kissell is the Democratic nominee.
Keller, Ric [R-FL]
Rep. Keller is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. Orlando businessman Charlie Stuart, his 2006 opponent, is running for the Democratic nomination, as is former state prosecutor Mike Smith. After the November 2006 election, Keller announced that he would break his 2000 pledge to serve only four terms. Because of this, conservative radio host Todd Long is challenging him in the Republican primary, as is Bob Hering. The primary elections are on August 26, 2008.
Kirk, Mark [R-IL]
Rep. Kirk is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored both HR 4411 and HR 4777. Kirk survived a surprisingly close race in 2006, winning by 53% to 47%. Kirk will again face his 2006 opponent, Dan Seals, who won the Democratic primary. David Kalbfleisch, the founder of the Arlington Heights chapter of the Green Party, is that party’s nominee. Allan Stevo is running as a conservative independent candidate.
Kuhl, John [R-NY]
Rep. Kuhl is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. Kuhl survived a tight race in 2006, beating Eric Massa (D) by 52% to 48%. There will be a rematch this year — Massa is the Democratic nominee.
Latham, Thomas [R-IA]
Rep. Latham is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored HR 4411. Community and party activist Becky Greenwald is the Democratic nominee.
McHenry, Patrick T. [R-NC]
Rep. McHenry is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. Navy vet Daniel Johnson is the Democratic nominee. Bryan Greene is the Constitution Party nominee.
Musgrave, Marilyn [R-CO]
Rep. Musgrave is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as she voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored Goodlatte’s HR 4777. Musgrave is known for her staunch opposition to gay marriage. Betsy Markey is the Democratic nominee. Markey is a businesswoman and the former regional director for U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar.
Reichert, David G. [R-WA]
Rep. Reichert is ?- rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411. Reichert won a close 51% to 49% re-election bid against Democratic former Microsoft product manager Darcy Burner in 2006. There will be a rematch this year — Burner is the Democratic nominee. Burner has received nationwide attention for her work on the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, and is considered a leader among anti-war Democrats.
Rogers, Michael [R-MI]
Rep. Rogers is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored both HR 4411 and HR 4777. Lansing Democratic activist Bob Alexander (who lost in 2004 to Rogers) is his party’s nominee. Aaron Stuttman is running for the Green Party, Will Tyler White for the Libertarian Party, and George Zimmer for the U.S. Taxpayer Party (known nationally as the Constitution Party).
Roskam, Peter J. [R-IL]
Rep. Roskam is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. Jill Morgenthaler, a retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel and Iraq War veteran, is the Democratic nominee.
Schmidt, Jean [R-OH]
Rep. Schmidt is ?- rated in my Congressional guide, as she voted for HR 4411. Her positions on other social issues indicate a likelihood that she’ll oppose us when given the opportunity. Schmidt barely held on by a 51% to 49% margin against Democratic physician Victoria Wulsin in 2006. Her district is a heavily Republican one, but she has never had an easy primary or general election. Wulsin is again the Democratic nominee.
Shadegg, John [R-AZ]
Rep. Shadegg is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored both HR 4411 and HR 4777. Shadegg announced that he would not be a candidate for reelection. However, ten days later, he announced that he would seek reelection. The Democratic nominee, tax attorney Bob Lord, outraised Shadegg in the first quarter of 2007 and has more cash on hand than Shadegg. Independent candidate Annie Loyd and Libertarian Michael Shoen are also running.
Shays, Christopher [R-CT]
Rep. Shays is F- rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored HR 4411 and as he voted no on the H.R. 5767 King Amendment. Shays is an outspoken opponent of our rights - a real anti-poker extremist. Shays won 51% of the vote in 2006 and 52% in 2004. Jim Himes and Lee Whitnum are seeking the Democratic nomination. The primary is in August. Richard Z. Duffee is the Green Party candidate.
Souder, Mark [R-IN]
Rep. Souder is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he cosponsored both HR 4411 and HR 4777. Mike Montagano is the Democratic nominee.
Terry, Lee [R-NE]
Rep. Lee is F rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted cosponsored both HR 4411 and HR 4777. His Democratic opponent is Omaha businessman Jim Esch.
Wolf, Frank [R-VA]
Rep. Wolf is F* rated in my Congressional guide, as he voted for HR 4411 and cosponsored HR 4777. The Democratic nominee is Professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University and Dean of their Georgetown Public Policy Institute Judy Feder.