Taxpayers alliance opposes attempt to ban U.S. online gambling

Hard on the heels of veteran politician Rand Paul’s condemnation of federal attempts to ban almost all US online gambling (see previous  report) comes another op-ed in support, this one written by Michi Iljazi, an executive with the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.

In his op-ed in the Washington publication The Hill, Iljazi calls for consistency from politicians in the approach to online gambling, and the importance of states’ rights.

He claims that the recent midterm elections illustrated that Americans are frustrated with too much government intrusion in their lives, and there should be more emphasis on letting people in individual states decide their own future when it comes to online gambling.

The TPA exec refers specifically to H.R.4301 – Restoration of America’s Wire Act, introduced by Utah Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, which seeks to ban online gambling at the federal level:

Iljazi slams the proposal as “… nothing more than corporate welfare and crony capitalism that stifles competition, contains several special interest carve-outs, and infringes on voters at the state and local level.”

“The American economy is struggling to make a comeback as job growth and wages are stagnant,” Iljazi adds.  “As states decide the best ways to revitalize their economies, the last thing the federal government should be doing is limiting options for states.

“A federal ban on online gambling would prevent states from being able to unleash the potential for economic growth that online gambling could provide.  Voters in each individual state would also have the right to reject online gambling.”

Iljazi says that many politicians claim that they want a smaller federal government and would prefer that voters in each state be able to retain the power to decide their own course when it comes to a number of issues.

He draws a comparison with political arguments which advocated states’ rights against Obamacare, and laments that politicians who made those arguments have not come forward to support the similar states’ rights cause of online gambling.

“Certainly those individuals who have fought for reducing the power of the federal government would want to ensure that economic innovation and competition at the state level are not hindered by an outright federal ban,” he asserts, adding:

“It will be interesting to watch which newly elected Senate and House members who campaigned on a platform of taking back power from the federal government and vesting it with voters in the states actually fight for that principle.

“The federal ban on online gambling is a perfect barometer with which to conduct such a test.”

Iljazi observes that on November 4 voters rebuked President Obama for his federal government overreach, and notes that it is time for politicians to make good on their commitment to liberty and limited government.

“They should start by speaking up for voters in all states and allowing them to decide the best way forward when it comes to online gambling,” he argues.

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