Congress and the UIGEA

I was exchanging emails with a friend (I know, you're shocked that I have friends) about politics yesterday. My friend is a republican (now you're even more shocked) and he considers himself a Christian Conservative (now you think I'm lying.) He started the exchange by emailing me the diatribe by Keith Obermann on MSNBC. He thought Olbermann was crazy. I had actually watched Olbermann on that broadcast and I agree with his commentary, that the government has gotten totally out of control.

He responded by asking me if I thought that everyone in Washington is "out of touch." Here was my response.

Take the UIGEA for example. That's the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that will try to stop me from playing poker online. I have talked to almost everyone I know about it, and I don't know one person who thinks its right. NOT ONE PERSON.

So why did it get passed? Easy. The administration has COMPLETELY failed the Christian right. The Christian Coalition are pissed off because they thought that when they had GW in office and a republican house and a republican senate, that all their dreams would come true. That abortion would be illegal. That gay marriage would be outlawed by the constitution. Basically that Christianity would be installed as the official religion of the United States. But they got none of that. NOTHING they wanted actually happened.

So desperate senators like Bill Frist had to try and do SOMETHING that might satisfy those folks, his base. He pushed us under a bus by sneaking it in at the 11th hour attached to a Port Security Bill that got nearly 100% of the votes in the house because if a representative voted against it they'd appear soft on terrorism. The President signed it last Friday and didn't even mention the gambling part of it. Never mind that a port security law is AT LEAST four years overdue.

Out of touch doesn't even begin to describe these morons. Olbermann is pissed off, and I'm pissed off too.

The entire Abramoff scandal took place under the guise of a "Christian" organization, when the whole thing was about bilking Indians out of their money to preserve their legal gambling status. The churches involved said they wouldn't even have gone NEAR the guy if he had told them his organization was based on money from Indian Casinos.

It all seems to be a bunch of people who will do anything to preserve their power. Even the Foley thing. The leadership knew what was going on, but rather than risk losing his vote, they let him do whatever he wanted, no matter how wrong it was. Anything to keep the majority, keep the votes, keep the power.

It's disgusting.

My friend, a self-proclaimed member of the "Christian Right," agreed 100%.

Edit: Here is the rant by Olbermann if you are interested...Keith Olbermann on MSNBC