Does the view of a political candidate on gambling effect your vote?

[MichaelCorfman]

Most of us vote in elections of some sort or another for political candidates that will influence future legislation. When you go to the polls, how does your opinion of a candidates view on gambling effect the way you vote?

Share with us your views on different candidates, and how it has effected the way you've voted over the years.

Personally, I'm a strong supporter of Barney Frank, who is my local congressman, and one of the strongest opponents of the UIGEA around. I wrote to him nearly a decade ago to let him know I supported the right of US citizens to gamble online and opposed legislation being considered at that time to prohibit online gambling. This is what Barney wrote back to me on the 10th of July of 2000:

Dear Mr. Corfman:

I agree with you completely in opposing the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. I would have hoped that the American experience with alcohol in the '20s and '30s would make my colleagues far more skeptical of new forms of prohibition than they have been. I agree with you that this legislation violates the principle of leaving the Internet unregulated, and violates as well the privacy of millions of Americans. While I do not myself gamble, I think it is a choice that adults should be able to make for themselves, and I do not support restrictions of this sort, especially when it involves a very intrusive form of regulation of the Internet. When this bill came up in Committee, I argued and spoke against it, and I will continue to oppose it.

Barney Frank

I proudly display that letter in our office, and you can be sure his position is in the forefront of my mind every time I vote for him. I make sure I vote just so I can cast my vote for him.

And, in the case of George Bush, you can bet one (of many) reasons I would vote against him if he were up for election again was his signature on the UIGEA.

Michael

[vinism]

This has actually been an interesting election year for me. If I was voting purely on gambling issues in the U.S. presidential race, I would have voted for Ron Paul, who not only supports the regulation of online gaming in the U.S., but also the larger cause of Net neutrality, which many candidates give lip service to until they're actually forced to vote on particular issues. But instead I cast my ballot for Barack Obama, who at best is neutral on the subject of online gambling. Now any political scientist (and I used to be one) would ask, "Why did you vote against your economic interest?" And that's a valid question. As I said, Obama is probably neutral at best when it comes to the issue of gambling. He's professed worries before about the impact of gambling on disadvantaged communities and families. But he himself is an avid poker player, and has used it as a tool for both bridge building and fun. So on the whole, I don't think he'll do anything stupid on the online gaming front. So since he's not going to anything that will make things worse on the online gambling front, and I believe his post-Boomer approach (don't get me started on this, I could go for days) to policy will fundamentally yield better results, he's earned my vote (for now).

In local elections, where gambling is pretty much the only issue I care about, I'll vote for the pro-gambling types.

[mojo]

This will be a tough year to vote. Once again, the choices are less than ideal. In normal circumstances, the gambling issue would be a top priority when casting my vote. This time however, bringing our troops home tops my list. Not sure where my vote is going yet but gambling will definatly be the tie breaker if needed.

I too am proud that Barney Frank represents my state.

[wallstreeterww]

Heck yea it effects my vote because gambling online is a freedom that shouldnt have been taken away from anyone in the first place. Its reckless and has cost ussome liberties and cost the government a ton of tax money.

[aksana]

Something else... The president must be smart, first of all. I think, Obama is one of those presidents.

[Nandakishore]

If I wanted to vote for a candidate in Germany who would support gambling or legalize gambling, I would never be able to vote. But, if a candidate misuses the gambling issue to argue for morality and things like that, I would vote against him.

[slotplayer]

I'm pro American so I vote for whomever I think is best for the overall well being of America. UIGEA is secondary.

[matthewt]

I haven't voted in about 7 years. If I do vote for the next election, I would research and choose the candidates who like gambling because I promote it.

I really don't see the importance of one vote.