Online gambling: Seattle Times could be next target of Orwellian Washington State

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire declares online gambling illegal....and Seattle Times better be careful

It's true!  The Seattle Times is guilty of running an "online gambling promotional" type column by poker pro Daniel Negreanu where he occasionally suggests readers "hone their poker skills at online casinos".  As of this month, suggestions of this type can be considered "illegal" based on the new Washington State law that not only prohibits online gambling, but also prohibits the promotion of such activity.

Welcome to George Orwell's 1984 folks!  It's surprising the ACLU hasn't gotten involved yet as this is nothing short of a state trying to prohibit what people can and cannot do over the internet.  Didn't New Mexico try this some years ago with little success?  New Mexico, incidentally, is on a list of a handful of states looking to follow in Washington's footsteps. 

Then again, freedom of speech is being threatened in Washington State as well while its citizens sit around dumbfounded.  These are elected officials that Washingtonians voted into office.

Director of the state's gambling commission, Rick Day, recently warned the Seattle Times.

"My suggestion to you is to remove from your paper any advice about online gambling and any links to illegal sites," Day said.

Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad if not for the fact that Washington State citizens are encouraged to gamble in that state's various Indian land based casinos and the state lotteries, not to mention you can bet horses online.
 

Could Washington State become the next Communist China, taking over the Seattle Times and only encouraging pro-government articles?

 

So in other words, State government is not looking out for its citizens well being, but rather their own.  State officials argue that all other gambling interests are licensed in Washington and the online casinos are cutting into their profit.  The transparency is obvious and many of those living in Washington have expressed their fury over what has occurred. 

According to the Seattle Times, the state plans on hiring private investigators to determine if its citizens are breaking the law.

Edna, an online gambling enthusiast who lives outside of Seattle, like many who share her passion, worry about the new law.

"I'm moving to Oregon!  This is just the beginning.  What's next?  Do they start hiring private investigators to spy on my husband and I having sex to determine he's using a rubber?"

Pharmacists appear to be next on Governor Christine Gregoire *hit list.

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, a pro-abortion Democrat, threatened members of the state's pharmacy board on last week after they approved a limited pharmacist's conscience clause.

The board said pharmacists should be allow to opt out of dispensing drugs that violate their moral or religious beliefs as long as they refer the customer to another pharmacist or pharmacy.

Pharmacists can opt out of filling the prescription but cannot “obstruct a patient in obtaining a lawfully prescribed drug or device" and must assist the customer in finding a timely alternative.

Gregoire has adamantly opposed any kind of legal protections for the rights of pharmacists and threatened member of the board.

Saying the board "made a mistake," the governor warned that the state legislature could overrule the Pharmacy Board's guidelines or even replace members of the board who supported the conscience clause.

So what have we learned from the current Washington State administration?

It's okay to kill babies, but it's wrong to gamble online, unless it's on horses and you can gamble in the state's land-based casinos.

Oh, and Freedom of Speech is no longer allowed.  Fidel Castro would be proud.....U.S. citizens - Washingtonians specifically - should be furious.

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Christopher Costigan, www.gambling911.com

Originally published June 16, 2006 4:20 pm EDT