Seattle Times Article Highlights Absurdity of Online Gambling Prohibition

The plight of Washington State poker players at the hands of greedy pro-Indian gambling concerns continues to confound all forms of common sense. This week saw a couple of false-start stories on the topic, including the untrue news that a bill lessening the Class C felony status of people had cleared a hurdle within the state legislature. A bill proposed by State Rep. Chris Strow to right at least some of that injustice was confused with another bill when the other bill's similar i.d. number was mistyped. That bill, a motor-vehicle registration measure, according to a PokerPages story, is doing just fine.

Meanwhile, Strow's bill was effectively torpedoed by the same folks lining their pockets through the effects of the first bill. So child molesters and nickel-dime online poker players continue to have the same status in the eyes of Washington law enforcement officials.

One wonders how much money those pols have had to take in to be able to not pay attention to just how ridiculous they look to the rest of us. The mess is just as obscene as... well... child-porn merchants, to put a name to it. Shame someone beat me to it.

But it's not just the outside-looking-in spotlight that's bringing uncomfortable heat; Washington sources are speaking out, too. One of the best is Danny Westneat of the Seattle Times, whose recent story on the topic quite clearly illustrates what a disgrace the state has become. When I think of idiot-states, I used to not think about Washington, the non-DC version. These days they're high on the list.

Westneat's most recent story, well worth reading, follows one of these felonious types as he plays a few hands at the tables. All I can say is read it. And wherever you are, keep on screaming.