Republican Platform Opposes Internet Gambling

Once again, despite the GOP’s alleged commitment to freedom and liberty and all those nice sounding words, we are reminded that these freedoms rarely extend beyond those which gain the approval of social conservatives. From the just completed 2012 Republican Platform:

Making the Internet Family-Friendly

Millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can destroy families. We support the prohibition of gambling over the Internet and call for reversal of the Justice Department’s decision distorting the formerly accepted meaning of the Wire Act that could open the door to Internet betting. (P 32)

This is especially cute given the number of words the platform dedicates to “Internet freedom” which in this case does not include the right to play a card game with your friends over the Internet.

For a slight dose of irony, note that last night’s keynote speaker, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, signed a bill earlier this summer legalizing online sports betting. At the time, he proclaimed:

“We intend to go forward and allow sports betting to happen,” Christie said. “If someone wants to stop us, then let them try to stop us.”

But first Governor Christie must battle the federal government in court,  since in 1991 the feds passed a likely unconstitutional law limiting sports betting to states that were willing to pass a state law supporting it shortly after passage of the federal law.