Dr Mister President

I am writing again to ask the President to veto the Port Security Bill. I urge his veto because there are provisions in the Bill that do not protect our ports. Specifically, there are provisions in the bill that seek to curtail internet gaming (except for horse betting and state lotteries). I am against these provisions as I am an avid online poker player and I do not want my ability to play online poker limited. While there are some problem gamblers out there, laws should not be enacted to limit everyone's ability to participate in online gaming just to protect the few. This is not the way that alcohol and tobacco laws are fashioned, I am not sure why we should treat them differently.

Poker is a part of the American fabric. People have played poker for many years in this country. I have been a part of these games since my childhood, either in the format of home games with relatives and friends, or public card rooms. My great aunt, Sabina Gallegher taught me to play poker when she came to live with us when became an octageneraian. In recent years the expansion of internet poker has allowed me to play in the comfort of my own home. By playing at home, I could spend time with my wife and daughter and then log on and play a little poker when my toddler went to sleep and I finished the household chores with my wife. This legislation is being touted as supporting family values. I don't see it that way. My family life has not been negatively affected by online poker. There are millions of other Americans just like me. We like our families just the way they are.

The real reason that this legislation is included into the bill is that the pendulum has swung to the other side. This is a naturally occurrence in politics. The body starts moving in a direction that ultimately veers too far in one direction for the majority of Americans who have moderate views, so they bring in another party to bring it back the other directions. That party then takes it too far the other way, and they are voted out and replaced my the party of the first part. The Kennedy era lead to the Nixon era which lead to the Carter era which lead to the Reagan era which lead to the Clinton era which lead to the Bush II era. We are at that point in history again.

By attaching this gaming legislation to the Port Security Bill, the Republican leadership has shown they have arrived at the point where they care more about imposing their minority social opinion than representing the American people. If this is the case, I have no choice but to do my part to swing the pendulum back. I will vote liberal Democrat until the pendulum swings back too far the other way.

Please Mr. President, veto this Bill, have it re submitted sans the pork. By doing so, you will show that the pendulum is not too far to the right.