Frank Adds New Argument To Debate 

The US News and World Report had asked Barney Frank and Spencer Bachus, the principal and antagonistic players in the online gambling bill, to submit written statements defending their positions as a prelude to an online poll on the issue. Frank, in addition to the arguments he has earlier voiced, added a new dimension in his written submission.  

Frank said that the issue of online gambling involved the freedom of choice of the individual. If the government started deciding what was desirable for the population and started banning everything else it would pose a dire threat to individual liberty. Frank cited the case of a Congressman he did not name, who had opposed online gambling because it did not contribute to the GNP. Frank wrote, “The notion that individual choices and personal freedom have to be justified on the grounds that they contribute to the gross domestic product is of course a serious threat to individual liberty”.  

Individual liberty is one of the foundations of the American constitution. The reputed gambling analyst Sherman Bradley said of this argument, “It will be tough to vote against allowing US citizens their freedom to choose to gamble on the Internet without appearing against the most revered of US political beliefs.” 

Despite the power of Frank’s arguments the proportion favoring online gambling has declined significantly since yesterday in the US News poll. Today, those favoring the legalization of online gambling stand at 89.77% and those opposing it at 10.23%.  Yesterday those in favor had crossed above 98% at one time. 89.77% is still a huge majority, but only time will tell whether the fall of almost 10% is a trend or an aberration.