In the midst of the worst financial crisis in 80 years - plus an administration transition from Republican to Democrat - the U.S. Treasury decided to ‘fix’ the Internet anti-gambling legislation in place this week.

Why now, after two years of diddling?

With the one-million member Poker Player’s Alliance (headed by former New York Republican Senator Al D’Amato) and the Bank Finance Committee chairman, Barney Frank, pleading to hold off any decisions until the new administration takes office in two months, the Treasury went ahead anyway.

Poker players might feel justified in asking, “Is this personal?”

We know personal when we see it. Happens all the time at the poker table. You put a beat on someone and they come after you. This feels like that…personal.

The government that usually moves at the pace of a three-toed sloth, decided NOW was the time to make sure that poker - specifically - was denied the designation as a game of skill (as well as luck). But horseracing, as an outrageous example, is exempt from the regulation. Maybe they got the right ex-Senator.

I thought we were supposed to be buying some juice, Al? What’s happening?

What’s especially suspicious is that Hank Paulson, Treasury Secretary, is picking his favorites. And poker obviously, along with the auto industry, isn’t one of his favorites. But Wall Street CEO’s (as he was) are his choices for bailouts.

It would have been so easy, with everything on the plate right now, to let this legislation slide to the new administration to ponder. No one would have complained that Internet gambling on poker, which is officially banned pending resolution, was so important that immediate action was vital.

We have a worldwide financial crisis for crying out loud. Families being thrown into the street. Hello!

Poker players are left with one burning question, ‘Is this personal?’

What do you think?

Love

Mike Paulle

Email: mikepaulle@aol.com

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