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| | | April 25 - When did the United States of America stop being the world's
protective big brother and turn into the playground bully? Hands up if you know
the answer to this question, because we sure as hell don't.
The objective of this article is not to bash the US, but?
to try and understand how a country that wears 'freedom' and 'democracy' so
openly and proudly on its sleeve, can have a? government that is essentially
trying to remove or at least downsize these very freedoms for its own
citizens as well as other countries and territories.
The issue of online gambling is the most recent case in point. Last year the
World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favor of small island state of Antigua
and Barbuda against the US in an online gambling case.
In a nutshell, Antigua and Barbuda accused the United States of
discriminating against online casinos based in its jurisdiction.
The WTO, as an independent and neutral world court,
agreed. After the ruling, the US requested a year in which to implement changes
to its federal law based on the ruling which was granted. So far so good.
However, a year later and a deadline missed, the US has effectively ignored
WTO's ruling completely. Could this be the start or continuation of a trend, kind of like a few
years ago when the United States?ignored the advice of another
organization known as the United Nations? You be the judge.
When legal counsel from Antigua?and Barbuda tried to discuss this matter
with US trade representatives, they were curtly informed that all negotiations
on the matter had effectively ceased.
A visual image springs to mind of a suit and tie clad, square-jawed
American (with Stars and Stripes pin in lapel) proudly saying, 'WTO, Antigua and
Barbuda, what are they gonna do about it? Hell, what can they do about it.'
This reminds me of someone I used to know who lived and breathed the attitude that
'everyone was free to an opinion as long as it was the same as theirs'. Wrong.
Here are the facts. Online gambling is currently a $17 billion per year
industry. That's big. The vast majority of online gamblers currently live in the
United States, in fact around $6 billion worth.
Certain US Congressman, as you read these words, are trying to introduce bills
to congress that will result in the outright banning of online casinos and
online gambling in the US, and prevent access to such sites at ISP level.
However, many of these self same Congressmen are in support of many other forms
of online gambling such as state lotteries, horse racing and others. Hmmm,
smells like hypocrisy to me. Wherever George Orwell is right now, no doubt he is
laughing his ass off.
Of course by legalizing online casino gambling and thus putting in the proper
steps to monitor and regulate it in the United States, the government could earn a huge amount
in
taxes. Just imagine all the good they could do with the money. Ho hum.
As for the WTO, one wonders if they'll ever recover from the way the US has
brought its credibility as a world court into question. It's kind
of like that high school hall monitor that all the kids ignore and poke fun at,
isn't it?
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