US: Republicans and democrats team up to oppose UIGEA

In another development to a rapidly developing story that might be entitled "gambling rights vs. government involvement," Republican libertarian Paul and Democrat Frank, who last year introduced legislation to legalize and regulate online gambling, are now working together to take a stand against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, this time from a different angle.

The UIGEA, introduced into a climate of already outlawed US online gambling, sought to ban credit card companies and others from processing cash flow from the US into offshore-based Internet gaming sites.

Both longtime advocates of Internet freedom, Paul and Frank are taking steps to eliminate what is seen by many lopsided, and potentially disastrous law for the US banking industry, not to mention international relations.

The new piece of legislature, written by Frank and co-sponsored by Paul, would block implementation of the UIGEA by forbidding federal officials from putting it into practice.

"I believe strongly that the internet should not be regulated by the federal government and believe even more strongly that people should be free to engage in the activities they wish, as long as they are willing to take responsibility for their actions," Ron Paul said in a recent interview.