this is my government

despite pressing concerns like the war in iraq, continuing dependence on expensive oil, some sketchiness with iran, a crisis in the middle east and a complete lack of concern for the rising number of citizens living in poverty and without health insurance, my government found the time to pass this. Phew. Finally, they addressed the serious problem of me playing in $5.50 poker tournaments online. The article says the NFL and conservative groups pushed for it, but my money is on the casino lobby. With internet poker shut down, the only place for Americans to play (aside from illegal card rooms and home games) is at casinos. Of course, you can't play a tournament for $5.50 there, you generally have to sit down with at least a couple hundred dollars. In low limit games, the rake is so high that even if you win you don't really win.

It's pathetic enough that Congress continues to furtively slip important legislation like this ban on bank transactions into bills that bear no rational relationship, but how is this even a priority???