washington is a funny place. we can still gamble on the horses online, well legally it needs to be taxed first.
The Herald - Everett, Wash. -
www.HeraldNet.com
Published: Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Bets surely violated online gambling law
Well, isn't this nice. Gov. Gregoire bet hundreds of dollars worth of
Washington state goods against the governor of Illinois that the Seahawks
would win Sunday's game. At stake from our corner was smoked salmon and
Washington's world-renowned apples. The governor of Illinois, Rod
Blagojevich, countered with a state fair favorite barbecue platter and
something called "Cozy Dogs," apparently another Illinois tradition.
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels couldn't pass up on the fun, so he and Chicago
Mayor Richard Daley raised the pot to include pork chops, steaks, hot dogs,
pretzels, chips, nachos, pizza, popcorn and, horrors, beer. Meanwhile, we
taxpaying citizens (some of us business owners paying taxes every quarter to
the state) are residents of the state that led the nation making it a felony
to place a 10-cent bet on online poker in the privacy of our own homes.
Since I am pretty sure this "wager" between the governors and mayors were
made via e-mail over the Internet, who should we arrest first? Wouldn't it
have been more prudent to pledge these items to people who really need them,
i.e. the poor or homeless in the respective cities?
Kentt Cooper
Mountlake Terrace