The part that Bush and the GOP isn't happy with--particularly with this being an election year--is this: The labor unions via their proxies in the Democratic Party stripped the bill of a number of provisions to keep convicted felons from working in sensitive port security jobs, and also eliminated a provision for background checks for all port personnel. I don't know if the GOP cares about the prevailing political winds vis a vis online betting, but should Bush not sign the bill he could make a big deal about how the Democratic Party is more interested in protecting their cronies in organized labor than in protecting Americans from terrorists and that unless you vote Republican we'll have an Al Qaeda sleeper cell in every American backyard blah blah blah....
It would be sorta ironic if Frist's blatant backdoor political manuever to get the anti-gambling stuff in the bill in the first place was made irrelevant by blatant political pandering on the part of the White House...
Personally, I think this scenario is at least plausable: the only issue that really has any traction for the GOP is national security and should they play it this way they can take a direct shot at the Democrats--and particularly Congressional Democrats--for being soft. I don't think that online gambling has anything to do with it but we may be the beneficiary of circumstances beyond our control
Da prophet..outstanding post,very informative and great insight.
I agree totally the online gambling issue is a non factor in Bushes decision for passing of the bill which was my point (but you made the point much clearer then my attempt)
My thinking is to send emails and calls backing Bush on his hesitency to sign it based on concerns that you posted.
I have a feeling he vetoes it, and attacks the democrats for his reasons why, creating a issue before elections, and he is more apt to do it with public support.
