弗兰克不放弃赌博

  即将卸任的国会议员巴尼弗兰克仍然有对通过网上赌博的监管法案有信心。资深的国会议员本周早些时候宣布,他将不会在2012年连任。但弗兰克仍然相信,他可以在他的最后一年的任期期间帮助众议院通过网上赌博法案。

  参议院多数党领袖里德也会采取一些情况,尽管里德的只注重扑克游戏。众议员约翰坎贝尔目前也在赞助和推动网上赌博法案,以规范网上赌博行业。弗兰克依然乐观,他说,他认为网上赌博行业在法律的监管下会得到一个很好的发展机会。”虽然弗兰克不赌博,他认为有一个重要的问题,他说:“我不明白我为什么要告诉别人,他或她不能赌博。”

  国会议员弗兰克在华盛顿一直是一个两极化而且受争议的人物。他的卖淫丑闻众所周知,他还参与推动次级抵押贷款和房利美和房地美(Freddie Mac)的保护,弗兰克与共和党人和保守派有不同的政治意识形态。也许这就是他为何如此愿意极力推动网上赌博法案审核的原因。

  一些业内人士表示,弗兰克退休后,网上赌博行业的规范依然势在必行。因为弗兰克的职务将由坎贝尔接替,而坎贝尔是共和党人,共和党普遍反对扩展网上赌博。

  译文:

  Barney Frank Not Quitting On Gambling

  Outgoing Congressman Barney Frank is still confident that one of his pet issues, online gambling regulation, will pass. Earlier this week the veteran congressman announced that he will not run for re-election in 2012. Frank is still confident that he can help get regulation passed in his final year in the House of Representatives, though.

  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has also taken up the case, though for Reid the focus is only on the game of poker. Congressman John Campbell is currently sponsoring and pushing a bill to regulate online gambling federally, picking up where Frank left off last year. Frank is still optimistic, saying that he thinks there is “a good chance that something will happen.” Though Frank does not gamble, he considers it an important issue, saying that “I don’t understand why I should tell somebody that he or she can’t gamble.”

  Congressman Frank has always been a polarizing and controversial figure in Washington. From the well-known prostitution ring scandal to his involvement in pushing for sub-prime mortgages and protection of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to his outrageous sound bites, Frank is a common target for those with different political ideologies (mostly Republicans and conservatives)。 Perhaps that is why he is so willing to champion online gambling. What’s another hot-button cause when you’re already one of the most controversial figures in Congress?

  With Frank retiring, some in the industry worry that his wish to regulate online gambling will die. However, even if Frank can’t get the job done in 2012, other politicians like Campbell and Reid are ready to carry the torch for him. Perhaps most importantly, Campbell is a Republican, which gives regulation a better chance at winning bipartisan support since Republicans have generally opposed gambling expansion.