U.S. Standing Firm On Online Gambling
By Steve Vaughan on Sep 06, 2007 with Comments 1
Though facing billions of dollars in claims, The U.S. is standing firm in its position on online gambling. The U.S. maintains that the best way to resolve the ongoing dispute with Antigua and Barbuda is the withdrawal from the World Trade Organization trade obligations to grant access to internet gambling companies.
A trade official in the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) stated that the U.S. thinks that this will be the best way of resolving this issue.
“We are trying to clarify, by using Article 21 of the GATS agreement (General Agreement on Trade in Services) that our obligations should not extend to gambling,†he said.
A stipulation of Article 21 is that the U.S. must reach a settlement agreement with all WTO members that filed a claim against them. After the WTO ruled against the U.S. in May, Antigua and Barbuda asked all the 150 members of the WTO to join in filing a claim against the U.S., seven nations answered; The European Union, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, India, Macao and Japan.
In an unofficial interview the trade official said, “We are actively working to negotiate, under Article 21, with all of the WTO members which made claims, and there are eight of them, including Antigua. We believe we can reach an expeditious solution using this procedure.
“We’ve been quite pleased, to date, that the members who have made claims seem to be approaching this issue with a sense of seriousness and realism and that they generally seem determined to reach a solution; and we continue to believe that this Article 21 process is really the path that is most likely to lead to a resolution of this issue.â€Â
This statement conflicts with that of Mark Mendel, Antigua and Barbuda’s WTO attorney who said the meeting was unproductive and went as far as accusing the U.S. team has calling the meeting just to sat they had officially met with the two countries.
September 22, is when the Article 22 is set to conclude though extensions are possible. The USTR says that they would like a resolution negotiated by that time.
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Many of us living within US boundaries, are as astonished as the balance of the planet! Imagine the conversations (in numerous tongues, dialects and accents), concerning such an obvious afront to personal freedoms. The rest of the world must think we’re on our last legs, resorting to regulatory manifestos for the social good. Haunting, isn’t it?
Having grown up under the Orwellian giant, millions of Boomers flexed their mid-life consumer muscle to accumulate the stuff of dreams. We’ve had one eye fixed & focused on the pleasures of the purse, and the other eye blurred by all else. Individually, we’ve been navigating the Malls, while Big Brother’s been walking the Halls of Congress. Favor for favor and Buck for Buck, he has aligned our representation against us.
Of course, this didn’t occur quickly with any obvious display of chest-pounding or conspiracy. That would have signaled cause for alarm. Instead, this misalignment of duty and priority, has quietly infected our leadership with it’s own folly. Slowly but surely, the Old come to grips and the New are indoctrinated. Congress has become addicted to raising and spending taxes, no matter the consequences.
Everyday, the consumer-citizenry is called upon to pay more and receive less. All the while, a desperate Government regulates and legislates, for the sole purpose of satisfying its habit. No longer attempting to control the beast, Congress seems content to simply beat the drum for control, regulation and taxation.
With renewed fervor, our esteemed officials try to legislate morality and choice. Holier-than-thou do-gooders (assured they know what’s best for the rest), provide ammunition for Congress, seemingly intent on protecting us from ourselves. When the smoke clears, our lawmakers will have spent another fortune trying to control the uncontrollable.
Flying in the face of worldwide opinion and acceptance, our Congress is living in the proverbial glass house … and they’re still throwing stones …
Our government-without-a-memory, pursues prohibitions on personal choice as though they’re good at it.