“The only monster here is the gambling monster that has enslaved your mother! I call him Gamblor, and it’s time to snatch your mother from his neon claws!” ~Homer Simpson

As long as we’re discussing where gambling regulations lie on the spectrum of paternalism, I would be curious to know if there are any reasonable people who actually think online gambling should be banned? If such people exist, do they think it’s important enough of a reason to justify keeping the Treasury department understaffed during a recession? Senator Jon Kyl is apparently blocking the nomination of the following six Treasury officials because the Obama administration is delaying the enactment of new internet gambling regulations:

  • Under Secretary for International Affairs
  • Under Secretary for Domestic Finance
  • Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development
  • Assistant Secretary for International Economics and Development
  • Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets
  • Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy

Those sound like important positions to me. Who are the constituents with horrible priorities that Senator Kyl is trying to please here?

(H.T. Yglesias)