BULLETIN:  THE FATE OF THE NATION IS INVOLVED – AT 9:27 A.M. ET:  This just in, from The Politico:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to use the tax cut package President Barack Obama brokered with Republicans to legalize online poker, POLITICO has learned — a move that could further complicate the deal Obama announced Monday.

Already, the online poker proposal has exposed the Nevada Democrat to charges of flip-flopping on a controversial issue, as well as using his Senate leadership position to repay big casino interests that helped him win reelection in a hard-fought campaign against Republican Sharron Angle last month.

What?  Reward the casinos?  Why, I never heard...

Reid, who has previously opposed online gambling, declined to comment Monday through a spokesman.

But Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), as well as several senior congressional sources and gambling lobbyists, confirmed that Reid and his staff have reached out to other Senate offices to try to build support for adding the online poker legislation — a draft of which POLITICO has obtained — to a measure extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

"They're trying," said Hatch, who next year will become ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over parts of the gambling measure. "Sen. Reid would like to do that."

COMMENT:  It is moving to see our esteemed leaders involved in grave matters of state.  Online poker is desperately needed to save the national soul.  Without it, what are we?  What do we have?  Baseball?  The Super Bowl?  The NBA?

It is obvious that a real national need has been identified by the senator from Las Vegas.

I've never played poker.  Is it fun?

December 8, 2010