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Congressman Joe Barton of Texas said on Monday he is okay with his bill to legalize online poker being attached to other pertinent upcoming legislation. President Obama says it won’t happen with the most likely bill to pass this session, the payroll tax extension cut.
President Obama on Wednesday pledged to reject any efforts to tie a payroll tax cut extension to the controversial Keystone XL Oil Pipeline -- or any other "extraneous" issue.
While online poker legislation is being promoted as something that could help boost the nation’s economy and help generate additional tax income for the US Government, it is doubtful Barton’s bill could piggyback on the payroll tax cut initiative after hearing what Obama had to say on Wednesday.
"I expect they're going to have enough sense over on Capitol Hill to do the people's business and not try to load it up with a bunch of politics."
"I think it's fair to say that if the payroll tax cut is attached to a whole bunch of extraneous issues not related to making sure that the American people's taxes don't go up on Jan. 1, then it's not something that I'm gonna accept," Mr. Obama said. "And I don't expect to have to veto it because I expect they're going to have enough sense over on Capitol Hill to do the people's business and not try to load it up with a bunch of politics."
"Everybody should be on notice," he added. "The payroll tax cut is something that House Republicans as well as Senate Republicans should want to do regardless of any other issues... It shouldn't be held hostage for any other issues that they may be concerned about it."
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
