Cathartic Anger

A friend sent me an email the other day, asking how I was holding up following the meltdown of online poker. I responded by writing I was bummed out. After I sent the email reply off I couldn't get the thought out of my head that I didn't accurately characterize what my real thoughts were. The more I self-reflected on the situation, the more I realized that I wasn't just "bummed out."  In fact, a much better word to describe how I'm feeling is: ANGER. Specifically:

• I'm angry with the idiots we have running this country. Instead of working to get our country back on track financially, they decide to spend their time "solving" the problem on online poker by making it illegal. I am pissed off at the clowns running things. Prohibition doesn't work, you fucking morons. What part of history don't you get? Make it legal, regulate it, take your cut via taxes, and get out of the goddamned business of telling me what I can and can't do with my own life and money.
• I'm angry with Full Tilt and Pokerstars owners for all the shady dealings, fraud, and laws they broke, which made them a target of the Department of Justice (DoJ) in the first place. I don't know all the particulars, but from what I can gather, these greedy bastards deliberately did ridiculously illegal acts just to eek the last dollop of profit from their businesses.
• I'm angry at the DoJ for spending their time and resources on something like this instead of the countless other, more serious crimes being committed in this country? Seriously, a crack-down on online poker is more important than things like SEC crime, Anti-Trust violations, and political kickbacks that occur continuously in this country? Seriously?
• I'm angry that, after I finally got rakeback working on Full Tilt, I can't make any more money that way. I was easily making $20 per week for just playing there-- and now that's gone.
• I'm angry that all the alternate sites available to play poker are crappy. Poor user interfaces, gimmicky games, low number of player and tables, limited number of tables you can have open at once, etc. Plus there's no guarantee my money would be safe on these sites, either. Oh, and let's not forget that only Full Tilt has Rush poker.
• I'm angry that playing poker, which is demonstrably a game of skill, a great American past-time, and something that I greatly enjoy doing, is viewed upon as a crime by a select few who hold sway and power in the US government. 
• I'm angry that corrupt politicians like Jon Kyl take donations from Indian casinos, but won't let me play the same card games that are spread legally in those casinos in the comfort of my own living room. 
• I'm angry that something that I'm actually pretty good at doing (and is profitable to boot) has been taken away from me overnight.
• I'm angry that my own personal money is being held hostage by the DOJ until they deem it acceptable to return to me.
• I'm angry that the rest of the civilized world seems to have their acts together more than we do in this, the "greatest nation" on earth. Seriously. Pick any random eastern European nation, and I would wager they have more personal freedoms and liberties than we do in this country.
• I'm angry that online poker legislation can't seem to get a toehold anywhere in the US. Recent bills in Hawaii, Nevada, Iowa, US Senate, et al all died with whimpers. Blame the lobbyists who own our politicians.
• I'm angry at myself for letting myself get angered by the situation.
• I'm angry that I don't feel any better after writing this.

Grrrr.

All-in for now...
-Bug