Get that man a pair of flip-flops!

On Tuesday, the House passed a bill regulating Internet gambling... because we all know PartyPoker.net is a threat to America. The vote has come along when the GOP is drawing out its base by setting a do-nothing "American Values" agenda in Congress. I say do-nothing because this Congress has literally done nothing. The agenda advanced by the GOP leadership is merely a ploy to fire up the meanest, most vicious, and most reliable part of their base. Sucks for them, though. Weeks have gone by and their attempts to ban gay marriage and flag burning aren't helping. How could it help when Americans are facing an endless war in Iraq and rising energy prices?

It sure as hell shouldn't help J.D. Hayworth. From The Hill: Six years after opposing a similar bill regulating Internet gambling, J.D. flip-flopped.

Republican Reps. Roy Blunt (Mo.), John Doolittle (Calif.) and J.D. Hayworth
(Ariz.) were among the members who voted to support the legislation yesterday
after voting against it in 2000, while Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), whose links to
Abramoff are being investigated by the Justice Department, opposed the bill
yesterday, as he did six years ago.

So, what kind of a difference does six years make?

I would say it has to do with the rise and fall of Jack Abramoff. Several members of Congress, including our own Senator Kyl and Congressman Shadegg, said Abramoff worked to kill the 2000 legislation. He was successful then, but now Abramoff is a federal convict and cooperator.

I don't like to repeat myself too much, but we all must remember that J.D. Hayworth is the single largest receipient of dirty Abramoff money. Hayworth was in the lobbyists' pocket then, but no longer. He wants to distance himself from the scandals and the money.

I guess his take wasn't here this time around...