Save Online Poker on Tuesday!

[Talking Poker]

I received this email from the PPA yesterday. Pick up the phone. Make a difference.

-----
The U.S. Senate is Seeking to Ban Online Poker
PPA Phone March on Capitol Hill Scheduled for Sept. 12

Dear PPA Member:

Your urgent action is needed! On September 12th the Poker Players Alliance with the support of leading poker blogs and forums, PocketFives.com, Wicked Chops Poker and others are organizing a “Phone March” on Capitol Hill. From 9:00 AM Eastern Time, until 5:30 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 12th, we are asking all PPA members and anyone interested in defending poker to call this toll free number, 800-289-1136 and be patched through to one of your two U.S. Senators in Washington D.C. When you call the 800 number you will hear a recording from fellow PPA member Greg “Fossilman” Raymer and then you will be prompted to enter your five digit zip code so you can be directed, free of charge, to your Senator’s office.

Note: The 800 number will only be active between 9:00 AM EST and 5:30 PM EST on Tuesday September 12.

Key points you should make:

* I am voter in your state.
* I strongly oppose any legislation that would prohibit online poker, and urge the Senator to vote against such legislation.
* Poker is a skill game enjoyed by 70 Million Americans.
* The Senator should seek to regulate online poker much like the government regulates other forms of gaming, like lotteries.
* Prohibitions don’t work. Any legislation that tries to ban online poker will only drive those players underground.
* Again, I urge the Senator to oppose any attempts to prohibit me from playing the great American game of poker on the Internet.

The threat to poker is real. Please forward this information to everyone you know who cares about poker and an American’s freedom to use the Internet. We need everyone possible to make their voice heard on September 12th!

Sincerely,

Michael Bolcerek
President
Poker Players Alliance

[Kurn]

It would help if they told you what the bill# is.

[Talking Poker]

Actually, I think saying you oppose "any legislation that would prohibit online poker" is a better way to handle it. That covers everything. Plus, if the "poker" part of it is made clear, maybe the Senator will understand that needs to be carved out of any anti-gambling legislation he would otherwise vote for.

[Kurn]

You see, I actually have a philosophical problem with saying *if* you ban online gambling, make poker exempt, since I don't believe there should be laws against any gambling, but I'll call anyway, because being a pain in the ass to politicians is fun.

The good news is:

1) I can't find any mention of a Senate bill to match the recently passed House bill anywhere online except for a meeting in Iowa to discuss the pros and cons of the issue.

2) Election Day is 8 weeks from tomorrow. 1/3 of the Senate is becoming preoccupied with things other than legislation.

3) Like in '03, it is unlikely the Senate will vote on this before the end of the session, thus the entire process will have to begin again in the House next year and since next year isn't an election year that probably won't happen.

4) Remember the process. *If* the bill gets passed by the Senate, it and the House still have to go before Conference Committe to get differences resolved *and* get signed by POTUS prior to Congress being adjourned for the year.

reference:



The sky is not falling.

[johnp158]

Real March to Washington!!

I'm at work right now in DC a couple blocks from the White House. Maybe I can make up a sign and march the 2 miles to the Capitol when I leave work today.

Si se puede! Si se puede!

[GeoffM]

Wish I could support, unfortunately I don't vote in the US nor do I have a zip code. But no talk at all about this in Canada so we should be ok. Of course, our current PM Harper, is another Blair on Bush IMO so anything is possible.

[Talking Poker]

I definitely don't understand how some of you non-US citizens think this doesn't affect you. If the fish from the U.S. aren't able to get their money online to play poker, just who are you going to play? Sure, there are other players in the world, but this would be a devestating blow to online poker worldwide.

[GeoffM]

I'm just waiting for Mansion to offer a $2K freeroll Super Bowl bet

[Kurn]

Not to get off on a rant here, but...

1. There is no "Bill to ban online poker." The DOJ, both in the Bush and Clinton adminstrations has long asserted that online gambling is forbidden federally by the Wire Act. The courts have repeatedly ruled that it is not. In the US, gambling is regulated at the State level, not at the federal level. Constitutionally, the feds have zero jurisdiction.

2. The bills in question are meant to restrict the use of US financial instruments (like credit cards issued by US banks) for funding online gambling. This is pure window dressing. 95% of US credit card banks have been self-regulated for at least 5 years. You already can't use a US credit card at a poker site.

3. The US has no authority over NETeller, which is a Canadian company. Not only that, but since NETeller can be used for any number of transactions, deposits in would not be subject to any blockade based on these bills.

4. The WTO has already begun to fight any action the US DOJ takes against the offshore entities. Their legal position is that the US has no right under the WTO agreements to restrict these online businesses.

5. Finally, and most important. Even if this bill is passed and signed, enforcement will be problematic, the sites will find work arounds, and the constitutional issues will keep this in litigation for years, thus rendering an already toothless enforcement provision ($10M for fighting a multi-billion dollar industry) - see the above referenced article by Allyn Jaffrey Shulman.

Bottom line is this. We need to stay vocal and not only tell our elected officials what we think, but also tell the online gaming industry to start pumping cash into lobbying efforts.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, but there is no need to panic. The sky is not falling.

[Talking Poker]

Don't take this wrong, but you've said absolutely nothing that I don't already know.

But please don't be so naive to think that there are no problems ahead for online poker. Take a look at what's going on out there just because this legislation EXISTS - PKR, PokerChamps, etc. are no longer accepting U.S. players. Yes, they are overreacting, but their overreaction affects me.

The bottom line is this: It is better to be proactive than to sit back and do nothing. Pick up the phone.

[Kurn]

I think maybe I over reacted because I thought the tone was becoming as shrill as I recalll from 2+2 3 years ago and earlier this year. Again, if everyone reads the Jaffrey article, it will be clear that even if this Senate bill passes, the result will be a minor pain in the ass for some players, but online poker playing in the US will not suddenly die.

Now, just because I say that doesn't mean i don't think we should pay attention. We should.

So I'm going to step up on my political soap box just once, because I want my participation on this forum to be about discussing poker, not politics like it became on 2+2.

Just once.

Everyone. if you want to protect all your freedoms, including your freedom to play poker, here are 2 *don'ts*, one *do* and one website.

DON'T VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS
DON'T VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS

DO VOTE FOR LIBERTARIANS



<rant off>

[BlibbityBlabbity]

I hope this helped the cause, thank you for your efforts.....and have fun in prison....

[johnp158]

Maybe I should have taken that 1 phone call instead of the 3 minutes of internet time, but, since I'm here.....


Can somebody come bail me out???