If you want to play Internet Poker, tell your Senator NOW

Ted Geisel · #1 06-10-2003, 11:27 PM

Cutting through any bravado or big talk you might hear ... if you live in the US and you want to be able to play Internet poker, you better tell your Senator NOW and every week until the Senate version of the Funding Prohibition, Senate Bill 627 is defeated.

A House-passed prohibition must also pass the Senate in some form. The House version mustered a 2/3 vote by a couple of votes. The Senate prospects for Internet poker players look dim.

If you are a Republican, lobby your Senators on libertarian/big government grounds. Republican votes WILL be necessary to block passage.

Do not listen to posters who say ... but Neteller is offshore or so what, the sites will find a way ... The truth is that US players will be screwed if a US banking prohibition becomes law and about 85% of the market will die.

GrannyMae · #2 06-10-2003, 11:31 PM

if you are a democrat, write the republican anyway. lie and tell him you are republican. and vice versa i might add. write them all.

this one is important

HUSKER'66 · #3 06-10-2003, 11:51 PM

This site will take your city and state info and send a "form letter" to your respective state representative. As
you mentioned in your post Ted, it is up to the Senate now.... it has not had the support before but with all the manipulating going on, you never know what the outcome will be this time. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Ted Geisel · #4 06-11-2003, 01:12 AM

It is FAR more effective to write directly than to send a form letter.

Go to www,senate,gov and look up the link for your 2 Senators, then write them as someone from their State.

Tell them you want to play Internet Poker and ask them to vote against Senate Bill 627 or any prohibition against you using your own money to play poker.

A lot of Senators likely play poker. Tell them it is Player-to-Player and a social game of skill.

It is NOT money-laundering.

MAKE your email a POKER ISSUE, not a casino or sports betting issue.

Bubmack · #5 06-11-2003, 01:47 AM

No Senator wants to be known as the senator that voted for gambling. Its going to pass - I just hope the industry finds a way around it.

bubs

Ted Geisel · #6 06-11-2003, 02:51 AM

Bubmack, sorry but that sort of "poor us .. hope someone else can solve this problem" is the line we do NOT need to waste time on. That is precisely what we do not need to read .... 3 votes ..

The House version would have been dead and buried if 3 Reps had voted the other way ... 3 out of 424. It was that close.

The "industry" will not "find a way around it" because most of its customers will go do something else less burdensome for their at home entertainment. Players play because it has been made easy and convenient. Without the US Banking system, it will not be easy and convenient so US players will NOT take a way "around it".

The problem is real and imminent and it is up to the customers to stop it, the "industry" cannot make it go away.

A lot of posters on this site spend a lot of time on seemingly pointless debates and commentary. Next time, instead of debating about what onlinechamp or Granny or Lori or Mike Haven or Booya said or did not say, take 10 minutes and directly write your Senators and get someone else to do so also.

MAKE ONLINE POKER AN ISSUE for your SENATOR. Make it a vote about a right to play poker, a longtime American pasttime.

Jeffage · #7 06-11-2003, 06:42 AM

When does this vote come up in the Senate?

Jeff

Ted Geisel · #8 06-11-2003, 09:55 AM

There is no scheduled action in the Senate, but that is not the real point. The VERY real point is that a vote is certainly coming down the road.

In lobbying legislation it is never too early to beat the drum with your Senator. This has been presented as a "money-laundering" issue, not as your desire to play poker on the Internet.

CONTACT your Senator NOW to begin the theme that this is about YOU, you want to keep playing poker on the Internet and the moneylaundering stuff is hogwash.

You have a credit card and online banking, you use the Internet for all sorts of purchases, it is convenient and entertaining to play poker on the Internet ... ASK him to vote against any prohibition against using your own money to play poker.

(The Internet Gaming industry fell just 3 votes short of killing this in the House, but they did not really start in earnest until LATE in the legislative process, in 2003. IF they had started earlier and really raised player support, the prohibition might have died again this year. Instead, it has moved way ahead.)

HUSKER'66 · #9 06-11-2003, 10:25 AM

Hey Ted, I wonder if I write them everyday/every other day, if they'll put me on some "hit list" [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] It's a risk I'm willing to take. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Ted Geisel · #10 06-11-2003, 10:33 AM

Well, once a month would be nice ... until something specific comes up for Senate or Committee action ... then, repeat your message and ask them to also lobby other key Senators on the Committees.

As for a "hit list", we are ALL on one, this prohibition effort is aimed at every online poker player.

Ted