Time for the Poker Celebrities to Step Up

[perfecto]

This poker boom has made many millionaires, and not only from their tournament winnings.

Poker celebrities get more face time and media exposure than many politicians who hypocritically voted for this "Port security" bill. I bet their "Q" rating is much higher as well.

Yet, I've never seen a TV interview of a "Poker Face" address this issue.

[Instyle007]

agreed

[JOHNY CA$H]

It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

[Anders]

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It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

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What? That time was months ago. [censored] all you people who never came to this forum and never called a senator or representative.

[LesJ]

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It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

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Not trying to bit a nit but. . . what exactly would this accomplish?

The time for this campaign was a few months ago. Some (see Greg Raymer) stepped up to the plate. Others did not. All a campaign would do now is alert the "fish" that things are in a flux. I do not think that is what we need to do.

Not totally sure what the correct action needs to be at this time, but I don't think this is the answer (for the record, neither is apathy).

Les

[MrBlueNose]

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It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

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POTD

[mlagoo]

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It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

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hahaha yes, NOW IS THE TIME to fight this bill.

[pennpal]

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It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

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POLastMonth

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[Instyle007]

All you can do is contact your rep in the senate and house. Doing nothing is not an option.

Every US citizen living in the US who did nothing can pat themselves on the back for this bill getting passed.

The vast majority of the online poker playing community knows nothing of this bill. It’s up to every American living in the US on this forum to call their rep and let their voice be heard.

Do not think you can do nothing and everything will work itself out. If you do, you’re a fool.

[mlagoo]

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All you can do is contact your rep in the senate and house. Doing nothing is not an option.

[/ QUOTE ]

what will contacting our senator/representative do, at this point?

[Freakin]

You actually think most of the world knows who even the most well-known of poker players are?

[Instyle007]

If it does nothing, it accomplishes the same thing as doing nothing would. However by doing something, there is a chance some good can come out of it.

The people that depend on your votes to get into office must realize that you as a valued voter do not support this legislation.

This port bill came about do to public outcry over foreign companies owning American ports. If enough people speak up, they will listen.

[mlagoo]

the other thing is that both houses adjourned for the next month to go campaign /images/graemlins/frown.gif

but youre right, i guess it cant hurt to call when they get back and tell them youre sad about some legislation that passed. the chances of them doing anything are ~0, but it cant hurt.

[perfecto]

So far, defeatism seems to be slightly ahead.

See you at the tables! Of course, they're probably going to be legislated B&M tables and you probably won't be there. Just another way to support moralistic self-rightousness.

Did Bill Frist post a similar thread to this a little while ago? If so, then I can't blame him for his tactics.

They bluffed. We fold. Is that how you play the game?

I'm sickened by this fascism and by the apparent acceptance by weak-minded and weak-willed individuals who, together, will kill this great American invention through sheer apathy. At least our non-American poker playing associates live in societies that allow individuals to decide their own fates.

Everything can be reversed.

For the record, I actively participated in every anti-legislation effort that I knew of.

I refuse to give up. I lose my share of poker tournaments and I win more than my share. Regardless, I don't give up.

USA players...don't give up or give up now and get on with your life without poker.

[mlagoo]

what are you even talking about. the bill has passed. what do you propose we do? maybe we can get them to agree to a "do-over"?

[Kneel B4 Zod]

some of these poker celebrities (the ones with equity shares in poker sites) are now on vey shaky legal ground.

[bearly]

why shoud every u.s. citizen protect the on-line poker maggots? you folks eye "the fish" the way the fly does the infected wound and the rotting corpse. read the hundreds of thousands of mean-spirited posts that have been written about "the fish" on 2+2. now you want them to help? somewhat like the vulture asking the the deer or the bear to lie down and die so they can eat. funny: probably only about 10% of you who crow about "making your living" at on-line poker are actually winners..............b

[MiltonFriedman]

Good post, it IS time to act, this week.

Actually, the sites themselves should churn their US player lists on this issue.

[Losing all]

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why shoud every u.s. citizen protect the on-line poker maggots? you folks eye "the fish" the way the fly does the infected wound and the rotting corpse. read the hundreds of thousands of mean-spirited posts that have been written about "the fish" on 2+2. now you want them to help? somewhat like the vulture asking the the deer or the bear to lie down and die so they can eat. funny: probably only about 10% of you who crow about "making your living" at on-line poker are actually winners..............b

[/ QUOTE ]


Please lie down and die so I can eat you.

[TheOneWizard]

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what are you even talking about. the bill has passed. what do you propose we do? maybe we can get them to agree to a "do-over"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure. Why not?

Laws can be changed; nothing is set in stone. If the immediate reaction to this bill is that it appears to be (1)Unpopular and (2)Impossible to enforce then Congress can change the law. Personally, I think that may be a better strategy than relying on the courts.

[Botchman]

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It's time for all out campaign against this bill.

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What? That time was months ago. [censored] all you people who never came to this forum and never called a senator or representative.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Lawman007]

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what are you even talking about. the bill has passed. what do you propose we do? maybe we can get them to agree to a "do-over"?

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Sure. Why not?

Laws can be changed; nothing is set in stone. If the immediate reaction to this bill is that it appears to be (1)Unpopular and (2)Impossible to enforce then Congress can change the law. Personally, I think that may be a better strategy than relying on the courts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, that's a great idea. I have an even better one. Let's impeach the president and every member of Congress and appoint Doyle Brunson as dictator. That will work, don't you think? Huh?

[Lawman007]

Isn't it great how everybody gets all up in arms about something when it's too damn late to do anything about it?

[Botchman]

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Yeah, that's a great idea. I have an even better one. Let's impeach the president and every member of Congress and appoint Doyle Brunson as dictator. That will work, don't you think? Huh?

[/ QUOTE ]

No instead lets just go running around telling everyone "ITS OVER", ONLINE POKER IS DONE. Thats is much better isnt it????
Months from now when people from American soil are still loggong into all the major poker sites, you will still be talking you b.s. trying to get everyone into a mass hystaria
Man you are so damn annoying.

[Lawman007]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that's a great idea. I have an even better one. Let's impeach the president and every member of Congress and appoint Doyle Brunson as dictator. That will work, don't you think? Huh?

[/ QUOTE ]

No instead lets just go running around telling everyone "ITS OVER", ONLINE POKER IS DONE. Thats is much better isnt it????
Months from now when people from American soil are still loggong into all the major poker sites, you will still be talking you b.s. trying to get everyone into a mass hystaria
Man you are so damn annoying.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are so damn ignorant.

[TheOneWizard]

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[ QUOTE ]
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what are you even talking about. the bill has passed. what do you propose we do? maybe we can get them to agree to a "do-over"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure. Why not?

Laws can be changed; nothing is set in stone. If the immediate reaction to this bill is that it appears to be (1)Unpopular and (2)Impossible to enforce then Congress can change the law. Personally, I think that may be a better strategy than relying on the courts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, that's a great idea. I have an even better one. Let's impeach the president and every member of Congress and appoint Doyle Brunson as dictator. That will work, don't you think? Huh?

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, no. You can't impeach a member of Congress. You can, however, elect new members to Congress, and I do believe an election is coming up.

You have to fight the hard political fight: changing people's minds one at a time.

[DrewOnTilt]

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Isn't it great how everybody gets all up in arms about something when it's too damn late to do anything about it?

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Seriously. Where the hell have you people been for the past 6 months?

[smak]

How would a campaign against this work when it's added to a bill that wins 400-2 or whatever?

Any campaigning in the past would have 0 effect on what was done to get this through.

If it was a straight up vote for it, then yes campaigning would have helped.

Frist is the leader of the senate, and he can get things attached to bills whenever he wants.

There was nothing that could have been done about this.

[govman6767]

[ QUOTE ]
How would a campaign against this work when it's added to a bill that wins 400-2 or whatever?

Any campaigning in the past would have 0 effect on what was done to get this through.

If it was a straight up vote for it, then yes campaigning would have helped.

Frist is the leader of the senate, and he can get things attached to bills whenever he wants.

There was nothing that could have been done about this.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think mental cases like hinkley,oswald, and booth felt like nothing could be done.

[badger2006]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Isn't it great how everybody gets all up in arms about something when it's too damn late to do anything about it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously. Where the hell have you people been for the past 6 months?

[/ QUOTE ]


While this legislation has been around since the 1990's, a large % of online poker players have been playing for less than 2 years. Most of these players are recreational and have either full-time employment, school and employment, ect. Many have family responsibilities or other committments that complicate things as you reach your late 20's and 30's. Hell, many of us think about working out regulary and getting in good shape, but [censored] seems to pop up all the time that makes it a real grind to do.

Anyways, alot of players are just getting wind of this, but believe me, they do care. Frist was so damm determined to get this done that given the infancy of the poker boom, it would have been very difficult to stop him. This sucks for sure, but it's not over with it by a longshot. Seeing that this was somewhat inevitable, this is when the real mobilization begins. I hope.

[emptyshell]

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Any campaigning in the past would have 0 effect on what was done to get this through.


[/ QUOTE ]
This is probably accurate, but not just because of the way it was sneaked through by Frist. We, as poker players, simply are not as powerful of a force as the Christian right that would prefer to see gambling banned. A lot of phone calls were placed; they just couldn't compete. Remember that the ban passed easily in the house on its own. It's unproductive to try to place blame, etc.

The simple fact is that the way the legislation turned out is the way it was supposed to turn out based on the desires of the American people as a whole. It's democracy at work. Maybe I'm wrong and poker players just haven't used their muscle to the extent that they could, but I doubt it.

The only useful thing for us now is to come up with ways that we can still play despite the legislation. Maybe it is possible. The more visible of us could make a fuss publicly. Not that the passed legislation is likely to be overturned, but a status quo could be established where playing is effectively possible.

It isn't cut and dry, though. If the poker celebrities speak up, it might cause the govt to up the enforcement efforts, due to the increased visibility.