Why can't we get the ACLU to fight for us

[FatalError]

they fight to let people spread terrorist propeganda, kill babies, burn flags, pretty much anything most people find morally repulsive just so they can make a point

how has the ppa or some other group not courted the aclu to fight for our rights here, or is this kind of internet commerce thing out of their usual sphere of influence

[MiltonFriedman]

The issue was the over-reaching statute with respect to Child Porn, being applied on a state by state basis, burdening interstate commerce and free speech rights.

Poker can make the same arguments with respect to the UIGE Act, but ..... no surprise, the PPA has expressly said they have NO interest in such litigation. They want regulation instead, serving the interests of MGM, Harrahs, et al. I guess.

Poker plaintiffs in the US could serve as the best case, i.e a couple of players from "legal" states and a couple of affiliates who do business nationwide.

[Moneyline]

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they fight to let people spread terrorist propeganda, kill babies, burn flags, pretty much anything most people find morally repulsive just so they can make a point

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I don't agree with many of the positions the ACLU takes, but your characterization of them is far from correct. Regardless of that, I've never viewed gambling as a civil liberty, and even if it were a civil liberty I don't see what the ACLU could possibly do to help us. Initiate a lawsuit against the gov't on the grounds that the UIGEA is unconstitutional? I don't think there's any merit to that approach.

[bills217]

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Initiate a lawsuit against the gov't on the grounds that the UIGEA is unconstitutional?

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Constitutionality might as well be irrelevant these days.

[Moneyline]

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Initiate a lawsuit against the gov't on the grounds that the UIGEA is unconstitutional?

[/ QUOTE ]

Constitutionality might as well be irrelevant these days.

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Don't tell me you're one of those losers who thinks crap like the writ of habeas corpus is important and stuff.

[Nairb]

PPA has more members than ACLU.

[Legislurker]

The ACLU is like every other interest group in Washington, they advocate for the issues thier donors care about. If 100k
poker players signed up for it, ran for aclu offices and gave 5-6 figure donations, they would fight for us. If you want a friend in DC, donate to the Humane Society to kennel you a dog.

[frommagio]

The ACLU fights hard for the civil liberties that they like, and they fight hard against the civil liberties that they don't like. The ones in the middle that they don't care about - well, if you want them to care, write a big check.

[Grisgra]

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The ACLU fights hard for the civil liberties that they like, and they fight hard against the civil liberties that they don't like. The ones in the middle that they don't care about - well, if you want them to care, write a big check.

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I can hardly wait to hear an example of the latter, though I am fairly confident it will involve religious nuttery and the 'right' of said folks to avoid separation of church and state whenever they damn well please.

[Moneyline]

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[ QUOTE ]
The ACLU fights hard for the civil liberties that they like, and they fight hard against the civil liberties that they don't like. The ones in the middle that they don't care about - well, if you want them to care, write a big check.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can hardly wait to hear an example of the latter, though I am fairly confident it will involve religious nuttery and the 'right' of said folks to avoid separation of church and state whenever they damn well please.

[/ QUOTE ]

The ACLU actually does quite a bit to defend the free speech of the religious right. For example, in Vegas they have continually defended the right of people to stand on the public sidewalks of the strip and preach salvation (or more commonly damnation) to the passersby.

The amount of disinformation about the ACLU that is spread is amazing. I'm not a member, and wouldn't want to be, but the majority of the negative statements made about them are just plain false.

[UATrewqaz]

The ACLU is a "civil liberties" organization in title only.

They are in reality nothing more than a political organization pursuing a very specific agenda, mostly through a barrage of lawsuits / sympathetic judge shopping.

The day the ACLU is on your side is the day you know you're pretty much the scum of the earth. I can think of no other worse PR than the ACLU fighting for poker. It's like the KKK and NAMBLA coming out to march in support of you.

[frommagio]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The ACLU fights hard for the civil liberties that they like, and they fight hard against the civil liberties that they don't like. The ones in the middle that they don't care about - well, if you want them to care, write a big check.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can hardly wait to hear an example of the latter, though I am fairly confident it will involve religious nuttery and the 'right' of said folks to avoid separation of church and state whenever they damn well please.

[/ QUOTE ]

The ACLU is an advocacy group for a set of public policy views. Their battlefield is the legal system. Most cases of constitutional law involve rights in conflict. In many of today's hot social issues, civil liberties are fighting against other civil liberties. When the ACLU takes a position, they're promoting some rights and attacking others.

If you think the ACLU always gets it right, you're scary. If you think the ACLU always gets it wrong, you're scary. Those are my opinions. However, if you think the ACLU is a non-political, uniformly fair-minded defender of all civil rights, you're just poorly informed. That's a fact.

From your response, I think I understand your category. BTW, I'm not a religious person in any normal sense; your personal prejudices are showing, and they make you look small.

[acescracked504]

maybe if we can convince them and explain to them how poker is skill not luck, than we have a much better chance, but they are judging based on their erroneous assumption that poker is gambling and thus we are gamblers and everyone knows what happens to most gamblers, their lives are ruined. so the politicians feel a responsibility to do what is right. So...if you are a poker gambler than you shouldn't be talking and asking ppl why they aren't backing us up because you are the reason why. Tell you the truth, i use pot odds and everything and still cannot give u a definitive answer as to whether texas hold'em is luck or skill, it's really hard to say. BUT ..assuming it IS skill, why the #$%@ isn't any of the american pros doing anything about it??? they just friggin' stand there like a moron complaining that it is skill yet when there whole livelihood is at stake they just stand there and let them punch them in the stupid face. Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, i haven't heard anything from a pro...so honestly i wonder myself, is it really skill or are they just saying it is skill just so that they can continue to feed there addicition??