are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

away from Frist, if he runs for President in 2008?

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

No.

One of the reasons this legislation got passed fairly easily is that online gambling is a relatively unimportant activity. I doubt it would make the top 40 for most important election issues.


Also, there's no doubt Frist will be running for President and the passage of this legislation has helped him in the early stages of the election process (Iowa caucus).

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Ahahahahah, no. But, if there are primaries (if the GOP doesn't hand us Bush descendants), the power of the poker player lobby might be enough to take a state or two away from him and that could put another prominent Republican competitor out in front. And that's if we try hard, and play dirty. maybe fabricate a sex scandal. By votes alone, we can't do crap unless we all move to one state and pile up in one district.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

I was thinking the same thing and think the answer is yes. If each of 500,000 players convinced their family to vote differently then it could make a difference.

See, here is the problem there is no material difference between Republican and Democrat. Look at the vote we just had. Two un-patriots voted against the ports deal. ONLY TWO!

So in this issue there was no party difference.

It makes me want to puke.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

not even close.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Thats because everyone wants to be "secure" [censored]. Not every single issue has to have bipartisan dispute.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]

Also, there's no doubt Frist will be running for President and the passage of this legislation has helped him in the early stages of the election process (Iowa caucus).

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you feel this way? Historically Iowans have frowned upon heavyhanded federal government, and if Frist is anything, he's heavyhanded.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

You guys are dead wrong if you think there is no difference between the parties. This bill was a sacrifice to the Religious Right by Frist & Co.

If any good comes from this it will be that none affected by this ever votes Republican again. Unless, you are stupid donkeys.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
I was thinking the same thing and think the answer is yes. If each of 500,000 players convinced their family to vote differently then it could make a difference.

See, here is the problem there is no material difference between Republican and Democrat. Look at the vote we just had. Two un-patriots voted against the ports deal. ONLY TWO!

So in this issue there was no party difference.

It makes me want to puke.

[/ QUOTE ]

You shouldn't underestimate the power of Hill politics. This was a much needed bill that most Congressmen would not want to be caught dead opposing. Any sort of opposition would be like a Congressman voting no to "Do you support our troops? Y/N." Riders make it through because they're either part of negotiation in a controversial bill to pick up more votes, or because they're tacked on to the most uncontroversial bill possible.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

No.

It's a big deal for you and me, but it isn't for most voters.

Frist pushed as hard as he did because he saw the bill as beneficial to his campaign. This is probably because of money more than actual votes -- the groups he was pandering to aren't going to vote Democrat anyway (though they might vote for a different Republican in the primary) -- but that money does translate into votes once it's used for the campaign.

Even if more people are annoyed by the bill than elated by it, Frist can benefit so long as great numbers of people aren't irritated enough to let this one issue swing their vote.

Edit: Nate has a point about the Iowa caucus, and it could be the case that Frist pushed the bill largely with the short-term goal of doing well in Iowa in mind.

Nevertheless, I think that appeasing campaign contributors is sometimes the main strategic objective of politicians, even when such appeasement is not widely popular, because of the money involved that can be used in campaign ads that address (or create) more general voter concerns.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Also, there's no doubt Frist will be running for President and the passage of this legislation has helped him in the early stages of the election process (Iowa caucus).

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you feel this way? Historically Iowans have frowned upon heavyhanded federal government, and if Frist is anything, he's heavyhanded.

[/ QUOTE ]

He's not doing this for Iowans as a whole, but for the subset of Iowans that vote in the GOP primary.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

It also reinforced all of the Jesus humpers to show increased support for Frist and his morals. And there are more people that jack off to the bible than play online poker.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Also, there's no doubt Frist will be running for President and the passage of this legislation has helped him in the early stages of the election process (Iowa caucus).

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you feel this way? Historically Iowans have frowned upon heavyhanded federal government, and if Frist is anything, he's heavyhanded.

[/ QUOTE ]

He's not doing this for Iowans as a whole, but for the subset of Iowans that vote in the GOP primary.

[/ QUOTE ]

Naturally. (Well, caucus.) But that characteristic is much more true of Republicans than Democrats.

Iowa isn't the Bible Belt, for chrissake. It's not exactly Wyoming, either, but I can't see this playing well there.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

I love poker as much as anyone, but there are so much more important things reguarding politics and the 2008 election than poker. They could put a ban on live poker and the printing of poker cards and the manufacturing of poker chips nationwide and it still wouldn't change my vote.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

2+2 will control the 2008 Election!

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

I would of thought that very few people would switch there vote to Frist for this bill, as he would already have thier votes. I also would think that this action will cause many people who were probably not going to vote otherwise to do so simply in an attempt to show their hatred for Bill Frist. I would think that this would overall definately energize more people to vote against him then votes he would possibly gain from people that oppose online gambling who were not already going to vote for him.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

The gambling part of the bill will be a non issue. To help defeat him there would have to be those in the media or the Democrats who oppose the bill. While some Dems may not like the attack on liberties none of them are going to argue it was a bad idea and be seen as "on the side" of gabmling interests. Its a non-starter as an issue

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
away from Frist, if he runs for President in 2008?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's going to be difficult for all the online pros to vote in the 2008 election if they've all moved to Canada.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

all,

Am I the only one who hopes that this helps frist get nominated? I mean, Frist can't win the actual election if he gets the Republican nod, can he?

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]

all,

Am I the only one who hopes that this helps frist get nominated? I mean, Frist can't win the actual election if he gets the Republican nod, can he?

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't looked this week, but he was 29-1 to win the 2008 election last week.

Lori

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

That about sums up why the Republican party felt comfortable ramming this through Congress so quickly.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

He would never come close to getting the ticket for republicans...We can do much better.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]

I haven't looked this week, but he was 29-1 to win the 2008 election last week.

Lori

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmmm. Those look like good odds. I think I'll put some $ on that... oh wait...DOH!

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
away from Frist, if he runs for President in 2008?

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, the answer is yes. If every US player on Party/Stars/etc registered (as a Republican, if necessary) it is quite likely enough to kill him at the Primary stage. Less likely in a general election, but primaries draw less voters.

However, from a larger perspective, there's a clear culprit at work here: the religious right. They are the only group that has this on their agenda.

So, here's what you do:

(1) Register to vote. If you don't like the pandering to the religious right, oppose it with your vote. If you are new to voting, this is especially powerful. A new vote in the system brought in by Frist being heavy handed is actually a powerful consequence.

(2) Go to actblue.com. Find a candidate in your state, and send them some money if you can afford it. The democrats are in seriously contention right now to take back one or both houses of Congress. Ship the guy in your state $100. Even if your state seems "safe", when you start supporting an opposition candidate in it, it forces the Republican political machine to spend time/money worry about that race, and splits up their efforts, and can ultimately leading to them losing in other places.

Realistically, Democrats aren't really likely to out and out legalize poker. What we need is the gaming industry to basically make a bunch of big donations so that next time some critical security bill comes up, they can slip a rider on that converts poker to a 'game of skill' and exemps it as a wager and effectively legalizes it. However, we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place if Frist wasn't trying to pander to the groups that care about banning Internet Gambling. The only way to avoid this sort of pandering is to get in there, find out what sort of issues they're promoting that you disagree with, and oppose them with your vote.

No (n/m)
 

......

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Online poker players alone are probably not enough to tip the balance. However, we are probably not the only group that will finally wake up to the fact that our freedom is eroding rapidly. If Republicans maintain control of Congress in the upcoming elections, expect more such repressive legislation to pass. One can only hope, that as more people have their lives messed up by this sort of thing, that they will wake up, too.

Unfortunately, it seems a lot of people have to be personally impacted by such leislation before it bothers them. As long as somebody else's ox is being gored, they say, (not without justification) "Yes, but the Democrats are economcally brain-dead and soft on terrorism."

The only bright spot I can see in this mess is that it give me the chance to say "I told you so." to a lot of people who have had blinders on up to now.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Even if online poker didn't exist I'd hope that people wouldn't vote for Frist.

Psst, here is the information you requested
 

You just don't get it.

With great organizational tools like Myspace, all things are possible.

All you 30 and under-year-olds should be out organizing myspace hit teams, discussing the very evil aspects of this (and many other) abridgements of your rights. You could inflame millions of otherwise dormant minds virtually overnight. You have the power, so get off your dorm room lounge couches, quit scratching your balls over Notre Dame's latest line, get thee a clue and get to work.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
(2) Go to actblue.com. Find a candidate in your state, and send them some money if you can afford it. The democrats are in seriously contention right now to take back one or both houses of Congress. Ship the guy in your state $100. Even if your state seems "safe", when you start supporting an opposition candidate in it, it forces the Republican political machine to spend time/money worry about that race, and splits up their efforts, and can ultimately leading to them losing in other places.


[/ QUOTE ]

The democrats supported this bill too:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll516.xml

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/ro...&vote=00249

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Would poker players pledge money to the Democratic candidate, no matter who he or she is, if Frist gains the nomination?

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

The vote is done and is almost certain to be signed by Bush. I wouldn't necessarily blame the Republicans on this. Frist has been pushing to make online poker illegal for several years and he's finally succeeded. It was a rider on a bill that had no chance of being defeated and was unanimously passed by both republicans and democrats in both the house and senate. The real injustice is that such a thing can happen. That politicians can take 'certain' bills and litter them with personal initiatives knowing that the main bill will not be defeated because of a 'silly little rider' that was attached.

People have made some good comments such as the guy who said that there are more important things in politics to worry about. That's 100% true, but if this issue is important to you, it's worth worrying about as well.

Now, the question is what can us poker players do about it besides complaining in a poker forum, hehe!?!?

Basically, nothing will happen without a major, organized response from the poker community, which is almost certainly not going to happen without involvement from the poker sites. So, hopefully, they will jump on board and try to get something going.

An well organized myspace campaign could also do wonders, I'm sure. The power to organize and mass can be strong, but it has to be done at a centralized location.

We should also voice concern to our local congress people and let them know that they just passed legislation outlawing something that is very important to us. If this concern was in the form of a petition signed by 100,000 registered voters, it might carry some weight. But, that would take some organizing.

I don't know the solution, so I'm just throwing out hopefully constructive ideas that someone can run with.

Hopefully, the politicians can choose regulation instead of outlaw. But, I won't be holding my breath. It's much easier to take the path they've chosen and it's doubtful there will be many politicians standing up for any online gambler--if even our numbers are quite large.

If we don't become vocal through the internet, no one else will.

--miksnake

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Frist is a political joke. His "I'm James Dobson's lapdog" act is not going to win him any primaries. He will be a non-factor before the NH primary at the latest.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]

Am I the only one who hopes that this helps frist get nominated? I mean, Frist can't win the actual election if he gets the Republican nod, can he?

[/ QUOTE ]

A little more than a year ago, I was high on Frist's chances to win the Presidency. I thought he was well positioned. But, he too often seemed to be politiclly inept (on a Presidential level). Perhaps part of it was trying to campaign out of the Senate.

If Frist wins the Republican nomination, I think he'd still be a favorite to beat most Democrats. He'd be a lock in probably every Southern state. If he can campaign well in the midwest and southwest, I don't know who beats him. No Democrat would have an easy time against him.

Frist used to be a doctor. I thought if health care were a big issue in the 2008 campaign (which I think it still can be), that would give him an edge, especially in the general election.

Despite all that, Frist just doesn't have the Presidential charisma which was so important to Clinton and Bush in 1992 and 2000. He doesn't come aross the right way. That's primarily what's holding him back.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Also, there's no doubt Frist will be running for President and the passage of this legislation has helped him in the early stages of the election process (Iowa caucus).

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you feel this way? Historically Iowans have frowned upon heavyhanded federal government, and if Frist is anything, he's heavyhanded.

[/ QUOTE ]

He's not doing this for Iowans as a whole, but for the subset of Iowans that vote in the GOP primary.

[/ QUOTE ]

Naturally. (Well, caucus.) But that characteristic is much more true of Republicans than Democrats.

Iowa isn't the Bible Belt, for chrissake. It's not exactly Wyoming, either, but I can't see this playing well there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Frist probably got the backing of Iowa Representative Jim Leach by getting the onling gambling bill passed. That's a huge step towards being a force in the Iowa Caucus. If Leach is able to provide the infrastructure for Frist's campaign, I think Frist could be a strong candidate.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
Frist used to be a doctor. I thought if health care were a big issue in the 2008 campaign (which I think it still can be), that would give him an edge, especially in the general election.


[/ QUOTE ]


Frist watched Terry Schaivo on video and said she was all right, not in a persistent vegetative state. I would not go see a doctor who saw a video of this woman and declared that.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are online poker players enough to tip the election ?

[/ QUOTE ]

DUDE
Hey man, are you gonna find these guys?
Or, you know uh, I mean, do you got any
promising uh, uh, leads? Or--

POLICEMAN
Leads? yeah sure. I'll uh, just check with
the boys down at the Crime Lab.
They uh, got uh, four more detectives working
on the case. They've got us working in shifts.




POLICEMAN
Leads!

The policeman laughs hysterically.

POLICEMAN
Wooo...Leads!

18 million non Republican, non Chrsitian voters
 

.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

Sorry to break this to you, but 15 year old 12-tablers still won't be able to vote come the next presidential election.

Re: are online poker players enough to tip the election
 

[ QUOTE ]
Unless, you are stupid donkeys.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stupid elephants? Donkeys are Democrats. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]