Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

Engineer, you of course get the posting credit as writer, but I have something worked out with the J. Todd at APCW.org.

I am copying the weekly action thread and it will be included in the APCW.org weekly updates and promoted on RoundersRadio.com

Would like you to join each and we can work this new source together.

obg

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

Additionally this week we need to be letting the PPA choice for president we are NOT pleased with the alliance being forged with FoF and Sen. Frist's minion.

Write the campaign (from my Thompson Thread post)

Contact:
http://www.imwithfred.com/Contact/Contact.aspx

My Letter To Thompson:

Sen. Fred Thompson

Sen.,
It was my hope your potential candidacy would be the saving grace of the Republican Party and the United States.

Sadly, having read closely your positions and becoming aware of your choices to head your campaign, it is obvious I was mistaken. Why? Simple. You are seeking to align yourself with closely with the Focus on the Family movement by hiring Bill Wichterman, former Sen. Frist Chief of Staff and ally of Focus on the Family.

Though I am a Christian as well, I am able to differentiate between my belief structure and the American Constitutional Structure. The two are wholly incompatible, the FoF beliefs that religious beliefs and morals should be codified into law.

Not all Christians adhere to the same strict tenants promulgated by FoF. So, simply by aligning yourself with this organization and promoting Laws based upon the FoF Evangelical beliefs you are seeking to establish a sectarian religious philosophy not endorsed nor followed by ALL Christians.

You and many of the GOP presidential hopefuls continue the mantra of the latest catch phrase, Federalism; I am a Federalist.

Your positions and staff however reveal this is but a ‘Catch Phrase’ and nothing more.

It is becoming more and more apparent that this ‘Federalism’ mantra is little or no different than the last manta, ‘Compassionate Conservative’.

I simply want a President that CAN and WILL understand; you are applying for a job not to represent a select few, but to represent ALL Americans. And remember, the job is only temporary at best.

XXXX

obg

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

[ QUOTE ]
Additionally this week we need to be letting the PPA choice for president we are NOT pleased with the alliance being forged with FoF and Sen. Frist's minion.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thompson actually wasn't endorsed by PPA. He was endorsed by D'Amato, who apparently did so as a private citizen.

I don't yet have an opinion on Thompson's selection. He could simply be a fellow Tennessean with organizational experience. Then again, I didn't see Thompson as a champion for poker in the first place. I guess time will tell. He should know pretty soon how tight he'll be with FoF.

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

[ QUOTE ]

Engineer, you of course get the posting credit as writer, but I have something worked out with the J. Todd at APCW.org.

I am copying the weekly action thread and it will be included in the APCW.org weekly updates and promoted on RoundersRadio.com

Would like you to join each and we can work this new source together.

obg

[/ QUOTE ]

Good work. Thanks. I'll participate.

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

Knoxnews.com did a story on Thompson to the rescue:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/au...scue/#comments

I joined the commentary with the following:
I agree whole-heartedly the president cannot and should not be our mother. Adding to that, Father MUST is included as well.
Though I was a huge Sen. Thompson fan, even without an announcement, sadly I am waning and it is likely not to return.

It was my hope your potential candidacy would be the saving grace of the Republican Party and the United States.

Sadly, having read closely Sen. Thompson’s positions and becoming aware of his choices to head his campaign, it is obvious I was mistaken. He is seeking to align himself closely with the Focus on the Family movement by hiring Bill Wichterman, former Sen. Frist Chief of Staff and ally of Focus on the Family.

Though I am a Christian as well, I am able to differentiate between my belief structure and the American Constitutional Structure. The two are wholly incompatible, the FoF beliefs that religious beliefs and morals should be codified into law.

Not all Christians adhere to the same strict tenants promulgated by FoF. So, simply by aligning yourself with this organization and promoting Laws based upon the FoF Evangelical beliefs you are seeking to establish a sectarian religious philosophy not endorsed nor followed by ALL Christians.

You, Sen. Thompson and many of the GOP presidential hopefuls continue the mantra of the latest catch phrase, Federalism; I am a Federalist.

Your positions and staff however reveal this is but a ‘Catch Phrase’ and nothing more.

It is becoming more and more apparent that this ‘Federalism’ mantra is little or no different than the last manta, ‘Compassionate Conservative’.

I simply want a President that CAN and WILL understand; you are applying for a job not to represent a select few, but to represent ALL Americans. And remember, the job is only temporary at best.

obg

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

[ QUOTE ]

- Write to the NFL, their sponsors, and Congress (senators and rep) to complain about the NFL’s advocacy of a ban for all Internet gaming (which goes beyond sports betting and beyond even UIGEA).

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't forget the other leagues that signed on too. NFL's the 600-pound gorilla, but partly that means they can withstand a letter-writing campaign against them and their sponsors if they want to. The other leagues are more vulnerable, especially the NHL.

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

more Good news.

WASHINGTON - Three-term Rep. Rick Renzi, an Arizona Republican facing a federal inquiry into his family's insurance business, said Thursday he will not seek re-election next year. Renzi becomes the fifth GOP House member in recent weeks to announce retirement plans, giving Democrats hopes of possibly picking up seats next year that otherwise would not be in play.

Full story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070824/...nzi_retirement

obg

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

There is one more thing I think we need can do. The 2004 Republican Party platform called for banning of Internet gaming.

[ QUOTE ]
Millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can
destroy families. We support legislation prohibiting gambling over the Internet...

[/ QUOTE ]

I think we should all write to the RNC now to express our strong displeasure with this in terms of dislike of big government and stuff like that (things Republicans care about). Then, after the KY gubernatorial election, we should all follow up with more letters to the RNC reminding them that anti-gaming FoF nanny-state big government position couldn't even carry a red state, and that FoF would force the party into irrelevancy. Also remind them of the growing popularity of gaming and of poker.

The party is in such disarray right now that a few letters could be enough to at least make them stop and think. In 2004 they probably received zero letters on this, so let's not repeat that mistake.

Contact Info:
Michael Duncan (from Kentucky, of all states)
Chairman, Republican National Committee
email: Chairman@gop.com

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, D.C. 20003

I'll x-post on the KY governor's race thread.

Re: Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/20 & 8/27
 

To: Chairman@gop.com, comments@whitehouse.gov

Subject: Why I left the Republican Party:

Dear Mr. Duncan,

Today on Labor Day, a day created as an a day off for the "working man", I am enjoying a $10 poker tournament from my living room as my 3 year old takes a nap on a rare day off. If alot of members of the Republican Party (my former party for 12 years) had their way, I would not be allowed to do so.

Internet poker allows millions of Americans to play the game they love from the comfort of their own home without the hassle of hours of travel, high cost entry fees, and sitting in a smoky card room. My introduction to online poker came at a time when I was physically unable to travel and sit in a casino or cardroom and today it upsets me that the government is trying to limit what Americans can do.

I never thought I would say this, but in 2008 will be the 2nd national election cycle I will vote for primarily Democrats. Not only will I be voting for Democrats, but will be making contributions to the Democratic Party and candidates who are in tough races who support the rights of Americans to play online poker from their homes (or are running against vocal anti-gambling Congressmen).

Thank you for your time and I hope one day to be able to return to my "roots".

Sincerely,

XXXXXX XXXXX
Telephone: (XXX) XXX-XXXX

Fight for Online Gaming!! [Updated 9/3/07]
 

Fight for Online Poker!!
Updated 9/3/07

<font color="brown"><u>Summary of Actions:</u>
- Let’s nationalize the 2007 KY gubernatorial election. It’s being waged as a fight between gaming (including poker) and prohibition based on family values. In addition to the actual election, let’s write to the Republican National Committee about this race both before and after. We voted 58-0 to do this, so let’s do it right. I have no doubt we will! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
- Write to five U.S. companies to explain the upcoming WTO trade concessions. Let them know they’re expected to finance online horse racing and fantasy football.
- Continue to write to the NFL, their sponsors, and Congress (senators and rep) to complain about the NFL’s advocacy of a ban for all Internet gaming (which goes beyond sports betting and beyond even UIGEA).
</font>

Ongoing advocacy:
1. Write to Congress (your senators AND your rep) to ask for their support and to ask where they stand on Internet gaming. Reference the Politicians For and Against Online Poker article, at https://pokerplayersalliance.org/new...le.php?DID=237, in the letter.
2. Write to Treasury and DOJ officials AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK to request the minimum possible UIGEA regulations.
3. Contact your governor and your state representatives.
4. Write to newspapers and post to blogs.

--------------------------------------------------------

- Nationalize the 2007 KY gubernatorial election. It’s being waged and a fight between the right to choose to play poker and other games and prohibition based on family values. The pro-gaming candidate is the heavy favorite. Additionally, the fact that it’s off year adds to the visibility of the election (and to the effort we and others can devote to it). And, we can leverage the results to influence Sen. McConnell [R-KY], who’s running for reelection in 2008, and his longtime supporter and fundraiser, Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan. We should all ask Chairman Duncan to not add any Internet gaming prohibition language to the 2008 party platform. This election will set the tone for the national elections of 2008, so let’s do our part.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher [R], the incumbent, has been under the cloud of scandal for the past eighteen months. He was indicted for rewarding political supporters with state jobs. Fletcher made a deal with the prosecutor’s office to get the charges dropped, then pardoned his entire administration. As a result, while he did win the primary, he’s way down in the polls.

Steve Beshear [D], the challenger, wants to pay for education reforms with casino profits. Many neighboring states, including Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia, have casinos at which KY residents frequently play. Despite this, Fletcher has taken a hard line against casinos, saying they cause crime, divorce, and bankruptcy. “I don’t subscribe to Steve Beshear’s math and science program that teaches children only to count to 21,” Mr. Fletcher said.

Latest poll:

Ernie Fletcher (R) - 36.7%
Steve Beshear (D) - 57.3%

Contact Info:

Steve Beshear / Daniel Mongiardo
PO BOX 4227
Frankfort, KY 40604
Email: info@stevebeshear.com
Tel: 502-607-8600
Fax: 502-607-8611

Governor Ernie Fletcher
700 Capital Avenue
Suite 100
Frankfort, KY 40601

Senator Mitch McConnell
United States Senate
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Michael Duncan (from Kentucky)
Chairman, Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
email: Chairman@gop.com

- Let’s each write to at least five U.S. companies and let them know they're expected to give up BILLIONS OF DOLLARS in trade concessions to permit the U.S. to allow Internet horse racing and online fantasy football while restricting or banning other Internet gaming. The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have recently written articles on the upcoming WTO Internet gaming restriction concessions, including ongoing settlement negotiations between the U.S. Trade Representative and the EU. These articles are at www.nytimes.com/2007/08/23/business/worldbusiness/23gamble.html?ref=business and at http://online.wsj.com/public/article...870406171.html. Please send your congressman and both senators copies of the letters.

- Let’s all write to the NFL, their sponsors, and Congress (senators and rep) to complain about the NFL’s advocacy of a ban for all Internet gaming (beyond sports betting, and beyond even UIGEA). Their letter to Congress is at http://www.citizenlink.org/pdfs/fosi...ess7-30-07.pdf. It seems they’ve actually partnered with Focus on the Family to work to take OUR rights from us, rather than figuring out how to develop internal policies and procedures to deal with sports betting. After all, they have the financial resources to control their own integrity. It’s time they enter the 21st century, rather than trying to take the nation back to the prohibition mentality of the early 20th century.

Some contacts:

Commissioner Roger Goodell
National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Email: goodellr@nfl.com

Gene Upshaw
Executive Director
NFL Players Association
1133 20th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

Mr. August A. Busch IV
President and Chief Executive Officer
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
One Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118

PepsiCo, Inc.
700 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
(914) 253-2000

Mr. G. Richard Wagoner Jr.
Chairman of the Board of Directors
General Motors Corporation
300 Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan 48265


---------------------------------------------------------

Ongoing efforts:

1. Let’s all write and call Congress (senators and rep) to ask for their support and for their stand on Internet gaming. Reference the Politicians For and Against Online Poker article, at https://pokerplayersalliance.org/new...le.php?DID=237, in the letter. Consider stating that you’ll vote based on the letter and inform them that you hope his or her rating improves by Election Day. This will help the congressmen see tangible evidence of our work, and it will show the senators what to expect. For many representatives, Googling “[their name] gambling” returns this article at #1, so that may be worth mentioning. Once done, please let me know if you receive a response, so I can update the report accordingly. I hope we can get rid of most of the question marks.

Continue to contact your senators and representative. <u>Let’s call and send snail mail at least once every four to six weeks</u>. Let’s email at least once per week or biweekly. Some of these may be carbon copies of letters to others (like the USTR, Frank, FoF, etc).

We have many issues, so we can focus on one item for each letter while rotating. It does not matter to our movement which items you choose; any communication against attempts to ban online gambling at the federal level work in our favor. Here are some issues we can rotate:

- IGREA
- Hypocrisy of existing legal online gaming (games of skill, horseracing, etc)
- Wexler’s bill: H.R. 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act
- Praise for the 6/8 hearing. http://www.house.gov/apps/list/heari...ht060807.shtml ; webcast archived at http://financialserv.edgeboss.net/wm...ring060807.wvx.
- Shelley Berkley's study bill


2. Write to Treasury and DOJ officials AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK to request the minimum possible UIGEA regulations. We should contact Steven D. Laughton (the UIGEA Treasury Dept. focal point), Roberta McInerney (Assistant General Counsel for Banking and Finance), the acting Attorney General, Treasury Secretary Paulson, and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. The regs were supposed to be out by now...the fact they they are not is probably good for us. I think a big push here on our part could really pay off.

Let's ask them not to exceed the specific mandates of UIGEA when drafting legislation. Let's ask them to exclude all ACH transactions (too burdensome for banks to filter). Also, remind them that online poker is not illegal under any federal law. We should ask them to require unambiguous state laws, so banks aren't in the position of trying to interpret state laws that may or may not apply to Internet gaming. Finally, there should be no "site blacklists".

Contact info:

Steven D. Laughton
Office of the Assistant General Counsel (Banking and Finance)
Room 2027B,1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
Washington,DC 20220
Phone: (202) 622-8413
Email: steven.laughton@do.treas.gov

Ms. Roberta K. McInerney
Assistant General Counsel for Banking and Finance
Room 2304
Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20220

The Office of the Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

The Honorable Henry Paulson
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20220

The Honorable Ben S. Bernanke
Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Washington, D. C. 20551
http://www.federalreserve.gov/feedback.cfm

Others:

Pres. Bush: comments@whitehouse.gov
Your senators: [www.senate.gov
Your representative: www.house.gov
Republican National Committee: Chairman@gop.com
Democratic National Committee: http://www.democrats.org/contact.html
Speaker Nancy Pelosi: AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: http://reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

3. Contact your governor and state representative. Congress won't pass anything that forces states to legalize gaming, so we ought to get the ball rolling at that level.


4. Now that we have bills progressing, we should try to work on advocating for the legislation. Let's write to newspapers, magazines, post to blogs, etc. Since we proved our position in the 6/8 House hearing, let's post the link to the hearing webcast wherever we can.

Letters to the editor, Washington Post: letters@washpost.com
Letters to the editor, New York Times: letters@nytimes.com

Thanks everyone! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]