X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

<font color="red">Mods: Can we sticky this for the month of May (or at least keep it unlocked so I can bump it)? Thanks. </font>

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Would you like to fight for your rights to play poker online? If so, please see my thread on the Legislation board at Support Online Gaming Rights Here! . Thanks.

P.S. Let's keep all the discussion in the main thread in Legislation.

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Well, what an excellent week. Barney Frank introduced HR 2046: To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for the licensing of Internet gambling facilities by the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and for other purposes . And, it picked up 11 cosponsors right off the bat!

It seems there's a lot we can be doing right now. And, we really need to do it RIGHT NOW, before these politicians make up their minds. So, let's do the following:
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1. Contact your congressman and senators by phone and by mail. Ask them to support and cosponsor HR 2046. Maybe comment on that fact that this bill protects from underage gambling and money laundering while protecting the rights of adults. Also, mention that you just want to play poker (if that's the case). Even though this wouldn't make a difference in a perfect world, non-gamblers can understand poker over online roulette. Also, this way it's easy to end the call with something like "come on...all I want to do is play a little poker".

2. Contact the majority and minority offices of the House Financial Services Committee (that's where the bill is now) and the Financial Institutions Subcommittee (one phone call AND one snail mail letter...see the next post for contact info).

3. Contact (write and call) the majority and the minority offices of the House Subcommittee on Trade. Remind them of our WTO obligations relative to our loss to Antigua in the recent online gambling case. This will act as a moral lever, as we have treaty obligations with the WTO. The Frank bill doesn't meet the requirements of the WTO, but the final resolution of the WTO case may coincide with the Frank bill being in some state of approval, making it easier to loosen up either in the Senate or in conference. Without a win, there's a risk of the U.S. complying by eliminating all online betting (even the precious f'ing horses [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]).

4. Let's thank the 11 (to date) cosponsors of HR 2046. This can be via a short phone call, a handwritten letter, or a donation if you feel compelled (I'll give a little something this week). They are:

Rep. Gary Ackerman [D-NY]
Rep. Shelley Berkley [D-NV]
Rep. Michael Capuano [D-MA]
Rep. Julia Carson [D-IN]
Rep. William Clay [D-MO]
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez [D-IL]
Rep. Steve Israel [D-NY]
Rep. Peter King [R-NY]
Rep. Ronald Paul [R-TX]
Rep. Melvin Watt [D-NC]
Rep. Robert Wexler [D-FL]

We've focused on almost half of the 12 (counting Frank), so it looks like we've been doing the right things so far, given our size.

5. Write to your local newspaper, media outlets, television shows, websites, and any other media you can think of to promote our cause. </font>

Thanks everyone!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

The PPA has created a simple-to-use auto-emailer to support the Frank bill (HR 2046, IGREA). ( PPA auto-mailer ) It will take less than one minute. Barney Frank says if each congressman receives 500 letters from constituents, he'll be able to get IGREA through his committee. Thanks.

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As a constituent and voter in your district, I am writing to ask you to support and co-sponsor HR 2046 – the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007.

In 2006, my right to play poker -- a legendary game of skill that dates back centuries -- was assaulted simply because I chose to exercise that right online. Now, that right will be denied permanently unless Congress takes action. I am counting on you to help restore my rights by supporting HR 2046.

If HR 2046 passes into law, online poker will be safe, secure and regulated. The bill creates stringent licensing regulations for poker operators, so it will protect consumers and poker players alike.

The bill also has rigorous protections against illegal gambling, underage gambling, and compulsive gambling. But it doesn’t force any state to accept online gaming – it will simply allow any currently legal gaming to take place online. States and sports leagues can opt out completely if they wish.

What’s important to me is your support for restoring my rights. Please respond to this letter, and let me know if you will support and co-sponsor HR 2046. I will be watching your actions on this bill closely. I hope that I -- and thousands of other poker fans in your district -- can count on your support.

Sincerely,

TheEngineer

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

sry i havent given this its needed attention until now....


if everyone will plz pllz plz plzzzzzzzzzzz just click the link at the top of the above post (also here: click for for lots of future moniez )

it directs you to a SUPER EZ form that is 90% filled out for you. all you have to add is your name, address and email so they can make sure you are in their state/district.

in the form, if you would like to add your own thoughts/words, please be tactful and polite. be smart about it.

I just sent out 5 letters using different family members names/emails.

plz do your part in helping this bill get attention and support NOW. lets not wait until the last minute to scramble together.

please bump this thread when you have completed the form!

gogogogogogogogogo

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

three emails sent, a phone call to go.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

i just sent a few letters out. not just because barney frank is a homo, but because it's the cool thing to do.

seriously guys this is important! do it for your kids!!!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

rly, only two other people?

disappointing so far.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Sent a few letters out, thanks for the link fsuplayer.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

just sent 5 letters. this is soooo ez, no excuse for not doing it.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

3 sent

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

How is this not getting more attention...
Write the [censored] letters guys.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

3 sent

Frank Interview: A \'Must Listen\'
 

this is an awesome interview with barney frank about the poker bill. it STRESSES over and over how important it is to get people to call/email in in large numbers. he said that 500 calls per representative would most likely get the bill passed. plz plz plz call and use that email form for as many people that u can find. u just need have a matching name and mailing address.


gogogogogogo

Re: Frank Interview: A \'Must Listen\'
 

Ok...

To advertise on Facebook is INSANELY cheap. We all have a lot of money. If you can set aside $25 dollars a day (for maximum exposure but you can do $5, too, I believe) you can send out a TON of ads on Facebook. So many students would be willing to sign the auto-form. This [censored] is so easy. I'm setting it up on the Ithaca network tonight. I don't mind investing a hundo or so to get these ads out.

Here's an easy way to be slightly more proactive than sending out a form yourself.

Anyone going to join me in this?

Edit: It's only $5 a day. FIVE DOLLARS. That sends out TEN THOUSAND FLIERS. Throw it up for a week, that's $35 dollars and it reaches SO MANY PEOPLE.

Please do this.

Re: Frank Interview: A \'Must Listen\'
 

Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for week of 6/11 &amp; 6/18

Would you like to fight for your rights to play poker online? If so, please see Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Weekly action thread on the Legislation board. Thanks.

P.S. Let's keep all the discussion in the main thread in Legislation.

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Well, we're gaining some momentum! We have a long way to go, but it's great to see progress. Robert Wexler will introduce a "skills game" exception to UIGEA today. Also, IGREA is gaining some steam. The hearing is tomorrow, so there's some real progress. Also, HR 2140, Rep. Shelley Berkley's [D-NV] Internet gambling study bill, is progressing with 60 cosponsors. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has indicated his support for the study bill. Finally, the UIGEA regulations are due on 7/10. Our opponents are complaining that the regs aren't "tough" enough, so we have an opportunity there.

It seems there's a lot we can be doing right now. And, we really need to do it RIGHT NOW. So, based on our group discussions, let's do the following:
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1. Please contact your congressman and senators by phone and by mail and ask them to support and cosponsor the Wexler poker bill (let's wait until it's out first, so we don't look like we don't read things we endorse, of course).

2. Please contact your congressman and senators by phone and by mail to praise the outcome of the 6/8 IGREA hearing and to encourage them to support the legislation.

3. Write to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Treasury Secretary Paulson. Ask them not to exceed the specific mandates of UIGEA when drafting legislation. Remind them that online poker is not illegal under any federal law. Focus on the Family is asking their members to write to Paulson and Bush to request tough regulations. See http://www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/gamb...A000004244.cfm , a Focus site. We should counterbalance this effort. Also, Sen. Kyl asked Gonzales for tough regulations during the AG Senate hearings. We should counterbalance this as well.

I realize this was an action from last time, but since then the FBI now claims online gambling is illegal in the U.S., at http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june07/gambling060607.htm , so we really should speak up for ourselves, IMHO.

[ QUOTE ]
If you’ve ever thought about visiting a cyber casino, here’s something you should know: it’s illegal to gamble online in the United States.

“You can go to Vegas. You can go to Atlantic City. You can go to a racetrack. You can go to those places and gamble legally. But don’t do it online. It’s against the law,” says Leslie Bryant, head of our Cyber Crime Fraud unit at FBI Headquarters.

[/ QUOTE ] <font color="brown">

4. Now that we have bills out there, we should try to work on our public image. Let's write to newspapers, magazines, post to blogs, etc. with positives of online poker/gaming. </font> </font>

Thanks everyone!

Re: Frank Interview: A \'Must Listen\'
 

Would you like to fight for your rights to play poker online? Of course you do! Please see this week's action item thread on the Legislation board. Thanks.

P.S. Let's keep all the discussion in the main thread in Legislation.

Thanks everyone!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

I'm on it. I'll have my senator begging for mercy by monday.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm on it. I'll have my senator begging for mercy by monday.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Casino Gambling Web is sending representatives to Washington this month. They'll be taking, among other things, online signatures to repeal UIGEA. Please take a moment RIGHT NOW to fill it out, at www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/306149419 , and don't forget to have your spouse sign it as well (once you sign, you'll have to wait ten minutes or so before you can log back on for others in your household to sign).

Info is at http://www.prnewsnow.com/P.......20D.C.. Focus on the Family is very worried about this, so you know it's good for us. Their statement is at www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/gambling/cog/A000004244.cfm .

This is a x-post from Legislation. The parent thread is at Casino Gambling Web Representatives Headed to Washington!. Please keep all discussion there. However, I would appreciate a bump or a sticky for this important effort.

Thanks.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for week of 7/16

Summary of actions:
1. Contact Steven D. Laughton (the UIGEA Treasury Dept. focal point), Treas. Sec. Paulson, and Atty. Gen Gonzales, and Steven D. Laughton to advocate for minimum UIGEA regs.
2. Post the link to the "Repeal UIGEA" online petition at www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/306149419 wherever you can (blogs, libertarian sites, Wikipedia, etc.), as it will be hand-delivered to each senator and representative later this month.
3. Write to Congress
4. Write to newspapers and post to blogs

Please see Fight for Online Gaming!! for details. Thanks!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for week of 7/23

Summary of actions:
1. Write to Treasury and DOJ officials AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK to request the minimum possible UIGEA regulations.
2. Write to your governor and to your state representatives.
3. Regularly write to Congress.
4. Write to newspapers and post to blogs.

Please see Fight for Online Gaming!! for details. Thanks!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for week of 7/30

Action:
- Call Sen. Barack Obama on Monday, 7/30, and on Thursday, 8/2 to ask for his support. Post notice of this call effort wherever possible.

Ongoing advocacy:
1. Write to Treasury and DOJ officials AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK to request the minimum possible UIGEA regulations.
2. Regularly contact Congress.
3. Contact your governor and to your state representatives.
4. Write to newspapers and post to blogs.

Please see Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for week of 7/30 for details. Thanks!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/6 &amp; 8/13

Action:
- Write to Congress (your senators and your rep) with a rebuttal to one of the 8/1 FoF letters.
- Write to Congress (your senators and your rep) to ask for their support and to ask where they stand on Internet gaming. Reference the Congressmen For and Against Online Gambling article in the letter.

Ongoing advocacy:
1. Write to Treasury and DOJ officials AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK to request the minimum possible UIGEA regulations.
2. Regularly contact Congress.
3. Contact your governor and to your state representatives.
4. Write to newspapers and post to blogs.

Please see Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Plan for weeks of 8/6 &amp; 8/13 for details. Thanks!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Fight for Online Poker!! Weeks of 9/24 &amp; 10/1

1. It’s time for an IGREA and SGPA push. This year’s Congressional session will end soon, so let’s ALL get some letters out to Congress this week and next (including House and Senate leaders)!

2. Write to Congress (separate letters from the ones above) and 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.

3. Continue to write to the NFL and their sponsors to complain about the NFL’s advocacy of a ban for all Internet gaming (which goes beyond sports betting and beyond even UIGEA). Ask the NFL to negotiate a pro-poker deal with Rep. Frank.

4. Regularly write to newspapers and post to blogs. A few posts here and there can start to put us in the national zeitgeist.

Please see Fight for Online Poker!! Weeks of 9/24 &amp; 10/1 for details. Thanks!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

If you do nothing else this month, please go to the PPA automailer, at http://activate.pokerplayersalliance.org , and get a letter out to your congressman. It will literally take only one minute. There are two advocacy letters available....one for the Wexler bill (HR 2610) and another for IGREA. Either choose one, or send both (one now and one next week).

If you can do a little more, copy that automailer text, go to www.senate.gov and email it to both of your senators. This may take ten minutes. So, in eleven minutes, they'll have done more than 95% of Americans ever do in support of their freedoms.

Of course, if you can, please work through the this week's action plan, at Fight for Online Poker!! Weeks of 9/24 &amp; 10/1.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

i just did both in less than 5 mins. also did ones with my wife and parents names/emails.

Thx for all the links!

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

[ QUOTE ]
i just did both in less than 5 mins. also did ones with my wife and parents names/emails.

Thx for all the links!

[/ QUOTE ]
fsu, you're married? Some reason I thought you were very young. And lived with Obnxnole.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

im 24 and yes, married. obnxnole was my roommate for a while in college.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

[ QUOTE ]
im 24 and yes, married. obnxnole was my roommate for a while in college.

[/ QUOTE ]
oh sweet. grats.

Re: X-Post: Fight for Online Gaming!! Support the Frank Bill Here
 

Hi everyone,

We all (PPA and the 2p2 Legislation posters) cowrote the NEW PPA letter to Congress. It's at http://capwiz.com/pokerplayersallian...46&amp;type=co.

It will take less than one minute to send so, if you care about your right to play poker online, please send it today. Thanks! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Important action alert!!
 

Important action alert!!

The proposed UIGEA regulations have been released by the Department of the Treasury for public comment. This is our chance to affect the regs, as our comments. I ask everyone here who cares about Internet poker will submit comments in favor of freedom and liberty. Thanks!

The PPA has released a list of talking points for our comments. That way, we know our comments align with the best interests of poker. The article is at http://pokerplayersalliance.org/news...le.php?DID=293.

1. The proposed regulations should be modified to clarify that they don’t cover games predominantly determined by skill, such as poker, bridge, mahjong and backgammon. Section 5362(1)(a) of UIGEA defines a bet or wager as “the staking or risking by any person of something of value upon the outcome of a contest of others, a sporting event, or a game subject to chance,…” “Subject to chance” can be interpreted in a variety of ways, but in a gambling context it should reasonably be taken to mean games like roulette or slots where players bet against “the house” and success is determined by chance. Poker players compete, not against the house, but against each other, and the success of a player over any significant time interval is determined by that players’ skill.

2. The regulators must define what is and isn’t “unlawful Internet gambling.” The federal and state laws governing Internet gambling are very ambiguous -- nearly all of them were written before the advent of the Internet, and it is not clear how they apply to Internet gaming. In the proposed rule, the regulators emphasize that it is not their intention to clarify this question, because to do so would require them to examine the laws of every state with respect to every gaming modality. Yet that is exactly what they are requiring every bank and payment system to do individually.

3. The regulators should refrain from implementing the regulations until the U.S. resolves its international trade disputes. The World Trade Organization has found the U.S. to be out of compliance with its obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services because of its attempts at prohibiting Internet gambling. This is likely to cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost market share and export opportunities. The U.S. government is in negotiations with its trading partners over this matter. Inasmuch as these regulations arguably make that situation worse, the regulators should hold off on finalizing the regulations until the U.S. can resolve its international trade obligations.

4. The proposed regulations should not infringe on personal privacy. UIGEA deputizes banks and payment systems and turns them into the Internet morality police. These regulations should not compel banks to scrutinize the private transactions of individual poker players and others. To do so is hostile to the personal and financial privacy of every American with a credit card or checking account.

5. The UIGEA and the enforcing regulations should not apply to Internet poker nationwide. Federal case law has consistently held that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting and very few states have any laws against Internet poker. These regulations should be clear to only block those transactions which are in fact against the law. Games of skill which are not outlawed under current federal law – such as poker, chess, bridge and majong -- should be exempt from the UIGEA and the regulations.



The Legislation Forum discussion thread is at http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...=1#Post12525391.

Re: Important action alert!!
 

Fight for Online Poker!! Week of 11/26 &amp; 12/3

1. We have three more weeks to sumbit our comments on the proposed UIGEA regulations (Dec. 12th) so let's make a lot of comments between now and then. Please go to https://pokerplayersalliance.org/new...le.php?DID=293 for instructions on submitting your comments and for ideas on what to submit.

To comment:

Click here to comment at the FRB site
Click here to comment at the Treasury Dept site. Select "DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY*" at line 2 (the circled "2"), click submit, then click the comment icon to right of the UIGEA proposed rule.

To review sumbitted comments:

Clck here to view comments made to the Federal Reserve
Click here to read UIGEA regulations comments at the Treasury Dept site. Select "DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY*", click submit, then click the link to the far left of the UIGEA proposed rule ("TREAS-DO-2007-0015").

2. The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Internet gaming on Nov. 14th. Please write and call your congressman to remind them of our victory. The letter we all co-wrote with PPA is at http://capwiz.com/pokerplayersallian...46&amp;type=co. Sending that takes less than one minute; adding info about the hearing takes only a few extra minutes. Regardless of when you last called, let's call this week. Phone numbers are at http://capwiz.com/pokerplayersalliance/dbq/officials. And, please contact the committee at http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx to express your support for online poker. We won -- let's make sure we continue to be heard.

3. Write to your governor to tell him state laws should support your freedom to play. If you have ANY connection to MA, please contact Gov. Patrick and tell him you won't tolerate a ban on Internet poker. If you have ANY connection to KY, please contact governor-elect Steve Beshear and ask him to ensure that Internet poker is not excluded in his proposal to legalize casino gaming in the state.

4. Regularly write to newspapers and post to blogs. A few posts here and there can start to put us in the national zeitgeist.

Please see Fight for Online Poker!! Week of 11/26 &amp; 12/3 for details and to post replies (let's keep all discussion on the parent thread in Legislation...thanks). Also, please remember to visit the Legislation forum on occasion to keep an eye on what's going on. Thanks! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]