Keep me updated on the gathering in Boston, I would be happy to attend (with some notice). Early December in a literal sense would be great so we are less at risk of being at the mercy of the weather.
Anyhow, I wrote to the Governors office:
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3util...ov3_contact_us
Good afternoon,
When reading about your proposed casino bill (which standing alone I would fully support), I was shocked to find that Section 15(h)(2)(i) of the bill would make Massachusetts residents criminals for playing online poker from their own home.
The only possible explanations that make sense to me are the wording does not fit your intentions or fear that online poker would hinder casino revenue. This is far from the truth, in fact casino poker (based on World Series of Poker entrants) grew almost 1,400% in 4 years. If you go to Foxwoods, there is sometimes a two hour wait filled with players waiting to play poker. This phenomenon can be largely attributed to the explosion of online poker.
From a personal standpoint, I began playing online poker when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, a form of cancer. After treatments I was too tired and my immune system too weak to be around crowds, which left me a lot of time to be alone and much time to just think, which would often be of scary thoughts. Online poker provided an outlet where I could play when and where I wanted, if I had energy for ½ hour and laying down it kept my mind occupied during a scary time in my life. Online poker players did not see me as an individual stricken with cancer and I made a lot of great friends while my friends from my childhood, and co-workers “vanished” as they were most likely too scared and didn’t know what to say.
Today, three years cancer free and a law abiding citizen, I enjoy playing poker after a long day of work and after my toddler son goes to bed at 9:00.
I will leave you with this final thought. This year I voted for you and other Democrats (for the first time in my life) largely in part to Republican effort to ban online gambling (Bill Frist, Jon Kyl, Jim Leach, etc.). So far I have donated to Democratic candidates in close Congressional races in 2006, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic candidates who are pro-gaming (Barney Frank, Shelley Berkely), and to Steve Beshear in Kentucky Governor’s race in a week. This bill goes against what I thought you and the Democratic Party stood for.
Thank you for your time,
-Joseph xxxxx
(978) xxx-xxxx