[Mike McDonkey]

Hello all,

I've taken some of my poker time to fire off some emails to my state rep and senator. There have been a couple of people on the thread asking "what should we do?" and while I applaud the work of many here, please allow my to give my two cents.

The single most important thing to be done in order to get attention is unrelenting contact. So, if you haven't, call, email, write, fax - DO SOMETHING. Numbers work. Politicians do not like to make waves. None of them want their name next to - Banned Online Poker. Rather, they want to do whatever it takes to keep their soft leather seat and prosperous non-job. That's of course specifically why this ban was buried into the bill rather than proposed on its own.

Always be polite. Realize that the person answering the phone is often an unpaid college kid or low paid staffer. They likely listen to people yelling at them all day. So a pleasant tone and respectful language go a long way. Comments are important, but volume is larger. We want these people to know that we're out there and we're watching. In small state district elections, it doesn't take much to make these politicians worry about votes against them. It's due to the tremendous job of everyone here that the issue has been forced to the front. Now we need to sustain the pressure. For what it's worth, here is my email to State Senator Marian Walsh:

Dear State Senator Walsh,

I am writing with great concern over the story in this morning's Boston Globe regarding the governor's casino bill. It has come to my attention that the bill contains language specifically banning online gaming - including poker - and imposes extremely severe penalties on any and all citizens who engage in such activity. It troubles me greatly that the governor has chosen to use the power of his office and the legislature to limit my freedom as a law abiding citizen and taxpayer and dictate where and how I should choose to spend my discretionary income.

I enjoy playing poker online for small stakes and find it obscene that the State would ban my leisure activity in an effort to force me to move my play into a state run casino. That simply will not happen. I will never set foot into a Massachusetts casino should this ban become law. And I should tell you, there are thousands of Massachusetts online poker players who will do the same. If you observe the effect that online poker has had at Foxwoods casino in Connecticutt, you will see that rather than hurt the casino's business, it has caused a massive expansion of their poker room. Foxwoods is now host to some of the premier poker tournaments in the world. Rather than hurt business, online poker has fuelled the growth.

More importantly, Senator, the proposed ban stinks of government intrusion on the private lives of citizens. Massachusetts has been at the forefront on many issues involving choice and liberty. This legislation flies in the face of those ideals. I work hard, pay my taxes and have never broken the law. The idea that playing in a $5 poker tournament online could result in severe fines and even imprisonment is completely appalling to me. When the time comes, I hope you take this email into consideration and vote against ANY legislation banning online gaming.

Thank you,