Barney Frank needs our help

[TheEngineer]

I was hesitant to start yet another thread on this, but I didn't want this to get lost in the clutter. Rep. Frank needs our support.

From today's Boston Herald:

Barney: Let it roll: Bill would end ban, license New gambling
By Scott Van Voorhis
Boston Herald Business Reporter

Friday, April 27, 2007

The fledgling national ban on Internet gambling is facing its first serious assault, with U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton) pushing plans to legalize on-line wagering.

Frank, the new chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, filed a bill yesterday that would overturn the six-month-old ban and revive a multibillion-dollar industry.

The Republican-controlled Congress passed legislation Sept. 30 that curbs financial payments from banks to offshore Internet casinos that are illegal under U.S. law, effectively making it impossible for U.S. residents to pay for Internet gambling with credit cards. Frank’s measure would allow Americans to bet online with licensed Internet operators that have safeguards against underage and compulsive gambling and agree to be subject to U.S. jurisdiction and taxes.

Estimates place the number of Internet gamblers prior to the ban in Massachusetts at as many as 180,000, spending as much as $50 million a year.

“I strongly believe people should be able to do what they want with their own money as long as they are not hurting anybody,” Frank said.

The proposal, while it faces an uphill battle, has the potential to dramatically reshape the Bay State’s gambling landscape as well.

The legalization of Internet gambling would open up a range of casino games to households across Massachusetts, undercutting the state’s current ban on casino-style wagering. And that, in turn, could provide traction to gambling proposals ranging from a casino being discussed by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to efforts by local racetrack owners to roll out slot machines, experts said yesterday.

“It will be one more piece of wood on the fire,” said Clyde Barrow, a professor and gambling industry expert at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Frank’s proposal comes as the U.S. faces growing international pressure to relax its ban on Internet gambling. The World Trade Organization last month declared illegal U.S. rules barring online horse race betting.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament is debating rules that bar member countries with lotteries from also banning Internet gambling.

However, Frank conceded the measure does not have the votes to pass today. <font color="red">Instead, he argues, mounting anger among gamblers and others will eventually sway his colleagues. </font>

For his part, Frank has long been a supporter of liberalizing gambling rules, having voiced support in the past for a Wampanoag casino and slot machines at racetracks.

Still, some see a boon for Las Vegas casino companies, which would be poised to take full advantage of the new licensing system Frank is proposing, at the expense of the overseas players that are now dominant.

“Ironically, it probably plays into the hands of the big casino operators,” said the Rev. Richard McGowan, a professor and gaming expert at Boston College.

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Looks like we'd better to get to showing our anger!! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Jack Bando]

Engineer,you'd probably have the answer to these Q's.

1)How many people should we contact? (Each state has 2 senators, but do they represent all of the state, or is it split somehow? And only one House person right?)
2)Best way to contact?
3)Time to contact? (Any planned drives coming?)

Thanks.

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
Engineer,you'd probably have the answer to these Q's.

1)How many people should we contact? (Each state has 2 senators, but do they represent all of the state, or is it split somehow? And only one House person right?)
2)Best way to contact?
3)Time to contact? (Any planned drives coming?)

Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

First, please review Weekly Action Thread.

1. Each state has two senators; senators represent the entire state, so please contact both of your senators. Representatives represent specific disctricts; you have one representative, so please contact him/her. You can find them at www.senate.gov and www.house.gov (input your ZIP code).

2. I recommend you call, write, and email. Calling and writing are roughly equivalent (with handwritten better than typed), I think. Email is lower on the scale, but it beats nothing. Email with calling and writing is better than only calling and writing.

3. Contact them ASAP, now that the bill is out. We want them to hear from us before they make up their mind. The only planned drive I know of is us asking each other to write.

[OPG]

If you are interested in Franks Bill, or any other efforts to repeal UIGEA. check out this site.

http://www.repealtheuigea.org

From this site you can sign a petition and add your
thoughts about UIGEA. You can email your congressman
automaticly from the site, you can get your congressmans
phone and fax numbers and you can get up to date news
on the repeal efforts.

Check it out

[KotOD]

[ QUOTE ]
Engineer,you'd probably have the answer to these Q's.

1)How many people should we contact? (Each state has 2 senators, but do they represent all of the state, or is it split somehow? And only one House person right?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Contact your representative and all other bordering representatives, and if you're feeling chippy, all of your state reps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...onal_districts


I plan on contacting my list every two weeks.

And importantly, make sure you get 1 or 2 people to contact their reps as well.