Waiting for the other shoe to drop .... any sign of a Senate bill ?

[AZplaya]

[ QUOTE ]
criticize Kyl for focusing on the issue with so many other important things going on"

See Arizona Congress Watch ...

Issues like: Immigration Reform .... a biggie in AZ
Minimum wage .... another biggie for his labor constiuency
The War in Iraq


The immediate issue for poker players however is not whehter he will win and be against us, it is to tie up Senator Kyl at home .... on whatever issue makes the race close.

What Pederson might do next year could not be more adverse to the rights of poker players than what Senator Kyl does every year. However, I asked him the following this afternoon:

"HR 4411 was recently passed. It seeks to ban online poker players in the US from playing poker on the Internet. Among other items, it seeks to criminalize activities enjoyed by millions of American adults, because the bill's proponents do not like ANY form of gambling.

The red herrings used to support the bill are generally, protection of the "Family" by the Federal Government and a theoretical "moneylaundering" threat, common to any internet-transfer sites ... including eBay and Paypal.

Your opponent is a BIG supporter of outlawing internet poker playing.

Do you have a position on this draconian bill ? Would you prefer the American Gaming Assoc alternative of studying the industry with a view toward possible regulation of any legitimate issues.

David Gzesh"

[/ QUOTE ]

Very nice. I asked him his position on the bill in the letter I sent with a donation, but I just sent it earlier this week so I haven't received a response. I agree that a close race will tie up Kyl and hopefully take his attention away from this bill. IMO, equally important is the fact that if democrats sense that they have a chance in a state as red as Arizona, I think they will do everything in their power to prevent Kyl from getting a bill that he is spearheading through the senate, especially this close to the elections. I'm sure democrats can already picture the ads Kyl would be running, preaching to all of the conservative bible thumpers here in AZ about how he saved the country from certain moral decline with his internet gambling ban. More about the race from a local newspaper. Note that the biggest issue, by far, is immigration.

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

How is this issse likely to play in Arizona anyway? My understanding is that Arizona has always been more libertarian conservative than bible belt conservative. Also, the state has a fairly substantial Native American population, and the National Indian Gaming Association has come out against the bill. It just doesn't seem that Kyl has that much political incentive to get the bill passed, particularly since this looks like a one-issue (immigration) race.

[LesJ]

[ QUOTE ]
"criticize Kyl for focusing on the issue with so many other important things going on"

See Arizona Congress Watch ...

Issues like: Immigration Reform .... a biggie in AZ
Minimum wage .... another biggie for his labor constiuency
The War in Iraq


The immediate issue for poker players however is not whehter he will win and be against us, it is to tie up Senator Kyl at home .... on whatever issue makes the race close.

What Pederson might do next year could not be more adverse to the rights of poker players than what Senator Kyl does every year. However, I asked him the following this afternoon:

"HR 4411 was recently passed. It seeks to ban online poker players in the US from playing poker on the Internet. Among other items, it seeks to criminalize activities enjoyed by millions of American adults, because the bill's proponents do not like ANY form of gambling.

The red herrings used to support the bill are generally, protection of the "Family" by the Federal Government and a theoretical "moneylaundering" threat, common to any internet-transfer sites ... including eBay and Paypal.

Your opponent is a BIG supporter of outlawing internet poker playing.

Do you have a position on this draconian bill ? Would you prefer the American Gaming Assoc alternative of studying the industry with a view toward possible regulation of any legitimate issues.

David Gzesh"

[/ QUOTE ]

I have really enjoyed and appreciated the input you have added in this issue over the last few week on this board.
That being said, I have asked, and would suggest you maybe should have as well, the same question a little different way of candidates for these offices. I want to know their genuine opinions, not lead them on in any particular way of what I want to hear. I am currently awaiting an answer from the Democrat House candidate here locally in Kentucky, but he has no idea which side of the debate I am on (at least I believe).
Just a thought.
Les

[Eric Stoner]

[ QUOTE ]
How is this issse likely to play in Arizona anyway? My understanding is that Arizona has always been more libertarian conservative than bible belt conservative. Also, the state has a fairly substantial Native American population, and the National Indian Gaming Association has come out against the bill. It just doesn't seem that Kyl has that much political incentive to get the bill passed, particularly since this looks like a one-issue (immigration) race.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have only lived here for a year, so others who have been here longer can weigh in more heavily, but my perception is that the average citizen would care more about the immigration issue than anything else. Kyl might be preoccupied with that but I knew of his record to champion a Internet Gambling ban before I moved here.

I'm currently revising my response to my senators and Mr. Pederson. My state is dead weight though - we'll need some help.

[Ragnar]

Nate wrote:

[ QUOTE ]
My understanding is that Arizona has always been more libertarian conservative than bible belt conservative.

[/ QUOTE ]

That used to be true. Now the demographics and politics of Arizona is incredibly complex. We have a Democratic governor and attorney general, but the legislature is solidly Republican, in fact within one vote of veto proof.

In addition the influence of Goldwater conservatism has been diluted. As an example John Shadegg is the son of Goldwater's original campaign manager, and is a religious conservative. Of the six Republican representatives four are religious conservatives, one (Flake) is a libertarian conservative, and the other (Kolbe) is a bit of a mixture.

Using this bill as an example the delegation split 4-4 with the two Democrats voting with Flake and Kolbe against, and the four religious conservatives voting in favor.

The important thing about Pederson is that he won't be carrying the water for ending Internet gambling. Even if he isn't on our side, removing one of the leading proponents of the ban would be a positive. If the ban doesn't pass this year Kyl will be pushing it again in the next Congress.

Other posters are correct in that this is a minor issue in Arizona. Immigration is the big issue, but I don't see this as a one issue campaign at all. Nor does Pederson. He is using the classic outsider theme, painting Kyl as having been in Washington too long, and being beholden to special interests.