Poker won Virginia.

[Zele]

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Go figure. Poker players help elect donkeys into office.

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That's actually rather funny.

[Misfire]

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Why do you think the Dems are pro online gambling? Did you see who voted for the bill?

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That is the wrong question. The right question is WHY was this bill pushed down our throat? When you arrive at the answer, you will probably realize that the Democrats would not have pushed this issue for that reason

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Don't get too comfortable with the Dems. They can be bought just as easily as republicans. If the TBC, NFL, Harrah's, and FOF put enough money in the Dems' pockets, they'd become just as passionate about "protecting" us from online gambling.

[Wynton]

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I know for a fact we made a differnece... I live in Virginia, and have several buddies that like me, consider online poker our passion, passtime, and even part time job... we all voted for Webb, and before this election, I had NEVER voted democrat. In a state of 6 million people, and an election of 2.5 million votes that appears to have been decided by a mere 6000 votes (less that one half of one percent difference) consider that if Virginia is inline with the national numbers, then there are apprx. 300,000 people playing poker online in virginia. If even a tenth of those players voted (and many more than a tenth most likely voted), then those 30,000 votes may have swung this entire election! I just wish the media would stop ignoring us... We are not a small group!

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It would be fun to believe this, but permit me to question your numbers.

It's hard for me to believe that there are 300,000 people who play online poker in Virginia. And even if there were - and 1/10th of them voted - there is no reason to believe that they voted Democratic, let alone did so because of that single issue. Most of them probably have no clue who was responsible for passing the law (if they are aware of the law at all).

[Blowup Doll]

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Why do you think the Dems are pro online gambling? Did you see who voted for the bill?

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Which party has been crusading against online gaming for nearly 11 years? HINT: It's not the Democrats

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And yet they voted for the bill without a peep about the online gambling ban. Both parties wanted this ban.

[Blowup Doll]

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Why do you think the Dems are pro online gambling? Did you see who voted for the bill?

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That is the wrong question. The right question is WHY was this bill pushed down our throat? When you arrive at the answer, you will probably realize that the Democrats would not have pushed this issue for that reason, and all the other reasons would not have been compelling enough.

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So which reason did the DEMS push it in Washington state then?

Both parties are crap. Anyone who think the Dems are better than the Reps is in dreamland. One is a zebra with 30 black stripes and the other is a zebra with 30 white stripes.

[jackaaron]

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Why do you think the Dems are pro online gambling? Did you see who voted for the bill?

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Wow. This is getting old. How many times does it have to be mentioned that the way the bill was put out, you almost had to vote for the freaking thing. If you didn't, you looked (to your voters) as if you don't support port security. C'mon! So, yes, Dems voted for it as well, but they were really voting for port security.

Frist and many other Conservative Repubs were the ones that pushed this through. Yet, this isn't how Conservatism once was. Frist et al have changed things for the ideaology to include legislating morality (as cliche as that sounds, that is what they are doing). Therefore, I voted against them and of course we all have the right to do that. If anything, people that have been Conservative (like myself) for a long time should vote against the Republicans so they won't stray too far off course like they have. The only way to set them strait is to show them we won't stand for it. In the recent elections, I think it's pretty clear.

[Cubswin]

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So which reason did the DEMS push it in Washington state then?

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I am not an expert on what happened in Washington but I do think your attempt to draw a conclusion on how the Dems might act on the national based upon how they acted in one state is a little flawed. There are way too many different variables at play to draw such a simplistic conclusion.

Let’s look at HR 5474, the bill to study internet gambling. In essence, a bill like this looks into the feasibility of regulating gaming. I count 41 Dem sponsors and just 9 GOPs. It looks to me that the Dems are more open to the notion of regulating while the GOP is just intent on jamming legislation through ala the Ports Bill.

Now, let's look at the most outspoken critics of HR4411. John Conyers, Shelley Berkley, and Barney Frank have been the most vocal pro-gaming champions. All three are, of course, Dems. Where are the outspoken critics of HR4411 on the GOP side? While not all Dems are unequivocally pro-gaming, there is a greater propensity for them to at least consider regulation. Meanwhile, Kyl, Leach, Wolf, Oxley and Goodlatte, all republicans, have been attempting to push a bill forward in some form or another since 1995. The Dems have at least shied away from proposing legislation to ban it.

In general, there is a difference between Rep and Dems when it comes to e-gaming. It is NOT the rule though. Going forward, as we attempt to get more organized we must remember this. There are players on both sides of the aisle who are our friends and we must make sure that these pieces of the puzzle remain in place if we are going to change things.

[Barrin6]

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Why do you think the Dems are pro online gambling? Did you see who voted for the bill?

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Which party has been crusading against online gaming for nearly 11 years? HINT: It's not the Democrats

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And yet they voted for the bill without a peep about the online gambling ban. Both parties wanted this ban.

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Dude are you serious? Do we have to start another topic to educate you why the internet gambling bill passed?
No idoit is going to vote no on a bill that protects the U.S

[Blowup Doll]

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Wow. This is getting old. How many times does it have to be mentioned that the way the bill was put out, you almost had to vote for the freaking thing. If you didn't, you looked (to your voters) as if you don't support port security. C'mon! So, yes, Dems voted for it as well, but they were really voting for port security.

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The same thing could be said for many of the Reps. The fact is they all voted for it, and no one seriously complained about banning online gambling.

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I am not an expert on what happened in Washington but I do think your attempt to draw a conclusion on how the Dems might act on the national based upon how they acted in one state is a little flawed. There are way too many different variables at play to draw such a simplistic conclusion.

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But it's ok to make conclusions about the whole Rep party based on Frist and Goodlatte? What's good for the goose is good for the gander.


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Dude are you serious? Do we have to start another topic to educate you why the internet gambling bill passed?
No idoit is going to vote no on a bill that protects the U.S

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I understand exactly how the bill was passed. I also understand that the Dems made no serious effort to complain about how the online gambling ban was tied to it. Instead, they happily voted for it too. Both parties are guilty on this one. To say the Dems might not have drawn up this bill is pure speculation. Both parties have [censored] us over enough to distrust them all.

[Uglyowl]

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John Conyers, Shelley Berkley, and Barney Frank have been the most vocal pro-gaming champions.

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Lets not forget about Ed Markey either.