Contacted by Congressman's office

bengele · #1 03-06-2006, 10:33 PM

I received an e-mail today from my Congressman's office asking to discuss HR 477 with me. I live in central Mn and want make these points:

1. With the state run lottery, Indian casinos, and Canterbury it doesn't' make sense to ban on-line gambling when so many B&M alternatives exist.

2. Poker is a game of skill.

3. The government should not be able to tell its citizens how to spend their hard earned money.

4. I pay taxes on my winnings. (A rough estimate based on my last four months of play is I should make about 15K this year.)

5. I would like to see on-line gambling become legal to the point where the casinos could be operated within the US. This would be beneficial both for regulation and for tax purposes.

What do people about point number one. The obvious counter argument is with these alternatives we don't need on-line gambling. I am also not sure if I should get into how much I make and pay in rake as it shows how much an average person looses while playing.

Any other thoughts or comments as to what points I should make?

Vern · #2 03-06-2006, 10:44 PM

Emphasize that people should be able to play with their money. Legislation to prevent borrowing money to play is acceptable, but telling grown people what they can and cannot do with their money is not.

cardcounter0 · #3 03-06-2006, 10:45 PM

That a free citizen in a free country should be able to freely do what he wants on the internet with his hard earned tax paid money.

You could also have the Congressman suggest that people who like this bill could move to Communist China, where the Government is glad to regulate what it's citizens can do on the internet.

astroglide · #4 03-06-2006, 10:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The government should not be able to tell its citizens how to spend their hard earned money.

[/ QUOTE ]

this "argument" could be used against anything illegal. buying drugs. paying prostitutes. etc.

i would bring up the fact that the WTO has specifically forbidden the practice and that we don't need any more problems with foreign relations. it might be worth mentioning that even the UK government has more or less embraced the concept.

Grummin · #5 03-06-2006, 10:50 PM

1) Not sure I'd dig that hole
2) Better yet, poker is a game of skill against other players, not against the house.
3) Not sure I'd dig that hole
4) Really not going to dig that one
5) Legalizing. The best of the bunch. Just point him to view the publicly traded companies in UK (Party, etc) and the tremendous amount of revenue that will generate the UK. Then explain that millions of US people are already doing this, even with the hoops and hurdles they must jump through to get money online.

I'm curious as to the position he'll be taking.

TwiceBanned · #6 03-06-2006, 10:53 PM

http://www.house.gov/goodlatte/emailbob.htm has not answered. One less vote for him.

mattw · #7 03-06-2006, 10:53 PM

morality should not be legislated, espeically amoung consenting adults.

by legislating, i mean made illegal. if made legal and taxed, thats acceptable.

Vern · #8 03-06-2006, 10:54 PM

That the US needs to regulate it. It is unlikely to be stopped and regulation would insure proper taxes are spent and proper lobbying of US congress would take place. Ie, the US is cutting off its nose to spite its face in the realm of taxes.

PuertoKid · #9 03-06-2006, 11:01 PM

I don't think that trying to lecture the congressman about person rights, freedom, yada yada is going to get you anywhere. Complaining about the discrepancy between lottery etc will not impress anyone nor change their minds on the subject.

I think you are much better off just presenting your personal case and putting a human face to online poker. Show that you are a law-abiding citizen, you pay your taxes, you don't have a gambling problem, but you do play online poker and very much enjoy it. You also enjoy going to casinos, but that is inconvenient for you most of the time. If there were any US online poker sites, you'd prefer to play on those sites.

Congressman isn't looking for a lecture. He's probably looking to put a real face to online poker.

TwiceBanned · #10 03-06-2006, 11:23 PM

I went a little more hardball.

Rep. Goodlatte : My way or a 2 vote swing.

Sen.George Allen: My way or a 2 vote swing.

Sen.John Warner: I did not make any threats to one of the few politicians I respect.I just reminded him of his courage when he stood up to Ollie North.

By past history I will only get a response from VA GENT JOHN.