2007 Kentucky Governor’s Race – Awesome opportunity for us!!!

[TheEngineer]

Nice post. In fact, I think you could tweak only a bit and send it to several newspapers around here for publication. I hope you'll consider that.

[Legislurker]

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As you may or may not be aware, Senator Bunning has indirect ties to the horse racing industry. His daughter in law was president of the HBPA which is the leading horsemen's association in Kentucky.

I've been involved in the horse racing industry for the last 16 years, both as an owner and as a breeder. Currently I have two horses in Kentucky, one of which resides on a Kentucky farm for breeding purposes.

I had to make a decision this year whether to leave the mare in Kentucky to have her foal next year, or ship her out of state which meant that I would ship her to Pewnnsylvania.

Why Pennsylvania? SLOT MACHINES! If Kentucky does not pass gaming by this time next year, the mare will end up in Pennsylvania. By not having casino gaming, the horse racing industry will be harmed. Although racing at Keeneland and Churchill Downs is attractive, Ellis Park and Turfway Park are totally unatttractive. As a breeder, I want to sell the offspring and profit from the sale through Breeder's awards as well as a higher price for selling the offspring because of higher purses.

Moreover, the farms and veterinarians and feed companies will be the ultimate losers if casino gaming does not pass. The horse racing industry is one of the largest, if not the largest, industries in Kentucky.

The citizens of the state should have the power to decide what is in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

As a poker player for the past 20 years, I would love to see poker legal throughout the US. When I went down to Louisville in the past for the Kentucky Derby, I always ended up at Caesar's. One year I decided to skip the Derby and ended up at the boat to play some Omaha and watch the Derby. Ended up saving me quite a bit of money as all my horse picks that day sucked.

Currently I live in Phoenix after spending most of my life in Chicago. I started in the horse racing business in Chicago and have pretty much abandoned Illinois because the economics of racing in Illinois suck. The tracks have been fighting a losing battle for the last 10 years.

Casino gambling unfortunately has become a panacea for the racing industry. I don't need the government to tell me how to spend my entertainment dollars.

If I lose money playing poker, I can just as easily lose it investing in the stock market.

As a life long Republican, I voted against Kyl when he ran for re-election last year in Arizona. Hopefully the Republican party will get the message before it's too late.

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Please send that letter to the local papers.

[TheEngineer]

There is one more thing I think we need to do with regards to this race. The 2004 Republican Party platform called for banning of Internet gaming.

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Millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can
destroy families. We support legislation prohibiting gambling over the Internet...

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I think we should all write to the RNC now to express our strong displeasure with this in terms of dislike of big government and stuff like that (things Republicans care about). Then, after the KY election, we should all follow up with more letters to the RNC reminding them that anti-gaming FoF nanny-state big government position couldn't even carry a red state, and that FoF would force the party into irrelevancy. Also remind them of the growing popularity of gaming and of poker.

The party is in such disarray right now that a few letters could be enough to at least make them stop and think. In 2004 they probably received zero letters on this, so let's not repeat that mistake.

Contact Info:
Mike Duncan (from Kentucky, of all states)
Chairman, Republican National Committee
email: Chairman@gop.com

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, D.C. 20003

[fnurt]

The tide seems to be shifting somewhat in Kentucky. This from Congressional Quarterly today:

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At the other end of the competitive spectrum, even some Republican incumbents who likely would be considered safe for re-election in a more comfortable political environment are at least having to look over their shoulders a bit.

That, in CQPolitics.com’s judgment, is the case in Kentucky, where the rise this year of four-term incumbent Mitch McConnell to the position of Senate Republican leader also has made him a more visible target for attacks from Democratic partisans. CQPolitics.com has changed its rating on McConnell’s 2008 race to “Republican Favored” from “Safe Republican.”

The new rating maintains that McConnell remains a solid favorite in his quest for a fifth Senate term — but holds open at least the possibility of a Democratic upset. McConnell has come under heavy criticism from liberal activists and other Democratic-allied groups who accuse him of using his leadership position to obstruct key parts of the Democratic majority’s congressional agenda, including a drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq. The 49 Senate Republicans have more procedural protections than their minority colleagues in the House, where the Democratic majority has been more successful in passing legislation.

The ratings change also is attributed to the fact that McConnell seems likely to face a more challenging Democratic opponent than he did in 2002: He took 65 percent of the vote that year against Democrat Lois Combs Weinberg, who did not attract much national attention. State Attorney General Greg Stumbo has formed an “exploratory committee” to prepare for a likely 2008 race against McConnell.

McConnell, the undisputed kingpin of Kentucky Republican politics, has been preparing for the possibility of a serious challenge. His $5.8 million cash-on-hand as July began was tops among all Republican senators who are on 2008 ballots.

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[TheEngineer]

Yes, things are changing here, for sure. I think these are good signs for the future of poker.

[TheEngineer]

Letter to the editor

http://www.kentucky.com:80/595/story/151162.html

READERS' VIEWS
FLETCHER'S STAND ON GAMBLING ALIENATING REPUBLICAN VOTER

I am a lifelong conservative Republican, pro-life and pro-Second Amendment. However, I am also pro-limited government. As such, I am dismayed by Gov. Ernie Fletcher's recent embrace of a nanny state for the people of Kentucky.

In fact, Fletcher's entire re-election campaign is seemingly based only on advocacy of a position that people cannot be trusted to make their own decisions regarding playing poker or other casino games or to even vote on the issue.

His claims that casinos cause crime reminds me of something Handgun Control would say about guns. Given that he feels this way, I find it difficult to trust him with my other freedoms.

I realize Fletcher had to come up with something on which to campaign, and that could not have been an easy task for him this year. Still, couldn't he find something Republican on which to campaign?

It seems he and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., think the majority of Kentuckians want the state government to protect them from themselves (and McConnell apparently feels the federal government needs to police the Internet to keep people from playing poker).

Because of the scandals and corruption of Fletcher's administration, his embrace of a nanny state, his scapegoating of Kentuckians who enjoy an occasional game of poker, and the fact that the Republican Party could use some housecleaning -- unless the governor radically changes course -- I plan to vote for Steve Beshear in November.

[DeadMoneyDad]

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Letter to the editor


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I appreciate and share your second ammendment views.

I'm just not sure we should be mixing the messages.

Just an opinion,

D$D

[TheEngineer]

I didn't write it on behalf of the poker community. Rather, it's my letter as a private citizen.

[DeadMoneyDad]

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I didn't write it on behalf of the poker community. Rather, it's my letter as a private citizen.

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I guess I should be ashamed. I was speaking for the lazy and poor writers who look for your posts as the basis of 98% of our writing efforts. Like me!

D$D

[TheEngineer]

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I didn't write it on behalf of the poker community. Rather, it's my letter as a private citizen.

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I guess I should be ashamed. I was speaking for the lazy and poor writers who look for your posts as the basis of 98% of our writing efforts. Like me!

D$D

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd hate to start editing myself for that. I posted my letter to encourage others to write letters expressing how they feel. I hope someone will post a left-leaning letter to even it out.

As for my letter, I wanted to express the feelings many conservatives have regarding poker. Republicans need to understand that they shouldn't instinctively support gaming bans. We will need to start getting a few of them to support us.