PPA Update.

[DeadMoneyDad]

I just spoke to John Pappas on the phone.

There is some exciting work being done.

I am much more encouraged about the prostects of the PPA becoming the type of effective organization we need.

I will let them make the anouncements as it is not my place to do so, but stay tuned.

D$D

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
I just spoke to John Pappas on the phone.

There is some exciting work being done.

I am much more encouraged about the prostects of the PPA becoming the type of effective organization we need.

I will let them make the anouncements as it is not my place to do so, but stay tuned.

D$D

[/ QUOTE ]

I (very) briefly spoke with John today as well. I have a follow-up call scheduled. It sounds they may have decided to up the energy level. I'll post what I can after that call.

[Legislurker]

Is this serious or what? Ive [censored] had hope dashed so many gd times this year and Im in the midst of a horrid downswing so I ain't investing any emotional capital in these people until they actually start using $, employees, and volunteers to start mobilizing us.

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
Is this serious or what? Ive [censored] had hope dashed so many gd times this year and Im in the midst of a horrid downswing so I ain't investing any emotional capital in these people until they actually start using $, employees, and volunteers to start mobilizing us.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't blame any of you for doubting anything you read from me. You don't know me, and anyone can post anything they want on the 'net.

Only time will tell if the one phone call I had today resluts in the positive action we all hope for from the PPA.

What I can share is my initial concerns about the PPA squandering it's resources on a one time shot at a legislative quick fix were entirely misplaced. I was also concerned as a grassroots activist that they were missing the real power they had in their grasp.

What I had seen as inaction was perhaps careful thoughtful planning. Yes there were some opportunities lost by not capitalizing on all the hopes that we all placed on the inital rush of excitement of having a group to represent us, but all I am saying is there is hope.

All organizations go through growing pains. I can tell you from my conversation that the PPA is in it for the long haul and not being designed as a one trick pony. I come from the campaign side were we are used to hitting the ground running. Each and every day until election day is invaluable. You make sure you capitalize on every bit of momentium you can get, because you try to build a perfect organization designed to go out of business the day after the election.

Advocacy groups on the otherhand are built for, the long haul, multi-elections cycles. There are many issues involved for poker players in the U.S.. I am glad to say that the PPA seems to be building itself to address all of them.

No I am not suggesting that anyone invest a thing based on my few posts here. No I am not a shill for anyone, just another player with a passion for poker. I do not even have a paid membership in the PPA.

I can tell you that things are not as bleak as many of you feel, as I did before my conversation today.

So take from my words what you will.

Time will tell,

D$D

[DrewOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
What I had seen as inaction was perhaps careful thoughtful planning. Yes there were some opportunities lost by not capitalizing on all the hopes that we all placed on the inital rush of excitement of having a group to represent us, but all I am saying is there is hope.

[/ QUOTE ]

CAREFUL THOUGHTFUL PLANNING? How [censored] long does it take to establish a solid lobbying plan? It's been nearly ten months since we got Fristed, and over a year and a half since trouble started brewing. How much time do they need?

We are all hard on the PPA, and with good reason. I'm underwhelmed at their efforts. All I've seen from them is the occasional email and letter campaign. That's not enough.

[JPFisher55]

Does the PPA intend to get involved in the iMEGA case? I think that it could help and possibly solve issues such as standing of iMEGA to bring the suit. Has the PPA contacted iMEGA to explore this possibility?

[Erik W]

"CP magazine reps"

So why do they have so much powerI I thought this was about playing poker and legalize it and not printing magazines. Have CP invested millions of $ into this? I am sure they have not.

[ QUOTE ]
CAREFUL THOUGHTFUL PLANNING? How [censored] long does it take to establish a solid lobbying plan? It's been nearly ten months since we got Fristed, and over a year and a half since trouble started brewing. How much time do they need?

[/ QUOTE ]

It seems more like a pissing contest where every player wants everything and noone is happy with less. This cannot be in the interest of poker.

Just wash everything away and put up a few ideas and thos who supports them are in and the others can go and cry somewhere else.

Something like this.

1. Work towards legalizing online poker.
2. Work towards every players right to withdraw and deposit money online.

I have not been in any organisation that combats heavily in it and that accomplished anything.

This is a David against Goliat war and if David just [censored] himself over and over by himself Goliat can rest assured he'll win without even putting up a struggle.

Maybe they should rename pokerplayersalliance to something more suitable like major poker industry interests allaiance.

The politicians could not care less about the poker industry, if they do care they care for the poker players.

[Mason Malmuth]

I suggest that unless you can come on here with some specifics, you shjouldn't be making the type of posts that you are. It doesn't do anyone here any good to be told that the sky is going to be blue soon unless you can back this up with a few facts.

On the other hand, if you would have been a long time poster here who has built up credibility then a post like yours would be more acceptable. And again, I want to repeat that our position towards the PPA is neutral. For this to change, we need to see more changes in their board than they have currently made even though there has been movement here in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Mason

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
I suggest that unless you can come on here with some specifics, you shjouldn't be making the type of posts that you are. It doesn't do anyone here any good to be told that the sky is going to be blue soon unless you can back this up with a few facts.

On the other hand, if you would have been a long time poster here who has built up credibility then a post like yours would be more acceptable. And again, I want to repeat that our position towards the PPA is neutral. For this to change, we need to see more changes in their board than they have currently made even though there has been movement here in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]

Everyone,

I spoke with John Pappas for over an hour last night about various aspects of the PPA. They do have a plan. DeadMoney referred to an upcoming announcement. The announcement will happen fairly soon.

As we all know, up until now PPA has generally functioned a lobbying organization, where they work behind the scenes to influence politicians to support various legislation, and they've had some successes in this area. However, as we also know, they've not been effective in using their membership as a grassroots force. I think they're starting to understand this weakness and are working to resolve it. My conversation didn't lead me to draw anywhere near the optimistic conclusions DeadMoney did, but that's probably because I asked very specific questions about what they would do with regards to each issue we have [i.e., What are you doing about the KY elections? How? When? How about the UIGEA regs? What about the NFL letter? What about member communication? How come my posts (just one guy with a $0 budget) generate more Google returns than all of PPA’s work combined? Etc.]. What it did lead me to believe is that they’ll take some positive steps toward engaging their membership and towards facilitating the building of a grassroots organization. Time will tell if this will be more successful than in the past. I hope we’ll continue to hold them accountable, but that we’ll also look at them with as open a mind as possible. And, I hope we’ll let them know when we don’t like what we see.

As for BluffTHIS’ “PPA Update”:

1) The issues with the board are still what they are.
2) BluffTHIS is correct, the PPA isn’t lobbying to neuter the regs. I expressed my thoughts that they should, but they won’t.
3) PPA states they’d like to engage the 2p2 community, but have not yet done anything in this area. In fairness, they do respond to me whenever I ask them a question, but I can’t relay every question we have via email. A PPA presence here would help.
4) I discussed the KY gubernatorial elections with John (if Beshear wins, Kentuckians will vote on a constitutional amendment allowing poker; if Fletcher wins, he promises he’ll stop any expansion of gambling in KY). They have an interest and will make a determination. If they do, we’ll see them in action and will be able to critique their performance. If they sit this out, that would make quite the statement as well.
5) We, the PPA members, control the organization. When we don’t like something, we need to write or post on their forums demanding action. I have been, as have a few others here. I’ve seen what a few hundred dedicated folks here can accomplish, and can only imagine what could be done with 660,000. I’m still constrained to imaging, but am hopeful.
6) I think they’re sincere in wishing to improve in terms of member outreach and in grassroots effort building. Of course, sincerity and results aren’t the same thing. Time will tell.

So, I’d say I’m guardedly optimistic. They’re not contemplating anything with the energy level of what we do here, but they are looking at how to enable their members to do stuff like that within PPA. Again, time will tell. I’ll post more after the announcement.

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
I suggest that unless you can come on here with some specifics, you shjouldn't be making the type of posts that you are. It doesn't do anyone here any good to be told that the sky is going to be blue soon unless you can back this up with a few facts.

On the other hand, if you would have been a long time poster here who has built up credibility then a post like yours would be more acceptable. And again, I want to repeat that our position towards the PPA is neutral. For this to change, we need to see more changes in their board than they have currently made even though there has been movement here in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]


I posted the information that I felt I could share. I tried to show my reasoning. I am a grassroots guy. I was really disapointed that the PPA wasn't exercising that muscle. Like any muscle it needs to be exercised.

From my conversation with John, I learned he had the background and a similar understanding of problems of building a long-term sucessful grassroots organization.

The fact that the board backed his apparent plans, I felt was encouraging. I wasn't nor do I think I posted an overly rosey picture. I thought I was clear that it seemed to me that the PPA was at least now going in the right direction.

From my background in organizing grassroots efforts, and his answers to my questions, I felt that the PPA has a chance to become the organization we all hope for it to be.

I'm sure there are many issues that I have no understanding of, I am only speaking as an individual who has some background in one aspect of the matter.

I do feel that contrary to popular on-line opinion that John is aware of the communiations problems and is aware of the critisms of the past falures of the PPA. How sucessful he is in overcomming these challenges only time will tell.

As I said only time will tell,

D$D