Fight for Online Gaming!! -- Weekly action thread

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
I am in Hunter's district. He is so hopeless.

I wrote him some time back, got a canned reply about the damage gambling does to the family.

He is not running for congress again, his son, Duncan Jr is. Duncan Jr is currently serving in Afganistan. His wife is standing in for him until he gets back in Dec.

We can probably safely assume he will have the same viewpoint.

And this district is so gerrymandered, he will not have meaningful competition.

Tuff

[/ QUOTE ]

He's clearly hopeless. I have no hopes of changing his mind. I do want him to know why I won't vote for him.

[TheEngineer]

September 23, 2007

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
United States Senate
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator McConnell:

I am writing to ask you to sponsor either HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, or HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act in the Senate. I realize the idea of a federal Internet gaming prohibition pushed by some big government “conservative” CINOs may have sounded appealing to you last year, but it surely cannot seem so in the current political environment. I strongly urge you to abandon the CINOs before the voters finish abandoning our party. Please rejoin the limited government crowd (i.e., the real conservatives) by supporting ending this foolish prohibition on what people choose to do in their own homes.

The voters here in Kentucky will speak on Nov. 6 with regards to gaming in the commonwealth. Governor Fletcher’s campaign of gaming demonization has gotten him nowhere in the polls – he’s down a solid twenty points. His position on gaming has clearly worsened his standing. It is clear from this polling that the good folks of Kentucky do not feel some overpowering need to “protect” their neighbors from having the right to choose to play some cards or a little poker after work. I know I don’t. Where are the anti-gaming marches? Where is the concern? I don’t see it. Given all of Fletcher’s scare tactics, one would expect to see something if anyone here thought gaming was somehow evil or wrong. As there have been none, we obviously see all gaming, whether online, at a bricks-and-mortar casino, or at a racetrack, as simply another valid choice of entertainment. And, it looks like we’ll vote that way.

The truth is that anti-gaming nanny-state groups have sold the Republican Party a bill of goods, and this new big government position is hurting our party. Surely you don’t deny that this prohibition has cost the party many votes. Senator Bunning saw this. He recently let it be known publicly that he counseled Fletcher to advocate a referendum for gaming. I hope you will choose to distance yourself from Fletcher and his anti-gaming position as well. We don’t need big government, either from Frankfort or from Washington, to protect us from ourselves.

Speaking of the nanny-staters, have you seen the new Focus on the Family Action policy statement on Internet gaming, at www.citizenlink.org/pdfs/fosi/gambling/USTR_Comments_US_Gambling-Policy-8-31-2007.pdf ? It seems they see the recent WTO ruling against the U.S. as an opportunity to advocate banning all Internet gaming, including even horse racing! As you know, a ban on Internet interstate horse race wagering will significantly harm our state’s equine industry. I urge you to take a stand for limited government as well as our equine industry. Let’s settle the WTO case. Protect our state’s heritage and our citizens’ right to play Internet poker.

If the CINOs in Congress wish to ban gaming simply to protect people from themselves, what’s next? Legislation controlling the menus at fast food restaurants to keep people from becoming obese? Why not? What’s the difference? Philosophically, it’s the same, isn’t it? Protecting our “feeble” citizens from themselves with the power of the big federal government? Big government is big government.

Again, I urge you to publicly support the right of Americans to choose to play Internet poker. It’s foolish not to. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

TheEngineer

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
Fight for Online Poker!! Weeks of 9/24 & 10/1

<font color="brown">1. It’s time for an IGREA and SGPA push. This year’s Congressional session will end soon, so let’s ALL get some letters out to Congress this week and next (including .....</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

I forgot to mention the CGW packet. Let's find a way to mention it in our letters and calls. I was going to add it to this letter, but it's long enough now. I'll use it in my WTO one.

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
September 23, 2007

Senator Mitch McConnell
United States Senate
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator McConnell:

I am writing ......

[/ QUOTE ]

[TheEngineer]

bump

This one's easy. If you haven't written since Sept. 1, please take a moment for this. It's important. Thanks.

[TheEngineer]

If you do nothing else this month, please go to the PPA automailer, at http://activate.pokerplayersalliance.org , and get a letter out to your congressman. It will literally take only one minute. There are two advocacy letters available....one for the Wexler bill (HR 2610) and another for IGREA. Either choose one, or send both (one now and one next week).

If you can do a little more, copy that automailer text, go to www.senate.gov and email it to both of your senators. This may take ten minutes. So, in eleven minutes, they'll have done more than 95% of Americans ever do in support of their freedoms.

Of course, if you can, please work through the this week's action plan, at Fight for Online Poker!! Weeks of 9/24 &amp; 10/1.

[TheEngineer]

Here's the HR 2610 letter:


Tuesday, September 25, 2007


The Honorable Geoff Davis
1108 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-1704

Dear Representative Davis,

I am one of your constituents, a registered voter, and an avid poker player. I would like you to please support and cosponsor HR 2610, the “Skill Game Protection Act.”

Introduced by Rep. Wexler, HR 2610 will clarify federal law to expressly exempt poker and other games of skill from the restrictions passed by Congress last year. It was the height of hypocrisy for the previous Congressional leadership to restrict some activities online while expressly exempting others, like horse racing and lotteries.

A national survey by Harris Interactive (June 5-12, 2007) confirms that sixty nine percent of the general public agrees that poker is a game of skill. Only seventeen percent disagrees. This is not a partisan issue. There is no reason why the law should treat the Friday night poker game that folks play around their kitchen tables any differently than a poker game that individuals play against others online. Poker is not a crime! Again, please support and cosponsor HR 2610. Please respond to me with your thoughts on this important legislation. I will be watching this issue very closely and I hope you understand its importance to me.

Sincerely,



[Name]
[Address]

[TheEngineer]

[DeadMoneyDad]

Perhaps a phone call, on Monday, to Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby applauding his common sense.

Maybe one to ALE Director Mike Robertson giving him a few choice bits of wisdom?

http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/719095.html


D$D

[TheEngineer]

September 29, 2007

The Honorable John Boehner
Office of the Republican Leader
H-204 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Boehner:

I am writing as a concerned conservative Republican to ask you to cosponsor either HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, or HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act. I realize the idea of a federal Internet gaming prohibition pushed by some big government “conservative” CINOs may have sounded appealing to you last year, but it surely cannot seem so in the current political environment. I strongly urge you to abandon the CINOs before the voters finish abandoning our party. Please rejoin the limited government crowd (i.e., the real conservatives) by supporting ending this foolish federal prohibition on what people choose to do in their own homes.

The voters in my home state, Kentucky, will speak on Nov. 6 with regards to gaming in the commonwealth. Our Republican governor, Ernie Fletcher, is running on a campaign of gaming demonization (and little else). It has gotten him nowhere in the polls – despite being the incumbent, he’s down a solid twenty points. His position on gaming has clearly worsened his standing. It is clear from this polling that the good folks of Kentucky do not feel some overpowering need to “protect” their neighbors from having the right to choose to play some cards or a little poker after work. I know I don’t. Where are the anti-gaming marches? Where is the concern? I don’t see it. Given all of Fletcher’s scare tactics, one would expect to see something if anyone here thought gaming was somehow evil or wrong. As there have been none, we obviously see all gaming, whether online, at a bricks-and-mortar casino, or at a racetrack, as simply another valid choice of entertainment. And, it looks like we’ll vote that way. If this is the story in a red state, imagine how things will be nationwide in 2008!

The truth is that anti-gaming nanny-state groups have sold the Republican Party a bill of goods, and this new so-called big government conservatism is hurting our party. Surely you don’t deny that this prohibition has cost the party many votes. We don’t need big government to protect us from ourselves.

If the CINOs in Congress wish to ban gaming simply to protect people from themselves, what’s next? Legislation controlling the menus at fast food restaurants to keep people from becoming obese? Why not? What’s the difference? Philosophically, it’s the same, isn’t it? Protecting our “feeble” citizens from themselves with the power of the big federal government? Big government is big government.

Again, I urge you to publicly support the right of Americans to choose to play Internet poker. It’s foolish not to. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

TheEngineer