Another Representative Responds

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So my Congressman, "Quico" Canseco, a former banker, had this to say to my plea to legalize online poker (to view it better, just click on the pic and it should pop out for easier reading):

Really, Quico? 

Sigh.  Lots of other, wiser, bloggers have opined at just how futile it is to write letters to representatives.  And while I do tend to agree, I'm also of a mind that if you don't ask, you don't get.  Plus, if you've read my blog since its inception, you know I like to write me some letters. 

All total, I wrote to Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Cornyn, Governer Rick Perry, Quico Canseco, Jeff Wentworth, and Lyle Larson. I've played poker with at least one of these individuals on several occasions in private, local games here in town (I'm curious if they'll be at the game Saturday). So far, only Kay Bailey and Quico have responded.  That's pretty lame, but I guess it's not surprising.

@PokerGrump had a great article (here), in which he says:

The only way to get the freedom to play poker genuinely secure in the long term is to achieve a broad consensus not about poker specifically, but on the general principle that we will be a truly free society, meaning one in which we do not seek to control each other's conduct. With the caveat that there be no use of fraud or force, people should be free to expend their money, time, and energy however the hell they choose to.

But how do we get to that point?  @PokerGrump's solution is to "elect people who agree that individual liberty is the paramount value, to be restricted as little as possible consistent with ordered society."

Would that it were that easy. 

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At Least One Response to Doing Something...

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Do Something

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"If you support generating tax revenue without increasing taxes, as well as creating domestic jobs instead of outsourcing them, you will support the licensing and regulation of online poker.  If you do not, you will lose my vote in the 2012 election."

So, What Can You Do? 

 Know What to Say, Know Who to Say it To, Say It

 
The quote above (taken from the WickedChops website, link below) pretty much says it all and it's pretty much the ONLY  message politicians are going to understand. But to get that message, you (me, all of us) have to do something. I blogged this weekend calling Black Friday poker's Stonewall. I was frustrated because I knew I needed to do something, but I had no clue what to do. Since then, there've been many great action plans formulated by a lot of good people in the community.

I went through all the information I could find and summarized it in what I hope will be easy-to-do steps so that you, too, will take action. I agree wholeheartedly that wrongdoing must be governed and punished appropriately under the law, but I firmly believe that - if every US poker player takes at least one of the actions outlined below - Black Friday can ultimately serve as the catalyst to license and regulate online poker so that we can get back to playing.

• Know What to Say

Many people believe that the PPA's message is not strong enough. Wicked Chops Poker did a great job of synthesizing what politicians understand.  All you have to do is cut and paste it into a letter or email, or you use it as talking points in the event you also call your representatives.

What to cut and paste into a letter/email:

As a voter and tax-paying constituent, I am writing to ask for you to support the licensing and regulation of online poker in the United States.

The recent DoJ indictments of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker only underscores the tremendous opportunity that exists right now for the U.S. Government (and its citizens) to benefit from the regulation of online poker.

Online poker is estimated to generate over $42 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years and create over 37,000 domestic jobs.

Along with tax and job creation, regulating online poker provides consumer protection safeguards that have not existed in the past.

In short, Federal online poker regulation is fairly cut & dry:

1. Online poker regulation will “repatriate” funds and generating tax revenues.
2. Online poker regulation will stimulate business by creating tens of thousands of domestic jobs.
3. Online poker regulation protects children and adults by creating safeguards for participation.
4. Online poker regulation protects the consumer by enforcing safety standards.

If you support generating tax revenue WITHOUT increasing taxes, as well as creating domestic jobs instead of outsourcing them, you will support the licensing and regulation of online poker. If you do not, you will lose my vote in the 2012 election.

• Know Who To Say It To

Click here to find those elected officials you need to contact.

You can also call:

US DOJ, Office of the Attorney General Public Comment Line (202) 353-1555
White House Phone Number for Comments: 202-456-1111  

You can also post your thoughts on the US Department of Justice Facebook page
(you have to like the page, first) 

• Say It

This is all on you. Do you want your pokers back? Then, do something.

Other good resources: US Pokers Action Plan, Interview with the First Lady of Poker, @Mark_Gahagan's blog, Most Excellent BWoP blog.

Your move...

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Tune In and Turn On

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Experts from iGaming, Ongame, Catania Gaming Consultants, iMEGA, Gambling Compliance, and more, are hosting a free webinar  Tuesday, April 19, 2011, to discuss what happened this past Friday, when the founders of  PokerStars, FullTilt and Absolute Poker were among 11 people charged by a US federal grand jury in a case that seeks at least $3 billion in forfeitures & penalties. 

Paraphrasing from the website, the good news is that instead of just rampant speculation, we'll hear from industry experts who will analyze and update the audience on what has happened to-date and hopefully shed light on the impact this will likely have moving forward.  In otherwords, it may still be rampant speculation, but it'll be from experts and I find that comforting.

 

Sign up to listen in, mark your calendar so you don't miss it and then TUNE IN.  When you sign up, submit a question in the box provided if you're so inclined.  Looks as though they may try to address them via Q&A. 

Bottom-line, this thing is an hour and a half long so, imo, there's absolutely no reason to miss this, absent serious work or family related constraints (again, imo). 

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Call to Action

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I'm claiming yesterday as Poker's Stonewall and believe it should serve as the industry's impetus for change. If the Tea and Coffee Parties can do it and the LGBT community can do it (Prop 8, Don't Ask, Don't Tell), then we can do it, too.

For that reason, I'm sending out a Call to Action, even though I really don't know where to begin.  Here are some sites that discuss forming grassroot movements: a TED link here and a different link here.

With so much rampant speculation out there, the only thing I think is absolutely crystal clear is that the poker community must come together in such a way as to force law makers to address the issues that are thwarting our goals. The only way to do that is to: be unified on what those issues are, be unified on addressing them, and then by support (from the entire community) through word, deed and dollar be unified in the follow-through to get our goals achieved.

The only resource I know of for the poker community is the PPA. With that said, my first call of action to you is that if you're reading this, COMMENT (and this is not a shameless plea for readers or comments). No, it's a plea for you, as a part of this community to, COMMENT and share your thoughts about what YOU think are the issues that need to be addressed and how you think we can address them? Every grassroots organization starts somewhere and people need to get involved! If nothing else, and the PPA is the entity on which we need to be focusing our efforts, then great, let's do it.

If this is the wrong place to holler out a Call to Action, then I guess please feel free to share your thoughts on the best ways to get involved.  Because this staring at Twitter all day is driving me crazy.  Thank you.

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EDIT - and the PPA speaks, via Bluff Magazine. Get involved!

ps - I'm never explicitly asking for comments again because no one does =)