Sent letter to Congress, joined PPA, and following TheEngineer on Twitter. Thank you TE.

I'm also posting info on my blog at http://poker.townhall.com. Perhaps you'll find the blog interesting.

Sent letters to Congress and the President. Will make my next blog post on this subject matter. I will make an effort to be more active in the Poker Legislation forum.
Thanks Engineer, good to have someone like you on our side.

 

Originally Posted by funnygut

Sent the letter to Congress, thanks for your committment TE

Thank you as well.

letter sent. thank you for all of your hard work, can't wait for the day that you go down in history as the guy who got it done for us :)

Just a reminder to be ready to call Congress tomorrow morning.

 

Originally Posted by tsxxx04

this may be a stupid question, but if our congressman is already a huge activist is there a point in calling?

Great question. The answer is.....absolutely! They need to know their constituents are behind them and are thankful for their support. This will encourage them to work harder for us.

<span title="processed" id="ptFirstEntry"><span>PPA intern Daniel at the PPA WSOP booth with a new PPA member sending her letter to Congress:</span></span>

<span title="processed" id="ptFirstEntry"><span>


</span></span>

letters sent

Letter I finally got back from my congressman below:

Dear Mike,

<span><span>Thank you for contacting me regarding Internet gambling. I appreciate hearing from you.</span></span>

<span> </span>

<span> <span>I certainly understand your desire for law-abiding adults to be able to participate in real-money gaming activities such as Poker over the internet. As you may know, for political expediency, social conservatives in the House Republican Leadership included the <span id="lw_1244439753_0">Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement</span> Act (UIGEA) of 2006 into another bill, the Security and <span id="lw_1244439753_1">Accountability</span> For Every Port (SAFE Port) Act of 2006. The primary function of the <span id="lw_1244439753_2">SAFE Port Act</span> had been to take much-needed steps in addressing our national security needs regarding customs and border security. I would have preferred to consider the issue of Internet Gambling separately from the issue of <span id="lw_1244439753_3">Port Security</span>, but unfortunately all House members were denied that opportunity by the previous House Leadership in 2006. Coming from the <span id="lw_1244439753_4">Puget Sound</span> where we have several high-volume commercial ports, passage of the SAFE Port act was critically important for our region.</span></span>

<span> </span>

<span> <span>For now, the Treasury Department's proposed changes to financial reporting requirements and additional transaction blocking requirements under the <span id="lw_1244439753_5">Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act</span> of 2006 have not yet been implemented. According to a proposal by the <span id="lw_1244439753_6">Treasury Department</span> in December 2007, these requirements are being enacted slowly because some bank transfers, such as those by check, would be difficult to block because of the challenge of knowing whether internet gambling is actually illegal in the state or jurisdiction of the person sending the funds.</span></span>

<span> </span>

<span> <span>As you know, H.R. </span><span>2267, the </span><span>Internet Gambling Regulation, <span id="lw_1244439753_7">Consumer Protection</span>, and Enforcement Act</span><span>, would provide for regulations of lawful internet-based gaming and gambling services, along with provisions for problem gambling. H.R. 2267</span><span> has been referred to the House </span><span><span id="lw_1244439753_8">Financial Services Committee</span>, of which I am not a member. Please be assured that should the House consider legislation pertaining to Internet gambling in the future, I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind.</span></span>

<span> </span>

<span> <span>Please continue to contact me about the issues that concern you, as I both need and welcome your thoughts and ideas. I encourage you to contact me via email, telephone, or fax, because <span id="lw_1244439753_9">security measures</span> in the House cause delays in receiving postal mail. For more information on my activities in Congress, and for information on services that my office can provide, please visit my website at <span id="lw_1244439753_10">http://www.house.gov/inslee</span>. If you would like to subscribe to my email updates, please visit </span><span>http://www.house.gov/inslee/signup.htm</span><span>.</span></span>

Very truly yours,

<span id="lw_1244439753_11">JAY INSLEE</span>
<span id="lw_1244439753_12">Member of Congress</span>

Long. Just some thoughts. Cliff notes at end.

I think we need a change of perspective for the next phase of this campaign.

The non-poker playing public knows nothing about the state of affairs regarding our cause, and if they do, it�s often misguided.

As it stands now, we're getting people that play poker on our side, and their closest loved ones (i.e. not necessarily their friends or outlying family). That's Step 1.

The next step will be the people that have no involvement whatsoever with poker, nor the laws surrounding it.

These people need to have a reason to care about this. I can tell you right now, that talking about poker doesn't do anything to get them to care. Think about talking to these people face to face. I can assure you that while you're talking, here are the thoughts running through their head (remember, it doesn't matter that they're wrong, it matters that we haven't educated them):

"Aren't you really a degen though?"

"Uh, right. Stick up for your right to have a gambling addiction."

"I can go anywhere I want to on the internet, don't see a problem."

"Click mouse, lose house."

"I wonder if he needs money or something."

"Will he please hurry up? Oprah is about to come on."

"What kind of family values do I have if I let my 14 year old play online poker?"

"Isn't poker 5 card draw? What do you mean skill?"

...and various other things.

Rather than delude ourselves into thinking this sector of the population will �come around� using our current methods is the reason why good causes fail after excellent starts.<span> </span>

I think it has to be narrowed down to the highest level concept possible, and presented in to different sectors of the non-poker playing population in a manner that they can relate to.<span> </span>Admittedly, this is difficult.<span> </span>But, where there�s a will, there�s a way, right?<span> </span>

Have you ever heard the term �leading� when it comes to persuasion, or discussion?<span> </span>Sometimes it�s intentional, and sometimes unintentional.<span> </span>

When the Poker Players Alliance tries to educate these people, there is unfortunately an unintentional lead.<span> </span>Immediately, they see �Poker Players� and they are lead to remembering every thing they�ve ever heard about poker.<span> </span>

The whole time the speaker is talking, they�re thinking some of the things that I outlined above.<span> </span>I�m not for a moment saying to get rid of the Poker Players Alliance.<span> </span>I�m just saying that moving forward we�re going to need buffer groups that eventually lead the non-poker playing public to joining the PPA.<span> </span>

I think it should be in different population types.<span> </span>For example, �Concerned Students for Online Freedom.�<span> </span>Sounds cheesy, I�m sure you can think of something better.<span> </span>But, the idea is that university students use the internet a lot.<span> </span>Finding a student that is NOT online would have to be rare.<span> </span>Talking to students about not letting this environment snowball into an infiltration of all of our online freedoms could work wonders.<span> </span>Poker wouldn�t even have to be mentioned other than as part of the beginning of a negative ending.<span> </span>

The second group would be the middle agers.<span> </span>Professionals.<span> </span>Laborers.<span> </span>The working class.<span> </span>They would look at this from a money stand point.<span> </span>They pay a crap ton of taxes, and they don�t see an end to it.<span> </span>They have some involvement with the moral side�but for the most part, we�re going to have to let them take care of their kids.<span> </span>If asked about 14 year olds playing poker, we simply tell them that good parents find ways to prevent this.<span> </span>There are ways out there, and it�s not for us to do your parenting for you (but maybe we would present it in a more polite manner).<span> </span>

If they knew ways to increase tax revenue that are right under their noses, but are not being done by our government because of special interest groups, they would get pissed.<span> </span>They�d begin to vote against politicians that aren�t interested in garnering new forms of tax revenue.<span> </span><span> </span>

This group would be �Concerned Workers for lower taxes.�<span> </span>Something less cheesy, I hope.<span> </span>The idea is that this group would talk about regulation of poker, amongst many other avenues of generating tax revenue.<span> </span>They would highlight politicians that are not �on board� with such ideas.<span> </span>

The last group would be the elderly.<span> </span>Typically, they�re concerned with money (being on a fixed income) and morals.<span> </span>Yes, even the ones that 30 square bingo or what have you.<span> </span>Bingo at a church is one thing; poker online (online?<span> </span>isn�t that immoral already with all that pornography?) is a whole different story.<span> </span>

This group is hard because under no circumstances are they, in general, going to change their mind on anything.<span> </span>Why should they?<span> </span>I mean, if you�ve been around 60+ years, who�s going to tell YOU to change your mind?<span> </span>

And, on this group�I have no clue how you would get to them.<span> </span>This is a further off phase, and hopefully we could cross that bridge at a later time.<span> </span>

To begin, we just have to get to Step 2.<span> </span>Step 1 has began, and will continue to be ran until all poker players, and their immediate loved ones are on board.<span> </span>Step 2 would be getting the university students involved that are part of the non-poker playing public.<span> </span>

Step 3 involves the middle aged people with either professional jobs, or hard full time, laborious jobs that pay fairly well.<span> </span>And, of course, step 4 would be the elderly.<span> </span>

All of these groups are voters.<span> </span>Of course, they are non-poker players (as defined from the very beginning) and they are a huge sector of the entire population.<span> </span>

I think this would take a long time to implement, but the best plans will often times take years.<span> </span>The damage done by the UIGEA will likely take years to undo anyhow, so I think it�s best to just get started now with long term planning.<span> </span>

Lastly, I could be leaving a sector out, but right now, I think you have to have focus and not bite off more than you can chew.<span> </span>

Cliff Notes:

- Most non-poker players let all of this go in one ear and out the other.

- Time to reach a wider voting audience.

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Super easy if you have location close to you. I think it costs like $2 to load the card.

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Netspend Visa is a way I deposited a while back. I think that still works...