Fight for Poker Rights Daily Action Plan - Do Your Part!

Let's tell Congress to support poker!

1. Let's send House Subcommittee for Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Chair Mary Bono Mack and the rest of the subcommittee tweets requesting a markup for HR 2366, the Online Poker Act: HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. [Speed tip: Click these links with either your middle mouse button or CTRL + your left mouse button to open these in separate tabs. Or, use an add-on like Multi Links to do the same. Then, go tab-by-tab to knock them out.]
2. Let's keep making and liking pro-poker posts on the Facebook walls of Sen. Reid HERE, Subcommittee Chair Bono Mack HERE, Rep. Boehner HERE, and Rep. Cantor HERE.
3. Let's send a prefilled tweet promoting today's action plan HERE, and let's share today's action on our own Facebook walls HERE.

If you wish to do more, consider the following:

• Many poker media sites are seeking columns on poker advocacy. I write some myself and wish I had more time to write up more, but this does present a good opportunity to volunteer. If you wish to write something complete and ready for publication, I can help you get it placed. If you wish to write something but feel you'll need help with editing, adding additional details, etc., depending on the piece I may be able to help out with the final preparation and in getting that placed. Let me know if you are considering this prior to getting too far into it.

Please reply in this thread with "tweeted", "done", etc. to encourage others. Thanks for participating!

so much tweeting but done

Demonomania said:

so much tweeting but done

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Ctrl-W is awesome. Less than a minute to do the tweets.

I think Sen. Reid is deleting my posts. Took a ss this time.

Thanks Demon and TF!

Let's tell Congress to support poker!

1. Let's send prefilled, editable tweets to Democratic lawmakers: HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. [Speed tip: Click these links with either your middle mouse button or CTRL + your left mouse button to open these in separate tabs. Or, use an add-on like Multi Links to do the same. Then, go tab-by-tab to knock them out, using CTRL-W to close tabs when done.]
2. Let's let anti-gaming group Focus on the Family/CitizensLink know that an outright ban on online gaming is out of reach and that any Congressional legislation on the issue will need to include provisions for licensing of online poker by liking the pro-poker comments at the end of the article HERE. Our goal here is not to argue or debate. Rather, it's to demonstrate support for our position via lots of likes on the pro-poker comments, so please be sure to upvote those!
   
3. Let's send a prefilled tweet promoting today's action plan HERE (or retweet HERE), and let's share today's action on our own Facebook walls HERE.

If you wish to do more, consider the following:

• Many poker media sites are seeking columns on poker advocacy. I write some myself and wish I had more time to write up more, but this does present a good opportunity to volunteer. If you wish to write something complete and ready for publication, I can help you get it placed. If you wish to write something but feel you'll need help with editing, adding additional details, etc., depending on the piece I may be able to help out with the final preparation and in getting that placed. Let me know if you are considering this prior to getting too far into it.
• Let's keep making and liking pro-poker posts on the Facebook walls of Sen. Reid HERE, Subcommittee Chair Bono Mack HERE, Rep. Boehner HERE, and Rep. Cantor HERE. There are new posts since you last posted.

Please reply in this thread with "tweeted", "done", etc. to encourage others. Thanks for participating!

Done.

Back and forth on replying to that ridiculous article. Finally ended up replying after liking the pro poker posts.

Waiting on approval.

Hills posted some responses: http://www.citizenlink.com/2012/05/1...rnet-gambling/

Let's tell Congress to support poker!

1. Let's post and like pro-poker comments on the Facebook walls of some Congressmen in tough (or at least competitive) election fights this year: Rep. Judy Biggert HERE, Rep. Robert Dold HERE, Rep. Jim Renacci HERE, and Rep. Jon Runyan HERE.
2. Let's send prefilled, editable tweets to GOP leadership: HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
3. Let's keep letting anti-gaming group Focus on the Family/CitizensLink know that an outright ban on online gaming is out of reach and that any Congressional legislation on the issue will need to include provisions for licensing of online poker by liking the pro-poker comments at the end of the article HERE. Comments are closed, but out upvotes on the pro-poker comments there will demonstrate support for our position.
   
4. Let's send a prefilled tweet promoting today's action plan HERE (or retweet the tweet HERE), and let's share today's action on our own Facebook walls HERE.

Please reply in this thread with "tweeted", "done", etc. to encourage others. Thanks for participating!

Charade You Are said:

Ctrl-W is awesome. Less than a minute to do the tweets.

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Good point

I sent the email in and got this back a few days later....

COPY AND PASTED


Thank you for contacting me to express your support for establishing a legitimate online poker and games of skill industry. Your opinion is very important to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you on this critical matter.



You may be pleased to know that last Congress I introduced S. 1597, the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Protection and Enforcement Act, which would allow federally-regulated online poker and other games of skill. This legislation would establish new licensing requirements and strict regulations for the operation of internet skill gaming facilities. Specifically, it would require a thorough vetting process for potential licensees, utilize technology to protect against underage gambling and those with excessive gaming habits, regulate against money laundering and fraud, and establish a process to prevent tax avoidance. This is particularly critical since Americans represent the largest percentage of Internet poker players around the world. Please be assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to bring about clarity to our online gaming laws.



You also may be pleased to know that on December 23, 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memorandum taking the position that the Wire Act, which banned certain types of betting using wire line communications, applies only to sports betting. This interpretation has wide ranging implications for the prospects of legalized Internet gaming in the U.S. This means that DOJ will no longer insist that states cannot license intrastate Internet gambling, provide lottery games over the Internet, or join with each other to provide interstate gaming. Although this is a positive development, federal legislation will still be necessary to fairly and properly implement interstate online poker and games of skill.



Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of further assistance. I invite you to visit my website (http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn more about how I am standing up for New Jersey families in the United States Senate.

Thanks for taking the time to send the letter to Congress and for posting the response from Sen. Menendez!

Chad Hills of Focus on the Family responded to poker players in detail in the comments at http://www.citizenlink.com/2012/05/1...ernet-gambling. I encourage everyone to read through his posts.

Sun Tzu said, "know your enemy" (or, more accurately, he said, "So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss."). While I don't want to call FoF or anyone a literal "enemy," they are obviously an adversary on this issue, so we ought to apply this principle here.

Hills provides a lot of information that we can use on how they feel about the issue. It’s like sonar. We put our message out and now get to hear what bounced back. For instance, while many believe poker to be distinct from wagering on house-banked games of chance, Hills says online poker is the most addictive, dangerous type of gaming ever devised. This is good for us to know and to understand. Many simply assumed that anti-gaming people would prefer online poker to unrestricted broader online gaming. While I still assume the majority of our anti-gaming opponents would prefer poker + a Wire Act fix over unlimited online gaming, Hills provided great data that may help us to optimize the messaging here.

There's lots of additional info there for us. I encourage everyone to read through it carefully to gain an understanding of our opposition. Do keep in mind that, at least IMO, Hills started off believing online poker to be bad for society and then sought out justification for that belief.

California is also making a big push... I started a new thread to keep it separate from the Federal stuff you guys are working on, but http://www.calonlinepokernow.com/ is organizing some big stuff. They think they can legalize online poker in CA this year! If you guys can take the time (less than 15 seconds) to sign their petition, I know it'll go a long way!

We just gotta keep working... Thanks, TheEngineer, for really bringing this thing front and center!

TheEngineer said:

Thanks for taking the time to send the letter to Congress and for posting the response from Sen. Menendez!

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TheEngineer said:

Chad Hills of Focus on the Family responded to poker players in detail in the comments at http://www.citizenlink.com/2012/05/1...ernet-gambling. I encourage everyone to read through his posts.

While I still assume the majority of our anti-gaming opponents would prefer poker + a Wire Act fix over unlimited online gaming, Hills provided great data that may help us to optimize the messaging here.

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I see his page is now closed to comments.

I'm not sure your assumption is correct. In answering the pro poker comments, he pretty much ignored the points being made and just cherry-picked what he could use to further his argument.

The overriding theme from these peeps seems to come back to the twisted logic that Greed is a Sin = gambling is greed = gambling is a sin then they throw in that it's exploiting people for profit. Guess he's never heard of capitalism.

There are no arguments that will convince these people. The hope is that by making our case, that they won't influence others who may not be as intractable.

jlabruno said:

I sent the email in and got this back a few days later....

You may be pleased to know that last Congress I introduced S. 1597, the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Protection and Enforcement Act, which would allow federally-regulated online poker and other games of skill.

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You're lucky. All I ever get back is "I don't want to see gambling expanded in our state"....and concerns about money-laundering.

Sent replies making the case for poker and asking for an explanation of why they believe federally regulated poker would contribute to money laundering. No answers yet.

You're right about that Frost!

The NJ online gaming bill has been delayed until fall, according to state Sen. Lesniak, sponsor of the legislation (here). It sounds like we need to reach out to Gov. Christie.

1. Let's send Gov. Christie a prefilled, editable tweet in support of New Jersey's proposed legislation (S 1565) HERE. Let's contact him via Facebook HERE as well.
2. Let's tweet the Venetian and the Palazzo with pro-poker messages HERE, HERE, and HERE, and let's Facebook them HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. Sheldon Adelson needs to hear from all of us.
3. Let's send a prefilled tweet promoting today's action plan HERE (or retweet the tweet HERE), and let's share today's action on our own Facebook walls HERE.

If you wish to do more today:

• Let's keep posting and liking pro-poker comments on the Facebook walls of congressmen in tough (or at least competitive) election fights this year: Rep. Judy Biggert HERE, Rep. Robert Dold HERE, Rep. Jim Renacci HERE, and Rep. Jon Runyan HERE.

Please reply in this thread with "tweeted", "done", etc. to encourage others. Thanks for participating!

Tweeted.

I've also received responses from Senator Isakson, Congressman Tom Graves, and Senator Chambliss, due to the letters I've sent. Is there a site or email (other than this thread) we should be sending their responses to?

It would be in all of our best interests to keep up with any feedback we receive from them. (imo)

TheEngineer said:

Thanks for the support! I appreciate your participation, despite not being a US resident.

One effective way to participate this via the Facebook and Twitter action items. Social networking is excellent because it is worldwide.

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I can do the same from Korea! Great question TheEngineer! I'll be doing the FB thing, not a tweeter yet.... or us that a tweetie?

Demonomania said:

I've also received responses from Senator Isakson, Congressman Tom Graves, and Senator Chambliss, due to the letters I've sent. Is there a site or email (other than this thread) we should be sending their responses to?

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Actually to answer my own question, I found another email from The PPA directing me to forward any responses from the house members to letters@theppa.org

Thanks for that info Demon.

I'm hoping that we aren't the only cc'ers doing this stuff. That would be sad.

Demonomania said:

Actually to answer my own question, I found another email from The PPA directing me to forward any responses from the house members to letters@theppa.org

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I was just going to send you that. Thanks for helping out!

Thanks FT, Demon, and Panamajoe! Well done.

Got this today
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Please do not reply to this e-mail. If you need to send another message to Senator Nelson, please use the form on his Web site: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email

Dear Mr. F,

Thank you for contacting me regarding online gambling. Your thoughts are important to me.
While many Internet gambling operations already are banned by Federal law, many are located overseas and are beyond the reach of U.S. authorities. The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act (H.R.1174) would establish an Internet Gambling Licensing Program and create consumer protection requirements for the licensing of Internet betting or wagering. The bill is pending before the House Financial Services Committee.

I appreciate hearing your concerns. If this bill comes before the full Senate, I will be sure to keep your views in mind. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.

Sincerely,
Bill Nelson

P.S. From time to time, I compile electronic news briefs highlighting key issues and hot topics of particular importance to Floridians. If you'd like to receive these e-briefs, visit my Web site and sign up for them at http://billnelson.senate.gov/news/ebriefs.cfm
[/FONT]

I posted this website (below) in its own thread, but thought I would post it here. I think this website is more or less a "lottery" in that you need some luck for your petition to go viral and get world wide attention, but for anyone who know how to make social media work, this could be a site to start new petitions for online poker in the US.

change.org