I sent the PPA eamil to Governor Jindal and all of Louisiana's representatives. I got this in response:

"Dear Mr. Mills,



Thank you for contacting me in support of licensing and regulating online poker. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.



As you know, the Internet Gambling, Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act would establish a regulatory and enforcement framework for internet gaming, including online poker. It would allow internet gambling operators to obtain licenses authorizing them to accept bets and wagers from individuals in the Unites States. It would also require licensees to take appropriate precautions to prevent fraud, money laundering, and underage or compulsive gambling.



Throughout my career in Congress, I have opposed loosening our current laws that limit online gambling. The anonymity of Internet gambling can provide a haven for criminals, and I am very concerned that there are currently no reliable mechanisms to prevent children from using their parents' credit card numbers to set up accounts at gambling websites. Rest assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as this legislation is considered in the Senate.



Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about other issues important to you."



I reluctantly decided to write him back. I have never been the best at articulating myself in the written word, but I am just to tired of this government taking away the game I love away from me while I do nothing. Here is my response:

"Mr. Vitter,

Thank you for your response. I would like to address the two points you made in this letter.

First, it is not entirely true that criminals, or anyone else for that matter, are anonymous on these sites. In fact, all of the "unregulated" poker sites that exist today require your name, address, ID verification. and other information before they allow you to play. Sites like pokerstars and the merge network have found ways over time to counter fraud and have been very successfully in finding offenders and suspending their accounts. If you feel that even this isn't enough, Joe Barton's bill would help provide more safeguards and punishments for anyone who commit these acts.


Your second point about children using their parents credit card numbers is invalid in my opinion because you can use that as justification to ban all Internet commerce. As it exists, there are not any safeguards against a child stealing their parents card and going to a clothing or video game website to make a purchase. Should we ban those sites from operating? Stealing is stealing in my opinion, whether it's gambling or anything else. If you are worried about children opening an online poker account with their parents permission, that can easily be averted by a site requesting that anyone who wishes to open an account to show send them a Photo ID with all of their contact information to verify who they are, just like they do anywhere else. Couldn't a child just get on their parents account and play? Theoretically they could, but would it not be more practical to find ways to combat this small problem in a regulated environment instead of using that as an excuse to ruin it for the millions of people who do follow the rules and simply want to play legally?

I have voted for you in the past and side with you on many issues. You have chosen the Republican party because you believe that it is the duty of the Government, both state and federal, not to suppress us in the name of "protecting us" but to preserve our God-Given rights. Don't forget why this state elected you Mr. Vitter. I will pray that you do the right thing.

God Bless,
Andrew Mills"



Thoughts? Criticisms?

Damn fine letter. Yours, not his.

Thank you chaos. This man was actually caught cheating on his wife with a prostitute several years ago. So it boils my blood when he takes a moral stance against something like this. I am a full blooded conservative and have voted for him in the past. But this I will not tolerate.