I completely respect that opinion.

it's sickening..

I would love it if online poker was regulated this year, but these cyber security bills that keep getting introduced are so far universally horrible. (Remember SOPA?) Poker getting attached to one would be a tragedy since there's a very good chance that the entire internet will be opposed to the bill.

I find myself less and less excited for these sweat threads considering how it usually turns out. Not only that but once legislation is actually passed, it will take a while before reaching the point where the online poker sites are in full swing for American players, and even then once it is, I expect some rather terrible vig and rather absurd taxation policies for players... and that's after the 1-3+ years it takes to even fine tune everything.

That's not to say I'm not hoping for legislative change obviously, but the perspective through which it comes seems rather unrealistic on these forums.

If he can frame this as something that is good for the people he's trying to garnish support from (campaign donations will flow by passing) then it's likely it can get passed and if he can do exactly what was done with the first UIGEA then I think he will. For those of you that don't know, the first UIGEA was snuck onto the Safe Port Act and silently slid right through into law.

Hopefully this happens with our bill.

It would make very much sense that those discussions would happen behind closed doors, as well.

To me this is starting to feel like a very real possibility and instead of being open about it they're closing down and making changes in private to avoid any anti-lobbying once the nature of modifications are discovered.

Basically, the problem with our issue is every time it's brought up there are tons of organizations and corporations that don't want this being brought up and promptly make statements against it and anybody who relies on those groups or friends of those groups for some type of funding will crumble.

If they can make it very quiet and get the bill passed by focusing on the issues that people WILL vote for, then it's a definite possibility; just have to avoid the crumbling and shooting down of the bill.

ps: real talk, took 3 years of poli sci at university

I refuse to get excited about this or think it has any chance of happening.

OP you and your brethren in the politics forum are the biggest ****-teases in the history of online poker.

I'll believe it when I see the POTUS sign it.

How often do you think the POTUS signs a bill that some people haven't fought for years to get passed?

It is a "tease" only if you think you have no role in whether or not you get the result desired.

It is an "opportunity" if you think that you do have a role to play in determining the result.

It is easy to be passive about things in life that you do not have direct control over. It also means that you give up the chance of having an influence even if your level of influence does not rise to the level of "control."

I generally prefer to try and influence the outcome of events I consider important rather than simply sit passively and let them happen.

Others can make different choices.

Skallagrim

And join in on the Daily Action plan in the Legislation forum. If you have twitter, you simply click to send pre-filled tweets. It certainly can't hurt and it does give you more of a right to complain about the current state of affairs imo...

People like Lirva spread potentially harmful misinformation. His posts are generally pretty inaccurate. That's all I'll say.

Orly?

Do you think it would have helped Bill Frist effort to attach the UIGEA to a piece of must pass legislation for religious and family value groups to have launched a social media blitz supporting that bill in July 2006?

Isn't it even possible that had they done so, more poker players would have risen up to support their 'right' to play the game online?

Wow, that's a whole bunch of paranoid rhetorical questions. Well done.

First, you do realize that Screamin Asian actually has the capacity for humour/sarcasm. Your rant is in response to a joke.

And yes, gambling winnings, like all income, is taxable in this country now, in the past, and in the future.

Med check imo

Watching you continue to attempt to get people to see this your way all the way through December would be pretty funny.

I honestly don't get your point and am, yet again, struck by the thought when reading your posts, "He must be the smartest moron in the world." No offense.

Our political/legislative system, despite it's flaws, is based on the representation of the people. Part of that, is telling our lawmakers what we want. Is it that simple? No. Is it better to say nothing because we are fifth-level thinkers and doing so is actually a detriment to our real wants? I think not, but then again i am no match for you

Sadly, I believe they will have woken the sleeping giant of hypocrisy long before December.

Guess I will be the first...

xpost from poker leg. Chris Krafcik is very reliable:

Politics is like War, but mounting your twitter horse and shouting "the poker is coming, the poker is coming" is not going to make you the Paul Revere of this battle, because we are the invading army.

Maybe part of your secret genius is that you never make a cogent point. I'm baffled by your metaphor and can only assume you mean to tell me we are playing a real-life version of the opposite game.

Hear me now politicians: WE DO NOT WANT REGULATED POKER.....(wink wink)

solid tweets from chris, as always

Thanks for the updates as always guys. This might be one big last sweat for awhile.

BREAKING: The National Journal getting some tidbits from Reid and Kyl:

Reid, Kyl Close to Online Gambling Deal

Ty Dr. Jones

that article is on point. there's good traction here.

Would be great if we could target repub senators in the action plan with this.