PPA pumps tons of information out for anyone who cares to find it. For those who don't, we sent out a very detailed letter today, at PPA letter to members on the Reid bill, the freeze, and 2011.

This is great and I like that the PPA is trying hard to keep everyone updated, keep up the good work. I do feel though that for some, even though the info is out there that they don't find it or don't understand it. I realize this may not be the fault of the PPA, you an lead a horse to water etc.

Its a damn shame, Im just praying things get done. Most of the hold back it seems is from West Virginian casinos attempting to monopolize the market in our area with bogus ads that got a good portion of our area singing the same song and dance. Truthfully thought it shouldnt be to much longer for themto be up with table games.

I hope that this is good legislation and it passes, honestly im just tired of not being able to freely play cards when I want.

I'm just tired of only being able to play the huge fish at my homegame like once a week at best. No matter how many times I say it they all believe online poker is illegal. I really think there's a huge group of casual players out there who would consider playing if they explicitly knew it was legal.

Not just that but the social stigma of poker player have even the casual speaking horror of Stu Ungar and such, its just one big dark cloud over poker as a whole. In this new age online poker is the bees-knees and if only the American government could just get off its ass and make some damn change it would benefit not only us players but the entire American way in itself.

One thing i know for certain is everyone plays this game, why is it such a hard thing to keep it that way by allowing for online poker to be rampant?

fyp

Here's the part that really "grinds my gears":
1) It has been heard that Christie will possibly veto the NJ iGaming bill and Sen. Lesnik will not push to override.
2) Last year Frank's bill wins in his commitee but doesn't get a full House vote at all...
3) Reid 3.0 tried to push his iPoker bill through the "lame duck" session of Congress but that has failed too.
I can understand the circumstances on these situations on why we didn't get the outcome we wanted. It seems to me that our country is really missing out on a potential money maker. The DOJ, instead believes on that an effort to legalized iGaming/iPoker violates the Wire Act which is UNTRUE! I, like millions of poker players, will continue to fight for my rights as a player to have some sort of federal legislation or some type of legislation that is in our favor. Every time we think that something good will happen for us, the challenge becomes even greater to obtain our desires. It is if our opponents really do not want to see this happen and would rather sweep this matter "under the rug." My prediction on the status quo IMHO: possible until next year with no sort of legislation, we will see a collapse of it or some sort of ban in the works from our opponents.

O RLY?

*still waiting*

Honestly...if we really want to see online poker in the US, it seems we could be waiting 3-5 years tops! I'm fed up with the bureaucratic bs that is really plaguing us poker players and no state doesn't seem to want to challenge the DOJ at all! Nuff said!

FYP

My post below is in no way intended to reference you personally in any way, MrAce777. I am just using your post as a jumping off point.


.... And so your choice is to just complain, or complain and actively do something to try and change things. Realizing that exactly how much you can do is limited by your individual circumstances, pretty much everyone can do more than send TE's one-click PPA emails and letters and post on 2+2. Doing those things are good, don't get me wrong; but, as I, TE and many others have tried to explain to players over the last 2 years, our enemies are real and strong, what we have now will not last, and achieving anything favorable in the future will be difficult to say the least.

Clearly, the more players do to assert themselves politically, the better the final result will be.

I read a lot of posts about how the PPA should do this, the PPA should switch more effort to that, and so on. And a lot of it is decent advice or valuable opinion. But what I all too rarely read is a post saying "Hey, I have a good idea for the PPA and here is how to do it." Even rarer is the post that also says "and I volunteer to do it."

And yes I recognize that there are often posts from sincere players/members asking to provide help. That is truly appreciated and taken advantage of whenever possible.

But what the PPA could really use, besides continuing to support our overall effort, is folks creating things on their own and bringing them to the PPA.

What the PPA is going to need most in the near future is active local organizations.

The PPA does not have the resources to hire people throughout the country to work at local organizing. Neither does the NRA or the ACLU. They rely on local volunteers. The PPA has some resources to support local organizing, and anyone wishing to take advantage of that assistance can contact the PPA, or me directly, as they like

Some people disagree with the PPA on certain points. Hardly a surprise given the diversity of this community. An organized and vocal local group might get the PPA to change a position. And even if it doesn't the two groups could still work together in other areas.

Anyway, it seems to me that reality is coming home to many more players. My hope is that this new understanding also motivates folks to actually do something if they want to try to shape their future for the better.

Skallagrim

Well said Skall!

Maybe that's just my clear anger/frustration with what is going on. I know you guys are really working tooth and nail and we couldn't have gone this far without you guys. It is so to say that I am not giving up on the support for the right for me to play poker whether it would be real money online or live.


You are right that we as players should be the ones to advocate about our rights to play poker. I was on the Press of Atlantic City's website and someone commented that you wouldn't be able to play on PS/FTP if the NJ bill would have passed into law. This to me upsets me that there are players and non-players that are ignorant and we who follow 2+2 forums and participate with the PPA should be the ones educating those types of people (When I say we, I mean ourselves as educated poker players). All and all though, well said Skall.

Gotta get a warm feeling when you read this fluff:

http://www.casinogamblingweb.com/gam...ril_56571.html

I'm hearing that this bill will be introduced prior to the March recess.

For those of use who don't frequent capitol hill, when does that happen?

The week of the 21st.

Here we go again for another roller coaster ride. <sigh>

Didn't use it last year....

One time?!

Unfortunately the introduction part of a bill is just a baby step. There are still a lot of roadblocks it would have to get past.

Whats the point if it's just going to be the same bill as last years version and wont go anywhere.

True or not, that's not the point. We either fight and gain/maintain ground or we sit around and lose it.

But wouldn't it be better to get behind and fight for a bill that actually has a chance of passing instead of the same old Frank bill. It wold be better if someone proposed a different bill (maybe poker only?) that might have a chance of passing instead of the same failed bill. This bill has no chance of passing and it might take momentum away from a potential passable bill being proposed.

Leaving aside that a lot of lawmakers, fairly or unfairly, think stars and tilt are violating laws, transition periods of some sort are inevitable. The reason is because of network effects. Essentially, stars and tilt have a huge advantage because everyone already plays there and a new site would have no players and the games would suck.

The transition period forces players off stars and tilt and therefore gives new sites a chance.

You don't have to like it, but that's the way it is.

Introducing the same bill, or similar bill with advances in the verbiage, through successive Congressional sessions is SOP for Congress, and the way many new laws get enacted (e.g., the UIGEA). It makes more sense to go with a bill that made it through committee last session than to start fresh. If Congress is of a mind to pass poker-only rather than all iGambling, this bill will get amended before it gets to a final vote. Besides which, it isn't as if anyone here or at the PPA can introduce their choice of bills.

"There is no such thing as failure. There is only early attempts at success." -Theodore Roosevelt.