Response about online gambling from John Cornyn - Poker Legislation

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Response about online gambling from John Cornyn

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12-19-2014 , 09:51 PM

DrMickHead

veteran

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,947

At some point I must have sent a PPA letter to John Cornyn. I received a full response recently and I'm not amused.

Quote:

Dear Mr. *snip*MickHead:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Internet gambling. I recognize the time and effort that you are dedicating to actively participate in the democratic process, and I appreciate that you and other concerned citizens have provided me the benefit of your comments on this matter.

I do not support Internet gambling. I believe its costs outweigh its benefits. Internet gambling undermines local democracy and the law. It extends gambling beyond the states and municipalities that have chosen to permit it to everywhere in the nation, even where it is not permitted under local law. Placing bets over the Internet violates most states’ law and, to date, no state has authorized its citizens to place bets with a foreign-operated website. Federal law reinforces this, transforming violations of state gambling laws into federal crimes.

Internet gambling transfers wealth from the United States because Internet gambling websites operate primarily from foreign countries, while a majority of their customers reside in the United States. Some in government view gambling as a means to generate revenue and grow government. I am not among them. Gambling revenue is wealth transferred from citizens, often the poor, who could put the money to better use. Government needs to learn to live within its means, and it should not look to gambling, which causes a host of other problems, as a means to solve government mismanagement.

For these reasons, I support sensible federal legislation such as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which was amended onto the Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Port Act; P.L. 109-347). This law, which was signed into law on October 13, 2006, prevents the use of credit cards and fund transfers for unlawful Internet gambling. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over this matter, you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind should relevant legislation be considered by the Senate.

I am always appreciative when Texans take the time to reach out and share their concerns. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN

Any thoughts on how to educate him on this?

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12-19-2014 , 10:15 PM

rocketragz

old hand

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,297

Should we get him a copy of The Constitution?

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12-19-2014 , 10:51 PM

Doc T River

Master of the Edit Line

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 13,059

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMickHead

At some point I must have sent a PPA letter to John Cornyn. I received a full response recently and I'm not amused.

Any thoughts on how to educate him on this?

I don't even know where to begin. Maybe I will after I pick my jaw up off the floor.

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12-20-2014 , 06:57 AM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

How about this as a response:

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Dear Senator Cornyn,

Thank you for your views on Internet gambling. However, I believe you misunderstand my views.

I, too, do not support unlawful Internet gambling, such as that offered by unauthorized offshore websites. My interest lies in providing poker players with the opportunity to participate in online interactive games with other poker players, within states that have authorized this activity under strict regulation. While unauthorized online poker does present dangers to U.S. citizens, those dangers are absent where government regulation is in place, as we can see today in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware.

Poker is a pastime of choice for many American citizens. As with many games, it naturally has migrated to online play. It is truly un-American to prohibit this free choice in our nation of freedom. And we should know from our own history that prohibition only results in an underground in the hands of criminal enterprise. Government regulation provides the Democratic answer, providing our citizens with a safe choice to exercise their "unalienable right" to the "pursuit of happiness".

I support your efforts to stop criminal enterprise and protect U.S. citizens from unlawful Internet gambling. But at the same time I appeal to your American spirit to prevent the abrogation of our freedom. Closing the door on unlawful Internet gambling can go hand-in-hand with government- authorized and regulated online poker.

Please keep our rights and freedom in mind when relevant legislation is considered by the Senate. Ask yourself, what is the future of our great country if protecting our citizens comes to mean denying them the freedom which our Founders fought for? Does not such State Paternalism eventually replace Democracy with a Totalitarian State?

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 12-20-2014 at 07:20 AM.

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12-20-2014 , 09:20 AM

Doc T River

Master of the Edit Line

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 13,059

Quote:

Originally Posted by PokerXanadu

How about this as a response:

Wow! Just wow!

Last edited by Doc T River; 12-20-2014 at 09:37 AM. Reason: I would have written a book.

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12-20-2014 , 03:11 PM

nrocme

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 153

What he is trying to say is that Poker doesn't add to the GDP.
Any other point of view is irrelevant because I have spoken.
American's freedom be damned!
Except he didn't add the HeeHawHeeHawHeeHaw at the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg_8knBHEyw

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12-20-2014 , 04:06 PM

philcski

journeyman

Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 319

Quote:

Originally Posted by PokerXanadu

How about this as a response:

A++

I grant you a 100% on your PolySci term paper, sir.

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12-21-2014 , 08:21 AM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc T River

Wow! Just wow!

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Originally Posted by philcski

A++

I grant you a 100% on your PolySci term paper, sir.

Thanks!

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12-29-2014 , 01:17 PM

Sect7G

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,234

In fairness it seems that he misunderstood the letter thinking that it endorsed offshore sites and to deny them access to US players is the right thing to do from the US Governments pov as this does result in money leaving the US economy.
If he also opposes legalized Online poker within the US involving US states and only US players then that's where many of us would disagree.

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12-29-2014 , 02:24 PM

#10

PokerXanadu

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Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sect7G

He didn't misunderstand anything. He believes:

"Gambling revenue is wealth transferred from citizens, often the poor, who could put the money to better use"

and

"gambling...causes a host of other problems"

Rest assured, he is anti-online poker, even when regulated in the U.S.

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 12-29-2014 at 02:46 PM.

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01-05-2015 , 01:14 PM

#11

DrMickHead

veteran

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,947

PokerXanadu I love your response letter. Thanks.

Sorry it took me a while to get back to the thread. Holidays got in the way. Despite the holidays, I was so enraged by his letter that I had to post it here.

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01-05-2015 , 02:17 PM

#12

Doc T River

Master of the Edit Line

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 13,059

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMickHead

At least you got a response. I am still waiting to hear from House bill co-sponsor, Emanuel "Captain Slow" Cleaver.

I got a similar response as yours from Cornyn from Senator Roy Blunt.

Last edited by Doc T River; 01-05-2015 at 02:23 PM.

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01-05-2015 , 02:36 PM

#13

curtinsea

WA iPoker NOW

Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,361

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc T River

At least you got a response. I am still waiting to hear from House bill co-sponsor, Emanuel "Captain Slow" Cleaver.

Write him again

and if necessary, again

If they can dismiss you by simply not replying to a single message (this goes for everyone, not aimed squarely at Doc), they will. But if you persist, they will have to acknowledge you.

And if they attempt to blow you off with a politician's answer, reply to that. Press them, explain to them, counter their points with facts.

and write them again

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01-05-2015 , 03:57 PM

#14

Doc T River

Master of the Edit Line

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 13,059

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtinsea

Last time I got a response from Emanuel Cleaver before the election, it was after writing a letter to the editor letting them know I didn't think he deserved the office due to his not responding. Which was after writing him about ten times without response.

Believe me, I have written him again and again this time. I have also let a different someone at our local paper know of his no response. But that hasn't prompted a response from Cleaver this time.

Last edited by Doc T River; 01-05-2015 at 04:05 PM.

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01-05-2015 , 07:10 PM

#15

PokerXanadu

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Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMickHead

Feel free to use it.

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