As Congress is in its August recess, the PPA wanted to update you on some of recent activity of interest.
First, thank you to the thousands of PPA members who have written Congress in the past few months to tell your lawmakers to support your Internet freedoms. This really makes a difference. We just updated our letter, so now is a good time to make your voice heard again. Send an updated letter to Congress in just 30 seconds! (click here to send)
As you are probably aware, in late June the House Financial Services Committee deadlocked a vote (32 to 32) on a bill that would have provided much needed clarity to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). While the result was extremely disappointing, it does actually represent the best vote pro-Internet gaming legislation has ever received in the Congress. In years past, efforts have been defeated by 4 to 1 or even 10 to 1 margins. Notwithstanding this razor thin loss, the PPA went on the offensive and with the help of our members in select Congressional Districts we flooded our opponents with emails and phone calls from angry poker players. As a result four members of Congress, who voted against the measure in the Committee, sent a letter (click here to view) to the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve stating their concerns with the UIGEA and need for Agencies to clarify the regulations before making them final. We hope that this signal of support opens the door for the Committee to revisit this issue when they return in September.
Due to the success of this small scale grassroots drive, we have been coordinating with your PPA State Directors to arrange meetings with members of Congress in their hometowns during the August break. So far we have scheduled more than 12 meetings with more to come. If you are interested in participating in these meetings please contact your State Director (click here) to see if a meeting with your member of Congress has been scheduled.
To learn more about federal and state legislation, visit the PPA Web site and check out our valuable resources.
Want to see were poker and politics intersect? Visit the PPA member forums, get the latest in poker news, communicate with your fellow members and share ideas on how to protect the game.
November Elections are Just Around the Corner. Are You a Voter?
With less than 3 months until the 2008 elections poker players need to register to vote. Registering to vote, and then voting on Election Day are some of the most important duties you can do to protect your right to play poker. If you’re not registered, then you’ve folded the only hand you have to play.
Our nation is closely divided, and our recent elections have been decided by razor-thin margins. In this political climate, every vote counts — and every election matters.
Every single day in our nation’s capital, thousands of people make decisions about the rules that we all must live under. Your vote is the single most powerful tool to influence these decisions.
The Poker Players Alliance has made it easy for you to become a voter. Simply click here, choose your home state, fill out the form, print and mail. It take less than 5 minutes and it gives you lifetime of ability to exercise your basic constitutional right. If You Play, Have A Say™ … Register to vote today! (click here)
Help promote this voter registration drive at digg.com. It only takes a click of the mouse (click here).
Watch this incredible video depicting a potential future for online poker players. While this is clearly a dramatization it does highlight the irony and failure of U.S. policies to focus on Internet poker, and not real crime. Please share this video far and wide and lets continue to make our voice heard in Congress (click here to watch).
Sign up for a free weekly poker tips column from superstar player Daniel Negreanu. (click here).
Promote Poker Politics Awareness with New PPA Widgets
Do you have a website or blog? Add a PPA Info Center widget to provide the latest news about poker. These widgets provide some of the latest news and information found on the PPA site. This is a great way to help promote poker politics awareness for your visitors. Various sizes available (click here)
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on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 11:07 am and is filed under Headlines, Newsletters, PPA.
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