Well the battle for legislation and regulation continues. The PPA and now Fair Play USA (backed by the brick and mortar casinos) are doing a good job of getting the word to the powers that be in Washington. We are at least being heard according what the lobbyist are saying. Some of the strongest opponents are starting to come around a bit but it's still a steep climb. Focus on the Family and other conservative groups pose strong (but basically invalid) arguments against legislation. I'm really trying to understand the mindset of people who insist on pushing their values off on other people. One of their biggest arguments is poker shouldn't be invading the family home via the internet. Oh, wow but it's okay if I leave my family at home and go to a casino to play but I can't be allowed to stay home with my husband and daughter and play online. How does this logic even make sense.
Another big argument is they try to say poker is a game of chance not skill and it's nothing but another form of gambling and online gambling is, has always been and should remain illegal. That's not even true! There were NO laws pre UIGEA which made online gambling illegal in any way. They try to use the The Interstate Wire Act of 1961 as the basis for this argument but the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Wire Act only applied to sports betting and not other online gambling. It plainly says "bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest" and even then it only applied to transferring funds via wire. Internet didn't exist in 1961 and neither did the current methods of electronic funds transfers so this law clearly doesn't apply to internet gambling. The UIGEA only makes the funds transfers between the bank and the site illegal as well. So therefore, gambling online isn't illegal only the money transferring is.
It's a waste of time arguing (commenting) on the posts/blogs of these Focus on the Family people. They are totally closed minded and will never agree with anything we say. These people are generally basically ignorant (even though some are smart in the book sense of the word and even successful) being ignorant and closed minded is what allows them to believe the way they do. It's the basic tenet of their entire belief system. If they allow themselves to consider other schools of thought they would have to realize that their basic belief system is fatally flawed.
As for skill argument, they refuse to consider that poker has been proven by many experts to be a game of skill equal to chess and bridge. Again no need to argue with them but if you've played serious poker you will readily agree that poker is a very hard game to master. especially tournament poker and sit-n-goes. Speaking of a poker tournament, there is little difference (other than the game obviously) in a poker tournament and golf tournament. In a golf tournament you pay a entry fee (buy in) there are usually administration fees included. The largest portion of the entry fee goes into a prize pool which is paid to the winner or top finishers depending on the structure. The winners are generally the most skilled golfers but alas there is an element of chance. The wind may turn your ball in a direction you didn't intend. The cut of the fairway or green my cause your ball to roll away from where you desired, etc. In tournament poker you pay a buy in with a rake (administration fee usually around 10 to 15%) the prize pool is divided among the winners according to the structure. The winners are usually the most skilled players but the dealing of the cards creates an element of chance just like the wind and grass cut do in golf. The biggest difference, I can play (or could before Black Friday) tournament poker online at home with my family. When my husband plays in a golf tournament he is generally away from home for five to seven hours. Of course if you're playing live tournament poker you're away from home quite a bit too but wasn't having the option of doing it online really nice.
Well let's keep our fingers crossed for our "one time" for poker legislation in the U.S. Please help to make our voices heard above those of our conservative opponents by doing the daily tasks posted on the 2p2 action thread found here.
This article in Forbes just came out a few hours ago: Indicted Banker and Payment Processor Fight Federal Crackdown On Online Poker With Powerful Legal Papers. These two winning their argument would be one more sweet victory for online poker in the US! Can I get a "One Time"?
"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
-Abraham Lincoln (1809-65) U.S. President.
This quote is attributed to Lincoln but there is no real proof he actually said it but nonetheless I find it appropriate and quite correct.
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