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View Full Version : Need a DIGG and a couple of letters for liberty




TheEngineer
11-14-2008, 08:26 AM
Please Digg this at http://digg.com/political_opinion/Bush_lame_duck_midnight_rulemaking_targets_online_ poker , and please check out the action plan at http://theleachlist.blogspot.com/2008/11/uigea.html . We have almost 100 diggs already, so it has a good shot. The last action plan front paged Digg, getting us a lot of pro-liberty action on this.

Dr. Paul has cosponsored two bills for our freedom on this issue and he needs our support. Thanks! :D

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Despite the best efforts of the poker community, the opposition of the banks, and the recent news exposing inappropriate influence by the White House, the Bush administration chose to submit its incomplete Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) regulations. Just as UIGEA was sneaked into legislation in the dark of night in 2006, we are again confronted with an 11th hour effort.
These regulations are to be made effective on January 19th, the day before President-elect Obama takes office. A copy of the final UIGEA rules and the Poker Players Alliance's response can be found on the PPA web site. Let’s all expose and stop this reckless rulemaking.

Freedom lovers everywhere are outraged over this last-minute “midnight rulemaking.” Here are four things we can all do to stand up for Internet freedom and our personal liberty:

1.) Write to President-elect Barack Obama

Barack Obama has a new comment site (http://www.change.gov/). Let’s all post polite, professionally worded comments on this issue. Some points to consider sharing:

* The Bush administration's last minute, incomplete UIGEA regulations are reckless in that they place unreasonable requirements on our nation’s imperiled financial services industry. Bush was careless in forcing them on the country in his 11th hour. Obama should introduce legislation to overturn these regulations.
* These UIGEA regulations set a dangerous precedent for broader censorship of the Internet by the federal government.
* The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/11/AR2008111102935.html) reported that William Wichterman, a recent lobbyist for the National Football League who now works at the White House, played a controversial role in the Bush administration's last-minute effort to implement the UIGEA regulations. His lobbying firm made $2.8 million for his efforts against our freedoms!
* Banks should not be forced by the federal government to act as law enforcement entities.
* Poker is a game of skill where players compete against each other. There is no “house” profiting from losing players like in casino games of chance.
* Obama should support licensing and regulation of online poker. Congressman Robert Wexler, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, Senator Robert Menendez, and others have sponsored bills that do just that. Their bills provide protections for participants with excessive gaming habits. Bush's UIGEA regulations offer these people nothing.

2.) Write to the GOP

The GOP has a new comment site (http://www.republicanforareason.com/). Let’s all post polite, professionally worded comments on this issue there as well. Some points to consider sharing:

* Federal Internet censorship is not a limited government position, nor is the idea that Americans need the government to protect them from themselves.
* Banks should not be forced by the federal government to act as law enforcement entities.
* UIGEA is reckless in that it places unreasonable requirements on our nation’s imperiled financial services industry.
* Poker is a game of skill where players compete against each other. There is no “house” profiting from losing players as in casino games of chance.
* The GOP should support licensing and regulation of online poker. Bills currently in Congress provide protections for participants with excessive gaming habits. UIGEA offers these people nothing.
* The GOP has had an anti-online poker plank in its last three platforms (2000, 2004, and 2008). As a result, rightly or wrongly most Americans associate the party with UIGEA. This position likely costs the party far more votes than it gains. The GOP can no longer afford to give away votes

3.) Write to Congress

Let’s all go to the PPA autoletter site (http://capwiz.com/pokerplayersalliance/home/) to write to Congress. In only 60 seconds, we can tell our Congressmen and Senators exactly what we think of UIGEA!

4.) Forward this to our friends

This isn’t just about poker. It’s about Internet freedom and freedom in general. Every American should care.

TheEngineer
11-14-2008, 08:32 AM
Check out statist Sen. Jon Kyl rubbing this in! :mad:

http://www.kyl.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=304955

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 13, 2008

CONTACT:
Andrew Wilder or Ryan Patmintra (202) 224-4521

Kyl Lauds Final Internet Gambling Regulations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Treasury Department and Federal Reserve finalized late Wednesday the rules to implement the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). U.S. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl, the chief sponsor of the UIGEA, made the following statement:

“Though the final regulations are a year late, I commend the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve for taking the time necessary to ensure that all comments were taken under consideration and the most thorough process was used to finalize regulations. I am pleased we’ve taken an important step to thwart illegal Internet gambling.

“The federal government in recent weeks has taken a number of sweeping steps to aid the nation’s ailing financial institutions. One way these financial institutions can reciprocate as responsible corporate citizens is to do their part to ensure that these regulations are implemented properly.

“The regulations provide the authority necessary to enforce existing federal and state laws that outlaw online gambling. Even though the banks have a year to implement them, I would hope they will act with alacrity to begin enforcing the law.”

TheEngineer
11-14-2008, 08:34 AM
Here's another GOP big government nanny-stater bragging about taking another freedom :confused: :

http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=G...y&id=330220771 (http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=330220771)

Bachus Statement on UIGEA Rules

Released : Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:19 PM

House Committee on Financial Services

Spencer Bachus, Ranking Member

November 12, 2008

Bachus Statement on UIGEA Rules

Ranking Member Spencer Bachus made the following statement today after the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve finalized rules to implement that Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

Bachus said, "The Treasury and Federal Reserve actions provide the tools needed to put an end to illegal Internet gambling. While the rules are more than a year late, the Treasury and Federal engaged in a thorough and open process to implement these rules and I commend them for their work. No longer will the offshore gambling interests benefit from turning any computer into a casino that is available every minute of the day.

"The rules will be effective at combating illegal Internet gambling and will provide two significant protections. First, the rules will protect our young people because illegal Internet gambling brings the casino into the bedroom and dorm rooms, sometimes with tragic consequences. Second, the rules will effectively prevent illegal offshore casinos from taking billions of dollars from the U.S. into largely unknown--and all too often criminal--hands."

Contact: Marisol Garibay, 202-226-2467

Website: http://republicans.financialservices.house.gov/

TheEngineer
11-14-2008, 02:20 PM
I hope everyone will write to Obama and to the new GOP site. I'll write about poker AND about general matters of liberty. It seems they both need to hear this.