"politics and poker" - Offtopic Thursday

CheckRayz Heads-up Challenge tonight...

Tonight, CheckRayz will be putting on their first ever Heads-up poker challenge at Celeb Poker. We did try this once before, however an oversight on my part prevented the heads up tourney from being such (it was configured incorrectly and I never caught it). So, tonight's event should be exciting. $50 added to the prize pool with a $5+.50 entry and leaderboard points on the line. First hands are dealt at 9pm EST.

With that out of the way, we move on to "off-topic Thursday," which is going to only be semi-off topic as we're gonna talk politics and poker.

Politics and Poker

Before I even get into this, which I can see myself being very long winded about, I'd like to call to arms all of my readers, and fellow poker players to arms immediately. There's a ridiculous bill being pushed through congress trying to outlaw online poker play. That being said, sign up with Poker Player's Alliance today and stand up against this ridiculous bill trying to be forced upon us.

In mid February of this year, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, the idiot representative from Virginia, introduced legislation, which if passed, may ban online poker play.

The idiot representative from Virginia, in his proposal, groups poker in with other "games of chance." As we all know, poker is a game of skill... the state lottery - game of chance, poker - game of skill. We all know he won't propose banning the lottery, which is nothing more than chance. Go figure, keep the games of chance with worse odds that line the pockets of government, while banning that which requires skill.

To you, Mr. idiot representative from Virginia and anyone else mindlessly following, I say this to thee:

1. Gambling, like horse racing, slot machines, lotteries, prostitution (see Nevada), abortion, and gay marriage is a STATE ISSUE, not a federal issue. If our citizens of the United States are permitted to go to Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Reno, and to Riverboat Casinos, casinos located on Indian Reservations, or the local dog/horse track just across the state borders to play the slots (once again, game of chance --- no skill involved), it is obvious that this is a state issue, not a federal issue.

2. Are you concerned with minors having access to gambling? Or people running up credit card bills? Spend your time and efforts to help support positive parenting and debt management, pal.

3. Is this a way for you to infringe upon our constitutionally given right to free speech by banning online gaming? We were all up on China's jock when they were "forcing" their citizens to not be "allowed" to view and access certain things on the world wide web. Are you next planning to seek restrictions of the natural growth of the internet? Planning on sticking a virtual flagpole somewhere in cyberspace claiming it as your own? What then? Ban anyone's site or content who speaks out against your narrow minded views on the world? Hell, why not go one step further and ban anyone who "might" vote against the idiot representative from Virginia when you next run for re-election? That would be a great idea, wouldn't it, Bob?

4. I have a better idea. Why not work to regulate it? Do you remember US History 101 from your more youthful college days? Sure ya do. Think about Prohibition? You do remember hearing about prohibition, don't you? I'm not quite sure, but wasn't this the amendment to the constitution that banned the manufacturing, sale, and transport of alcohol? Didn't this make "moonshining," and "bootlegging" the fashionable thing to do until the amendment was repealed? Did this prohibition of alcohol not also ensure that the quality of alcohol was not regulated? And also, did this not push the money, and business to the hands of organized criminal organizations who could freely put out an inferior product to its client base who were clearly there, without giving uncle sam a slice of the pie? Rumor has it that Papa Joe made his millions due to this hostile federal act, later paving the way for Ted to drive off the bridge and leave his mistress for dead.

I recall seeing the sixty minutes episode a while back where the former Party Gaming CEO called out for the United State's assistance in regulating online gaming, to help ensure that fly by night organizations will not be cheating the world out of their bankroll. He is an expert in the field, but surely... just like you, he's in this for his own good, protecting his own self interests, right? I mean he couldn't POSSIBLY be speaking as an expert when he is so obviously tied to the industry now could he be?

5. Is it because online gaming could be "rigged?" Or because people could "cheat?" Don't people "count cards" in the b&m casinos too? Isn't there a chance that two people sitting at a table could work out a system to communicate in the "real world" as well? Remember here... we're looking for consistency, which you are receiving very low scores in. I suggest you click on that word to first see what it means. Pay careful attention to definitions 3a and 3b.

6. Could it be that you're really looking to help ensure that brick and mortor casinos keep the money flowing both to them and to you? If that is not the case, Mr idiot rep from Virginia, you'd be looking to ban all types of games of chance, which would include those held on "real property" and in cyberspace. Face it, this is at best a state issue with federal oversight required. Tax it, regulate it, don't even think about banning it. Nuff said...

Mike

*** Feel free to link to and/or comment on this post as you see fit. The above are my thoughts and my thoughts alone. I welcome commentary on all sides of this issue and will respond to each and every one, as appropriate. Republishing of the above editorial without my written permission is forbidden.







Poker

Legal
Thoughts on Poker
Politics & Poker