ProIndividual
Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2011
- Messages
- 1,775
From:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2068228,00.html
From:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=6437758
From:
http://www.quadjacks.com/2011/06/29...ng-control-commissionfull-tilt-poker-fallout/
I am a low level professional poker player. I have been similarly effected by this "crackdown", even though I have paid all my taxes (even on the money frozen on Full Tilt Poker (FTP)). My job has been de facto outlawed (the government admit players have committed no crime), a large percentage of my life savings frozen, and now, with this latest development concerning FTP, stolen. It is painfully clear now, we have no legal recourse to recover our property, our own government has no interest in our property or trial rights, and has no intention of unfreezing all the accounts they seized from FTP in order to pay U.S. players their money. The government has bankrupted our bank, essentially.
In order to explain to the average non-player, I'll say this situation is similar to U.S. banking. In the normal order of things, the banks keep far less in the vault than they have loaned out. So, this fractional system (fraud) is not unusual around the world as a standard for all financially involved companies, like poker sites. Your bank is run just like this site was...and when the government opened up it's extortionist can of worms, by freezing accounts, the inevitable run on the bank occured. Then, the site tried to raise the money it, of course, didn't have....but of course less people would play there everyday that passed. Eventually the whole thing became impossible, and they had no choice but to sell. They had lined up a supposed buyer, including Mr. Binion of Las Vegas' Binion Casino, when the AGCC put the final statist nail in the coffin by making it illegal to have a business at all.
So, it's like your bank committed an alleged crime, but your money was being confiscated by the government to pay for it...even though they kept asserting you committed no crime!
No matter who you blame, the site or the government, the players are being robbed.
I personally thought I'd be recieving this money back eventually, as I said in another post on this forum. I now know that will never happen. My life, and the life of so many American poker players, has been altered in immeasurable ways. Many of us are looking for someone to help.
There are several congregation points for the players; universally accepted "town squares" where plaeyrs meet to learn, laugh, and now, seek group therapy and support. On the most popular of these sites, Gary Johson's ads are plastered everywhere. I love Gary too, but we all know if any libertarian has a shot, it's Ron. We need to take advantage of this time for these millions of people.
Most poker players are politically inactive...and just waiting to rally behind someone. They are an untapped constituency.
Here is the famous twoplustwo forums (2+2), where Gary is advertizing hardcore:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/
The other site for massive poker player traffic is a news site that has been doing the real dirty work of the investigating of the behind-the-scenes poker world, QuadJacks:
http://www.quadjacks.com/
Between these two sites everyone and anyone who is effected by this "crackdown", whether financially or not, can be reached.
I understand Ron is busy, and isn't interested in sticking his neck out for gamblers while trying to win a Republican nomination, but I don't think it would require much to get the players on board. The following actions should do it:
1. A simple letter that can be re-posted on the sites would be required. It should be signed by Ron Paul, and say something to the effect of "if elected President, I would work on your behalf to release the funds the government has taken from these websites to ensure, if possible, the repayment of the property to it's rightful owners as quick as possible." It'd be nice if he added an emotional modifier, like "I understand the hardships many of you have had to endure, especially at this time when the economy is not doing well, and because of this I will give the issue it's proper priority. I believe de facto outlawing American jobs is the wrong way to address this issue." This would sell them all, for sure. I could re-post such a letter once on each site, and watch the snowball turn to an avalanche. I'd also suggest links in the letter to this forum, the campaign donation site, and campaign for liberty's site (and anything else you think appropriate).
2. (Optional) If Ron could slip it in as an aside to another issue, segway into it somehow, even just for a soundbyte's worth of time, that would be posted also on these sites as a video or audio file. Again, for those who don't like to read the other posts, this would cause a snowball effect of awareness.
3. If when this letter or video is posted, this forum would invade those other two sites with a showing of support for the players and their hard times (some have gone homeless even, so it's really emotional for many of them). Simple comments on posts in support would secure the mutual respect between the communities.
4. (Optional) If Ron would in his letter or soundbyte, or both, say "I would work diligently to legalize online poker, and this traditionally American GAME OF SKILL (the game of skill part is HUGE in the community, it's like a meme) in it's live form." Of course, I know it's a state's issue, so that can be alternatively stated...I'm just making political suggestions on phrasology, not speaking to the particulars of the process.
5. If 1-4 works out, I want to organize fund raisers in the poker community, and possibly a non-profit so I can run charity events and tournaments. This is done for many types of charities (although I'm not sure how the FEC sees poker game donations, but you guys will call me on this if it's illegal, I'm sure, and I thank you in advance for doing so). Even if all I do is make poker/Ron Paul meet-ups, we can't lose anything by trying this. If I can raise money, then the potential for funds is HUGE. These people will jump to play poker, and jump through the roof to play, raise money to legalize poker, get their money back, and help their fellow players all at the same time.
I don't want anything for my trouble...I can win my own money playing poker. I'm not looking to do anything, except get Ron elected, and help out my, and my friends, self interests. If that's not cool, I apologize, but we are in a bad way right now, and all we are concerned about is our life savings and our jobs (like everyone else). We can't sell Ron to these people on other issues, all they care about is poker, poker, and oh yeah, poker.
Maybe you all think this isn't so important, but a possible 10 MILLION supporters seems pretty important to me. True, we won't siphon them all off to our campaign....but even if we just get 10%, that's ONE MILLION (Dr. Evil pinky finger to the corner of the mouth) new Ron Paul voters.
Just give me a letter, and watch me produce.
God bless everyone, or if atheist, thank you for your valuable time.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2068228,00.html
From:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=6437758
From:
http://www.quadjacks.com/2011/06/29...ng-control-commissionfull-tilt-poker-fallout/
I am a low level professional poker player. I have been similarly effected by this "crackdown", even though I have paid all my taxes (even on the money frozen on Full Tilt Poker (FTP)). My job has been de facto outlawed (the government admit players have committed no crime), a large percentage of my life savings frozen, and now, with this latest development concerning FTP, stolen. It is painfully clear now, we have no legal recourse to recover our property, our own government has no interest in our property or trial rights, and has no intention of unfreezing all the accounts they seized from FTP in order to pay U.S. players their money. The government has bankrupted our bank, essentially.
In order to explain to the average non-player, I'll say this situation is similar to U.S. banking. In the normal order of things, the banks keep far less in the vault than they have loaned out. So, this fractional system (fraud) is not unusual around the world as a standard for all financially involved companies, like poker sites. Your bank is run just like this site was...and when the government opened up it's extortionist can of worms, by freezing accounts, the inevitable run on the bank occured. Then, the site tried to raise the money it, of course, didn't have....but of course less people would play there everyday that passed. Eventually the whole thing became impossible, and they had no choice but to sell. They had lined up a supposed buyer, including Mr. Binion of Las Vegas' Binion Casino, when the AGCC put the final statist nail in the coffin by making it illegal to have a business at all.
So, it's like your bank committed an alleged crime, but your money was being confiscated by the government to pay for it...even though they kept asserting you committed no crime!
No matter who you blame, the site or the government, the players are being robbed.
I personally thought I'd be recieving this money back eventually, as I said in another post on this forum. I now know that will never happen. My life, and the life of so many American poker players, has been altered in immeasurable ways. Many of us are looking for someone to help.
There are several congregation points for the players; universally accepted "town squares" where plaeyrs meet to learn, laugh, and now, seek group therapy and support. On the most popular of these sites, Gary Johson's ads are plastered everywhere. I love Gary too, but we all know if any libertarian has a shot, it's Ron. We need to take advantage of this time for these millions of people.
Most poker players are politically inactive...and just waiting to rally behind someone. They are an untapped constituency.
Here is the famous twoplustwo forums (2+2), where Gary is advertizing hardcore:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/
The other site for massive poker player traffic is a news site that has been doing the real dirty work of the investigating of the behind-the-scenes poker world, QuadJacks:
http://www.quadjacks.com/
Between these two sites everyone and anyone who is effected by this "crackdown", whether financially or not, can be reached.
I understand Ron is busy, and isn't interested in sticking his neck out for gamblers while trying to win a Republican nomination, but I don't think it would require much to get the players on board. The following actions should do it:
1. A simple letter that can be re-posted on the sites would be required. It should be signed by Ron Paul, and say something to the effect of "if elected President, I would work on your behalf to release the funds the government has taken from these websites to ensure, if possible, the repayment of the property to it's rightful owners as quick as possible." It'd be nice if he added an emotional modifier, like "I understand the hardships many of you have had to endure, especially at this time when the economy is not doing well, and because of this I will give the issue it's proper priority. I believe de facto outlawing American jobs is the wrong way to address this issue." This would sell them all, for sure. I could re-post such a letter once on each site, and watch the snowball turn to an avalanche. I'd also suggest links in the letter to this forum, the campaign donation site, and campaign for liberty's site (and anything else you think appropriate).
2. (Optional) If Ron could slip it in as an aside to another issue, segway into it somehow, even just for a soundbyte's worth of time, that would be posted also on these sites as a video or audio file. Again, for those who don't like to read the other posts, this would cause a snowball effect of awareness.
3. If when this letter or video is posted, this forum would invade those other two sites with a showing of support for the players and their hard times (some have gone homeless even, so it's really emotional for many of them). Simple comments on posts in support would secure the mutual respect between the communities.
4. (Optional) If Ron would in his letter or soundbyte, or both, say "I would work diligently to legalize online poker, and this traditionally American GAME OF SKILL (the game of skill part is HUGE in the community, it's like a meme) in it's live form." Of course, I know it's a state's issue, so that can be alternatively stated...I'm just making political suggestions on phrasology, not speaking to the particulars of the process.
5. If 1-4 works out, I want to organize fund raisers in the poker community, and possibly a non-profit so I can run charity events and tournaments. This is done for many types of charities (although I'm not sure how the FEC sees poker game donations, but you guys will call me on this if it's illegal, I'm sure, and I thank you in advance for doing so). Even if all I do is make poker/Ron Paul meet-ups, we can't lose anything by trying this. If I can raise money, then the potential for funds is HUGE. These people will jump to play poker, and jump through the roof to play, raise money to legalize poker, get their money back, and help their fellow players all at the same time.
I don't want anything for my trouble...I can win my own money playing poker. I'm not looking to do anything, except get Ron elected, and help out my, and my friends, self interests. If that's not cool, I apologize, but we are in a bad way right now, and all we are concerned about is our life savings and our jobs (like everyone else). We can't sell Ron to these people on other issues, all they care about is poker, poker, and oh yeah, poker.
Maybe you all think this isn't so important, but a possible 10 MILLION supporters seems pretty important to me. True, we won't siphon them all off to our campaign....but even if we just get 10%, that's ONE MILLION (Dr. Evil pinky finger to the corner of the mouth) new Ron Paul voters.
Just give me a letter, and watch me produce.
God bless everyone, or if atheist, thank you for your valuable time.
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