Well, things still look good. IGREA is gaining some steam. It remains to be seen if it can clear the House Financial Services Committee, but its mere existence is keeping our opponents at bay, as Frank stated in this interview. Also, Rep. Shelley Berkley [D-NV] introduced HR 2140, an Internet gambling study bill that already has 60 cosponsors. Unfortunately, as we all know, in anticipation of losing the WTO final appeal the USTR announced that the U.S. will withdraw from the gambling portion of the GATS agreement.
So, it seems there's a lot we can be doing right now. And, we really need to do it RIGHT NOW, before these politicians make up their minds. So, let's do the following:
1. If you haven't yet, please contact your congressman and senators by phone and by mail. Ask them to support and cosponsor IGREA and HR 2140. Additionally, let's ask our representatives and senators to honor our commitments to the WTO in this matter. The PPA has an automailer at http://activate.pokerplayersalliance.org/start.php?rindex=1> . As you've probably already done this, please tell your friends. Barney Frank asked us each to get six others to write to their congressmen in support of IGREA. Perhaps post the PPA automailer web address in blogs (where it pertains to the topic, of course), or spam your friends and family. This isn't about IGREA as much as it is demonstrating political support for freedom to choose to gamble online.
2. Now that we have bills out there, we should try to work on our public image. Let's write to newspapers, magazines, post to blogs, etc. with positives of online gaming.
3. We've been focusing on the federal government to date, but there's a state component to this as well. Please write to your state representatives this week and ask him/her to sponsor a bill legalizing Internet gambling within your state.
Thanks everyone!
