A little over a year ago, I was asked if I would represent my state (Massachusetts) as the MA State Director of the Poker Players Alliance. Graciously, I accepted the position knowing full well that it is strictly voluntary. This position has been both exhausting, yet fully rewarding. I take pride in the fact that what I am doing is securing and expanding the rights of poker players all over the country. It really does give me a sense of fulfillment.
But I'm not writing this blog to tell you about my position with the PPA, but rather to tell you WHY the PPA is so important to YOU as a poker player and why you should join our numbers.
Poker is a game unlike no other. It is, for all intents and purposes, America's favorite pastime. It is a game that has been enjoyed by young and old alike for generations. Poker has been played by Presidents, Heads of State, Congressmen, Governor's, Senators, Supreme Court Justices and even entire families right around the kitchen table. Many of us have experienced poker at an early age with the stakes being nickel, dime and quarter. It's hard to deny the appeal of poker because rarely will you find a person who doesn't enjoy playing.
For the past several years our beloved game of poker has been under attck and the target of conservative political crusaders who would like nothing more than to place an outright ban on poker altogether. In fact, in some states, it is a crime to play poker via the internet. Recently, Massachusetts proposed a bill that would have made internet poker a crime punishable by 2 years in the house of correction and/or a $25,000 fine! Thankfully, we were able to stop this legisation dead in its' tracks (due in large part to the efforts of the Poker Players Alliance and the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society from Harvard University). A little more than a year ago, Washington State snuck legislation in that criminalizes internet poker, along with 2 other states, and now New York has just proposed similar legislation! Poker, and your rights to play same ARE under attack!
Then, on a federal level, a small number of ultra conservative politicians surreptitiously snuck a terrible piece of legislation (The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) into a larger bill (The Safe Port Act) that was; a) unrelated to the larger bill and b) was unfairly tucked into the larger bill in the eleventh hour. The Safe Port Act was a bill that specifically dealt with terrorism, and the UIGEA has absolutely NOTHING to do with terrorism! Yet, the bill passed.
The threat is very real folks, and up until last year, poker players DID NOT have a voice...at least not until a small organization began a grassroots effort lobbying for the rights of poker players nationwide. In just a little more than a year, the PPA's numbers have soared to over a million members nationwide and those numbers continue to rise rapidly.
What is the PPA?:
The PPA is a fast-growing grassroots organization with a singular mission - bringing poker players together to speak with one voice, to promote the game, and protect the right to play poker in all its forms. Headquartered in Washington D.C., the PPA has assembled a top-notch team of government relations professionals to fight for the great game of poker.
Our Goals:
*To guarantee poker players a safe, regulated place to play;
*To protect this game of skill, one of the oldest recreational activities in America, from undue governmental interference and misguided laws;
*To organize America's poker players into a potent, political force. A force with such massive numbers that those lawmakers who attack our beloved game will shudder at the mere mention of our organizations name. A massive force that will demand respect!!!
The PPA CAN'T DO THIS ALONE!!! We need your help. To join the PPA, Please call: 1-(888)-448-4PPA. And tell em' that Randy sent ya!
All In,
Randy C~ (aka - MassPoker)
axionjaxion
You are doing a great service to the game we all love! Thank you! Enjoy playing at your table today. Do you have any update on PPA activities?