Washington Votes Forum

Democrat or Republican I don't care if you voted for this legistation and you are up for re-election, I am voting against you on November 7th. I will be taking your record to the voting booth.

Why do our representatives, (State or Federal) care about or worry what I do with my own hard earned money. If I want to take some of it and play a little poker on line what is it of their business. I serve in the military and fight for the fredoms that these people are taking from me and that pisses me off to no end. Why don't they worry about protecting our kids from sexual preditors and not worry if I spend a couple bucks playing poker. Thats what they are supposed to be doing, thats why we put them there to vote in our best interest. They are doing none of it.

Hey Legislators, this law is overly broad, and Unconstitutional On It's Face, the punishment doesn't fit the crime, circumvents the 14th Amendment, and is against the WA State Constitutions Privacy Rights. This will get defeated Margarita Prentice. Do you even know how to use the internet? Or does your aide check, and write your emails? And Mr. Day I'm all in right now, I have won over 500 bucks tonight, COME AND GET ME BOY!!! I DARE YA

I've often thought of how much money the US Government might be able to make if they decided they would step in, take over the internet gambling sites from the off shore people who are illegally regulating them now, re-regulate them, and make it legal to gamble on-line. Seems to me that the people who are doing it now are hauling in tons of money. Why donesn't the government step in and bring that money back into the greatest nation on earth. The USA! Might be able to take a chunk out of the national debt.

That is EXACTLY what they have in mind...it's called GREED!!

Be sure you vote for NO imcumbunts!! This is the ONLY way things are going to change!

Remember to vote against anyone who supported this bill. Then contact whoever won the race and educate them on the situation - convince them that SB 6613 needs to be repealed.

Whats the difference? Both are big government liberals. When Repubs or Demos adopt Libertarian fiscal conservativism, I might vote for them, until then they can't rot in their socialism.

I used to be so proud to be an American, way back when it was a free country. Now, while the crooked dictatorship has us dying in Iraq to promote freedom abroad, they are wiping away our freedoms one by one. And now they took away my right to play a 5 dollar poker tournament in my own home!!!! Maybe I'll just move to Iraq where I am able to play poker online. OMG !!! this government has got to GO !!!!!!!

I have (and still do) wager on sports & horse racing weekly, and have made a good living at this for the past twenty years!! Of course I have had the "losing days", but we all do. But I can also say that I have made a good amount of profit each & every year for the past ten in a row!! Now they want to take that away from me. So, what they "REALLY" want to do is take away the cash that I have been living on now for the past eight years since I turned this in to a "Profession". As I said, I will keep on playing sports online (and some ponies on the side) and do not give a crap if they come tearing my door down. What they really should be doing is taking all of those damn lottery tickets out of Washington State. That is where the "REAL" problem is with gambling. My wife & I just seen a very old lady who hardly had enough cash to buy her food and was getting "scratch" tickets in which she spend $20 bucks on. She got $3.00 back!! Way to go Washington!! Take away all of the cash from these people whom "Really" need it as you know you always advertise towards these people. Go Figure...

I have (and still do) wager on sports & horse racing weekly, and have made a good living at this for the past twenty years!! Of course I have had the "losing days", but we all do. But I can also say that I have made a good amount of profit each & every year for the past ten in a row!! Now they want to take that away from me. So, what they "REALLY" want to do is take away the cash that I have been living on now for the past eight years since I turned this in to a "Profession". As I said, I will keep on playing sports online (and some ponies on the side) and do not give a crap if they come tearing my door down. What they really should be doing is taking all of those damn lottery tickets out of Washington State. That is where the "REAL" problem is with gambling. My wife & I just seen a very old lady who hardly had enough cash to buy her food and was getting "scratch" tickets in which she spend $20 bucks on. She got $3.00 back!! Way to go Washington!! Take away all of the cash from these people whom "Really" need it as you know you always advertise towards these people. Go Figure...

Yes, you should indeed be ashamed, but not to be an "American", but to be from the USA. Please do not imply that the rest of the hemisphere is involved. Calling the "USA", "America" is very insulting to the rest of us "Americans" living outside of the USA.

What a stupid law it is! We should organize a parade to oppose against the stupid law made by Washington State.

Now that the elections are over, if you have a new legislator in your district, please meet with them and educate them on how hypocritical, unreasonable, and illogical SB 6613 is!! Hopefully all you people who believe in DRIP will now do something more than just vote against incumbants. Get out there and talk to your legislators! Now that the election is over - it is the *only* way to affect change. Educate whoever you can on the numerous reasons that SB 6613 is a bad law. p.s. I did vote against any incumbant that voted for SB 6613 - so don't get mad at me you DRIP fanatics. :-)

As you have been told before many times. We DRIP *Fanatics* (interesting choice of words as if to insinuate that YOU are any less *fanatic*)have indeed talked to legislators and will continue to do so. As many Republican and some Democrat fosils now know, the VOTE is the best way to *talk* whan the more vocal methods fail. VOTES (or lack thereof)get a legislators attention. Looks like their attention has been gotten. Watch for the change in weather next election.

Karen Keiser was one of the supporters of SB6613: State Senator Legislative Dist No. 33 Karen Keiser DEM 17942 62.29% Karen Steele REP 10818 37.56% Toby Nixon was one of the few who voted against SB6613: State Senator Legislative Dist No. 45 Eric Oemig DEM 24811 52.88% Toby Nixon REP 22063 47.03% I don't see an obvious message in those results, and if I see one it isn't good for SB6613. SB6613 was something most leglislators spent less than 1 minute on, and they are not going to "get the message" even if a lot of people changed their votes because of SB 6613. And regardless of how fanatic I am (and I *am* fanatic about this), I recognize that people who care about repealing SB 6613 are a very small minority of voters, so voting alone can't fix the problem. Once again, I will say that I didn't vote (or support financially) anyone who voted for this bill, and I did vote against everyone I could who voted for this bill. However, I got *much* more accomplished by meeting with my legislators and by emailing all the legislators with my concerns. If anything changes (probably not this year), it will be because lots of citizens contacted their legislators, not because of DRIP. I am glad that you personally spoke with your legislators -good job! Try to convince everyone you know to do the same (with the same fervor you defend DRIP) :-) In addition, for the next 2 years it is the only thing we can do to get our civil liberties back. In summary - please don't misinterpret what I am trying to say. While DRIP is fine, it is not enough to fix the problem; and can't be applied right now. That is why I am encouraging everyone to contact their legislators. I don't want to wait 2 years to start working on the situation.

In spite of a large success in many areas, the effects of DRIP were profoundly offset by the *anti-Republican* tide in that if an incumbant was a Democrat, they stayed, if they were a Republican, they were ran out of town so-to-speak. This is indeed unfortunate; as all incumbants need to be *ran out of town* if we are to take back our government. Tragically, the intensly polarized, two-party system we seem to be doomed to have to live in, prevents many *sheeple* from clearly seeing that. DRIP was clearly needed but many who might have leaned toward DRIP were more strongly swayed by the drive to get back at any republican candidate,(incumbant or not) than they were motivated to take step and measure to take back government as a whole. I guess you'll keep talking...and I'll keep doing DRIP. But until *We the People* come together and oust these fossil, career polititians and judges, we are doomed to watch our freedoms and republic slowly vanish as these rejects sell us down the road..

I am glad your State decided to ban online gambling. I know of a housewife who ran up charge cards over $50,000 because of online gambling. The debt was paid off over a time period. Will she do it again? Next time her husband will not be paying the bills. I agreed a Class C felony is a bit strong for placing a 25 cent wager online. Your government's intent was good just too strong of a punishment in my opinion. But I may feel differently if my spouse/partner ran up a gambling bill that I had to pay off.

Maybe you should move to that lovely country.

Someone wrote: I am glad your State decided to ban online gambling. I know of a housewife who ran up charge cards over $50,000 because of online gambling. The debt was paid off over a time period. Will she do it again? Next time her husband will not be paying the bills. I agreed a Class C felony is a bit strong for placing a 25 cent wager online. Your government's intent was good just too strong of a punishment in my opinion. But I may feel differently if my spouse/partner ran up a gambling bill that I had to pay off. Do you really think that this will fix the problem? I think that regulation is what will actually fix this problem. Why do you think that addicted gamblers will 'obey the law'? Why do you think companies outside the US will 'obey the law'? What we need are good quality companies that respect US law and that will do their best to not allow addicted gamblers to play. That is what the major casinos in Las Vegas do - and that is what we need online gambling providers to do. "Banning the Internet" is not the answer. By the way, I can tell that same story for State sponsored lotteries, horse-racing, etc. Maybe we should ban all gambling! The hypocrites who make law in the state of Washington benefit greatly from lotteries, horse-racing, and brick-and-mortar casinos. We should make all gambling providers follow the *same* rules and regulations, not support and promote 1 kind of provider while making it a FELONY to use the other kind of provider.

Since when does ANY government have the right to tell me how or why or when I spend MY own money! If I chose to gamble online in the privacy of my own home with my hard earned money that should be MY privilege, MY business! I am beging to feel I am living in a FACIOUS state. What's next? I am beyond angry!

This is a clear infringment of individual's rights in favour of a powerful lobby. the state has no business regulating what people do in their own homes, or regulating their ability to engage in private interaction via the Internet.

I think it is sad that this Country has come to the point that we as individual are being legislated too as too how ot spend our money. The other interesting fact is that the main driving force behind this bill is supported by organizations that benefit by the exclusion or the passing of the bill for example Harrahs. If the US was so worried about controlling online gambling why do they not allow operators to get online gambling licesnes and control the acticity and make sure that is legit and is not being used to fund criminal enterprises. Ever since 911 that seems to be the goverments number one excuse. Are we to have all of our freedoms taken from us because of terrorism.I think its just political agenda and nothing more. The way things are going you could reasonably move to Russia and have more freedoms in a few years. Most of the european countries have legalized gambling controlled by the goverment. Maybe its time THe US took a look at how they are doing it. Just a furstrated citizen that is tired of having my little pleasures taken from me bu self rightous fat cats that are probably goign to Vegas to gamble several times a yesr

to the scum who states that online gambling should be banned well I won 1500 last night from a lousy 50 bucks.....so screw you....

10th District legislator introduces bill to provide an affirmative defense to the Class C Felony created by 2006 internet gambling bill by Chris Strow Press Release Jan. 23, 2007 In-home recreational internet gaming shouldn’t be a felony, says Strow 10th District legislator introduces bill to provide an affirmative defense to the Class C Felony created by 2006 internet gambling bill Rep. Chris Strow, R-Whidbey Island, today announced his legislation, House Bill 1243, to quash the felony charge language in last year’s legislation addressing in-home internet gambling. “My goal with this legislation is to correct an element from last year’s online gambling bill, Senate Bill 6613, that made it a Class C Felony to gamble recreationally in one’s own home if it is done online,” said Strow. “While I do see the need for protecting our citizens from online gaming that may be scamming innocent victims, I do think that there is also a level of accountability, as an adult, to do as he or she chooses in his or her own home,” said Strow. “Most certainly choosing to gamble, or play a game of skill such as poker, should not have been made a crime equivalent to possessing child pornography or threatening the Governor.” House Bill 1243 is currently awaiting a hearing in the House Commerce and Labor Committee. “While I have requested a hearing on the bill, people need to call and write the Chairman of the House Commerce and Labor Committee, Representative Steve Conway, and ask him to schedule a hearing for House Bill 1243,” said Strow. Rep. Conway can be reached at (360) 786-7906 or Conway.steve@leg.wa.gov. “There’s a certain point at which policy can be perceived as ‘nanny stateish.’ I think we reached that point with last year’s legislation and I’m aiming to make amends,” said Strow. Author Contact Info: Chris Strow

I've just read a number of the comments posted here and noticed that several people seem to believe that this disgusting intrusion into our private lives won't fly. Guess what...it's already airborn! The reason I came to this site in the first place was because one of my favorite online sites just posted a notice that Washington players will no longer be accepted! I cannot believe the audacity of these graft taking, worthless overpaid leeches! It seems impossible that the most corrupt people on the face of the earth could be dictating morality to private citizens! Please don't just scream to each other! Somone with the knowledge and capabilty needs to put together an automated email setup and post it on the web. Put every single one of these creeps email address into that list and allow us all to send them weekly reminders of who votes and who wants to see them out of politics! I'm sure it can be done and I wish I knew how. If something like this is done, please let me know. my email is lynnfallis@yahoo.com Next these idiots will be telling us where to take our vacations or what color to paint our bedrooms! Where does it end?

You are obviously not a skilled poker player! Everything in life is gambling to one extent or the other, but poker is a GREAT deal more about skill than chance! Get a life and get out of mine!

If it were about getting a cut, that could have been arranged. They could have passed a law to regulate and tax it instead. Don't get me wrong, I'm positive that it has nothing to do with anything legitimate or honorable, but somewhere in there, you missed. It probably is connected instead to the huge (contributions?) that were made by the indian gaming industry and other equally ludicrous graft deals. Did you notice for instance that online horse racing is exempted? They paid a very large sum for that privalege...very large!

How about "controled?" Why should some stupid politician decide what private citizens can or cannot do with their own money in the privacy of their own home? Sieg Heil!

Obviously you do not play poker online! People only tend to react to things that affect them personally. You bet I'm paranoid and I am ranting! These disgusting people have ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS IN MY PRIVATE LIFE! NONE! GET OUT OF IT!

Our rights are slowly being stripped away. I find this so sad. Here we fight for other countries freedom, while our own rights are disappearing. We have never had such a corrupt government and president EVER. I could have sworn the constitution began with We, the people.......not me the president or me the government. Please vote these corrupt and dangerous officals out of office.

I am ashamed of this government. Once again it has overstepped it's bounds and stuck it's nose where it doesn't belong. I don't need Big Brother watching me and telling me what I can and cannot do. I assume the govt. is banning online gambling because they haven't yet figured out a way to tax it. Keep it up.... the only thing left to tax is the dirty air we breathe.

Amen

Poker tournament at a local cardroom = legal. Poker tournament online = felony. What in the world???????? I can't believe we live in a state where those 2 facts are simultaneously true. SB 6613 needs to be repealed!!

HB1243 Go look at that bill and figure out how you can support it. From a player's point of view it takes away most of the negatives from SB 6613.

If you are going to illigalize internet gambling you better illegalize the stock market, a lot of poor suckers have lost a lot more money there. OOOOOppppps, I forgot, the right people are making money and losing money with the stock market.

Is it against the new law to participate the freeroll games offered on various sites? One is not gambling, but is playing and can win. This question needs to be answered.

We should be allowed to spend our money and gamble if we want. I think more time should be spent upon helping poor homeless, solving crime, etc.

Freerolls are OK, because you aren't wagering something of value. (You aren't wagering anything at all, frankly.)

HB2320 updates the laws on this bill, and makes recreational gambling ONLY a gross misdemeanor. Are they serious? After the gross overreaction to this particular bill that occurred last year, they choose to acknowledge their mistake by continuing to overreact? It makes me wonder if our legislators really think they made a mistake last year. In listening to Rep. Strow on TVW.org, he very briefly advocated for the rights of citizens to spend their money as they choose, and then very quickly rolled over in the interests of expediency. It is a shame that we not only need advocates to the legislature to tell them that we can use our money how we want, but even further, it's ridiculous that such a viewpoint has an opposing argument that seems to predominate through the Legislature! Do they really know not what they do?