Dear John, I’m writing you this letter

The last blog talked about losing the poker issue in the RNC platform. I said “Color me dubious.” and I was right. It is back. The PPA –with their bad advice of the other day to post to the platform committee –  now want me to write McCain; I can do that.

———————-

Dear John:

It is always nice to talk with someone from my age group. It is shrinking. We came from a different era and supposedly didn’t have the advantages — or electronics — available today. We thought we were smart after winning the big one but we didn’t have car seat or belts and those cigarettes didn’t carry warning labels. But we had good parents and somehow survived.

Today, your damn platform is trying to be my parents again. They decided that online poker – of all things – deserves their time and approbation. How these people determine they are smarter and more moral than me finds me shaking my head. These people aren’t my parents. My parents are long dead and still missed. And the Bill of Right doesn’t really act as parent but as protector and you folks keep missing all that.

They are prepared to take away something I can enjoy on my fixed income. I can’t really afford/justify monthly cable fees. Poker has brought me enjoyment and mental exercise. I’ve played poker online for over 5 years. It is nickel-dime levels for the most part. All in all it hasn’t cost me anything. No real winnings to speak of either but I can engage myself for a few hours a day and avoid the boob tube.

John, you’ve changed. You had to do that to get elected. I understand all that. What I don’t understand is your/my party’s willingness to take away my decision making process to protect a minute component of society. That isn’t the party of Dirksen and Halleck and my youth.

Let me make it clear, John. I am a one issue voter in this contest –like the NRA voters that you all seem to fear. I won’t shout you’ll pull my cards out of my cold dead hands. I’ll just vote for somebody else who seems to respect my rights. I had to vote Libertarian in the last two elections and had hoped to come back to the mainstream on this one. Doesn’t look like you folks will give me that opportunity.

——————-

If you haven’t written to the candidate of your choice, it is easy to do. For McCain you can use info@johnmccain.com.

I had great parents. That part is very true. I got to thinking that they would probably be unfit parents these days. They arrested a women here last winter who left her children in the car a few feet away from a Salvation Army kettle that she had stopped to donate at. Had to get a lawyer and go to court. I remember my sister standing on the floorboard to look out over the dash. My folks would still be doing time for the everyday things we enjoyed.

ADDENDUM:

I had a acquaintance that loved the boob tube.  His monthly cable bill approached $200.  That is what I deposited on PokerRoom many years ago.  In a way, I am still playing on that money.  I also spend more than that each year on books at Amazon.  Maybe they’d protect me more by outlawing books.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 29th, 2008 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Journal, poker legislation.