So I Wrote the SF Chronicle...

[Numbr2intheWorld]

So inspired by the recent crap thats going on in the US, I decided to write a letter to the editor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Its really easy, you can submit it online so you don't have to leave the house or pick up the phone. I submited it a couple of days ago and they just called me today saying that they're probably going to publish it! I'm pretty stoked, I hope seeing this can inspire others to write their newspaper too.

Here's what I wrote. I admit I'm not a fantastic writer, but I guess this has a structure and/or elements of a letter that they like. Or maybe they just don't get many letters haha. Feel free to copy some of it if you want to write to your paper.

Internet Poker Could Pay Off

The federal government has been at war with online poker for years, making and trying to make laws that effectively ban it. Their ostensible goal is to protect American’s from the “evils of gambling.” Well I’m not sure about you, but if me or my neighbor want to play online poker in the privacy of our homes—a game of skill that has elements of gambling--, I think we should be allowed.

But even if you don’t agree, think about this: Studies have shown that legal and regulated online poker in the US would bring in billions of dollars in tax revenue over the next decade. I’m friends with many great public high school and elementary school teachers who are getting laid off this summer. If we had legal online poker, they may still have their jobs.

Gamblers are always going to find a way to gamble, no matter what laws are made. Did you know that at an online poker site you can play for as little as $1, where at a casino you need $100 to sit down? Why don’t we give gamblers a safe avenue to play. Finally, gambling could pay off.

[a500lbgorilla]

This got me thinking, how much money do you think it would cost to lobby congress to repeal UIGEA?

[BennyLaRue]

This got me thinking, how much money do you think it would cost to lobby congress to repeal UIGEA?

Phil Ivey + 0.5 * Phil Galfond

[Shotglass]

2*Phil Ivey + 1.5 * Phil Galfond

FYP

[a500lbgorilla]

So the two man consensus is too much? I wonder where you could actually hash out the number.

I mean, if the gov't is all about being lobbied profitably by Kochs and Lockheed Martin and Boeing and Siemens (Record US fine ends Siemens bribery scandal | Business | The Guardian) and all the engineering firms, I wonder what the figures are for this case.

[StillDeadMoney]

Very nice post/letter.

I would suggest that Americans just take Canada's slant on the whole thing and not tax earnings from gambling at all. I'm not sure why more pro poker players (online ones, anyway) haven't moved up north.

[donkbee]

NH Max.

I'm not sure why more pro poker players (online ones, anyway) haven't moved up north.

Probably cuz it's not as easy as it sounds to just move to Canada. And if you are a professional, you pay taxes in Canada anyway.

[Galapogos]

Very nice post/letter.

I would suggest that Americans just take Canada's slant on the whole thing and not tax earnings from gambling at all. I'm not sure why more pro poker players (online ones, anyway) haven't moved up north.

Poker's actually taxable up here if it can be proven you can expect to show a profit from it. Pure gambling is non-taxable.

[Galapogos]

Damn you cb and your speedy posting skills!

[donkbee]

[boost]

also, you can't just move to another country and stop paying US taxes.. for all practical purposes, a US citizen is stuck paying US taxes for the rest of their life.

[Shotglass]

also, you can't just move to another country and stop paying US taxes.. for all practical purposes, a US citizen is stuck paying US taxes for the rest of their life.

Only until they become a citizen of another country and renounce their US citizenship, but even dual citizenship still requires US taxes to be paid.

It's kind of f***ed that the US is the only country in the world that is arrogant enough to tax their citizens no matter where the income was earned.

[boost]

Only until they become a citizen of another country and renounce their US citizenship, but even dual citizenship still requires US taxes to be paid.

It's kind of f***ed that the US is the only country in the world that is arrogant enough to tax their citizens no matter where the income was earned.

If you renounce your US citizenship, then it means you have given it up... so you wouldn't be a dual citizen. However there is some crazy clause that forces you to pay taxes for 10 years after renouncing your citizenship. So like I said, for all practical purposes, you have to pay US taxes for the rest of your life.

[Shotglass]

Maybe I should have worded it differently to avoid confusion because I didn't mean renounce and then be a dual citizen.
I did not know about that crazy clause. I don't see how they would be able to enforce that.

[Numbr2intheWorld]

Letters to the editor, April 22

Here's the letter published! yayyy

[spoonitnow]

congrats

[Micro2Macro]

wow that's awesome, way to step up and represent the people.

[kevster]

Content: A
Format/Structure: C

Chalk one up for the smart people.

Way to go Max. Top work. Real shame they didn't print it as a piece rather than a letter to the editor. There should be some mileage in this.

[StillDeadMoney]

It's kind of f***ed that the US is the only country in the world that is arrogant enough to tax their citizens no matter where the income was earned.

Canada does it too.

[StillDeadMoney]

Galap and cb: thanks for that. I looked it up again and you guys are right. That being said, I still think it's stupid to tax gambling income.