SOPA Provisions Being Introduced Piecemeal From Lamar Smith

bricko sends this disappointing but not unexpected news from Techdirt: "While it didn't get nearly as much attention as other parts of SOPA, one section in the bill that greatly concerned us was the massive expansion of the diplomatic corp.'s 'IP attaches.' If you're unfamiliar with the program, basically IP attaches are 'diplomats' (and I use the term loosely) who go around the globe pushing a copyright maximalist position on pretty much every other country. Their role is not to support more effective or more reasonable IP policy. It is solely to increase expansion, and basically act as Hollywood's personal thugs pressuring other countries to do the will of the major studios and labels. The role is literally defined as pushing for 'aggressive support for enforcement action' throughout the world. ... In other words, these people are not neutral. They do not have the best interests of the public or the country in mind. Their job is solely to push the copyright maximalist views of the legacy entertainment industry around the globe, and position it as the will of the U.S. government. It was good that this was defeated as a part of SOPA... but now comes the news that Lamar Smith is introducing a new bill that not only brings back this part, but appears to expand it and make it an even bigger deal."

Trying to Sneak Rejected Legislation in

[CanHasDIY]

Trying to sneak rejected legislation in under wraps should be grounds for public beheading.

Time to get serious with these fucks, or else they'll never learn.

Headed for Dystopia a la Noir

[bughunter]

About 10 years ago I submitted a slashdot book review [slashdot.org] for the dark satire, KW Jeter's Noir.

When I first read it, I was convinced he intended it more as a satirical caricature than a cautionary tale.

Now I'm not so sure.

Oh, Lamar Smith...

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Out of curiosity, what keeps Lamar in office? His vehement support for the content cartels presumably doesn't hurt his war chest; but I don't imagine the 'Decadent Hollywood types love cutting me checks!' gambit is what gets out the voters down in Texas. He does have the requisite enthusiasm for fetuses; but that's a dime a dozen, and can be had from people who lack the additional oddity of being a Christian Scientist who spends part of his time hanging out in Massachusetts...

Does anybody more familiar with the fellow's local style know what he does that keeps him in office, as opposed to some socially-identical baptist or something without a copyright maximalist fetish?

Re:Oh, Lamar Smith...

[Anonymous Coward]

Austin is actually gerrymandered to hell. It is split into about 5 different congressional districts so that the D can never overtake the R. We have no hope of getting rid of these idiots as long as they stuff a bunch of people who see voting as "Vote R for Jesus" into the voting population.