SOPA Provisions Being Introduced Piecemeal From Lamar Smith 134
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."
Bit Slavery (Score:5, Insightful)
Pink Floyd can answer both of your questions (Score:5, Insightful)
what'd I tell ya? Dildo legislation. (Score:2, Insightful)
"Oh, No Mr congressman! We don't want that dildo!"
"Well, little voter, don't worry your little head off. We see you can't possibly handle that dildo legislation.. so, how about THIS one?"
"Oh gosh Mr Congressman! That one's even bigger than the last one!"
(Repeat ad nauseum until little voter gets so shocked about what Mr Congressman can pull out of his rape kit that he accepts a "smaller" dildo, but still gets fucked.)
Re:Bit Slavery (Score:5, Insightful)
I think Colonialism might be a better word for it.
But, very much the same thing.
I wonder how long before countries decide they aren't willing to receive that person. Already Canada has basically said:
Courtesy of Michael Geist [michaelgeist.ca]. Everyone already knows these guys are industry shills ... adding them to your official diplomatic corps isn't necessarily going to gain you credibility for a position which is an industry one.
Re:Irony (Score:5, Insightful)
That's the biggest problem I see with this shit.
They can just keep trying, voer and over again, until either by apathy or random chance it gets through.
We can't all mobilize like we did for SOPA every month.. eventually people run out of energy fighting this stuff.. and then it'll pass.
Mass Mailings (Score:4, Insightful)
"Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to you because your government is scheduled to soon receive an 'IP Attache' from my country's Commerce Department. Please be aware that despite the departmental title, this person DOES NOT represent my will, nor the will of the American people as a whole. The position he or she occupies was created through corrupt means and despite our vocal protests. I and my fellow Americans ask that you treat this representative as the corporate thug they are. They are not a diplomat. They have neither your best interests, nor ours, as their goal, only their own. I humbly ask that you treat them as you would any other hostile entity.
Sincerely, (name)"
Re:Bit Slavery (Score:4, Insightful)
Funny though, that Canada said this EXACTLY AS they signed ACTA and instituted their BRUTAL DMCA style copyright bill.
Don't trust words. Trust actions. Harper is a joke.
Re:DAMN DEMOCRATS! (Score:3, Insightful)
Neither party is better than the other on IP issues. Once in a while, you seem to get the occasional outlier/fluke (c.f. the fate of the original SOPA/PIPA), but neither are pushing in anything remotely close to the right direction.
Re:Irony (Score:5, Insightful)
That's not even it.
Thing with SOPA is it got people who had no interest in this stuff thinking about it. I know this because a lot of my non-geek friends were asking me about it. That works once.. maybe twice. All the big name sites that participated in the protest arn't going to do it every time one of these bills comes up, and even if they did, people would very quickly start ignoring it again. SOPA protests were effective because they were unprecedented and it got peoples attention.
Without the kind of mass public "wtf is this about" response, it's just a bunch of geeks yelling at a wall.
Re:Trying to Sneak Rejected Legislation in (Score:5, Insightful)
There really should be criminal charges for a government representative knowingly acting against the interests of the people. Is there one? Does treason cover it, or is specifically for national security related matters/
Re:Irony (Score:4, Insightful)
This is exactly why the digital rights activists need to go on the offensive. As long as we are continually on the defensive we are vulnerable to aggressive industry lobbying. Legislation needs to be promoted and passed that will solidify protection for digital rights, and weaken the position of our opponents. In strategic terms, we need to take the battle to the enemy.
We keep fighting reactionary battles... (Score:5, Insightful)
A pre-emptive strike is needed.
Campaign Contributions should not only be public, but limited as being from citizen/residents of the level of office that is representing that district. Would-be representatives should only be allowed to accept funds coming from citizens from within that district and Senator from within the state. This will, in theory, make them more likely to honestly represent the area in question. I doubt Lamar Smith's own district in TX is clamoring for this shit.
Superpacs should not be allowed. I don't think anyone but citizens should be allowed in the campaign contribution. No groups like megacorps, superpacs, NRA, no unions, nothing. At best, special interest groups should be allowed to notify members in the specific area to give to candidate X or Y. That keeps freedom of association.
The way it works now, with the structure of the Congress, special interest groups like the MPAA/RIAA entertainment cartel just have to target a few special senators/representatives that head pertinent the committees and have seniority, like the Bidens/Lamars of the world for bribes campaign donations, and they can usually railroad what they want through unless the apathetic public makes a special effort to counter it.
The problem is that the general public has a life besides watching Congress like a hawk and protesting. These groups can just keep advancing their agendas patiently, like a person playing chess, despite any one-time setbacks.
Re:Oh, Lamar Smith... (Score:3, Insightful)