

Cautious Optimism Follows SOPA Hearings: Don't Get Cocky - jzb
http://www.readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2011/11/cautious-optimism-follows-sopa.php

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dminor
A few years ago online poker proponents thought they had the UIGEA squelched,
and then it got tacked onto the Safe Ports Act in committee (when they
reconcile the house and senate versions) and sailed through in a midnight
session.

So yeah, don't get cocky.

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jzb
I had forgotten that. Thanks for the comment.

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njharman
The new content distribution companies (what article calls silicon valley)
need to invest 5% of net revenue in lobbying out of existence the old content
distribution companies (aka music, movies, books).

That stuff will still be made, this is a war over distribution not creation.

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libraryatnight
That's kind of what I was wondering. Will tech companies ever start lobbying
back? They have the money.

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AdamFernandez
I think it's just sad that a chart shows the different amounts of lobbying
money that are given by both groups as a comparison. Everyone just implicitly
accepts that money is the most important metric used by politicians to decide
which legislation to support. The game is out in the open, and no cares.

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libraryatnight
This is one of the things that frustrates me to no end. We have the data, we
have the information, we can see it taking place, but nothing seems to be
happening to fix it.

The people in charge feel so removed, like they're operating in a different
world where the people can be shut up if they're ignored long enough. We've
been Ferberized by our own government.

“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue
the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to
maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the
curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see
the brick wall at the back of the theater.” ― Frank Zappa

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tomlin
Every time I read about lobbyists, I think, can't we just outright, wholesale
_ban_ lobbying? The only companies that can afford to lobby do so above and
beyond any capacity that the average person or small business can. Doesn't
that make it unfair? Sure, there are lobbyists from _good_ organizations, but
these organizations will never be able to compete with large corporate
interests. So again, what's the point?

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jerf
Lobbying is a particular kind of speech directed at lawmakers. It is difficult
to imagine what kind of law can ban lobbying without having some sort of even
worse unanticipated side effects.

It's a category error to think of "lobbying" as a distinct thing in itself
that could somehow be banned, unfortunately.

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tomlin
In my mind, it would be as simple as stating, "unless you're a single human
being, your request will not be reviewed.". If you're representing a group of
people, or a group of entities, you are disqualified from having an opinion on
record.

I know it sounds utopian and probably not "realistic", for whatever reason,
but it would certainly even out the playing field.

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jerf
So, when going to write laws on $TECHNICAL_TOPIC, it is now illegal for anyone
in $TECHNICAL_FIELD to even try to advise the Congressperson.

That's not progress.

Oh, and before you answer that one objection, that's one I choose from many.
You've killed way too much necessary speech with that restriction.

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tomlin
It's hard to agree that my ideal world is without flaws, but towards the point
you made, it wouldn't be hard to create an avenue for $TECHNICAL_FIELD to
advise, not lobby, on $TECHNICAL_TOPIC. I'd imagine all sorts of restructuring
would occur in the event that lobbying was banned.

There is a clear and definitive difference between those who are grinding an
agenda down your throat, and those who are offering expertise.

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maeon3
Maybe there is a way to go on the offensive and make net neutrality and net
connectivity a basic unalienable human right. Congress could not care less
about music artists, economic fairness and copyright in general. They have
seen an opportunity to grab power to regulate throttle and authorize all data
in the tubes and are doing what they can to grab it.

Its kind of funny to wonder why a Congress that just got done bankrupting this
country is concerned about music and the sharing thereof.

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daspion
The same reason that pizza is now a vegetable, they only want to tackle topics
that are backed by their donating special interests. We need to fight back
against those corporations that are supporting this bill.

