The Protect IP Act

If you like the already-over-the-top hysteria over trademark and copyright “infringement,” you’ll love the Protect IP Act. This abortional legislation was introduced by Patrick Leahy (D—Hollywood Puppet) and it’s currently on legislative hold. The hold was placed by Sen. Ron Wyden (D—OR).

We have enough of this shit already: Bloggers being sued because they linked to a news article but didn’t mention the author’s name or swoon all over the publisher; huge corporations suing small business owners and entrepreneurs over imaginary “trademark” violations.

If the Protect IP Act ever passes, Net Neutrality will be the least of our worries.

Entertainment industries are pushing this legislation. If it becomes law, all Internet Service Providers and search engines would be required to de-list entire domains any time there’s a CLAIM of copyright infringement. That word again is claim. Not proof. Not a hearing or a vote of any kind. Just a claim.

AND: Any site that even links to a domain that’s been accused of hosting “infringing” activities would also be de-listed and/or taken down. Servers outside of the U.S. would also be within reach of the long arm of the Protect IP Act.

Conservatives should be against this bill, since it’s being pushed by them Hollywood Elitists.

A group of law professors has written a letter to Congress urging the defeat of the Protect IP Act. The letter warns that the law’s sweeping language will “make it extraordinarily difficult for advertisers and credit card companies to do business on the Internet.”

The letter also says:

“At a time when many foreign governments have dramatically stepped up their efforts to censor Internet communications, the Protect IP Act would incorporate into U.S. law — for the first time — a principle more closely associated with those repressive regimes: a right to insist on the removal of content from the global Internet, regardless of where it may have originated or be located, in service of the exigencies of domestic law.”

The complete text of the letter is available here.

Sour Grapes Legislation

Several months before the 2010 mid-term elections, when it was already obvious the Democrats would get a shellacking, Sobbin’ Hood announced that he didn’t want Congress to pass any “sour grapes legislation” during their lame duck session.

Tough shit, Weepy.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell got repealed.

The New START agreement finally got ratified by the Senate.

Congress has finally passed the aid package for 9/11 First Responders (yes, it was a watered-down version).

We’ve got a new expanded food safety bill.

Unemployment benefits have finally been extended (yes, coupled with billionaires’ tax cuts).

And after at least five years of wrangling, we’ve actually got a net neutrality law, watered down as it is. (I know, that was the FCC and not Congress, but still…)

These are some proud achievements from a group of Democrats who’ve spent the past year and a half getting bullied, stymied and shat on by Republicans.

The next two years will be full of gridlock and mutual hatred like we’ve never seen. But for now — You Go 111th Congress.

Keep Them Government Bureaucrats Out of My Internet Service

Freedom has prevailed! The Tree of Liberty has been watered. The Free Enterprise system has scored a smashing victory against those Creeping Socialists who wanted to regulate the Internet.

Long live the Internet! Well, for now, anyway — until our monthly rates go into the stratosphere while the service plunges south. Or maybe you’ll have the choice of either paying through the wazoo for the same service you’re getting now, or not paying the new exorbitant fees and being relegated to the slow lane. Dial-up speed at broadband prices.

But hey — We’re Free!!!

The FCC was smacked down earlier today by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The American people don’t want none of that there Socialized Internet Service, thank you very much.

The Federal Communist Conspiracy had two goals, and they both went against everything our Founding Fathers stood for:

1. Net Neutrality. This was just a government power grab; an excuse for faceless bureaucrats to socialize the Internet.

2. Expanding broadband service to poor and rural areas throughout America. Let those parasites get their own broadband service.

Two years ago Comcast filed a lawsuit against this government takeover, and now the Court of Appeals has ruled in their favor.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski — now there’s a Communist-sounding name if I ever heard one — might appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. Or he might ask Congress to provide additional authority to the FCC.

In the meantime, enjoy your Freedom.

Net Neutrality — Again…Still…

It's the battle that won’t die. If you spend much time online, you’re probably familiar with the term Net Neutrality. This is the idea that telecom companies have absolutely NO right to give preferential treatment to certain Internet customers — a Fast Lane for their highest-paying premium clients and the Slow Lane for the riffraff.

Since there are literally billions of people using the Internet, this seems like a no-brainer. And the good news is, only a few people actually think it’s a bright idea to allow a few telecom executives to play God with the world’s Internet traffic.

The bad news is: these few people are Republican prostitutes legislators who have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes from their johns in the telecom industry. And yesterday in Congress, these Republican skanks did some major trick-turning.

The funniest (but not ha ha) part of yesterday’s debate was FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s argument for why Net Neutrality is unnecessary. He said the FCC has the authority to crack down on telecom companies that try to give preferential treatment to one customer over another; and he promised that the FCC will assert that authority as needed. “Trust me” (picture Jack Nicholson’s shit-eating grin).

Kevin Martin thinks we need MORE media consolidation: there are too many small news organizations out there, sharing the pie; it would be so much nicer if two or three mega-monoliths were in control of everything. And this is the person who wants to be the one and only referee — the Decider — whenever there’s a dispute between a telecom company and its customers.

To make everything even murkier, the telecom companies are insisting that the FCC does NOT have the authority to prevent a broadband provider from relegating certain customers to the Slow Lane. Maybe it’s just me, but that sounds like the exact reason that we NEED a law to enforce Net Neutrality.

Think about it: would you rather have a clearly-written law prohibiting murder? Or would you feel perfectly secure if your local police chief said “don’t worry, I have complete authority to protect you and your loved ones. If you think you or a family member is in mortal danger, just give me a call. Ahem — now, uh, you HAVE made a contribution to the Policemen’s Charity Fund now, haven’t you?”

Also in the Funny But Not Ha Ha department: Republicans. When it comes to invading other countries, spying on millions of Americans, bailing out large corporations every time a bad decision was made, regulating everyone’s private life — they’ve never met a big expansive government program they didn’t like. But when it comes to preventing a consortium of mega-corporations from squashing their customers — “Government regulation??? [gasp] oh dear.”

And now: Ted Stevens. He’s probably in the twilight of his senate career — he’s old enough to make John McCain look like a tireless 2-year-old running around the house — but he won’t fade away any time soon. He’s already segueing into his second career as a rapper. He’s channeled his ideas about Net Neutrality — he’s agin’ it — into a kickass techno-rap video.

Check it out: the badass 2 Live Ted-Z. Betcha can’t sit still for this one.

cross-posted at Bring It On!

Net Neutrality: Terrible Idea

Liberals and other feelgood types are in favor of a big smothering Nanny-State program known as “Net Neutrality.” This is the socialist theory that telecom companies shouldn’t be allowed to discriminate against certain websites or types of internet services. Sure, this government meddling seems like a nice idea, especially if you're one of those well-intentioned-but-fuzzy-headed idealists.

I’m not gonna try arguing against this feelgood utopian nonsense. Instead, please listen to this riveting speech about the dangers of “Net Neutrality.” After listening to this powerful speaker, you too will be convinced that “Net Neutrality” is Wrong For America!

If you'd like to capture these immortal words forever, part of the text is available here.

Betcha didn't know that the doddering senator from Alaska is also a rapper. Check this out.