Can someone answer a question for me about PIPA?

[markpkessinger]

Why the HELL are so many Democrats in Congress still supporting it?!

[Syrinx]

1. Because they like the Hollywood checks and dinners with big stars

[sendero]

2. LOL..

... you still think Dems are "better" than Reps. Only where there is NO MONEY involved my friend.

[eShirl]

3. because they either don't know how bad it is, or

don't realize how many of their constituents know how bad it is
and they incidentally like big checks and being wined & dined as much as the other guy

[limpyhobbler]

4. either

1) they know who pays their bills (gives them money)

or

2) they think copyright infringement is a big problem that warrants a big response.

Take your pick.

[Shankapotomus]

5. They are not internet savy like us

In other words, their money affords them lives.

[lunatica]

7. Welcome to DU

Being internet savvy and a political junkie leads to no life for sure! LOL!

[Shankapotomus]

11. Thank you

though, I'm not that new. i had over 1000 posts on my old user name. but i never liked the name so i made a new one.

[lunatica]

15. No wonder you fit right in!

Most of the time I've probably overly suspicious of a low post count.

[Shankapotomus]

16. I know. I feel the same way about babies

I don't trust them. Them always being new and all and like zero conversations under their belt.

[lunatica]

6. Job security

The money for their campaigns and personal coffers has gotta come from someplace. It ain't us, the 99%, who pay the big bucks.

[joshcryer]

8. The media lobby has them duped. Same reason the AFL-CIO is behind it.

[customerserviceguy]

9. They have 'staff' who use their office computers

They don't know squat about how things really work, and they believe whatever their Hollyweird lobbyists tell them to think.

[KharmaTrain]

10. Because Piracy Is A Problem...

Imagine you've created a work of art...spent your life and treasure in doing so and someone comes and takes that work, without your permission, and sells it without you seeing a dime. This is a very real problem that faces many American companies and copyright holders.

The problem with SOPA was it was way too broad in how it went after who they consider as a "pirate", including people posting videos on their Facebook pages or DU for that matter or downloaded a couple of songs for their own personal use. While we can debate if downloading a song without paying is piracy, there's no money changing hands. The problem is those who profit from stealing other people's work and profitting from it. In intent the concept of going after "pirates" is all well and good, but this bill went way over the line in who it targeted and how it woulc be enforced.

[markpkessinger]

12. B-S

PIPA is being pushed primarily by the motion picture industry -- an industry that has posted RECORD profits this year. Sorry, not buying it.

[KharmaTrain]

13. So Copywrites should be allowed to be violated?

I have several friends who are songwriters...who worked for decades playing one night stands and working hard to get their music heard and recorded. So you say because the Motion Picture industry makes what you consider too much money they should suffer?

I'm fully against PIPA/SOPA as its currently written since it uses a blowtorch where a flyswatter is needed. Those who share music and don't profit from it should not be put in the same cage as those who make profits from pirating movies, albums, books or any intellectual property. The key here is profit. SOPA/PIPA makes no distinction.

The RIAA tried to shut down Internet radio a couple years ago over the royalty issue. We were able to negotiate a deal where a fair royalty structure was established and opened the door for the expansion of this new medium. The same could be done with video/movies...all I'm sayin'...

[markpkessinger]

14. I don't disagree with you . . .

. . . but I question your original assertion that Democrat who are supporting this are doing so primarily because of the issue of protecting copyrights.

[.99center]

17. Where's this expansion you speek of?

They did more then try over the last decade , we now have just a hand full of company's and even the largest Pandora lost 1.8mill last year. I wouldn't call going from hundreds of small company's in the early 2000's to Pandora, aol, and clearchannel subsidiary's expansion.

[KharmaTrain]

18. Pandora Isn't Internet Radio...

It's like saying On Demand is like regular TV. Fact is there are more internet radio stations operating today than ever with more coming online. Many radio stations also held back from webcasting due to the ambiguity of the laws but now almost every station now streams. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't happening.

Internet radio is still in its growing stages...similar to how FM radio was 40 years ago where advertising money is hard to come by but there are a growing number of stations out there starting to move into the black and once internet radios are available in cars (which is happening already).

Personally, I've never wasted time with Pandora or Spotify...the latest flavors of the month. Radio is far more than just playing records...it includes news, information and personality...something you don't get with those sites.

[Eid Ma Clack Shaw]

19. Great post...

I think there needs to be a sensible, clear headed deal worked out between the government & copyright holders and online file sharing sites. Introduce set fines for those who fail to react adequately from requests to take materials down, have them scale up for repeated failures to comply or down if they've maintained an historically decent level of conduct.

Legislation line SOPA / PIPA is draconian an ridiculous. I also feel that blazing in, arresting people and shutting down websites is a rather dated idea of how to enforce the law in a changing world.

With that said, Mega Upload, shut down yesterday, seems to have completely failed to act on myriad requests to remove work, so under the current system it's hard to feel any sympathy whatsoever. Regardless of whether things should change going forward, the knew the deal as it is at present.

Copyright MUST be protected, but in a reasonable, balanced way.

[KharmaTrain]

20. Amen...

Just like how the right wing complains that it's not more gun laws we need but enforcement of the current laws, you show the same should apply in regards to SOPA/PIPA. If someone violates a copyright, it should be up to the holder to handle this matter...within the law...either through a C&D letter and if that doesn't work, then speak to an intellectual property lawyer on how to proceede.

Unfortunately there are a few bad apples out there who are profiting from the works of others and they should be prosecuted and their sites shut down, but its not the government's role to play policeman here. Listening to the statements of congresscritters on this matter shows how clueless they are on the internet in general and this issue in specific.

Thank you for your post!

Cheers!!

[rgbecker]

21. Thank you KharmaTrain for the clear arguments presented.

This issue, about which there is much hot air but little of substance needs to be more clearly vetted. It would help those who are only slightly engaged to have the wording of the bill that is overly restrictive presented so we could better understand those who say it is over the top. The recent discussion of the DOAA and Obama's eventual support had the same problems. These issues are hard on those of us without a law degree and little time to flush it all out. We rely on those more informed to spell it out..but in these cases there are few willing to use more than diatribe to make their case. I often go with the ACLU and they have condemned the SOPA and PIPA as over the top, but again, without presenting much evidence. Thanks again.

[metalbot]

22. Follow the money

"Far and away, the top beneficiary in the Senate from interest groups that support PIPA is Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who’s taken in just short of a million dollars from those groups, according to data from OpenSecrets.org. She’s also the most recent Senator to co-sponsor PIPA, adding her name to the list on Dec. 12. The runner-up is Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), who’s taken $777,383 from PIPA-supporting interest groups, and has co-sponsored the bill since May 2011.

In fact, a list of the top 20 beneficiaries of special interest money in favor of PIPA reads like a list of the Senate’s most influential Democrats: Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) in third; Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) in fourth; Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in fifth; Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bill’s primary sponsor, in sixth; Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in seventh; Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) in eighth; Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in ninth; and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) in tenth."

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/19/senate-democrats-hold-fast-to-anti-piracy-bill/