Are Democrats About To Lose An Entire Generation Of Voters By Pushing PIPA/SOPA Forward?

[Purveyor]

I've talked, in great detail, how the SOPA/PIPA debate has been a non-partisan discussion. It's not bi-partisan and it's not partisan. It's just non-partisan. The debate has nothing to do with traditional Democrat or Republican lines. This has confused cable news, who has a script to follow, but doesn't know what to do with strange bedfellows. However, some people have noticed an interesting thing in the response to yeseterdays' protests: it was mostly Republicans who moved decisively away from PIPA and SOPA. While a few Democrats did so, many took hedging steps -- saying they "heard concerns" and would "work to fix" things -- but still supporting the bill. This is -- quite reasonably -- infuriating internet savvy Democrats who point out that the party is on the verge of losing an entire younger generation by supporting not just this legislation, but the corrupt process that created it:

If you keep reading that story, the Democrats listed all remain adamant that they'll remain co-sponsors of the legislation but work to "fix it".

Bullshit.

It's been a while since we've seen Democrats this tone deaf, this oblivious to political reality.

You have an entire wired generation focused on this issue like a laser, fighting like hell to protect their online freedoms, and it's FUCKING REPUBLICANS who are playing the heroes by dropping support?

MORE...

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120119/10044417471/are-democrats-about-to-lose-entire-generation-

[Sherman A1]

1. Don't know yet, but

there is a certain level of shooting oneself in the foot.

[julian09]

4. They want that that Hollywood money.

[Downwinder]

2. I signed a pledge and I'll honor it.

[Lionessa]

3. "It's been a while since ... Democrats this tone deaf..." I disagree.

They've been pretty tone deaf with few exceptions since 2006.

It's more a case of Dems trying so hard to get more seats that they filled them with Republicans. I get that 2006-08 when so many Republicans switched sides to ride on what was to become Obama's coattails, the Dems had perhaps reason to believe that the change-overs were sincere, but instead the DINO/BlueDog contingency bloomed, killing most serious Dem prospects.

Unfortunately when this was discovered and Dems across the country attempted to put more progressive Dems in the elections, Obama and his own DINO/BlueDog background came to light as he demanded support for those same persons that held up the real forward progress that might have been made if either he could lead, or he had progressives who were on the same page....

Well, I guess what that shows is what I typed above.... Obama was DINO all along, just kept it hidden a while is all.

[Hawkowl]

17. +1000 .nt

[vi5]

5. Short answer to your question is "yes".

There are many layers to this, but I know a lot of political unaware people who are only awakened when an issue affects them personally. And this is an issue that affects many mostly apolitical younger people. So when they see that there are a lot of Democrats still pushing this and a lot of Republicans against it, that is going to make an impression and leave a mark.

And actually unfortunately it hasn't been that long since we've seen Democrats this tone deaf. It's pretty much a very regular and very common sight to behold.

[richmwill]

7. Very true

I know many people who are still mad at Lars Ulrich, former Metallica fans who are still angry, and blame him for Napster going out of business. Young people don't forget.

[Trillo]

6. It is discouraging that Democratic congress folks

seem to be all for SOPA/PIPA. The congressional republicans seem to be abandoning it.

Has anyone broken it down to corporate vs civil liberty types? Left vs right dems? Authoritarian vs liberal dems?

I'm afraid I haven't done that analysis. It could be informative, or discouraging.

[AverageJoe90]

22. Extremely ironic, seeing as how the GOP were once the biggest supporters of this crap.........

.....and that the bill's creator was a Republican from south Texas.
In the alternate history subculture of which I am part of, we have a word for truly strange occurences like this: ASB, or Alien Space Bats.

[riverwalker]

8. Franken and Klobuchar still co-sponsers

The girl in Klobuchar's office didn't know what her position was, had to be reminded her boss was a co-sponsor of the bill.

[demosincebirth]

9. Naw, we will just find something else to do in our spare time

[Joe Shlabotnik]

10. Clogging and controlling the internet today

is stealing the birthright to freely speak and organize from future generations.

[Tx4obama]

11. SOPA/PIPA are dead. Now the alternative bill is The OPEN Act

The OPEN Act Introduced
http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/01/the-open-act-introduced-can-it-kill-sopa-and-pipa.php

AND here:
Rep. Darrell Issa Introduces the OPEN Act to Counter #SOPA & #PIPA
http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/2012/01/19/rep-darrell-issa-introduces-the-open-act-to-counter-sopa-pipa/

AND here:
SOPA Alternative Bill Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/248389/sopa_alternative_bill_introduced_in_the_us_house_of_representatives.html

[MannyGoldstein]

12. "Make No Mistake: Americans understand they have a choice to make in November"

"And as long as we suck a bit less than the Republicans, they'll choose us. We'll pass the same bill with a different name. Like NDAA, I'll make a fake fuss to force an inconsequential change so my sycophants can crow about something.

The you're fucked.

Hey Lloyd! Jamie! Save some of that foie gras for me!"

[vi5]

20. So true.......

But the thing is a lot of younger folks are going to be one issue voters and this is important to to a lot of them. And they'll look at the numbers on this and see that Democrats don't suck a bit less than Republicans on this, they suck a bit more than Republicans on this.

[marmar]

13. I think the two main political parties are about to lose a generation of voters ..........

........ for various and sundry reasons, this being one of them.

[DemonSpawn]

14. I broke my heart to learn the AL FRANKEN supports this bill.

I loved watching his Stuart Smalley bits on SNL. Seeing his name on the support side is DISGUSTING! He was one of the FEW politicians I respected.

I hope he WISES up and does the right thing. If he wants to keep his job.

[vi5]

19. Not just supporting with a vote

He's a co-sponsor.

[DemonSpawn]

25. So what are the chances he'll do the right thing?

Al Franken. Co-sponser for SOPA/PIPA. Those words don't belong together.

[vi5]

26. Well.....

He was also a supporter of the Iraq war early on and had the good sense and the level of personal reflection required to reverse his stance on that.

On the other hand, he's very tied to a lot of people in Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general, all of whom stand to benefit from this bill which by and large turns the federal government into their own personal enforcement arm, not only saving them money from piracy but also from having to actually go through the legal channels and legal costs of using the court system to litigate taking down these sites.

[Lil Missy]

15. SOPA died a couple days ago. So the answer is NO. n/t

[lib2DaBone]

16. Liked they worked to "fix" NDAA, The Patriot Act and NAFTA.

Like they worked to end torture at Gitmo, to stop CIA rendition, to stop offshoring of our jobs..

Ya... ya.. ya... they're working on it.....

[markpkessinger]

18. Yo, House and Senate, SLOW YOUR ROLL!

This does NOT have to be addressed during this session or even this year. It is simply NOT that pressing, despite the pressure the MPAA is trying to bring to bear. This is the kind of thing that needs to go through a careful process of research, public hearings, etc., to get input from ALL stakeholders, including the general public, not just the movie/music industries! Shelve ALL the legislation and do this the way it needs to be done!

[Gman]

21. The vast majority of people are not one issue voters

If people quit voting for Democrats because of SOPA/PIPA, screw 'em. I'd rather remain the party of people that have a brain.

[AverageJoe90]

23. As upset as I may be, I do have to admit you've got a point.

This definitely reeks of a GOP conspiracy to me. They are growing very desperate for voters and they'll do anything. Hell, at the rate they're going, they may as well just steal the election outright and declare martial law.

[RC]

24. You got a peek at the game plan, huh?

[Gman]

28. And now we find today the point is moot

[Douglas Carpenter]

27. no - - this is not the kind of issue that is going to produce any single issue voters

- well, very few anyway.