Cartel Purchases New US Legislation

[GhostShip]

It seems if you have billions in profits you can purchase a few politicians and make even more with little effort.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080430/194141989.shtml

The PRO IP bill, which is actually quite anti-IP, has been approved by the House Judiciary Committee.
This is the bill that would create a "piracy czar" with a new department reporting to the White House, whose sole job it is to crack down on piracy. Basically, it's turning the White House into the entertainment industry's private police force, allowing them to prop up an obsolete business model.
This is extremely problematic. There's increasing evidence that piracy is not the real problem the industry is facing.

The artists who are embracing file sharing and adopting new business models are finding that there are business models that work, that help to better promote and distribute content, while creating new avenues for making money. Creating a special anti-piracy group within the White House is simply an anti-competitive move by an industry that doesn't want to update its obsolete business model. Yet, through misleading lobbying efforts, politicians have been convinced that this business model needs to be propped up.

Perhaps its because this same industry hands out plenty of perks such as campaign "donations", high profile stars attending your otherwise dull gatherings and Dan, Cary and Mitch  pick up the tab for your lunch once a month, whats to not like with those public perks, of course what goes on behind closed doors is anyone's business, its just a pity that the US taxpayer will now be forking out for the same product in yet another way via his tax bill.

Lets look at it this way, hidden tax on mp3 player/iplod, tax on downloading the musical content, tax on any Cd's, DVDs, tax on blank media, not to mention repurchasing the same right to listen a few times in different formats, in fact I'm willing to bet so far you have all paid for the same tracks about 5 times over at least, how many taxes are the US taxpayers and consumers going to keep paying to keep Cary and Dan in their Million dollar+ a year jobs ?   

[Trestor]

Ghostship, I appreciate you for the effort you put into trawling these news items and posting them for us; if you didn't I'd not have any idea of the things that are going on. Thank you.

[GhostShip]

Thank you for your kind words Trestor, I know most of the topics I cover are often dull or of a legal nature and hardly read but  I feel its always been worthwhile to at least make the effort to draw attention to what is being said and done by those in positions of authority.

This particular legislation makes it clear the US consumer is a second class citizen in the eyes of those on Capitol hill, the art of balancing the competing demands of society has been lost, its always been a publc service for me to stir up some feeling in folks to ensure their rights are not lost without at least making them aware of it and point out which selfish groups are subverting the balance of rights for their own ends at the expense of the rest of us.

[..Ñøßߥ..]

Whilst i agree with your comments GS, do you really think the new department would actually in anyway be effective? With internet speeds leaping forward i suspect soon isp's and other specialist media firms will stuggle to work out who the hell is transfering what to who and when, i doubt a bunch of technologically challenged governement officials will have any clue what is going on or what came be done. The cartel, will, sooner or later be forced to change their business model, they will end up with no choice.

[GhostShip]

My view on any group of politicians wielding a metaphorical "sledgehammer" against the young the old and the infirm who dont have a truly representative voice, is that their actions will be remembered and taken on board by those affected by them, And of course ppl like myself will always be about to remind folks who these people are who think publc office is there to enrich themselves.

On the technical front I believe the current rise in "alpha" grade encrypted p2p systems will be the saviour of the filesharer and the nemesis of the copyright Cartels who seek to place their rights above the rights of the rest of us.