Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition • Hacker News Board

lucasjung wrote: post #10

pragmatic wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We have no voice. Not true. Support these: http://demandprogress.org/ http://www.eff.org/ Contact your representatives, do something.

> Contact your representatives, do something. I think his point was that OP did exactly that, and found that the 'AAs already have his legislator firmly in their pocket. It's like that scene at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers , where the chick is all relieved to see someone she knows and trusts, only to realize too late that he has already been converted. I also absolutely hate the phrase, "Do something!" o…

I'm relatively sure that if there's enough public outrage and media coverage, some of the bought politicians might reconsider. I mean, COICA didn't pass after all, right?

Re: Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition

#15

Post by rooshdi » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 3:51 AM UTC

pragmatic wrote: post #4

politician wrote: post #3

It's likely this response was written by the same RIAA/MPAA lawyers who wrote the bill and underwrote his campaign. We have no voice.

> We have no voice. Not true. Support these: http://demandprogress.org/ http://www.eff.org/ Contact your representatives, do something.

A lot us did contact our representatives through the EFF. I sent an objection letter and just got the same exact response from Senator Durbin. It seems like our concerns were ignored.

Re: Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition

#16

Post by nitrogen » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 4:04 AM UTC

jarin wrote: post #14

lucasjung wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Contact your representatives, do something. I think his point was that OP did exactly that, and found that the 'AAs already have his legislator firmly in their pocket. It's like that scene at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers , where the chick is all relieved to see someone she knows and trusts, only to realize too late that he has already been converted. I also absolutely hate the phrase, "Do something!" o…

I'm relatively sure that if there's enough public outrage and media coverage, some of the bought politicians might reconsider. I mean, COICA didn't pass after all, right?

COICA was reincarnated as PROTECTIP. The problem with trying to build public outrage over *AA actions is that the media companies control the only communication channels that most people use to form their opinions.

Re: Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition

#17

Post by rooshdi » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 4:23 AM UTC

jarin wrote: post #14

lucasjung wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Contact your representatives, do something. I think his point was that OP did exactly that, and found that the 'AAs already have his legislator firmly in their pocket. It's like that scene at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers , where the chick is all relieved to see someone she knows and trusts, only to realize too late that he has already been converted. I also absolutely hate the phrase, "Do something!" o…

I'm relatively sure that if there's enough public outrage and media coverage, some of the bought politicians might reconsider. I mean, COICA didn't pass after all, right?

Well, the PROTECT IP Act is like a rehashed version of COICA. They're just going to keep renaming the same type of bill until it gets passed. Plus, most of the public doesn't care because they don't know what's going on and the major news media doesn't care much to inform them. They get more ratings off of celebrity scandals anyways.

Re: Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition

#18

Post by jterce » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 1:45 PM UTC

ajays wrote: post #7

It's funny. I just got a response from Diane Feinstein a couple of days ago too. Apparently, whoever wrote their replies decided to do a batch job? In any case, here's her response to me: http://pastebin.com/LzCB2KMs

I also received a very similar response from Jeff Sessions [R-AL].

Re: Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition

#19

Post by jterce » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 1:49 PM UTC

lucasjung wrote: post #10

pragmatic wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We have no voice. Not true. Support these: http://demandprogress.org/ http://www.eff.org/ Contact your representatives, do something.

> Contact your representatives, do something. I think his point was that OP did exactly that, and found that the 'AAs already have his legislator firmly in their pocket. It's like that scene at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers , where the chick is all relieved to see someone she knows and trusts, only to realize too late that he has already been converted. I also absolutely hate the phrase, "Do something!" o…

> Harassing already-bought politicians does not fall into that category.

True indeed. The only thing to do with them is send them packing on the next off ramp. That's the idea behind a web app I'm developing: http://repwatch.us

You've got to be able to keep track of who needs to go and why.

Re: Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] responds to my anti-Protect IP petition

#20

Post by groby_b » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 8:24 PM UTC

jamesbritt wrote: post #9

groby_b wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got to see it differently - that means a bill costs about $500K/senator. ( http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=... for Dick Durbins money influx.) I wonder if it's possible to buy bills via Kickstarter...

I wonder if it's possible to buy bills via Kickstarter... Is that legal? Would a PAC or Super PAC be needed first?

Well, you would need to construct a legal fiction to maintain the pretense that this is above-board. So yes, some PAC-y things will be needed.

And of course you don't buy a bill, you just strongly suggest (with the implied promise of continued donations)

I believe it's called lobbying, but nobody has tried it via crowd-sourcing yet. I should get a patent ;)