List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations • Hacker News Board

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#91

Post by burgerbrain » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 2:09 AM UTC

GHFigs wrote: post #16

jsundquist wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly the support for it is directly connected to where they get their money from (For democrats and republicans). Here is Bachmann's top sources of donations: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N0002... Notice no Movie/Music Industry in the top 5 Then here is Franken's: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N0002... Time Warner is his number one supporter. I would imagine that th…

Time Warner is his number one supporter OpenSecrets:"The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organizations' PACs, their individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families." The first clause is in red and bold. (Edit:I apologize to the reader(s) who felt that directly quoting the links cited by the parent comment was objectionable.)

What is your point?

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#92

Post by botker » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 2:21 AM UTC

drewblaisdell wrote: post #88

botker wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Democrats tend to favor government regulations of any kind, while Republicans are somewhat more likely to oppose them in general. So it doesn't surprise me at all.

This may have been true twenty years ago, but it is certainly not true today. Neither party is in favor of limiting government these days.

While you're right, that's why I wrote "somewhat more likely". Republicans may not favor limited government today, but on average they are still less likely than Democrats to support regulation. The OP's link demonstrates this tendency.

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#93

Post by daniel-cussen » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 2:23 AM UTC

nyellin wrote: post #79

daniel-cussen wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Implies? So what?

Gary Johnson is a presidential candidate. He opposes SOPA... Thus, there is another presidential candidate who opposes SOPA.

That's my question: does he or doesn't he? Does he merely imply or does he literally come out in opposition?

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#94

Post by OstiaAntica » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 3:13 AM UTC

Natsu wrote: post #52

windexh8er wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Al Franken is a joke. Initially I thought he had good intent, but then I realized he's just another shit "actor" turned "politician". Unfortunately those words are more interchangeable than ever and reflects the current state of dismal affairs that is the United States government as a whole.

Actors possess most of the skills required to get elected. A successful actor starts out being well-liked, well-known and rich. They also have an easy time getting press and experience dealing with them. Knowing what the hell you're doing is, sadly, not required.

There aren't any former actors, other than Franken (who was really a comedian, not an actor), in Congress. So I'm not really sure what you are talking about.

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#95

Post by cjoh » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 4:23 AM UTC

botker wrote: post #85

CWIZO wrote: post #2

I was surprised there are more democrats for SOPA than there are republicans.

Democrats tend to favor government regulations of any kind, while Republicans are somewhat more likely to oppose them in general. So it doesn't surprise me at all.

Except for regulations regarding who you can and cannot sleep with, what religions you may belong to, and whom you may marry.

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#96

Post by samstave » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 4:36 AM UTC

Natsu wrote: post #52

windexh8er wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Al Franken is a joke. Initially I thought he had good intent, but then I realized he's just another shit "actor" turned "politician". Unfortunately those words are more interchangeable than ever and reflects the current state of dismal affairs that is the United States government as a whole.

Actors possess most of the skills required to get elected. A successful actor starts out being well-liked, well-known and rich. They also have an easy time getting press and experience dealing with them. Knowing what the hell you're doing is, sadly, not required.

Sociopaths make the best actors, having no emotions, they act every second in an effort to appear human.

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#97

Post by kazoolist » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 5:57 AM UTC

wyclif wrote: post #51

Note that Rep. Ron Paul is the only current Presidential candidate that opposes SOPA.

Inaccurate. Romney opposes SOPA (http://merrimack.patch.com/articles/video-mitt-romney-slams-...). Others may too.

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#98

Post by Aaronontheweb » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 6:45 AM UTC

noahc wrote: post #53

gitarr wrote: post #43

This might be a stupid question, but as a European not all too familiar with US political laws I have to ask: How is it not corruption when senators and congressmens votes can be bought by companies or whole industries?

In order to understand this you have to understand that in American corporations are persons. When Mitt Romney said, "Corporations are people too" at the Iowa State Fair he wasn't sharing his own personal beliefs. Instead he was telling the truth. See Corporate Personhood[1] for more. From this it follows that Corporations have the right to free speech. This is where the supreme court ruled[2] that it is unconstituti…

Uhh, campaign donations from corporations to politicans have been around for way longer than Citizen's United dude. That case is not the central issue here.

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#99

Post by cturner » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 7:44 AM UTC

sgaither wrote: post #33

GHFigs wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I should have been clearer. I mean that lists presented on the front page aren't necessarily reflective of the whole voting Congress. One can just as easily say for every opposing member there are twenty whose opinion is unknown, which I think carries a different connotation.

Yeah but politicians who don't have to take a stance yet (i.e. by sponsoring) might just go with status quo...wasn't DMCA passed with a unanimous vote?

Unclear. "Aug 4, 1998: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by voice vote. A record of each representative’s position was not kept."

However, it's probably not good to assume that anything goes through congress unanimously without being sure: http://www.theonion.com/articles/ron-paul-promises-to-return...

Re: List of every member of congress who supports SOPA, sortable by donations

#100

Post by archgoon » Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 7:55 AM UTC

nhangen wrote: post #60

darkheartfelt wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

also thinks AIDS is the sufferer's fault :( In the end his internet might not be much better.

has nothing to do with SOPA

Unfortunately, the parent poster was pretty clearly advocating Ron Paul for president. This makes citing reasons for not wanting Ron Paul for president fair game.

This back and forth tedium is one of the reasons why Hacker News tries to avoid political posts in the first place. I'm afraid that legitimate criticism of the post requires you to actually debunk the claim.