Stop Idiocy

Chris Dodd, the head of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), is threatening to cut off bribes campaign donations to lawmakers who refuse to support anti-piracy legislation. In the wake of faltering support for SOPA & PIPA, Dodd issued the following statement on Fox News:

“Those who count on quote ‘Hollywood’ for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who’s going to stand up for them when their job is at stake. Don’t ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don’t pay any attention to me when my job is at stake,”

In other words, “push these bills through and we’ll throw you a bundle of money.”

I’m sure that most of us assumed that this was how the legislative process worked in America, but it is somewhat surreal to see Dodd be so blunt about it.

If you have even a passing interest in free speech or the future of the internet, you’ve probably been following developments to H.R. 3261, or the Stop Online Piracy Act, for the past couple months. The ironically-named bill seeks to massively expand the power of U.S. law enforcement and private corporations in fighting online copyright infringement. The proposed legislation is currently before the House Judiciary Committee, where they’re scheduled to continue debating its merits this month.

The future of the internet in America?

Regardless of your stance on piracy, copyright, intellectual property rights, etc — SOPA is completely idiotic. Here’s why:

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