RSS
Harry Reid Says He's Concerned PIPA Will Break The Internet, But We Must Move Forward With It, Because Of 'Jobs'
from the say-what-now? dept
In a short appearance on Meet the Press on Sunday, Senate leader Harry Reid continued to insist that the Senate intended to move forward with PIPA, despite the widespread concerns, despite the White House's statement against the bill, and despite multiple Senators -- including bill co-sponsors -- asking him to hold off putting the bill to a vote.
What's stunning is how misleading Senator Reid is being here. First, he claims that the bill is about "jobs," despite a total lack of evidence that that's true. In fact, as has been noted plenty of times here, the part of the economy that is creating jobs -- the startup/tech sector -- is the one who gets burdened by this bill. David Gregory then responds by pointing out that people keep pointing out to him online that this bill isn't really about jobs, and will harm the internet. Reid then tries to pretend that this is a new revelation. He notes that it was "reported out of the committee unanimously" back in May. That's true, but that was back before most people understood the bill, or the internet had spoken out. Even then, many of us were quite clear in speaking out about why this bill was a problem. But Harry Reid pretends that it's "just in the last few weeks" that anyone has raised concerns." That's flat out ridiculous.
Next he claims that he's working with Senator Feinstein on this, since she's "in the middle" of the issue, representing both Northern and Southern California, where the issue is loudest. This would be the same Senator Feinstein who is so tone deaf to what's happening in her own state, that just weeks ago she insisted that she didn't know the tech industry was upset about the bill.
But the really stunning part? After these bizarre claims, he says, of those who have complained about the bill:
It's such a politician's response: he pretends that he's in agreement with the concerns of everyone... but then immediately admits he's ignoring those concerns and pushing forward with a bad bill, which he clearly never understood, and which it appears he just found out there was criticism around, despite the fact it's been going on for months. Everything in this statement points to reasons not to vote on the bill on the 24th, and yet he wants to move forward with it. It's just stunning.
Next he claims that he's working with Senator Feinstein on this, since she's "in the middle" of the issue, representing both Northern and Southern California, where the issue is loudest. This would be the same Senator Feinstein who is so tone deaf to what's happening in her own state, that just weeks ago she insisted that she didn't know the tech industry was upset about the bill.
But the really stunning part? After these bizarre claims, he says, of those who have complained about the bill:
"I think they're right. I think it could create some problems. That's why I've spoken Senator Leahy, the Chairman of the Committee. I've written a letter to the ranking member Senator Grassley, saying that some issues have come up. I think this needs to be a winner for everyone -- not just for the content people.... so we need to work on this."But then he still insists that they're going forward with the bill! He notes that he's expecting a "manager's amendment" from Leahy -- but Leahy has already said that the manager's amendment is just going to delay the implementation of the DNS issues. If Senator Reid really wants to make sure the bill is a "winner for everyone" then shouldn't we take some time to make sure that everyone's happy? It's doubly concerning that he appears to think these issues "just came up" in the past few weeks. That shows that he's totally and completely out of touch on the many months that people were speaking out against the problems of this bill. If anything that's even more reason to delay things, since Reid himself is admitting he's totally ignorant of the many, many, many problems that people have been discussing for months now.
It's such a politician's response: he pretends that he's in agreement with the concerns of everyone... but then immediately admits he's ignoring those concerns and pushing forward with a bad bill, which he clearly never understood, and which it appears he just found out there was criticism around, despite the fact it's been going on for months. Everything in this statement points to reasons not to vote on the bill on the 24th, and yet he wants to move forward with it. It's just stunning.
I’m looking for research...
Geography Of The App Economy
Apps, Platforms, Consumer Use
I’m looking for policy...
Developers On Patents: Ron Garret of Awun
Jon Potter: Software Patent Trolls Can Be Stopped By U.S. Patent Office And Congress
I have an idea...
From Noodles And Hot Sauce To Funding In 9 Weeks, With Oomf Founder Mikael Cho
Finding Co-Founders in a Recovering Economy
Reader Comments (rss)
(Flattened / Threaded)
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Zombies, you say?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
so, Rep. Issa 'decided that postponing the scheduled hearing on DNS blocking with technical experts is the best course of action'.
now all that's happening is that Reid is gonna do his damnedest to still get PIPA in, despite him owning up to problems with it and lead the way to SOPA as soon as possible afterward!
double win for the supporters here. Issa has been stopped and the money is still doing the talking!
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Talk about irresponsible.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
huh?
How is that wrong at all? Both republicans and democrats have come out against the expression(read Internet) killing parts of this bill. People (Reid in this case) saying that we need to work on this bill to not have it be only the content producers who are winners... that is what we should ALL be hoping for.
I think this reaction is a bit too much knee-jerk.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
This is a politician's response for sure. I have something similar before:
"Omelettes are not made without breaking eggs" - Maximilien Francois Robespierre
The problem here is that SOPA/PIPA are not just breaking a few eggs, they are breaking the frying pan and the stove also.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
More of the same from a clueless congress
Yea, that is the way they get themselves pay raises too, and no one has ever complained about congressional pay raises... at least to his knowledge (or lack thereof).
Next he claims that he's working with Senator Feinstein on this, since she's "in the middle" of the issue, representing both Northern and Southern California, where the issue is loudest. This would be the same Senator Feinstein who is so tone deaf to what's happening in her own state, that just weeks ago she insisted that she didn't know the tech industry was upset about the bill.
More like she "didn't care" that the tech industry was upset, not unless it costs her the next election.
But the really stunning part? After these bizarre claims, he says, of those who have complained about the bill:
"I think they're right. I think it could create some problems. That's why I've spoken Senator Leahy, the Chairman of the Committee. I've written a letter to the ranking member Senator Grassley, saying that some issues have come up. I think this needs to be a winner for everyone -- not just for the content people.... so we need to work on this."
Aren't "I think this needs to be a winner for everyone -- not just for the content people.... so we need to work on this." just code words for "If you want us to stick our political necks out for you (MPAA/RIAA/etc) you had better start sending in more and bigger bribes... er, "larger political campaign contributions", to us right away.
That shows that he's totally and completely out of touch on the many months that people were speaking out against the problems of this bill.
Isn't it funny how they are almost always out of touch with reality, but never out of touch with your wallet or purse (or their own)?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: huh?
I expect better from you Mike.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
Fixed.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Zombies, you say?
It still wont 'kill him' but it will debilitate him for a little bit.
Within 24 hours, we must launch him towards the sun...then and only then will our world be safe again.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
MAFIAA/Senate/Congress will be hirihg soon...
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Was this a discussion about drugs?
Is this really about Jobs? "This will break the Internet,... We must move forward... because of jobs"!!!! That's proof enough that he is on drugs.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
It's sickening.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Excuses
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: huh?
If he's going to make major changes to the bill, then we shouldn't have a VOTE SCHEDULED BEFORE anyone's seen those changes.
If he wants to make all the stakeholders happy, shouldn't the PROCESS BE OPEN?
None of that is true. Instead, he's claiming that just before the vote, he's asking Leahy -- the author of the original bill -- to put forth a managers amendment.
There will be NO discussion. NO hearings. NO input from everyone else.
I didn't misread the quote at all.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
But he is going to sound like he cares about SOMETHING even if that something has little or nothing to do with the question. He's just hoping no one will notice after the verbiage has leaked out,
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
The attacks on Google and other tech entities, all legitimate American companies that employ hundreds of thousands, if not several millions, of people, by not only the entertainment industry but the government itself, are grotesque and verge on traitorous. This is government acting against its own citizens.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Excuses
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
I've been saying this for YEARS!
Doesn't matter if you're Democrat or Republican. Both sides are equally corrupt and retarded.
The best thing we could do is elimanate ALL politicians.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
I hate this Government.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
All about Jobs?!???
Neither one will bring Steve back...
/too soon?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
The honest politician as an oxymoron.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Response to: A Guy on Jan 16th, 2012 @ 8:58am
Well played Senator.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: All about Jobs?!???
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
And even if they did, so what? These are people that steal from others to help their own bottom line. Yeah, that sounds like a good way for a country to allow its economy to function...
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
seriously, you're crackin me up...
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Politicians = dumb
He's support destroying one's computer without due process for violating copyright lol. He's also making tens of thousands of dollars for trying to push SOPA (which he co-sponsored) and PIPA.
http://blog.experts-exchange.com/ee-tech-news/sopa-update-blackouts-pacs-and-a-little-bit-of- irony/
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: huh?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: All about Jobs?!???
Becoming?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Zombies, you say?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re:
and you sound like a fucking tool.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re:
And he's correct by some estimations:
"This brings the overall employment number for the industry to 4.068 million."
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9222384/U.S._tech_employment_nears_its_all_time_ high_
"These are people that steal from others to help their own bottom line."
[Citation needed] Please indicate where the software engineers who work for Google on Gmail are stealing from others. Please indicate where the people who design Adobe products are stealing from others. Please indicate where network administrators are stealing from others.
It's cute, if completely demonstrative of your disingenuousness, that you pretend Google is the entire tech industry and that the entirety of Google's profits are illegitimate and based only on piracy.
You sound like my grandmother when she expresses her belief that Google is the internet.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Response to: A Guy on Jan 16th, 2012 @ 8:58am
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: The honest politician as an oxymoron.
It can be called the "Sonny Bono - Life after Death Act"
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Flashbacks to Y2K?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: huh?
All of this is totally pointless if we don't find a way to solve our energy problems. You can kiss all of the tech jobs good by if we can afford to power the machines in the first place.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
WorldCom
Freddie Mac
Fannie Mae
Bear Sterns
Given how well their policies concerning business and finance have been used in those industries, I can't wait to see how successful the internet will become under their stewardship.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re:
As opposed to the people who use extortion and blackmail of others to help their own bottom line? Yeah, that sounds like a good way for a country to allow its economy to function...
I can provide just as many "facts"/arguments (if not substantially more) as you can to prove our respective points.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
They're the exception that proves the rule...
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Reid!
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: All about Jobs?!???
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
PIPA
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
ELLIE SUCKS
so is ellie jayo.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Add Your Comment