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Chris Dodd: These anti-SOPA websites are abusing their power |
2012-01-18 |
Link Updated Oh, the hypocrisy! But what did you expect Chris Dodd to say? That anti-SOPA websites are doing all of us a service by standing up for free speech? Not likely. Still, it's unfailingly astonishing that politicians like Dodd are so capable of saying the things they say without the slightest trace of irony. Nate Nelson of UnitedLiberty.org brings us the story: The MPAA selected Dodd as its new head lobbyist chairman and CEO last year. Now Dodd is taking aim at Wikipedia, Google, and other websites involved in today's protest against the SOPA/PIPA internet censorship legislation pending in Congress: But wait -- maybe Chris Dodd has a highly compelling justification for SOPA that helps us to understand why he thinks websites willing to sacrifice a day of hits to stand against it are so power-abusive? Actually, he does. According to Dodd, we shouldn't care that the government wants to censor the Internet. After all, communist China does it. Seriously. That is his justification. From an article in Variety magazine late last year: Dodd, who assumed his post in March, notes that the idea of blocking sites is by no means unprecedented. Other supporters of the legislation note Internet providers already block criminal content like child pornography. Citing a more controversial practice, Dodd notes "When the Chinese told Google that they had to block sites or they couldn't do [business] in their country, they managed to figure out how to block sites." While he was in the Senate, Dodd supported net neutrality, and we know from Dodd-Frank, too, that he's regulation-happy. His support for SOPA comes as no surprise -- but the hypocrisy of his criticism of SOPA-critical websites still appalls. Incidentally, I do disagree with United Liberty's Nelson on one point. At this point, I think the momentum is actually on the side of the anti-SOPA folks. Granted, if players like Chris Dodd are involved, the pro-SOPA contingent might find an unfair way to push this through -- and Harry Reid remains committed to the passage of the Senate equivalent, PIPA -- but Darrell Issa has said SOPA won't make it out of committee until some kind of "consensus" is reached, Marco Rubio recently withdrew his support for PIPA and then, too, those "irresponsible" websites that blacked out today are awakening all kinds of awareness. With Dodd at the helm, I am taking the position that anything the MPAA wants I am immediately opposed to it. I didn't need Dodd at the helm to tell me that... Darth: try to include the link to the origin article next time. |
Posted by:DarthVader |
#6 In a just world, an asshole like this would be in jail, not pulling down six figures for peddling his corrupt ass to the highest bidder. |
Posted by: tu3031 2012-01-18 21:37 |
#5 Chris Dodd and Barney Frank deserved a flogging in the public square (Barney might like that), stripping of their funds, pensions, and citizenships for the damage they did to our country |
Posted by: Frank G 2012-01-18 21:20 |
#4 You don't need to go away quietly, Chris - just GO AWAY. Of course, you'd know about abuse of power.... |
Posted by: Barbara 2012-01-18 19:33 |
#3 A drunken fool besides Teds partner in Droit du seigneur. |
Posted by: Water Modem 2012-01-18 19:24 |
#2 If anyone knows about abuse of power, it's Chris Dodd. |
Posted by: Deacon Blues 2012-01-18 19:18 |
#1 I can't think of Dodd as other than Teddy Kennedy's drunken gang rape partner. |
Posted by: Anonymoose 2012-01-18 18:07 |