Senate Democrats Hold Fast To Anti-Piracy Bill (SOPA/PIPA) - RawStory

[WillyT]

Senate Democrats hold fast to anti-piracy bill
By Stephen C. Webster - RawStory
Thursday, January 19, 2012



<snip>

By all accounts, the Internet’s first politically motivated mass work-stoppage on Wednesday was a rousing success, and so far 13 19 U.S. Senators have flipped their stance on pending anti-piracy legislation that critics say would severely harm the freedom of speech online. But the real story is, all but two of them are Republicans. (Update, 1:20 p.m. EST: A third Democrat, Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), came out against the anti-piracy legislation later Thursday morning, bringing the total number of Senators now opposed to 26. Only eight are Democrats.)

While Silicon Valley may have found their voice echos on Capitol Hill more loudly than expected, what remains after Wednesday’s protest is even more telling that what provoked it: Senate Democrats are now the core pillars of support for the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), which has not otherwise engendered a strict partisan divide among lawmakers.

Far and away, the top beneficiary in the Senate from interest groups that support PIPA is Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who’s taken in just short of a million dollars from those groups, according to data from OpenSecrets.org. She’s also the most recent Senator to co-sponsor PIPA, adding her name to the list on Dec. 12. The runner-up is Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), who’s taken $777,383 from PIPA-supporting interest groups, and has co-sponsored the bill since May 2011.

In fact, a list of the top 20 beneficiaries of special interest money in favor of PIPA reads like a list of the Senate’s most influential Democrats: Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) in third; Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) in fourth; Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in fifth; Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bill’s primary sponsor, in sixth; Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in seventh; Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) in eighth; Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in ninth; and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) in tenth. The list goes on like that until Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who places 15th with $274,600 in special interest money promoting PIPA.

More: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/19/senate-democrats-hold-fast-to-anti-piracy-bill/

[Tx4obama]

1. SOPA/PIPA are dead. Another 'different' bill has been introduced ...

that will protect film copyrights but will leave the internet open.

[markpkessinger]

3. "Protect copyrights" my ass -- this is a money grab

The motion picture industry has posted record profits this year.

[Autumn]

4. I missed that. Got a link

please?

[Tx4obama]

8. Here ya go

The OPEN Act Introduced
http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/01/the-open-act-introduced-can-it-kill-sopa-and-pipa.php

AND here: http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/2012/01/19/rep-darrell-issa-introduces-the-open-act-to-counter-sopa-pipa/

AND here: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/248389/sopa_alternative_bill_introduced_in_the_us_house_of_representatives.html

[Autumn]

10. Thanks, see what happens when DU goes dark for 18 hours

[Warren Stupidity]

6. It will be the same shit on a different day.

[WillyT]

7. Link Please...

[Tx4obama]

9. See comment #8 n/t

[markpkessinger]

2. I am thoroughly disgusted with my party right now n/t

[sabrina 1]

5. You can say that again. This bill has exposed the money in politics problem like nothing

else has, so graphically.

Money from special interests to politicians is poisoning this country's future. It must be dealt with as the people are no match for the money that is buying our politicians. Shame on all of them.

It's enough to make you want to give up on the whole system.

[markpkessinger]

11. Indeed it has. And it has handed the GOP a gift-wrapped campaign talking point. n/t

[arcane1]

12. WTF is Franken doing involved in this???

Is there something about this seemingly absurd idea that appeals to them???????

[JI7]

13. well, Franken comes from the entertainment industry

[pintobean]

14. Stuart Smalley royalties.

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