My Take on the SOPA/PIPA Debate Remaining cautiously optimistic. Jan 18, 2012 7:30PM PST

By now, anyone who uses the internet on a regular basis knows about SOPA/PIPA.  It's a move by the government that was inevitable, because that's what government does - listen to big money conglomerates and try and regulate industries in their favor.  

By no means am I a political guru, or even an enthusiast.  There was a time when I was emotionally invested in politics and walked away hurt and educated, the lesson being big money talks, popular opinion walks.  I'm not going to take the time to fully outline the various incidents that prove this theory.  Just look at the subprime mortgage scandal (and the overall resulting lack of accountability) that rocked the entire nation for starters.

Personally, I'm a jaded American.  I no longer believe in the system.  In fact, despite my country's roots in noble forefathers, independence and demacracy, I believe our country's been run by big money and still is to this day by a model that more reflects capitalistic fascism than true democracy.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate our freedom of speech and human rights history, and I don't believe the U.S.A. is a bad place to live, I just don't buy the BS political propaganda that we are a united nation with liberty and justice for all.

IMO, I think that wealthy families and companies have earned the right to wield political leverage as they are a driving force investing in further development that common folk like us simply can't do.  But with the positive comes the negative, such as greed for power and overreaching regulation such as SOPA/PIPA.

Our political structure is one that encourages participation on a grassroots local level, and I think that is where democracy shines.  I've seen many instances on the local level in which the majority won against a seemingly overreaching minority, and respective legislation was blocked/passed.  The national/international democratic arena, though, paints a much different picture.  Big money usually wins.  Not always, but most of the time.  

I look at SOPA/PIPA as a benchmark that will speak volumes about the political system.  The overwhelming majority opposes it.  People I know personally either oppose it or are indifferent.  So, by my unscientific polling perspective, the litigation should not pass.  

Normally, I'd already chalk this battle up in the loss column, but it reaches so many people and targets such a grand network of coordinated opponents that it just might get voted down.  The time of reckoning is near, and I await the impending result with cautious optimism.

image links:

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/binary/374f/1326914693-sopa-pipa-inquisitr.png

http://shashanknd.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/government.jpg

http://stkarnick.com/culture/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Big-Government-Survival-Kit.jpg

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• you are correct

  Posted: Jan 19, 2012 12:00AM PST by  ActivisionStoleMy360
  

  Its true that money talks and everyone else walks in politics..however, we as consumers in this consumer based world can say to the companies supporting SOPA (like happened with GoDaddy), if you support SOPA we won't support you, we will not give you money to then go spend it on something like SOPA.

  My hope is that this will happen, I am not sure how it will all go down, but if it does happen, a reaction has to be immediate to fix it. I hate to say it feels like a similar situation just happened (not going to mention the bill), but in this area of what SOPA is, we the consumers hold all the power because the companies which are fighting so hard for it depend so much on us, and the fact is these people are entertainers and are not really a necessity. I hope people speak volumes with their wallets.

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• Dave

  Posted: Jan 19, 2012 12:00AM PST by  BrokenH
  

  I'm on the same page. I love being an American but I hate it when capatilism and fascism over-run Democracy. Certainly capitalism in itself is not evil but there is a point in which it over steps its' boundaries. When this occurs "greed" and "apathy" are the unsavory results.

  SOPA would put alot of power in only a few hands and you just know it would result in a war of tyrants and ridiculous law suites. "We" would suffer the most from that. Could you imagine having your you-tube account banned merely because you had a movie poster on the wall in your room shown on your video or because you used a specific song in a montage? Hell, to some extent this already happens and we need less of it as opposed to more of it.

  I already put my signature against SOPA and I hope many more people do the same.