Senator Leahy Wants To Give At Least $5 Million To State Department To 'Combat Piracy'
from the spread-the-money-around dept
Last week, we wrote about a proposal in Congress to give ICE (part of Homeland Security) at least another $10 million for the next year to continue its program of censoring websites in the name of "stopping piracy." Of course, when Congress and Hollywood get together, they never put all their eggs in just one basket. So, it should come as no surprise that in another appropriations bill, this time for the State Department, and put forth by Senator Patrick Leahy -- who also introduced PIPA -- there's another chunk of "anti-piracy" cash. The bill sets forth $899,600,000 for "civil judicial and security programs." But, amazingly, the only program that is specifically called out with a specific amount is to "combat piracy."CIVILIAN JUDICIAL AND SECURITY PROGRAMS.—$899,600,000 for assistance for rule of law, justice, corrections, anti-crime, cyber crime, civilian police, and security sector reform programs, of which not less than $5,000,000 shall be made available to combat piracy of United States copyright materials, consistent with the requirements of section 688 (a) and (b) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008If you're curious about sections 688 (a) and (b) as mentioned in this bill, you can see them here. They just authorize the State Department to "provide training" to foreign judges and prosecutors on intellectual property law. That is, it's part of the US's official IP propaganda program to convince foreign judges and prosecutors that strict interpretations of IP laws are the only way to go.
A couple years ago, we wrote in more detail about how the State Department spends these funds, and it's not pretty. Basically, we send copyright maximalist lawyers to other countries -- countries that have their own copyright laws -- and tell judges and federal prosecutors there that they need to enforce US-style copyright maximalist laws.
I'm really not sure how that's an appropriate use of taxpayer money.
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Filed Under: homeland security, ice, patrick leahy, pipa, propaganda, state department
Reader Comments
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2) Advertise that you will deal with imaginary problem
3) ???
4) PROFIT!!!!
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3.5.) Benefit from the revolving door
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I wish to know so that I can contact people in that person's state and tell them the truth.
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Also unfortunately he did enough early in his career (before Entertainment industry funding) to help the elderly / medicare / and farms. because of that Seniors and farm owners love him and will always vote for him... no matter what he does to "those computer thing-a-ma-jigs" He's been in office since 1974... and until either the seniors expire or he does, it doesn't look good for replacing him anytime soon.
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I get pork barrel politics. I don't like it, but I get it. When a politician pushes for pork barrel for their constituents, to win favor and votes, I get it. What I don't get is that Vermont isn't known for Copyright Industries. Is this really what the Vermont constituency wants their elected officials doing or is this just another example of corruption?
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Well, neither is Connecticut, whose loins spawned the evil Chris Dodd.
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*where all values of public = corporate interests
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That's part of the point. Get politicians from states that don't care about copyright to support you. That way when the politician votes to screw up copyright, no one cares and will still vote them in.
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my state as well, pretty much sums up the situation. really just an embarassment to us all, The Senator For Big Content, what a legacy.
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Democrat
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With other nations on the rise...
Of course, that doesn't mean ICE will ease up on us citizens...
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God, you're an insufferable whiner.
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Trampling of any civil rights of the public in favor of any one group is wrong.
I do not want to be in the Draconian world you so seem to favor.
There are other solutions. Open yourself up to other profit ideas.
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Hey now, trolling obviously is a patented process
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Just saying.
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I see what you did there...
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God, you're an insufferable whiner."
Copypasta trolling, LOL. This could be posted about anyone in any article on the internet ever without mattering what the article is about. Just change the name!
The days of trolling madlibs are coming.
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And you wonder why people flag your posts.
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God, you're an insufferable whiner.
FTFY.
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In other news" water wet, fire hot.
Film at 11.
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Oh wait, I'm sorry these morons who are actually TAKING MONEY are the good guys while those making copies are the evil bad guys. For a second there I got confused.
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Crimson Permanent Assurance
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Crimson Permanent Assurance
+1 for the Monty Python link...
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I think It's better to put that $10M to charitable donations or at least help those homeless people at least have a decent home and livelihood....
rather waste them in a global wack-a-mole...
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Just look at Prohibition...
And the War on Drugs...
War on Terror...
ETC...
If there's ONE thing governments know how to do...
It's waste money.
Well, at least they're not spending it on toilet seat covers this time.
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Can we Please...
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Re: Can we Please...
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Big reason..
Why Homeland Security should give a rats tushie about "piracy" is beyond me.
The government has become a government of the businesses and rich, by the businesses and rich, and for the businesses and the rich. The 99% are not worthy of consideration.
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Who would have ever known they're all such hypocrites?
Oh wait... we already did.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTbdnNgqfs8
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I'm sure he could pass it off as a "jobs bill". Go for it, Leahy!
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"I'm sure he could pass it off as a "jobs bill"."
Call me optimistic, but surely even the most knuckle-dragging fool on the electorate would understand that giving $5 million to a company that's currently grossing $1.3 billion on a single one of its current releases would not create any jobs? Then again...
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A simple point
Oh, and by the way Senator, since when has slang become acceptable when crafting a bill? Please grow up. I cannot believe that a U.S. Senator used the word piracy to refer to copyright infringement in a bill that he wants to become law.
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Re: A simple point
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