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Broadcast Flag Back in Congress

Tyler Too writes "When the broadcast flag was smacked down in court, it was only a matter of time before the MPAA tried to ram it through Congress. The first attempt in June failed, but the EFF reports that they are gearing up for another try. From Ars Technica's write-up: 'This latest attempt involves tacking on an amendment to a budget reconciliation bill. Since reconciliation is about cutting spending--something that always sounds good--such legislation cannot be substantially changed by the Budget Committee once it is presented, nor can it be filibustered.' Looks like it's a good time to call your congressman."

13 of 417 comments (clear)

  1. Say what? by lucabrasi999 · · Score: 5, Funny
    smacked down in court

    Hey! I saw that match! The Rock crushed the MPAA with the People's Elbow.

  2. Timing is right by smchris · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now's the time to tack it onto a Katrina spending bill. Republican and Democrat alike will be _forced_ to vote for it "for the children," blah, blah.

  3. So are they going to set the "evil bit" also? by Hulkster · · Score: 4, Funny
  4. Re:why is it... by Hope+Thelps · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why is it that the people who seem to complain about this are the ones who also complain about there being nothing good to watch on TV?

    Could you cite stats on that or at least give examples of, say, a dozen specific people?

    TIA.

    --
    To summarise the summary of the summary: people are a problem. ~ h2g2
  5. Re:If something gets shot down once... by ThaFooz · · Score: 4, Funny

    The only thing that could be done to curtail this practice would be to require single-purpose bills that can't be loaded full of non-related crap. Of course, that would require a major change in our our legislative process works...

    Why not just tack your proposal onto some popular bill?

  6. Re:Not Parental Control - Copyright Enforcement by Kenja · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ah, my bad. I get all the crap their trying to get passed as law mixed up sometimes. Still, all they need to do to stop people from trying to record their content is to make it not worth watching even once. Seems to be working well enough.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  7. BRING IT ON! by jvollmer · · Score: 3, Funny
    My message to the MPAA, RIAA et al is,
    as King George would say: "Bring it on!"

    If they are going to make television less appealing
    I'm prepared to ditch my TV and spend the rest of my
    life reading and writing.

    Try applying DRM to paperbound books I already own, SUCKAS!

    I invite everyone else to do the same - If we do, free TV will reappear.
    but no one will want it. Indeed, they will have to pay people to
    watch it.

    3) Profit!!!

    If it's not Consolidated Lint, it's just fuzz!

  8. Ouch by PacketScan · · Score: 4, Funny

    Call it the Bend over and Take it Flag.

  9. Obligatory Simpsons Quote by cmburns69 · · Score: 5, Funny

    From Bart's Comet:

    KENT BROCKMAN
    With our utter annihilation imminent, our federal government has snapped into action. We go live now via satellite to the floor of the United States congress.

    SPEAKER
    Then it is unanimous, we are going to approve the bill to evacuate the town of Springfield in the great state of--

    CONGRESSMAN
    Wait a second, I want to tack on a rider to that bill - $30 million of taxpayer money to support the perverted arts.

    SPEAKER
    All in favor of the amended Springfield-slash-pervert bill?

    FLOOR
    Boo!

    SPEAKER
    Bill defeated.

    KENT BROCKMAN
    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply doesn't work...

    --
    Online Starcraft RPG? At
    Dietary fiber is like asynchronous IO-- Non-blocking!
  10. Iraqi WMD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "unless they really want to be thrown in jail for delivering a biological weapon. Human excrement is biohazardous, and requires special handling."

    Quick! Into the sewers of Baghdad! We've found the WMD at last!

  11. Re:Kind of vague by StarvingSE · · Score: 2, Funny

    I suggest the following method of rating amendments on a bill:

    Every couple of weeks, certain legislatures will get "moderator access"

    Then, they get to mod any 5 amendments as the following:

    -Insightful
    -Informative
    -Funny
    -Troll

    etc.

    Only amendments modded +5 make it into the final bill.

    Sounds good to me!!!

    --
    I got nothin'
  12. Re:but what can we do by phlegmofdiscontent · · Score: 2, Funny

    I've always found that breaking into your representative's office, stripping, and then waiting on their desk for them to arrive is a very effective way to get their attention. As for getting them to see my point... Well, I've never been an effective public speaker.

  13. Re:If something gets shot down once... by quantum+bit · · Score: 2, Funny

    not being an american, it is one of the things i have found most perplexing about your legal system ... shouldn't a law for Penguin Control at least be in a bill that is somehow related to penguins??

    Yes, it should, and it's asinine the way that the system is abused. Pisses me off to no end.

    When I run for president in 2016, it's going to be on a strict "no-pork" platform. If there's even one unrelated rider, it gets vetoed, no matter how important the bill may be otherwise. No exceptions.

    /no, I'm not kidding
    //no, I don't actually expect to win, but what the hell