Slashdot Mirror
President Signs Law Creating Copyright Czar
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "President Bush has signed the EIPRA (AKA the PRO-IP Act) and created a cabinet-level post of 'Copyright Czar,' on par with the current 'Drug Czar,' in spite of prior misgivings about the bill. They did at least get rid of provisions that would have had the DOJ take over the RIAA's unpopular litigation campaign. Still, the final legislation (PDF) creates new classes of felony criminal copyright infringement, adds civil forfeiture provisions that incorporate by reference parts of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, and directs the Copyright Czar to lobby foreign governments to adopt stronger IP laws. At this point, our best hope would appear to be to hope that someone sensible like Laurence Lessig or William Patry gets appointed."
Congressman Brad Sherman claims that himself and several other members of Congress were threatened with martial law if the bailout did not pass. It's not hogwash, these statements are on record.
Yeah, ignore the fact that Posse Comitatus was struck down in 2006. Ignore that fact that the First Brigade of the Third Infantry Division, trained in anti-riot techniques and urban warfare, have already been used in the US as a police security force. Ignore the fact that Presidential Directive 51 allows Bush to declare a national emergency in case of economic crisis.
Ignore that and so many other things, like hundreds of empty but guarded FEMA built prisons, FEMA trained Pastors and other religious leaders to quell dissent during martial law, etc. Keep your head in the sand, it'll all be OK.