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Biden Promises 'Right Person' As Copyright Czar
Hugh Pickens writes "Vice President Joe Biden lauded Hollywood at a gala dinner in Washington, assailed movie piracy, and promised film executives that the Obama administration would pick 'the right person' as its copyright czar. Biden warned of the harms of piracy at the private event organized by the Motion Picture Association of America in the sumptuous, newly renovated Great Hall of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. 'It's pure theft, stolen from the artists and quite frankly from the American people as consequence of loss of jobs and as a consequence of loss of income,' Biden said, according to a White House pool report. Biden addressed President Obama's forthcoming decision about who will be named the intellectual-property enforcement coordinator, better known as the copyright czar. Under a law approved by the US Congress last October, Obama is required to appoint someone to coordinate the administration's IP enforcement efforts and prepare annual reports. Copyright industry lobbyists sent a letter to the president asking him to pick someone sympathetic to their concerns, while groups that would curb copyright law sent their own letter (PDF) urging the opposite approach. We 'will find the right person for intellectual property czar,' Biden said."
Neither party can afford to upset big, powerful industries, so don't expect any strong language from the president on copyright or media.
On balance, I suspect we're still better off with whoever Obama finds than with whatever a Republican president would have done and who he would have selected.
I think this is neither necessary nor a proper way to do business.
What's your experience in running a large (or even medium or small) business?
"I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
Why wouldn't piracy be lost profits? I know that pirates may not purchase the material if they couldn't pirate but the point of copyright piracy is that someone was using the material anyways. It's still a lost profit if you steal a rental car for the weekend but never would have paid the rent on it. Like it or not, the law gives certain rights that imply certain value to the owners and creators of copyright.
If you're into reality checks, I suggest you examine the only viable political alternative in the last election. If you seriously think we would be better off right now with McCain and Palin running the show (and it's frightening how many people apparently DID think that when they voted) then I feel sorry for you. Splitting away from supporting Obama to back a 3rd party might have allowed the Republicans a victory DESPITE crap like the Iraq war. They actually DID re-elect Bush Jr. despite the war.
Obama is not perfect on copyright law, but I have yet to see ANY viable candidate in the US take anything like a reasonable stance on it. Given that reality, and the US "winner take all" election style, supporting Obama was/is still a rational move even in the face of his problems.
If middlemen are nothing but money leeches then surely those who don't have middlemen should surpass those who do due to lower costs and drive them out of the market, right?
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
A republic is an orginization of government, We ARE BOTH a democracy and a republic.
Fascists like those you listen to want to put it in your head that we are not a democracy so that it makes it easier to dominate you.
Dude, you need to lay off the Fox News. You've been smoking a few too many teabags.