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GOP Brief Attacks Current Copyright Law

Posted by timothy on from the political-parties-work-like-stopped-clocks dept.

cervesaebraciator writes "Regardless of how one feels about the GOP generally, it is always heartening to see current copyright and IP law questioned on a national stage. A Republican study committee, chaired by Ohio Representative Jim Jordan released a brief today titled Three Myths about Copyright Law and Where to Start to Fix it. Among other things, the brief attacks current copyright law as hampering scientific inquiry, penalizing journalism, and retarding the potential of the internet to allow the dispersion of knowledge through e-readers. In the briefs words, 'Current copyright law does not merely distort some markets – rather it destroys entire markets.' Four potential policy solutions are proposed: statutory damage reform, expansion of fair use, punishing false copyright claims, and limiting copyright terms. There may yet be hope for a national debate on the current oppressive copyright system, if just a fool's hope."

2 of 296 comments (clear)

  1. Copyrights, Patents, and Trademarks by buss_error · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    First, look who uses copyrights most.
    Next, visit www.opensecrets.org - look them up and which party they tend to donate to.
    Next, look where educators tend to donate to. Look where the GOP legislative record tilts - NB: State of Texas/K-12 school funding.

    While I agree with many of the points in the GOP paper, sometimes things aren't done for just one reason. Or done for the reasons stated.

    Just sayin'.

    ------
    Continuing my K-12 rant:

    And while "Throwing money at education doesn't work!", I'll ask a rather pointed question:
    Would you rather have a doctor that graduated from Harvard medical school (85K USD per semester) or from a unknown state university (where it's more like 30K USD per semester) to operate on your brain?

    Factiod: Texas spends about $6.82 per hour to educate children in K-12
    Factiod: Average price of a baby sitter in Texas: $9.00 per hour over all, $12.50 per hour in urban areas.
    Factiod: Average pay of a letter carrier: 58,700 USD (no degree required)
    Factiod: Average pay of a Texas K-12 Teacher with a bachelor's degree: 42,890
    Opinion: The person that teaches your child to read should make at least as much as the person that brings them the mail.

    And yes - I am now a FORMER K-12 employee. I couldn't keep depriving my family of a living wage to teach your kids, get insulted for being "A pig in the trough sucking on the public t|t", being called a "Fat cat over paid administrator", and having just about everyone assume I'm incompetent and can't get "A real job". I once had someone actually spit on me when I told them where I worked.

    I hired on to a place glassdoor rates as one of the 5 hardest places to get hired. I applied on a Tuesday, had a phone interview on Wednesday morning, an in person interview on Thursday evening, (I was offered a slot on Wednesday afternoon, but I had to be there for your kids), got an offer on Friday morning (at 4AM!), and I now make 211% more than I did teaching your kids, not counting the hiring bonus (1.5 month's pay at my new rate) or quarterly bonuses (about two weeks pay usually.)

    In a free market, people tend to go where compensation is best. The truly remarkable teachers hang on like grim death to teach. So I guess I'm not a truly remarkable teacher - but now I make more money, and have to work only 6 more days a year than I used to. I would have stayed to teach your kids, if I could afford to get my daughter braces, my son corrective surgery for his injury, my wife the things she has earned to keep this household running as well as it does, and cars somewhat less than 14 and 17 years old. I don't ask for any toys for myself - my family is the joy of my life. I just want them to do, and be, well.

    As a side note: Retirement. Because I was in Teacher's retirement, I can never draw out from Social Security what any other person would get, even if I give up all the money I paid into teacher retirement. As a result, I won't be able to retire until I'm 72 years old, which I don't expect to see. I have a rather large life insurance policy for my wife, which should see she is comfortable and able to do all the things she's like to do with me, if we could. We'll cross off a few bucket list items, but as for passing comfortable years in our golden age, I don't see that happening.

    --
    Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
  2. I told you how to fix it December 29th 2011 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I REPEAT , "RESTORE THE US CONSTITUTION"

    it's this, or it's going to be HELL ON EARTH.

    Business will close
    Business won't hire
    Business will exploit sub-contracting
    Banksters won't face justice
    Oath breakers won't face justice
    Murderers Thieves and Psychopaths will run the world

    I PREDICT
    As the Oath Breaking Senate allows the monetary system to go to complete fucking shit, civil war will be right under their fucking throats. Forget the MAYA crap, Global Warmin Fraud (man made, yeah men in haarp stations with deadly force and men doing sorties spraying nasty fucking shit on us!)

    Fuck it. I give up.

    COME KNOCK ON MY DOOR WITH THIS FASCIST UNCONSTITUTIONAL SHIT, AND MEET YOUR FUCKING MAKER YOU OATH BREAKING TERRORISTS