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Republican Staffer Khanna Axed Over Copyright Memo

Posted by timothy on from the don't-mistake-the-gop-for-free-marketeers dept.

Bob9113 writes "Ars Technica reports that Derek Khanna is getting axed over his memo detailing the conflict between laissez-faire-oriented free market ideals and the regulatory monopoly that is copyright. 'The Republican Study Committee, a caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives, has told staffer Derek Khanna that he will be out of a job when Congress re-convenes in January. The incoming chairman of the RSC, Steve Scalise (R-LA) was approached by several Republican members of Congress who were upset about a memo Khanna wrote advocating reform of copyright law. They asked that Khanna not be retained, and Scalise agreed to their request.'"

7 of 506 comments (clear)

  1. Surprised? by CanHasDIY · · Score: 5, Informative

    You shouldn't be - after all, this is the same political organization that had a report banned from the LoC, because the facts contained within did not mesh with their party philosophy.

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  2. Re:This is why the Republicans lost the election by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    But they didn't lose, they were just given 4 more years of control of one house of congress, a mandate by the people to prove how bad obama is for america!

    Or, at least that's what this memo i have says...

  3. Memo taken down. But there's a backup copy. by Animats · · Score: 5, Informative

    Backup copy. (And because the document was created by a Congressional employee, it's not copyrightable. So there.)

    Here's the proposal:

    • A. Free 12-year copyright term for all new works - subject to registration, and all existing works are renewed as of the passage of the reform legislation. If passed today this would mean that new works have a copyright until 2024.
    • B. Elective-12 year renewal (cost 1% of all United States revenue from first 12 years -- which equals all sales).
    • C. Elective-6 year renewal (cost 3% of revenue from the previous 12 years).
    • D. Elective-6 year renewal (cost 5% of revenue in previous 6 years).
    • E. Elective-10 year renewal (10% of ALL overall revenue - fees paid so far).

    This is a good proposal. Start circulating it around. For only a very small number of copyrighted items is there revenue beyond 12 years, and that's covered.

  4. Re:Principled conservatism by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 5, Informative

    You might want to wipe the foam from your mouth and actually read about the history of civil rights and see who's consistently been on the side of those who want to work hard and be a member of society

    Yup - they were usually called "liberals" and "progressives", same as they are today. It just so happens that Republicans were a liberal/progressive party since pretty much forever (already during the Civil War), until they were turned around at the end of the Civil Rights era.

  5. Re:Principled conservatism by HarrySquatter · · Score: 5, Informative

    Teddy Roosevelt was a conservative? You're joking, right? Did you hear that from Rush Limbaugh or Fox News? You do know that the Bull Moose Party that he founded was a progressive party, right? Teddy Roosevelt is well known as being a leader in the progressive movement of the early 20th century. To call him a conservative is an absolute joke.

  6. Re:He Should Be by Rockoon · · Score: 4, Informative

    The government being involved in marriage at all is an example of big government interference.

    Here is just some of the significant government involvement that defines married people as different than single people.

    Of course gays want to get married.. look at how special married people are treated. They want to be treated special too, which is why allowing gay marriage isn't actually a fair outcome unless you define 'fair' to equal 'treating people differently.'

    The fair outcome is only arrived at when the government gets the hell out of the institution of marriage.

    --
    "His name was James Damore."
  7. Derek Khanna - Geek by Frankie70 · · Score: 5, Informative

    He is one of us - look at his linkedin profile
    http://www.linkedin.com/in/derekkhanna

    â C++, Backtrack, Python, Sql, Java, Dreamweaver/Photoshop, statistical modelling.
    â Building computers and beta testing software (Microsoft Office 2013, Windows 8 etc.).

    Unless, we stand up for him, no one else will ever dare write about copyright reform in the future.

    This needs to be something like fight against SOPA.