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Republican Staffer Khanna Axed Over Copyright Memo
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.'"
Yeah, heavens forbid that elected officials ever be given information that they might disagree with. Shame on this person for thinking that law makers should be exposed to a wide variety of ideas and opinions. Next thing you know they will have to try to justify claims of wanting less government while at the same time pushing for laws limiting marriage laws or privacy laws. What was he thinking?
There are at least two important points we can take away from this:
1. The republican party lies about having free market ideals.
2. The current IP regime is NOT an example of free market economics, even though it is widely touted as so.
He had to know this would cost him his job.
He could not have expected anything else.
He's 24 and probably still believes that United States politics offer an open and free forum where you can put forth ideas no matter what side you're on and the change that follows can be a good thing if the logic behind it is sound. Surely the worst that could happen is that your party would have to explain again logically why your brief was incorrect and unsound?
Boy it sure was hard typing that with a straight face.
My work here is dung.
I don't know what he was thinking, but I think we all can correctly guess what he learned about Washington and politics in general.
It's an old boys' club, the yes man gets ahead, and messengers get shot when exposing contradictions.
More Twoson than Cupertino
Scalise is one of my representatives, I actually kinda know the guy.
Dunno if a letter will help...but, I'll sure send one...this move sucks.
I don't think this is just a R problem...I think both R's and D's up there are so bought and paid for that no reform will likely happen that will benefit you and I, but I'll certainly send a letter about this....
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Dear Derek Khanna,
You have made more friends than enemies. You may have been canned today, but you could easily replace your boss. RUN FOR OFFICE!
Sincerely,
Someone who actually votes.
No, this is not a party line problem at all. Both R's and D's voted for copyright extension, and I know the D's are at least as bad as the R's because so many of them also supported crap like SOPA.
Basically, it's whoever takes money from the [MP|RI|MAFI]AA is who votes in favor of copyright extension.
John
Seniors, yes. Children, no.
The following groups are included in the 47%, in pseudo-order of sympathy:
1. Rich people with good accountants.
2. Poor people too lazy to work.
3. Long term unemployed, probably made up mostly of people who have paid income taxes most of their lives and will do so again in future.
4. Short term unemployed, most of whom have paid taxes most of their lives and will continue to do so after they regain work.
5. Seniors. Who, by the way, paid plenty of taxes for their working lives.
6. People who work crappy jobs to make ends meet.
7. Blue-collar workers in low wage states, such as most of the south. Ironically, this is a Republican "base".
8. Most of the military. True fact: starting salary for a grunt is less (as in way south of) $20,000 a year. It doesn't get much higher either if you're not an officer.
Putting the military at the end there because of the current Troop fetish in this country.
The interesting point to me is that between 1, 5, 7, and 8, it doesn't seem improbable to me that Romney was completely off-base when he suggested the 47% would never vote for him, no matter what. I think it's quite possible the majority (if only a slight majority) of the 47% voted for him - at least, those who didn't realize he was talking about them.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
I think the person's point was that the GoP is being hypocritical in this case since the idea of government backing away from industry is one of its major planks, which is what I suspect the person was referring to as the 'problem'. So the GoP is coming across as being in favor of regulation that supports industry against citizens, but not regulation that supports citizens against industry.
It's more of an R problem
Wow, somebody's not paying attention. Look, I know that on Slashdot it's hip to bash Republicans at every turn, but this is so wrong it's not even funny. Insane copyright laws is a bipartisan problem, but Democrats lead the charge. They're all in the pocket of Big Media in places like California and New York that lean heavily Democratic. Chris freaking DODD is running the MPAA now.
There are plenty of valid criticisms of the Republican party, and they're certainly not clean on this issue. But to say that they're worse than Democrats on copyright just sounds like uninformed Republican bashing.
Today's Sesame Street was brought to you by the number e.
This isn't about the old boys club. If this had been just-another-report, they would not even have known he was involved. You can be 100% guaranteed that the 'representatives' who complained were NOT representing us. They were representing the RIAA. You can be sure that the RIAA gave these guys a call and explained in no uncertain terms that campaign contributions and getting re-elected hinged on certain.... favors.
I don't really think this is a contradiction. I think the reality of the party line is more "Corporations are people .. the only people." Less government, less taxes, less regulation, more rights. These apply to real people: corporations, not you or me.
Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage