[SGVLUG] Lessig and SOPA / PIPA / ACTA, the root solution

[matti]

HI,


So I was doing a bit more reading, and from here
http://tucowsinc.com/news/2012/01/why-we-dont-like-sopa/ 


I was lead to presentations by Lessig
( super short version )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT6CXwqzucY 


( longer version, on Google campus somewhere )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik1AK56FtVc 


Summary:

SOPA / PIPA are the branches of the tree ( problem ), we
need to get to the root of the problem:

Congress is corrupt due to the way fund raising and lobbying happens.

SOPA / PIPA / ACTA and numerous other bills which are
overall bad for America will continue to be brought up
by Congress due to this..
( same reason why the bubble happened.. )

THE WAY TO FIX this is to change the way fund raising occurs.
Lessig proposes solutions, A Convention to amend the
Constitution so that elections are publicly funded, and
limits of $100 for contributions per individual.
( there's more, but that's a short summary )

This should give us a more responsible Government, 
which would do what is good for America.
( vs. what is good for the highest bidders )

Lessig is btw asking for help naming his new book:
http://lessig.mornin.org/book-title-2/ 


Normally I think politics isabsolutely OT, but the more I think about
this the more I think this particular issue is perhaps very
much on topic for us. Without a significant change, it probably
will be just a matter of time before something like SOPA / PIPA / ACTA
makes it as LAW and screws up the Internet in the US.

thanks
matti