COICA

[William Drake]

I've always thought the rules that make each senator an emperor able to block legislation, appointments, and so on are insane.  But in the current US environment where only bad policy ideas have any chance of getting traction, it may be necessary to reconsider.  If the only choice is between fiddling while Rome burns and pouring gas on the fire, let them fiddle…maybe some little improvements can be found elsewhere.

Bill


On Nov 20, 2010, at 9:59 AM, Alex Gakuru wrote:

> [Thanks to Erik Hersman for this pointer]
> 
> Oregon Senator Wyden effectively kills Internet censorship bill
> 
> "It's too early to say for sure, but Oregon Senator Ron Wyden could
> very well go down in the history books as the man who saved the
> Internet.
> 
> A bill that critics say would have given the government power to
> censor the Internet will not pass this year thanks to the Oregon
> Democrat, who announced his opposition during a recent committee
> hearing. Individual Senators can place holds on pending legislation,
> in this case meaning proponents of the bill will be forced to
> reintroduce the measure and will not be able to proceed until the next
> Congress convenes..."
> 
> <http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/oregon-senator-vows-block-internet-censorship-bill/>
> 
> 
> On Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 11:54 AM, Milton L Mueller <mueller at syr.edu> wrote:
>> Correction: One Committee of one House of a bicameral legislature has
>> approved it. ;-)
>> 
>> It must also go through the committee process in the House and that isn’t
>> even started.
>> 
>> People in DC think the tide is turning against this bill.
>> 
>> --MM
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> From: Alex Gakuru [mailto:gakuru at gmail.com]
>> Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2010 12:18 AM
>> To: Milton L Mueller
>> Cc: NCSG-NCUC-DISCUSS at listserv.syr.edu
>> Subject: Re: COICA
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> they approved it yesterday,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "The US Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a controversial billthat
>> would give the authorities dramatic new copyright enforcement powers
>> allowing it to take down entire domains “dedicated to online piracy” rather
>> than just targeting files that actually infringe copyright
>> law." http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/111910_Judiciary_Committee_Approves_Online_Copyright_Enforcement_Bill
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> see also;
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "CADNA now encourages the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
>> Numbers (ICANN), the global organization that sets policy for the Internet's
>> naming and addressing system, to supplement the Senate's work by including
>> in its policies provisions that will similarly prevent infringement and
>> counterfeiting outside of the U.S.'s jurisdictional reach."
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cadna-commends-chairman-leahy-and-the-senate-judiciary-committee-for-passing-the-combating-online-infringements-and-counterfeits-act-out-of-committee-109242769.html
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> regards,
> 
> Alex Gakuru
> http://www.mwenyeji.com
> Hosting, surprise yourself!

***********************************************************
William J. Drake
Senior Associate
Centre for International Governance
Graduate Institute of International and
 Development Studies
Geneva, Switzerland
william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch
www.williamdrake.org
***********************************************************