White House Issues Statement Against SOPA and Protect IP Act
Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 01.15.2012
A major blow against the bills...
The White House has issued a statement opposing the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act. The Obama administration took a stand against the bills, which would give the government the power to shut down websites with unauthorized copyrighted material and to compel US advertisers to cut deals with such sites.
The White House's statement read, "While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet."
The statement acknowledges that "online piracy is a real problem that harms the American economy" and added, "Moving forward, we will continue to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis on legislation that provides new tools needed in the global fight against piracy and counterfeiting, while vigorously defending an open Internet based on the values of free expression, privacy, security and innovation. Again, thank you for taking the time to participate in this important process. We hope you'll continue to be part of it."
"While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet."
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The statement went on to say "We will, however, not hesitate to label a citizen doing something we do not like a "terrorist" and throw them in jail without due process."
Posted By: Scott B (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 01:05 PM
Thank you White House for listening to the people. Seems like the Internet has done well enough on its own without government intervention. How about if that same gov't. does a little more to improve the overall economy for everybody? Now, about those pop-up ads on this site--how about posting them so they don't block the stories that you want us to read?
Posted By: guest (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 01:34 PM
That sounds nice, but I won't be totally convinced until this bill dies.
Posted By: thisisntme (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 01:41 PM
I'm officially voting for Obama now!
Posted By: jaked (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 03:30 PM
I don't go on 411 nearly as much becuase of the pop ups.
Posted By: Guest#5274 (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 03:43 PM
If NDAA was any indication, Congress will change the font of the bill, then Obama will pretend it's different and sign off. If he said the sky is blue I'd immediately look up to check.
Posted By: Jason Douglas (Registered) on January 15, 2012 at 04:27 PM
"While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet."
----------------------------
The statement went on to say "We will, however, not hesitate to label a citizen doing something we do not like a "terrorist" and throw them in jail without due process."
Posted By: Scott B (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 01:05 PM
I agree.
P.S: RoH also labels you a terrorist if you cheer for the wrong guy or chant anything other than the 4 pre-approved and acceptible chants.
Posted By: Guest#5713 (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 05:44 PM
Just to be clear, the White House did not listen to the people, they listened the corporate cash from Facebook, Google, AOL and Yahoo.
Posted By: G-Man (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 06:29 PM
Thank you Obama for finally listening to the people
Posted By: Carlos M. (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 07:29 PM
I'm officially voting for Obama now!
Posted By: jaked (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 03:30 PM
That was the whole point of this press release, to get enough sheeple to go "Obama listens!" Maybe you should check out his record on civil liberties thus far. I'll help you. It's worse than Bush's.
Don't be a drone.
Posted By: Guest#4140 (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 08:55 PM
What a crock. Hey remember when Obama said that he would veto that defense bill that he totally didn't veto? Yeah. Just watch, he'll quietly sign SOPA and PIPA into law when he thinks no one is watching and he'll use one of his little signing statements to try to make it OK.
Notice how he speaks vaguely about the need to legislatively address the problem of online piracy in a way other than SOPA or PIPA, and yet he doesn't even attempt to offer up an alternative idea. He's sold out so hard, and it's just become so transparent that I actually feel insulted that he made this statement.
I've tried to be patient with Obama. I've defended him from some of the more retarded things that people on this forum have said, but I just cant believe another word that comes out of his mouth. He is a man who is willing to say or do anything to get reelected, and when the time comes he'll gladly side with his corporate benefactors. He knows where his bread is buttered.
Posted By: Jlevysan (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 09:31 PM
I don't go on 411 nearly as much becuase of the pop ups.
Posted By: Guest#5274 (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 03:43 PM
I don't go on 411 as much as I would if I were able to register my own account. Seriously, what kind of bumpkin site doesn't allow people to register their own account?
Posted By: Guest#6125 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 08:33 AM
What a crock. Hey remember when Obama said that he would veto that defense bill that he totally didn't veto? Yeah. Just watch, he'll quietly sign SOPA and PIPA into law when he thinks no one is watching and he'll use one of his little signing statements to try to make it OK.
Notice how he speaks vaguely about the need to legislatively address the problem of online piracy in a way other than SOPA or PIPA, and yet he doesn't even attempt to offer up an alternative idea. He's sold out so hard, and it's just become so transparent that I actually feel insulted that he made this statement.
I've tried to be patient with Obama. I've defended him from some of the more retarded things that people on this forum have said, but I just cant believe another word that comes out of his mouth. He is a man who is willing to say or do anything to get reelected, and when the time comes he'll gladly side with his corporate benefactors. He knows where his bread is buttered.
Posted By: Jlevysan (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 09:31 PM
You're blowing the minds of these simple people, my friend.
Posted By: Guest#5687 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 09:06 AM
I don't go on 411 nearly as much becuase of the pop ups.
Posted By: Guest#5274 (Guest) on January 15, 2012 at 03:43 PM
And the pop under ads. Every time I come here, which has decreased greatly, I need a new browser extension. Not to mention the 15 tracking cookies.
Posted By: Guest#8711 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Sheesh all the previous comments are just mildly retarded and that's putting it nicely.
You know why SOPA was shelved? Because it pissed a lot of people off and it infringed upon freedom of expression and speech. Don't give me "Obama just wants to get re-elected" bullshit, because that's common sense. When a company as big as Google threatens to go black for the ENTIRE DAY, I'm pretty sure that's enough to get any person in power to listen up and pay attention.
And guess what happened to Godaddy.com, who supported the bill? Within 10 days, they lost 100,000 domains under their name because they supported the SOPA/PIPA bills. I get it, I really do. The idea behind the bill was noble enough, but the way it was worded and execution of trying to pass it through was horrendous and damn near blasphemous.
Any President would have listened to the people especially during re-election year. The House and Senate were smart enough to realize that this bill, if passed, would have pissed off a lot of Americans.
Oh and while I'm at it, the NDAA doesn't apply to US Citizens. So get that dick out of your mouth and actually read up on the bill. It'll save you a lot of headache and prevent you from eating a slice of humble pie. Does the NDAA suck? Yes, it's stupid and is just as bad as the Patriot Act (hi Bush!), but the outcry now was just the same as the outcry back then.
Anyway, SOPA is "shelved indefinitely" so don't be surprised to see bits and pieces of it taken into other bills and it be passed that way. I swear, all you conservatives and Republicans want to destroy the American way of life. GOP my ass. Grand IGNORANT party is more like it.
Say hi to the newly re-elected Obama for me!
Posted By: Defective14 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 07:29 PM
Anyway, SOPA is "shelved indefinitely" so don't be surprised to see bits and pieces of it taken into other bills and it be passed that way. I swear, all you conservatives and Republicans want to destroy the American way of life. GOP my ass. Grand IGNORANT party is more like it.
Say hi to the newly re-elected Obama for me!
Posted By: Defective14 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 07:29 PM
I didnt realize it was conservatives who bash America with every chance they get! I didnt realize it was conservatives constantly assaulting families, constantly putting down our military, constantly trying to remove Christ from the public square. Who is trying to eliminate gun rights? Who is trying to eliminate free-speech? Who is trying to turn the government into a tyranny like we left in England in the first place?
Posted By: Guest#8869 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 09:45 PM
Comment above be hysterical!
Posted By: Guest#1574 (Guest) on January 17, 2012 at 11:27 AM
I didnt realize it was conservatives who bash America with every chance they get! I didnt realize it was conservatives constantly assaulting families, constantly putting down our military, constantly trying to remove Christ from the public square. Who is trying to eliminate gun rights? Who is trying to eliminate free-speech? Who is trying to turn the government into a tyranny like we left in England in the first place?
Posted By: Guest#8869 (Guest) on January 16, 2012 at 09:45 PM
Elminate free speech? Patriot act anyone?
Eliminate Gun rights? Who has done THAT recently?
Assaulting families? Gay's can't get married, so I guess anyone who isn't am an and women doesn't count. Unlees your a GOP politican in which case...have all the bathroom gay sex you want!
Tyranny in England? Typical GOP response, try reading a history book would ya please. Your ignorance is amazing!
Christ from the public square? I'm sorry why should people's tax money pay for someone's religion? Pretty sure that has been argued before and it's agains the constitution buddy.
Way to prove Defective14 point though, give it another 10 years the GOP party will dissapear entirely because it has become increasingly irrelevant.
Posted By: Guest#6826 (Guest) on January 17, 2012 at 02:28 PM
Obama extended the patriot act you morons.
Posted By: Guest#0230 (Guest) on January 18, 2012 at 05:22 AM
One more thing:
What country have you been living in? Nothing good comes from the right except for ignorance and nutjobs.
Democrats have been paving the way for this country since they were founded years ago and Democrats will continue being the best thing for this country. Republicans take care of the rich whereas Democrats try and look out for the common man.
This country is ran by the rich and they get no taxes on their money anyway. If that's not a sign of conservative corruption, I don't know what it.
Being Centrist is great and leaning a little to the left is better. At least I can live with myself knowing that I'm not some conservative, republican nutjob. The right is going to kill this country.
Posted By: Defective14 (Guest) on January 18, 2012 at 12:04 PM
STAY CURRENT