The Dark Side
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the Justice Department in Washington, October 17, 2005. People who attempt to copy music or movies without permission could face jail time under legislation proposed by the Justice Department on Thursday. (Jim Young/Reuters)
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Not since FDR has a Republican administration done so much to support big business. In a near desperate attempt to stimulate the economy, and campaign contributions don't hurt, the administration has pulled out all stops in the support of business, big business. Unfortunately the support of the big business that lobbies the hardest, amounts to support of monopolies, cartels and inflexible old entrenchments, old business that has long forgotten innovation, added value and fair price. They favor of engineered scarcity and legislative support of their anti competitive market position. The Administration's support of Sphinx like institutions of the past amounts to support of the dark side and the suppression of innovation, productivity and free information that drives the economy today. If big petroleum, big media, big pharmacy big insurance and big telecoms win, the economy looses.
What is good about our political system is not that we ever get it right, but that we always get it wrong on both sides of a question. Hopefully that may prove to be the case with today's conflict. The pendulum has swung too far. It is time for a younger view, one in line with competitiveness, innovation, small business and productivity. The problem, however, with such a political change develops from the other side supporting the same old institutions for the money and for lack of understanding the multiplying effect of the new economy.
I think it is a shame that Justice views copyright so sacred as to eliminate the concept of free information and fair use. The changing paradigm would reward the copyright holder with wider exposure and so broad a market as to increase revenue despite the free information, the fair use, the pirating and the file sharing. Vox populi, vox dium. Let the information revolution run its course and let big business adapt. The economy and our culture will be the winner.
Email Photo
Print Photo
Not since FDR has a Republican administration done so much to support big business. In a near desperate attempt to stimulate the economy, and campaign contributions don't hurt, the administration has pulled out all stops in the support of business, big business. Unfortunately the support of the big business that lobbies the hardest, amounts to support of monopolies, cartels and inflexible old entrenchments, old business that has long forgotten innovation, added value and fair price. They favor of engineered scarcity and legislative support of their anti competitive market position. The Administration's support of Sphinx like institutions of the past amounts to support of the dark side and the suppression of innovation, productivity and free information that drives the economy today. If big petroleum, big media, big pharmacy big insurance and big telecoms win, the economy looses.
What is good about our political system is not that we ever get it right, but that we always get it wrong on both sides of a question. Hopefully that may prove to be the case with today's conflict. The pendulum has swung too far. It is time for a younger view, one in line with competitiveness, innovation, small business and productivity. The problem, however, with such a political change develops from the other side supporting the same old institutions for the money and for lack of understanding the multiplying effect of the new economy.
I think it is a shame that Justice views copyright so sacred as to eliminate the concept of free information and fair use. The changing paradigm would reward the copyright holder with wider exposure and so broad a market as to increase revenue despite the free information, the fair use, the pirating and the file sharing. Vox populi, vox dium. Let the information revolution run its course and let big business adapt. The economy and our culture will be the winner.
posted by Clancy Hughes | 11/11/2005 10:58:00 AM
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