Stop Me Before I Vote Again

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-4279&show-changes=0

It adds civil forfeiture, in the no-trial-needed drug war style, to intellectual property laws.

I was a little surprised that Conyers drove this one through. I'd never considered him that much of a thug. But after looking at his sponsors...

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00004029 He's getting big money from MGM, Murdoch and the American Intellectual Property Law Assn, inter alia.

(1) CIVIL FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS- (A) The following property is subject to forfeiture to the United States:

`(i) Any counterfeit documentation or packaging, and any counterfeit label or illicit label and any article to which a counterfeit label or illicit label has been affixed, which a counterfeit label or illicit label encloses or accompanies, or which was intended to have had such label affixed, enclosing, or accompanying.

`(ii) Any property constituting or derived from any proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of a violation of subsection (a).

`(iii) Any property used, or intended to be used, to commit or facilitate the commission of a violation of subsection (a) that is owned or predominantly controlled by the violator or by a person conspiring with or aiding and abetting the violator in committing the violation....

Charles Davis caught them, and makes a number of reasonable observations.

The socialist solution to the free rider problem, in that area, is relatively simple. Our access fees for using the internet, a utility developed at public expense, are outrageous. A substantial portion of the fees we pay are currently being spent by organizations that dedicate the money to rent-seeking and working against our interests. I think we'd be much better off if this misused money was, instead, paid out in royalties to the writers and other creative types whose work makes keeping access to the internet worthwhile.

The details would take some effort to hash out, but I think the justice of it is pretty clear. Those of us who do this for the love of it would not be harmed. Those who make a living with their writing would be able to devote more time and resources to their work. The money currently spent on rent-seeking and abuse of state power would clearly be better used if placed in the hands of people who perform valuable labor.