SOPA stalls in the face of White House opposition

(January 16 2012) The Stop Online Piracy Act hit a wall over the weekend after The White House came out against the bill. The Hill reports on comments from house oversight chairman Darrell Issa, who was assured by majority leader Eric Cantor that more work was needed “to address outstanding concerns and work to build consensus prior to any anti-piracy legislation coming before the House for a vote.”

Shortly before that statement, SOPA sponsor chairman Lamar Smith offered to make significant concessions to the section of the bill that would require ISPs to block offending sites, but it wasn’t enough. SOPA’s Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act, is still on the table, however.


Read More: SOPA stalls in the face of White House opposition

Indefinite Detention of U.S. Citizenry Awaits Obama Signature

Now they just need Obama's signature...

National Defense Authorization Act passes and gives President power to detain U.S. Citizens

A New Hope?

Image via WikipediaWell, soon it will be Inauguration Day. The country will be bringing aboard the 44th President at a time when we are living in the worst economy, potentially, since The Great Depression. Stocks at cellar prices, the Big 3 automakers begging for money, companies laying off workers, and the banking, lending, and mortgage industry fiasco at its peak.

What can we hope for to bring us out of this mess? I have seen a poster depicting "Super Barack". Is he a superhero? Can he put in the American people's hearts a feeling of safety and patriotism? Now that the voters have spoken, will the country stand behind him?

No doubt, there are many who predict he will fail. Many who hope he will fail. And, many... who know he will succeed. They have put all their trust in him. My thought on the matter was the election didn't give me much of a choice. Geographical relocation just before Election Day assured I had no choice.

Regardless, I am not sure I would have voted Democratic or Republican. Perhaps an Independent...?

Maybe a third party figuring in the equation could be the New Hope. Maybe the stagnant aisles on the congressional floor might come alive with some truely productive debate and generate some legislation that will prove to be the catalyst for real change.

The daily arguments of the left and right are getting old. People cry out in the streets for change, yet we still elect the same old ideas into the mix. The Democrats and Republicans hand the floors back to each other, and the talking heads comment on the wins and loses of each party when the majorities shift. The people sit in amazement as nothing is different, just that they are getting older.

Why do the people of this country insist on making this a two player game? It is a game you know. The game of politics, and we have lots of old players. Players with lots of connections, and lots of favors that need repaid. New players show up on the playing field with the old time connections.

If America could just have a vision statement. A place where it wants to go. New and fresh ideas generated by a Congress whose members compromise with each other, doing what the people want, and not what will keep them elected. Politicians who won't cater to the big time election money.

"My constituents want this!"

What a noble quote for an elected statesman to make.

I know, I am dreaming... Sad isn't it