Congressman drops support for SOPA

A sustained campaign coordinated by redditors has evidently convinced Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), the House Budget Chair, to drop his support for the Stop Online Piracy Act:

"The internet is one of the most magnificent expressions of freedom and free enterprise in history. It should stay that way. While H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act, attempts to address a legitimate problem, I believe it creates the precedent and possibility for undue regulation, censorship and legal abuse. I do not support H.R. 3261 in its current form and will oppose the legislation should it come before the full House."

Reddit successfully pressures Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) to back off support of SOPA. (self.politics)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Massive Missive

That’s not dropping support, that’s providing an excuse to support a mildly revised version of the bill with some of the most odious provisions removed (but others intact). Don’t be fooled.
- http://twitter.com/Achirality Achirality
  
  Well, what was he supposed to say? “I do not support this bill nor any of the potential future revisions to it without knowing anything about the latter.” ?
  - http://mychemicaljourney.blogspot.com The Chemist
    
    Yeah, actually. They can start with one that isn’t written by lobbyists at all.
    - Guest
      
      But the lobbyists have all the pens!
      - Antinous / Moderator
        
        Nae pen! Pen!!
      - flosofl
        
        Actually, those are zithers
  - http://imcravingpresidency.tumblr.com/ SedanChair
    
    Well, what was he supposed to say?
    
    He’s Paul Ryan. He’s supposed to say “I apologize for pretending to be an intellectual when I’m really just a partisan android. I will now retire to a monastery, and you will never hear from me again.”
- digi_owl
  
  Reminds me of the idea of shifting the politics in one direction or other by making so much of a fuss about something, that the current administration has to move politically in that direction to remain in power. And once that happens, the opposition moves even further and continue to make a fuss. Or in other words, the political version of boiling a frog.
  - abstract_reg
    
    And?
    I happen to like my politics well boiled.
travtastic

“Well, I mean, until the final voting eventually happens. Then, fuck you guys.”
http://twitter.com/BeardedDalek Bearded Dalek

Translation: “I haven’t gotten my check for this month from MPAA but everyone else did. Not cool!”
http://plankhead.com Zacqary Adam Green

While H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act, attempts to address a legitimate problem

Lolwut.
Teller

This story has some interesting bkgd. Especially re Mr Zerban.
http://www.webpronews.com/paul-ryan-officially-opposes-sopa-reddit-takes-some-credit-2012-01
sam1148

Paul Ryan reminds me of that kid from the “The Omen”.
Sean F

I liked him more when he was wrong but principled.
JonCarter

Ryan is a great man. When it comes to saving the nation from the impending doom of a 20 trillion dollar debt, he is really our only hope.
- Ipo
  
  Did you forget to close that sarcasm tag?
- grimc
  
  I’ll cut you some slack. That probably makes sense on Mars.
- Guest
  
  I’m quite certain than Obi-Wan is our only hope
traalfaz

Yes, it is a wild attempt to guarantee income to an industry that refuses to react to changes in the marketplace in a meaningful way by punishing innocent bystanders at random.

If you accept that an industry not being able to make a profit when they insist on trying to sell product that is crippled in ways that make people consume it in ways they don’t like, or forces them to buy other product that they don’t want, or get it delivered in ways that are inconvenient, or simply are charging more than people are willing to pay, as a “problem” then yes, it’s attempting to solve a problem. Not in anything like a good way, but it’s an attempt to solve a problem.
CSMcDonald

Misleading headline/description since he never publicly supported it in the first place (nor did he denounce it), so calling him a supporter of SOPA is misleading bordering on an outright untruth.

Oh well, propaganda is propaganda I guess.

[edited to add link - http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2011/12/reddit-forces-paul-ryan-play-defense-sopa/46782/ ]
- Guest
  
  we see what we know
disqus_user_wi

Ryan comes out against SOPA; Baldwin still undecided

http://www.dane101.com/current/2012/01/09/ryan_comes_out_against_sopa_baldwin_still_undecided
juepucta

These assholes never to something because it is morally right or at least beacuse they understand it. They do it because they are human windsocks and they wind just shifted. Wait until somebody buys him an opinion that is diametrically opposed to this statement of his, shouldn’t be long.
- http://www.nathanhornby.com/ Nathan Hornby
  
  The windsock metaphor is nice; I’m going to borrow that one.
  
  And of course you’re right; I’m sure we’ll see many politicians back down from SOPA (if they’re smart). It’s an election year in the US (from what I gather) so it makes sense that they make popular decisions, rather than ones based on their industry specific, professional knowledge, for which they have none anyway.
  
  I try to tell people this in the UK during election time; I’d rather see unpopular, but sensible decisions (on things like climate science and drug prohibition), but the problem is if only one party does actual politics rather than Pop Idol PR they’ll simply lose, it requires some kind of forced participation. So we end up with weak policy that means nothing but costs people lots of money, because at least it didn’t annoy old people who like to write lots of letters and always vote.
KanedaJones

get back to me when it is ALL the congressman
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OAUXAA362EXWLYVMPJOKLFB5JQ Incipient Madness

Too bad it wasn’t Lamar Smith who dropped his support. If all these internet bigwigs oppose SOPA, can’t they just outbid Lamar Smith’s support? Couldn’t Google just say “Make SOPA go away and we will give you a quarter-mil”?

Couldn’t all those companies that oppose SOPA simply block IP addresses from Kerville and areas near Smith’s Austin and San Antonio offices for thirty minutes with a redirect to a anti SOPA message, or at least give them and anti SOPA pop-up?
- Guest
  
  No. Smith holds a Chaimanship. Inform yourself further.
  - davidasposted
    
    Isn’t the main purpose of securing a chairmanship to increase the size and frequency of ‘donations’ from the companies whose actions your committee regulates?
TheMudshark

I love how these bastards start spouting the exact opposite of the shit they were pushing a minute ago while retaining that informed and thoughtful tonality in their statements.
mellowyellow963

I think I know what they’re doing…. they’re going to make a big deal out of not passing SOPA so they can instead pass PIPA under the radar. Our government at work…
IronEdithKidd

I think somebody just realized he’s a Representative and he’s up for re-election this year. Remember he’s one of those teapartyiers. He’s got a party line separate from the standard R’s to toe.
http://twitter.com/Listener43 Listener43

Hmm. A representative representing his constituents? Will wonders never cease?
DewiMorgan

In case people are wondering “Why is Redditt getting any credit for this at all?” – Redditors made a campaign they called “Operation Pull Ryan” or “Operation Paul Ryan” (sources disagree) targeting someone who was *neutral* (not one of the 32 sponsors of the bill, and no stated public stance, pro or anti).

He put forth a public position, against it, which may or may not have been influenced by that.

To quote the first post in the Redditt thread:
“There is zero evidence that Paul Ryan ever supported SOPA. There is zero evidence that Reddit had anything at all to do with Ryan’s not-change of position.” (emphasis in original)

Fact-checking, people! It’s NOT HARD.

Edit: http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2012/01/09/reddit-may-have-just-forced-us-congressman-paul-ryan-into-opposing-sopa/ has a much better researched version of this report. Basically, he’s a conservative Republican: of course he’s against legislation to give the Federal Government more power.