Sink SOPA and Blackburn

One would not think that a piece of legislation that attempts to deal with trademark and copyright issues as does the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) could be so divisive. Everyone agrees that piracy is theft and that it should stop but when small minds tackle large problems they can create "solutions" that are worse than the problem they set out to remedy. SOPA is Obamacare for the internet. Maybe Dodd-Frank for the internet is a better moniker since the entertainment industry's chief lobbyist is former Senator Chris Dodd who retired from the Senate rather than answer questions about his apparent ethical lapses in his dealing with the financial meltdown that would have arisen during an election campaign.

SOPA is the perfect bill for Washington insiders to flex their muscles, embarrass their constituents, and do great damage to the many to protect the few. When reading transcripts from committee hearing, the reader is astounded at not only the members' collective ignorance but the haughty contempt for those who do understand the technical ramification of the proposed mayhem. We have seen this arrogance before. It comes not from an illusion of intellectual superiority but rather from a corruption of personal character that is rooted in power. Because we have the votes to pass it we shall. This arrogance and love of lording ones power over the electorate has already led to the degradation of the automobile and consumer appliance industry as manufactures are forced to manufacture autos, washing machine, dish washers that use less energy but that don't work either. Yes, there is the green lobby but Washington Republicans enjoy giving the voters a rabbit punch now and then just because they can.

The real disappoint in the SOPA squabble is Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, who one suspects at the behest of the Nashville music industry has cast her lot with the pro-SOPA forces. Et te, Marsha? You think the danger of giving Eric Holder the power to censor the internet is compensated by the protection it will offer the copyrighted music of Billy Ray Cyrus? Congresswoman Blackburn spoke at the "Stand with Gibson" rally sponsored by the Tea Party in Nashville last summer which my wife and I attended. Since then both the congresswoman and Gibson Guitar have both gone pro-SOPA. I wish I had never made the drive. Erick Erickson at Red State would like to see Blackburn primaried out.

"I love Marsha Blackburn She is a delightful lady and a solidly conservative member of Congress," he wrote. However, because Blackburn is a SOPA cosponsor, Erickson pledged to "do everything in my power to defeat her in her 2012 re-election bid." Erickson proposes an alliance with the left to recruit primary opponents for anyone who votes for SOPA.

Not only is SOPA opposed by the right, it has many and vociferous opponents on the left. This fight has never been about ideology but rather Washington, Hollywood, and Nashville versus the rest of us. Congressman Darrell Issa says the bill is dead in the House. Lets hope he's right.