Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - November 18th, '06

[JackSpratts]

Originally Posted by Mazer

Somebody tested that theory a couple weeks ago:

Grading Congress on high-tech cred

I don't know if you saw this story, but it seems to support my theory that there is no clear cut Democrat/Republican split among congressmen who vote in favor or against a free and unregulated internet. The fact that most congressmen rated in this study scored in the 40%-60% range suggest that our issues are really non-issues at the federal level. If we're to convince the Democrats to favor our policy positions then we should do it because they're the ones with the power to do something at this moment in time, not because we think their general 'principles' agree with ours (they're only politicians after all). Since they may loose control of congrss in two, four, or six years, we really should court both major parties and develop a bi-partisan approach.

it's all good

congressional rorschach tests have been reported here before, and we actually know where leadership republicans like orrin hatch are coming from because they’ve been showing us for the last few years, yet as you rightly imply being in charge makes a difference. it’s one thing to speculate but as the minority party the democrats have not had their internet psychology charted as far as leadership decision making is concerned. the last time they fully controlled washington was for a brief period in the early nineties i think, and well before the popularization of the world wide web.

the fact is we just don’t know where they’re going on future web law, and unless i’m mistaken a lot of them won’t know until they’ve actually gone there, but for as long as i can remember republicans have insisted the democrat’s direction and principles are fundamentally different from theirs. if they haven’t been lying a change in that direction now seems likely.

the influx of new faces and the hand over of power on january 3rd means these philosophical differences can give constituents an opportunity for influence. whether we take advantage of the principle or the power is ok - as long as actually take advantage of something.

- js.