Orphan Works: JUST DIE ALREADY

[tealin]

EMERGENCY

Selected passages from the Illustrators' Partnership of America:

As lawmakers struggled Friday to clean up the mess on Wall Street, sponsors of the Orphan Works Act passed more special interest legislation. Their bill would force copyright holders to subsidize giant copyright databases run by giant internet firms.

Small business owners didn't ask for this legislation. We don't want it and we don't need it. Our opposition numbers have been growing daily. So Friday, the bill's sponsors reached for the hotline.

"In order for a bill to be hotlined, the Senate Majority Leader and Minority Leader must agree to pass it by unanimous consent, without a roll-call vote. The two leaders then inform Members of this agreement using special hotlines installed in each office and give Members a specified amount of time to object – in some cases as little as 15 minutes. If no objection is registered, the bill is passed."
- Roll Call, Sept 17, 2007

In other words, a Senate bill can pass by "unanimous consent" even if some Senators don't know about it.

With lawmakers struggling to package a 700 billion dollar bailout to avert a worldwide economic meltdown, with the rest of the country focused on Presidential debates, with Washington in chaos and Congressional phone lines jammed, they hotlined an amended bill. On short notice, even the legislative aides we could reach by phone said they didn't have time to read it. And so, while we were rushing to get out a second email blast to artists, the bill passed by "unanimous consent" - in other words, by default.

The Senate passed their bill Friday, but the House hasn't. There's still time to write, phone and fax your congressional representatives. Tell them not to let the House Judiciary Committee fold their bill and adopt the Senate's.

DO IT NOW. It takes 30 seconds. Flood their inboxes. It's the only way (if any) they'll notice.

Our international friends with fax machines might be interested in this page.

Background information on this legislation can be found here.



In other words 'DIE! Why don't you just DIE already! [hacks at zombie legislation with a shovel] DIE! DIE! DIE!!'

Yes I changed the time stamp on this to move it up. It's an emergency, and LJ is very poorly-travelled on Sundays.

Comments

[fani.livejournal.com]

Also, the MP3 for explanation (http://www.sellyourtvconceptnow.com/orphan/orphan_works_information.mp3)

[jolly-kraken.livejournal.com]

I still fail to see how anyone could look at this and say, "yep, sounds good."

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

a) They don't look at it.

b) It's been lobbied for by people like Microsoft and Getty and big companies like them, who will make a profit off of this, and who package it up very nicely as being all about freeing up vast libraries of old images and writings that everyone's too afraid to use because someone might sue their butts even though in all likelihood the authors are dead and gone.

[bluejeans07.livejournal.com]

Done and done. I'm posting this and your response to jolly_kraken, I hope you don't mind. >:(

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Please do, as far and wide as you can.

[bluejeans07.livejournal.com]

*hug* We are a formidable force, dammit, we shall not be denied!!

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I'm feeling pretty damn insignificant and useless at the moment.

|:[

Also in the mood for profanity, which is NOT normal.

[bluejeans07.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty pissy myself but trying to keep myself busy by telling as many people as possible. This sucks that it's sunday, I can't send the bulk e-mail at work and expect people to receive it in time.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Well, there's always getting in early ...

... which will still be three hours behind Washington time.

Have I mentioned bloody evil conniving bastard sons of weasels?

[bluejeans07.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna believe in karma. Maybe their balls and boobs will wither off in painful, leprosy-like ways. >:(

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

That would have to be some pretty powerful and unexpectedly supernatural karma.

[bluejeans07.livejournal.com]

A PLAGUE ON ALL THEIR HOUSES!

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

ALL OF THEIR MULTIPLE HOUSES!

[noodledaddy.livejournal.com]

Sent

[packy.livejournal.com]

Sent off a message to my congresscritter.

This is confusing, though, because Patrick Leahy usually sponsors pretty good bills. I'm wondering if this didn't start off better and get twisted into something to benefit MegaMedia along the way...

[ardys-the-ghoul.livejournal.com]

Well, now, that's just silly.

[(Anonymous)]

Guys :(

It helps to call, it helps to email. If there's an important issue everyone's calling about it gets heard, even if it is way easier to flood a house office than a senate office.

Just...I know this ain't the popular thing to say, but when you call up? Be nice to the staff assistant on the phone; he or she hasn't actually done a thing wrong and it's a little soul-crushing to receive the brunt of everyone's sarcastic dissatisfaction on your member's behalf. And know that the person on the phone? Probably doing his or her level best to make a difference, not to make your life hell.

Chance is there's a legislative correspondent you can transfer to who's well-informed on the issue and might have a free moment.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I fully advocate being civil ... after all, no one's going to listen to a raving loony. :) I'm just hugely cynical regarding the possibility of getting through (literally or figuratively) when everyone and their dog is trying to call up re: the bailout. But it doesn't hurt to try, I suppose, especially if you come from a small enough district...

[ashlan.livejournal.com]

good lord. Talk about legislation that won't die. I emailed both my representatives earlier in the year when this came back up, and the responses I got did not address the issues in the email.

Sigh.

[danicarip.livejournal.com]

Chipped in my name, for what it's worth!

[ks-claw.livejournal.com]

I would if I could, but I can't ;_; European, so my zipcode is too short

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Nor could I -- my post(al)code has letters in it, much like the Brits do. :-)

[azvolrien.livejournal.com]

I also would if I could, but I live on the wrong side of the ocean...

[beckychan.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU for posting this. I'll be directing everyone this way. >_

[seripanther.livejournal.com]

Done and done. I'm in this with you. Thankfully, my zip code is long enough.

[fallingmallorn.livejournal.com]

Signed, sealed and delivered! Thank you for the notice - it's good to keep informed.