2012.01.20
Goodlatte: Still a chance for consensus on Internet bill
Congressman Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, today reacted to the demise of the Stop Online Piracy Act, a bill its advocates said would target overseas Internet piracy but which raised the hackles of web-based businesses and social media innovators.
Goodlatte was a co-sponsor and key supporter of the House version. He helped craft the bill in his role chairing a key House subcommittee.
This afternoon, Goodlatte conceded the field but indicated he hadn’t given up the fight to protect intellectual property rights.
“Everyone, including Internet companies and others who are opposing the Stop Online Piracy Act, agrees with the importance of protecting American innovation from foreign thieves,” Goodlatte said in a statement released by his spokeswoman. “ I believe that this understanding creates an opportunity to find consensus on combating foreign theft, however it is very clear that consensus has not been found in this bill and accordingly it cannot and should not proceed.”
Innovation/Creativity multiplies world-wide with sharing and communication via internet. Fear and paranoia are the enemies of creativity. SOPA has dramatic potential for harm rather than good and would serve corporate interests far more than the individual creators. Mr. Goodlatte is out of touch with the big picture, his constituents and the planet in general.
Comment by Dreama Kattenbraker — January 20, 2012 @ 7:02 pm
A rare win for free speech.
Comment by Art Hill — January 20, 2012 @ 7:51 pm
I think Goodlatte is on the wrong side of this one. The more we can keep the government out of our business, the better off we are. The internet has been successful so far because of the lack of government intervention.
Comment by Ken — January 20, 2012 @ 9:06 pm
Sometimes congress dose listen to the will of the people, and this should remind us all its a Government “Of the People, for the People, by the People”.
Comment by Keith — January 20, 2012 @ 9:46 pm
About as much chance as Goodlatte has of getting his BBA passed by the Congress and signed by the President. Goodlatte’s three signal pieces of legislation represented by his 20 years in Congress—BBA, Sopa/Pipa, and
requiring that the constitution be read at the beginning of each session of the House of Reps. That’s what we’re paying him $174000 a year + benefits to do for us. He promised us term limits and he promised not to stay in Congress longer than 6 terms. How about we “term limit” him this year?
Comment by dave — January 21, 2012 @ 2:38 am
I’ve lived in Roanoke county for the last 7 year. Whenever I near anything about Representative Goodlatte. I always ask myself the same question. Who’s side is he on. I went on line just now and I found that the Congressman has been give the title “The True Champion of Small Business”. By The National Federation of Independent Business.
I’m Not surprised!
Comment by Juan — January 21, 2012 @ 2:01 pm
Man, someone really needs to contest him. He is getting away with a lot!
Comment by Comoncents — January 22, 2012 @ 4:12 pm
Hell, I feel as if I should run against him. Stuart Bain tried, but he did not get the media attention needed to win. That is a big reason why I don’t run against him. People around here vote incumbent much of the time.
Comment by Comoncents — January 22, 2012 @ 4:20 pm
Honesty, while I am Independent, I would rather Habeeb in there than Goodlatte- if it had to be a local republican. This is only under the premise that a democrat has very little to no chance of truly contesting him.
Comment by Comoncents — January 22, 2012 @ 4:24 pm
“Goodlatte conceded ‘the field’ but indicated he hadn’t given up…” Um, conceded defeat, perhaps? If not, what field did he concede? Just wonderin’.
Comment by paul — January 22, 2012 @ 5:27 pm
@Comoncents Habeeb would be just another Goodlatte. He is too much of a wingman for the Establishment.
We need someone untainted. Someone who tags along to all the stumps and hitches a ride on incumbents coattails for every fundraiser for Tom, Dick, and Harry is not going to fix or help the career politician problem in Congress. Truthfully, I am waiting to see who supports Bolling and who teams up with Cuccinelli for Governor. A line in the sand will be drawn and it will be very interesting to see who goes Constitution and who goes Establishment.
Comment by belle — January 22, 2012 @ 9:26 pm