DOPA’s back. Sort of. Only worse.
Andy Carvin’s got a round up on the new version of the legislation that would put an end to much of the work that I’m doing online with students while doing nothing to improve the online landscape.
This is ignorant legislation that solves zero real problems. I urge the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to ignore this legislation and to focus on other stuff.
I don’t actually see this passing the Senate — but I do think Brian’s right that we should be paying attention and sharing our feelings. Here’s a link to his handy "talk to the committee" applet.
I sent multiple e-mails to representatives and senators when DOPA was first making the rounds, and didn’t get one single response. Not one.
When/if I get a minute, I’ll pull up those e-mails and name some names. #
I sent out one of those form e-mails to both of my senators last summer Bud, but I heavily edited them so they hopefully wouldn’t just be dumped into a folder of carbon copies. After sending them I received messages back that said I had to submit messages to them via their page on the senate website (senate.gov) due to the high volume of spam mail that they have coming directly to the their e-mails.
After copying and pasting into the contact forms on their pages I received the standard “thank-you for your concerns” e-mail from one, but I actually got a decent response from the other; as if a staffer had actually read it and thought enough about it to offer a decent response.
I guess it’s really just hit or miss when it comes to contacting them.
You know, we really do seem to be having a hard time getting used to the idea that the Democrats are in the majority. Republicans can introduce whatever bills they want, but they can’t put them on the agenda. I don’t think jumping everytime they say “boo!” is healthy.