Hmm, guess this is my first stab at a political cartoon. Hope y’all like!
Anyways, so here’s what’s going on… I was poking around this whole SOPA business and learned that there were quite a few companies supporting it! Probably not very shocking, but the majority of them were in the music and movie industries. What really got me (and this is where I don my tin foil hat) was that the creator of SOPA, Lamar Smith, received a lot of money from those very companies! I repeat… The CREATOR of SOPA got MONEY from it’s biggest SUPPORTERS. Time Warner, Disney, MPAA, Sony, Viacom, Nat. Assc. of Broadcasters, Comcast, Cox, Universal, and more were ALL major contributors to Lamar’s campaign. All are companies vocal in support of SOPA.
Sure, that might not raise any big red flags for most, but lets just pick this apart shall we? See, when you try to go and get into some sort of political position, you raise funds to promote yourself and whatnot. Well, just like borrowing money from the mob, sometimes they expect a little favor or two (foil hat). Maybe it’s me just being a bit too conspiracy theorist, but my gut just tells me that these companies put this man in the right position (or simply lined his pockets) and handed him the form to execute their plans.
Whenever you want to find out the source of mischief and mayhem, you follow the money. These companies are in a direct line to gain from the passing of this bill. They would directly benefit financially from it. Basically, giving them an easy route to attack ISPs, website owners, and individuals through quick lawsuits to recoup all these “virtual losses”. Again, I’m not a fan of the “if they download, they obviously would have bought a real copy” theory, so going after them seems like a dirty way to suck money out of a group that wouldn’t have purchased anything in the first place. I get trying to stop piracy, but this is beyond that… it’s like being able to sue a a guy’s entire family if he stole your wallet. (poor metaphor, but you get what I’m going for)
Now, I’m not going to say we shouldn’t have anything to control intellectual properties online, but SOPA is definitely NOT the way to do it. Apart from the obvious abuse of free speech and the ideals our entire nation was built upon, it seems to me that it was an intentional attempt to scam money out of the global populace to benefit the investors of a political pawn.
Sources: Contributors, Supporters of SOPA, Against SOPA
That is the most likely and probable reason, but then, congress did also decree pizza a vegetable, so they might just be stupid as all get out. Something about the amount of tomato sauce being enough (tomatoes are botanically a fruit…. to add further nonsense to the stupidity).
man, that’s about as bad as Europe’s version of FDA claiming that water does not prevent dehydration…
who wants to sign my bill so that people in power must be smarter than a 5th grader?
While everyone was raging on SOPA and PIPA, Obama quietly signed ACTA which is just as bad as SOPA and PIPA, plus Congress isn’t even going get to vote on it as a treaty, since the White House is calling it an “Executive agreement”.
hmm… veeeeeeery sneaky! I’ll have to look into that one!
We’re having quite a bit of big ol’ storm of chaos at the moment. Fortunately the outcry was big enough to make the politicians feel uneasy. Will see how much that will do
wow… you guys actually got through to your politicians? how the heck did you all do that?!?!
Even politicians will have to notice the entire internet cursing their name… Especially when powerful companies like wikipedia and google stand behind those people. We got as much support. ACTA is a major problem, and is slipping less announced then the other bills, but then again since president chooses to agree or disagree, some presidents may wish to not do so to gain support of teh interwebz
The ruling party boasts of having the support of ‘the educated aged 18-30′, quite a force if you asked me, so when that group strongly opposed to the idea and started demonstraiting the politicians didn’t have a choice but to notice. Especially when the polls showed a sudden loss of support for the rulers and an increase for the opposition.
Listening to politicians renouncing they had anything to do with ACTA when just a week earlier they showed great support for the act is.. an interesting sight, to say the least
Jeez, I am so sorry for the multiple posts, delete all except the last one please
lol, no worries. >)
DOWN WITH SOPA MABY SOME OF CANT AFFORD FUCKING COMCAST BECASE OF THE ECONOMY!!!!!!!!! (yep i hate sopa that much) plus another bad ing about sopa is that alot of WOW related webcomics would be shut down, along with gaming review sites by players (roostertheeth, totalbiscut ect), shut down fan-sites!, and shut down meme bases (pretty much 90% of brony fandom would be lost) AND WOULD ALSO LOSE A TON OF JOBS FOR PEOPLE WHICH IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!! (being sarcastic)
the problem is in the details as well… how in the heck would they enforce this? I mean, the legal system would be flooded with claims and copyright laws and fair use are already a gray area, so SOPA would only help to make a mess of it.
I don’t think blizz would mind to much, or lucas arts, Microsoft, or any of the major comic book producers as they tend to see “derivative works” and other fan creations as free advertising. I think Hasbro would shut down the brony thing in a second seeings how they purge the youtubes quite often, which makes no sense at all, but whatever…
as for jobs… the only ones that really get effected by the whole piracy thing are the distributors/publishers, so the artists aren’t really losing out (heck, if anything, it gets their names out there)… guess we *gag* need distributors too, but they’re being a bit more crybabyish with this whole thing than needs be.
buuuut if by some chance SOPA did pass, I’d foresee the people doing other things to get their fixes… I mean, with so many struggling for cash, I doubt they’d turn into direct purchasers. so they’d probably turn to stuff like netflix, or redbox rentals, or heck, buy used! then, of course, the companies would get angry that nobody wants to buy new and make some sort of DLC or lockout with their media like they did with games. heaven forbid they ever drop the price point of new media to match the demand of all these people they claim want to buy the movies/music but dont.
I have no illusions that those in office are bought and paid for. A democracy has a chance to survive as long as the people in charge are not corrupt, however this is the ultimate failing of any government. The only people who want the responsibility of the throne, wish the power to be all theirs. Our government was originally meant to have very little power at all, but little by little we voted away our rights till we’re left complaining that the government has too much power. Of course by then it’s a pointless argument, they already have what they want.
well that’s why you should vote for ME in this coming election! I will decrease gov spending, increase jobs, fix the economy, get rid of all the corruption, and take over the world!
Winston Churchill once said: “Democracy is the worst form of goverment, excluding all the others.” We should ponder upon that.
And, if you promise to abolish subscription fees for videogames, I think I’ll welcome your megalomaniac regime.XD
fine… I promise free gaming subscriptions and beatings for all citizens!!!
I dislike the saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely because there are truly decent men who handle power well. But, give enough power to a large number of people (say 535 of them) and there will always be a number of them who are corrupt. The only way to remove their ability to be corrupt is to remove as much of their power as is possible; return their level of power to what it was meant to be as Wake Array mentioned. Sadly, to do that would take a truly great leader and I don’t see one in office.
yeah I’m not sure it’s the power that corrupts. the power (force) is neutral, it’s a tool to be wielded. but if a person is weak or has a tiny flaw in their constitution, then that weakness spreads and corrupts the entire being. it’s like saying booze makes you say stupid mean things… no, you would have said them but you didn’t, booze just made it easier to do that. see what I’m getting at?
Indeed, power allows you to do thing you otherwise wouldnt, and the chance of doing them is a temptation hard to resist. We aren’t that different from beast, woe! all is vanity and chasing the wind, woe!
Question… At what point in our history did money become the be-all-end-all of politics? Because Old Washington sure didn’t use any to get into office. He didn’t want to run the country to begin with.
So when did money become the grease that made the wheels of politics squeaky? And for crying in the mud, Why?
I admit honesty has never been the basis of our governing bodies… Old Abe wasn’t as honest as he was a mean stubborn old fart. But still the question remains. When did money Totally overthrow any form of accountability we may have had, illusionary or otherwise?
I don’t really expect an answer I guess. I just wanted that out there. But I guess it’s rhetorical as there’s Never been an Honest politician or really a Responsible one. As ironic as that is.
I enjoy your comics at any rate. [sighs & wanders off depressed again]
hmm, good question for any history buff out there! I think you have to ask “when the ideals of the old America become influenced by monetary gains”… because in general, I’m sure money has influenced power ever since, well, it was created. heck, look at old Rome… man… talk about good old fashioned corruption at its peak! but back to your original question… I’m not very sure. though I’d wager a shiny ha’penny that it began when we started having political parties, rather than individuals who had good ideas.
I would say about during the Industrial Era, where political corruption was at its highest. Be lucky our government atleast gives us the illusion of choice, rather then in those times. Me being somewhat sarcastic there, The government has been slowly draining our rights and screwing the constitution. Some major pay outs in political corruption include Boss Tweed in the industrial era, and the illegilization of weed to help the timber industry live. To put it short, it started in Industrial Era, and kept itself to some degree after the progressive era.
this pretty much sums it up…it seems the solution to the economic crisis is going to have to be a return to the industrial era…hooray
does that mean I can finally wear my tophat and monocle in public again? or was that a different era? XD
This reminds me of “mr. Smith goes to washinton” oh and my dad is a AP US history teacher so i am kinda of s history nut (sorta)
heh, nice! I’d sure like to know when all these political shenanigans started in the US… seeing’s how old Abe had promotional “buttons”, I’m guessing pretty early on.
I knew Sony the hedgehog was up to no good! Wait! Lamarr too? That headhumping parasite from your games is involved in this too?
ok, I really dont know if there were ulterior motives for S.O.U.P. (sopa means soup in spanish, you knew? lol! and pipa means smoke pipe, ANY kind of smoke pipe), but that is not changing anything, is it?
I personally have mixed feelings for those acts. On one part, piracy is intellectual property infrigment are harmful for companies of prestige and, let’s face it, the internet is kind of anarchistic right now, represing it a bit might be doing us a favor, could be for our own good.
On the otter, i mean, other hand, soup tastes bad and this comic might be banned, and that would make me sadface. Plus, there are many games that are no longer on sale on stores so I’ll have to download them illegally if I want to play them,(well, fine I don’t think it is a good thing to do, so don’t do it, least d you end upo like me!!).
Great debates in this comment posts, indeed!
P.S. I still want to know why one of the guys on guest comic 2 is dressed in formal clothing! This d is the third time I ask.
P.S.S. Here d in the southern hemisphere it’s time of summer vacations so I’ll be down for the count for the next twenty days, should anyone give a dam, that is.
lol, you sir are quite insane! I like that! XD
didn’t know they translated like that, think I’ll call them ol Soup and Pipe from now on. >D
true, there needs to be some rules, but not to the extent this bill would have gone. see, SOUP tried making a catchall filter as seen on TV in China and Australia… and see how well that’s doing. (as for my buds down under, not sure how bad it is, but I heard some legit companies were being blocked by mistake) anyways, I like the idea of active enforcement, rather than preemptive enforcement. my way would give police the rights to investigate and take action, rather than a company suing willy nilly and imposing top level restrictions. problem with any of this is that you need to get the whole global community on board, otherwise they’ll just set up shop in China or wherever, put their fingers in their ears, and give the US the raspberry.
As for PS… um, the one in robes is supposed to be all magelike so that might be what you’re seeing. and of course, all mages wear dresses! unfortunately. when our kind be rid of this great stereotype?! we mages wear kilts! especially if you’re a fire mage, cause man, you could really use the ventilation!
P*S^2= well buddy, have loads of fun! I’ll still be here when you get back! don’t forget about your ol webcomic fwend’s name while you’re gone… it’s Coffin btw…
sigh…I think your metaphor of the family being sued because you stole the wallet…yeah that isn’t even close. It is your whole family being sued, because a man stole a wallet in your store/house/place of ownership etc…So, somehow that is your fault, because you should have realized someone was stealing from someone else…boooo I like the political cartoon. You should do some more!
lol, yeah, that works a bit better! it’s insane what the reach and scope of this bill would have been. all around it was just fail.
hehe, glad ya liked! I get nervous with stuff like this, but I have a few other political comics in the ol vault (my mini note pad) that I might just make now. >)
I love the political cartoons. Who knows, you may be the next Thomas Nast with them. But do make them more “arguable” rather then direct, because a wise man once said that “Friends who want to stay friends dont talk about religion or politics”.
hmm, excellent advice! um, who knows… I like to play things by ear, though I’m kind of wondering how I’d go about even submitting this cartoon to newspapers and such…
I ranted about this soo much already… you can probably see one of my Rage comments in the previous pages.
All I am going to say is…people had enough with the companies’ greedy-selfish ways and if they keep pushing us…there WILL be consiquences… and it will be the fault of the Government’s incompetence and corruption.
You think people who charge in the name of God was bad ? Think of the people who will march in the name of the Internet…..
yeah, I’m actually surprised by the seemingly little amount of involvement by Anonymous… then again, maybe they’re more reactive, so if it had passed they’d have blacked out the internet for a month or something.
basically. being anonymous isn’t an official group, just whoever feels like fighting for the cause (we are all anonymous) so it isn’t very organized… it works at its highest whenever the government pisses off 4chan, honestly. That being said, anonymous isn’t all /b/tards, but it just does the most when something has already been done, such as how the reaction to the takedown of megaupload was attacks on several FBI sites soon after. What i’m interested to see is what level things reach if things like SOPA pass, I forsee anonymous starting to attack politicians personally, stealing bank information and the like. Curious how that will turn out.
looks like the megaupload thing has had a lot of ripples in the internets… btjunkie as well as many other torrent/upload/streaming sites have thrown in the towel and moved on to other things.
I’d suspect that as the governments turn up the heat and make heavy examples of individuals who run the sites, more and more of these file transfer and streaming sites will go down. there may be some that stick around though, but I don’t see a major shift coming unless 1) a new technology comes out to circumvent all this jazz or 2) some piece of legal loophole gets discovered that revamps the system. either way, neither side will back down, though we might see some highs and lows as the tug-o-war struggle rages back and forth.