Guess we should take a better look at this ol ACTA thing, eh?
While the rest of us were up in arms about all these SOPA shenanigans, the powers that be were holed up in some dark corner conspiring against their people… The result of this was ACTA. Ok, dramatization, but here’s the thing, this bit of legal craziness was aimed at controlling IPs across borders, which at its core sounds good, but like all the other legislations out there, it ends up looking like some sort of legalized fascism. In its earlier incarnation, ACTA had some major problems with wording and “could” have been used to make generic drugs sent to developing nations illegal, crazy controls that SOPA was doing, and other stuff we wont get into…
That was the jist of it. But to be fair, ACTA itself got a fresh coat of paint and many of those concerning points have been ironed out. HOWEVER, that’s not the real problem here. They could have passed a bill to give out free daffodils but that means nothing if it was done in secret and without regard for process. That’s where we get to the real issue; ACTA was signed by Obama last year (2011ish) and, well… who the heck knew about all this? Maybe it didn’t get the press it truly needed, but in the earlier versions of the document, this was clearly not something the world needed. So what’s the big deal? Well, for one it creates a precedent for signing into international law without the proper processes (as in being voted upon). It’s also something that would be incredibly difficult to change without completely backing out of. Though it says it won’t change current laws, it’s the enforcement that is imposed on our legal system that is nearly completely out of our control to change or correct. That and it basically strong arms any country that doesn’t have the same laws.
In any case, no matter how you look at it, this was a bad idea. I’m all for the full transparency of our government. There really aren’t any parts (other than sensitive things that would endanger peoples’ lives) of our system that needs to be secretive, especially when it comes to creating policy. So yeah, there you go, Sam’s your uncle! Bad times all around. It’ll be interesting to see if there will be any kind of blowback from this with future policy creation, but as it stands right now I guess it’s a win for the other guys.
Sources: Ars Technia, Wiki
The title made me think of a certain red button, and the end made me think about aliens and area 51.
Probably the thing about our government that annoys me the most is how nobody can agree on anything, and nobody is willing to come to a compromise.
Compromise cannot be the goal of someone who wishes to do what is right. Slavery in America was allowed to continue again and again at pivotal points in our history due to compromises (when debating the meaning of the Declaration of Independence before it was ratified, the drafting of the constitution, and others). One who fights for what is right and against what is destructive or wrong is better than one who allows that destructiveness to be enacted in order to get part of what is right. Compromise is often a bad result as it usually means something wrong or destructive is being allowed to occur instead of what is wholly right and good.
lol, guess that’s good marketing for ya! XD
ah yes, and that’s why I like the empire! take charge! given the chance, government would sit on issues and, idk, play video games or golf or something all day long. but sadly we live in a society where it’s all just a game for the wealthy. if we stocked the shelves with nothing but upstanding citizens who actually represent the interests of the people, then choices would be swift and benevolent… ah dash it, what the heck am I thinking? that’d never happen. ol Plato thought the same thing and that was a very very long time ago… in a country far far away… >)
It has been done in such a manner in every country I can think of. Lousy ‘tards, that ‘s the only thing that comes to my mind
yeah… I don’t think there’s been a single time in history when a ruling party had less than greedy intentions. maybe in a few million years time…
Tis a dilemma. Either total transparency, and idiots/manipulative men get to use it for their own needs and ends, or darkness which results in our current dilemma.
Pick your poison.
both! scheme and whatnot in the darkness, but make multiple options… then let the public vote on them before seeing! like, pick door 1, 2, 3, or they mystery box! seems fair enough right?
I hate politics…because of the events like that. And I loathe Media for not ”caring” or helping the government keep these events secret, by creating IDIOTIC News on TV…like which celebrity eat what…. I don’t CARE about which rich , pompous idiot eat what ! I want to know how our Government is trying to dominate us behind the scenes and how can we stand up to them…
But ”Free Media” is already bought by ”The Man” and now used as a sleeping drug, dulling our minds.
When TV first come out, those at the Powers at be were scared about people ” learning ” a lot of stuff. Now they take the control on TV but Internet came out…. So if we don’t do something about this, we will see Internet being dominated by these Idiotic,self-centered, self-rightous, corrupt rednecks….
This is not an issue to be taken lightly… these behind the door laws are happening before we can see them and one day , you might have some police at your door telling you ” We read your messages and you called the GODS at the government ‘Stupid’. You are under arrest ” .
It might seem like an extreme issue but believe me…the mentality of the Government has turned from ” Government works for people ” to ”People works for Government” …and it is a sad day for all of us.
unfortunately this is very very true. just look at my old buddies at Fox! their parent company donated a large sum (in 2010) to the republican whatevers which totally destroys that whole “fair and balanced” thing. and you can probably follow the money from any other news organization and find the same kind of bs going on.
somewhere along the line I guess we just stopped caring about propaganda and control of the media… which goes back to my theory that, in general, people are ok with dictatorships… ya know, as long as it doesn’t directly effect them. but that’s a topic for another time.
Thanks Coffin for following up on what I posted a couple of comics ago about ACTA. To let ACTA be signed into law as an “Executive Agreement” as opposed to Congress voting on it as a treaty, reminds me of when Clinton did the same with NAFTA in the 90′s (it was never voted on as a treaty).
>) thanks for bringing it to my attention! hadn’t even heard of it before then, and that’s scary!
yeah, but “Executive Agreement” just sounds cooler than “Dirty Underhanded Dealings From Behind Closed Doors”… “Agreement”
You’re good. This a timely and well thought out piece. I was shouting about ACTA and it was too late. Now I feel it was boondoggled and I wonder if those who went black in protest where running cover for ACTA to pass. You and many of the commentators are right on here, good to find you. You guys need to dig up the Executive orders about FEMA for some real pay dirt on behind the scenes shenanigans.
looks like the hot topic now is that socialized medicine stuff… always gotta be something huh? can’t just have one day for a pizza party where nobody’s throwing knives. ah well, guess you can’t make everyone happy… though not trying to pass evil bills is usually a good start… >)