From the mouths of babes

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

First I'd like to share with you a quote from Chris Dodd, the chairman and CEO of the MPAA:

"Those who count on quote 'Hollywood' for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who's going to stand up for them when their job is at stake. Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake."

source


And now, I'd like to ask badlydrawnjeff in particular, or indeed anyone else who has previously argued that lobbyist donations are not quid-pro-quo either overtly or covertly, if they still think it works that way - even when the donor goes and publicly announces that it doesn't work that way?

Comments

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

[yelena-r0ssini.livejournal.com]

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Well to be fair, Dodd is a Democrat. It's well known they don't have any political convictions outside of getting paid and getting laid.

lulz lulz lul

Seriously though, all political support is quid pro pro. Outside of a few extremist ideologues (like racists) most won't vote for someone unless they get something out of it (ideologues will vote just to hurt people).

Hence the whole "Republicans vote against their interests" meme.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

Of course you had to make your partisan jab, but you'll find this particular liberal first in line to criticize the Democrats for getting in bed with Hollywood (and the 'content industry' in general).

I mean, I criticize the Republicans for the same thing from other industries (and to a lesser extent, from the content industry too) but I think this is really an aisle-crossing, bipartisan sort of disgust. Let's just share in our wonder at how monstrously cynical the whole legislation game has become.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

There is always a point at which those in the business of charging political rent overstep themselves. The powerful always get deluded. They eventually live entirely within their own made-up world. They'll get a wake-up call sooner or later.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

I kind of wish I had the skills to take through the RICO statute for a clause that would apply to what Dodd said there...

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

Nothing like a humiliating defeat and the loss of millions in bribes to bring out their true colors, eh?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Everytime I hear someone from MPAA or even RIAA whine, I'm reminded of this:



And considering the multiple ethics investigations against Dodd in the past, I doubt his job will be in danger because I'm sure he'll find a way to help himself while knocking someone else in the dirt, even in his position with MPAA. I don't think Washington politicians need to worry about him.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that part crossed over from hyperbole to barefaced lying. If any jobs are in jeopardy, they are at least three layers of management below his; any losses the movie industry incurs will be borne by the bottom of the hierarchy and not the top. No one important enough to ever get to speak to him in person is in any jeopardy.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

MPAA, RIAA, ASCAP, BMI


all organized crime codified by law.

The statutes that allow ASCAP to do what they want when they want is enough to turn a business man into an anarchist/

[telemann.livejournal.com]

I sort of rely on music to put money in my wallet. I'm not sure why you have a beef with ASCAP though. They make sure artists and musicians get money from royalties. I go to a nice little Tex-Mex place in the East Village. Great drinks, and great fish tacos. I noticed, they have a iPod hooked up to the sound system and their jamming the tunes. But no ASCAP sticker in the window. Part of me is like, big deal, it's not hurting anyone right? But on the other hand, the sticker doesn't cost that much, and it's putting money (we can argue all day about how much or how little), but it's putting SOME money into peoples pockets that rely on music for a living. That's not a bad thing.

And I love Harlan Elision's take on some of this, he's a stinker for protecting writer's copyrights and actively sued AOL when some of his stuff appeared online without any permission, but in general terms, what he is talking about applies to music, performers, and musicians too. It's certainly changed my perspective how I handle my fees with clients ;)

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Logic and reason in a discussion with ideologues over money? You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

I think its kind of funny.

I mean seriously, does anyone honestly believe that qoute "holywood" is going to go out and start stumpig for the GOP?

As long as the Dems can play on their stereotype of "the sensitive party" vs. "the forces of Evil Profit and NASCAR", Holywood-types will be falling overthemselves to defend them. It's almost like observing an abusive relationship, no matter how often the get slapped, they come back for more because they're in love.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Yeah, because conservative movie and TV stars don't exist, they're all a bunch of animatronics to hoax the stupid.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

"I mean seriously, does anyone honestly believe that quote "holywood" is going to go out and start stumpig for the GOP?"

http://people.su.se/~ekapl/jmp_final.pdf

Political donors can and do give to the opposing side; the influence of their conditionally-given donations is given additional weight not only by the threat of withdrawing money, but of giving it to the candidate's opponent. The paper above gives a good game-theoretic analysis of this situation and confirms it empirically too.

Perhaps you were talking about the "actors talk about politics on TV" variety of stumping, rather than the "corporations give money to members of congress" variety. I'm sure that Susan Sarandon or whoever will continue to be an outspoken Liberal no matter what comes of this bill, but her impact on the outcome of any legislative matters is pretty much jack shit. Follow the money.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

I don't know why I didn't initally see this in my friends page. Anyway.

And now, I'd like to ask badlydrawnjeff in particular, or indeed anyone else who has previously argued that lobbyist donations are not quid-pro-quo either overtly or covertly, if they still think it works that way - even when the donor goes and publicly announces that it doesn't work that way?

I'm not seeing it the way you are. It has consistently been my point that donations follow positions and not the other way around. Obama et al come out against Hollywood, Hollywood stops supporting them.

If anything, Obama and those who were a) relying on donations from Hollywood and b) came out against PIPA/SOPA are proving my positions right in this instance - that support for positions is not "bought." If it were, SOPA/PIPA would not be effectively dead right now.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

I'm not seeing it the way you are. It has consistently been my point that donations follow positions and not the other way around.

This is cute. You're cute.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

SOPA/PIPA is the exception, rather than the rule; in fact, it is so out of the ordinary for legislation which has been so well-paid-for to be in such danger of failing to pass, that Chris Dodd has momentarily forgotten himself and thrown a tantrum about it in public.

Come on, you can't seriously use this one instance as your representative example of how the legislative process doesn't follow money. The public never yells this loud at their representatives; what do you think decides the outcome of every legislative issue which doesn't attract this kind of uproar?

[3fgburner.livejournal.com]

Depends on the lobbying organization. For instance, the group I lobby with, doesn't donate as a general rule. On the other hand, we've got a (Virginia-internal) hellacious big and active voting bloc. Makes us effective, it does.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Hi there. I'd recommend that next time before you post, first you read this (http://talk-politics.livejournal.com/261191.html) (it's linked in the rules as well). Thanks in advance.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

Ah, I apologize for pushing the rules. I shoulda expanded more in the OP rather than the comments - hope you'll forgive the infraction.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

http://www.buythevote.org/projects/SopaPipa/congress/al-franken--mn-senator