Interesting speculative piece that investigates the likely outcome of McCain replacing Hollings as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. Hollings' tenure has been characterized by outrageously bad anti-technology laws and proposals, but will McCain be any better?
Public Knowledge is one of many public interest groups that opposes Hollings's proposal, saying it threatens the consumer's right to "fair use" of copyrighted works, like making a personal copy of an album or a videocassette.
Sohn said the Hollings legislation probably wouldn't fit in with McCain's other policy stances. "McCain is generally deregulatory and that's good news for the opponents of this bill because it's as regulatory as it (gets)," Sohn said.
"I don't think it affects the debate at all. The change in chairmanship does not affect the need to protect creative works from piracy," Valenti said…
"I never want to underestimate the (MPAA's) ability to lobby these issues," Miller said. "If Jack Valenti had been around at the time of Gutenberg he would have organized the monks to come and burn down the printing press."
(via /.)
