The “copyleft” and the “copyright” are both applauding the presidential appointment Friday of Victoria A. Espinel to become the nation’s first copyright czar.
Congress created the new czar position last year as part of intellectual property reform legislation.
Espinel, who requires Senate confirmation, has a past in teaching and government. Most recently, she was a visiting scholar at the George Mason University School of Law, where she taught intellectual property and international trade. The White House said she was an intellectual property adviser to the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Finance Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. Espinel, in 2005, served as the nation’s top trade negotiator for intellectual property at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
This is the kind of appointment that John McCain wouldn’t do, which is exactly why McCain would have been terrible for the country.
McCain probably wasn’t even aware of the issues with overreaching copyright law interfering with free trade and free exchange of information.
Wow, Obama appoints people based on education and merit, not on if they donated $100,000 to his campaign. A remarkable change from how Bush did things.
Great appointment to a post that shouldn’t exist.
Oh no! Another czar! Is America communist yet?
#2:
Yeah, once in a while.
So, I’m assuming copyright law should be pulled back to its original purpose: to stimulate NEW ideas?
Not provide artificial feeding to the dead hand of non-inventing corporations trying to squelch all further development?
Its so bad, REAL consideration should be given to doing away with most of copyright laws. That might impact Hollywood—but would that even be bad?
Did Obama appoint a normal person, this time around…and not a loon?
Is he well?
Perhaps he was basking in the praise from Castro, Chavez, Mommar and Ahmadinejad, and let a subordinate do this one.
So the prez appointed another secretary to copy and send Obama Word files with her thoughts on copy issues based on stuff she copied from blogs on the internet, which people copied from books and magazines.
BTW she’s a secretary, start calling these people appointed secretaries.
Rome originated CZARs. (Caesars) And we know how that worked out.
#2 Riiiight. This is his first appointment. Because there weren’t like 2 he had to take back due to less than adequate preparation & dubious background.
#4 No, but you’re closer to being a moron.
Maybe we can get rid of some Mickey Mouse copyright laws.
A nation that copyrights colors, smells and flavors, feelings, sensations and emotions. And which used the full might of it’s laws, political power and military influence to enforce them. Thank goodness, that I have none of these.
Obama is just extending the Bush created position. We can’t get Health Care reform without a huge debate and fight in Congress. But they rolled over fast enough about this “Copyright reform” cabinet position. And I agree with Fro. It “Secretary of”, not “Czar”. Who keeps corrupting our governmental system with these foreign 19th century terms? It’s not like this “Czar” or any others appointed, have any real power. It an advisory position. And if in the near future, Cars and Planes become threatened with obsolescence. Then a “Car Czar” and “Air Czar” position will probably be created to help advise how to preserve and benefit their corporate interests.
Hey Congress! Why not a Horse Racing Czar? Better hurry up before that industry also fades away because of public lack of interest. Actually, it will probably labeled the “Gaming Czar” position, someday. As soon as the people start to lessen throwing away what few dollars they have, on a hopeless dream of cashing in big. Then there will be a Cabinet position to figure out how to maintain their ignorance and folly.
#6 bobbo:
You’re obviously insane. Copyright as it stands *does* encourage new ideas.
If the Renaissance had had copyrights, maybe Michangelo would have made Statue Of David III and Sistine Chapel Reloaded.
When are we going to get a Poop Czar?
#10 Pedro
teabaggers are saying that appointing czars is something they do in Russia and is yet another sign that Obama is a communist. Are you calling them liars?
#14–brm==I think Most Experts agree that Statue Of David II was exciting and new but that Statue Of David III was purely derivative.
But a good one nonetheless.
The actual job title is: U.S. Coordinator for Intellectual Property Enforcement. And it is a job within the Department of Commerce, so it isn’t even close to being considered a cabinet position.
Time to drop these silly “czar” nicknames.
#18:
“Coordinator for Intellectual Property Enforcement”
ugh. Well, looks like we’re not getting any reform here either.
The position should be called something like:
Coordinator for Figuring Out Why The Fuck Dead People Can Hold Copyrights.
I’m really surprised at the lack of commentary about the dismantling of first major and extensive terrorism plot in the 8 years since 9/11, and the way that it was stopped in it’s tracks.
No big hastily setup federal press conferences, no changes in the national alert level… nothing… just a simple “We are dealing with” by all of those involved.
What a nice change from the Chicken Little “The Sky is Falling” attitude that was the norm whenever some guy with a beard dared to read the Koran on an airplane that we experienced during the Bush regime.
Change. It is happening. By this time in three more years America will be what America should be, not the sad parody of itself that it had become.
(As far as Czars, it is a bad choice for a name, but don’t forget that these ‘special advisor’ positions were started by Nixon, and were used very extensively by Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Dubya.)