When in Rome…

Lobbying is the practice of influencing decisions made by government. It includes all attempts to influence legislators and officials, whether by other legislators, constituents or organized groups. A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a member of a lobby. Governments often define and regulate organized group lobbying.

I took the definition above from the Wikipedia website. I cut and pasted it into my post. I probably broke some copyright or IP law, or somebody’s definition of copyright or IP law, but, frankly I don’t care.

We have lobbying groups and lobbyists that represent many companies, trade organizations, and groups of people.

They serve a purpose I suppose. I don’t always agree with the purpose personally. But, until some or our politicians stop putting their hand out, lobbying will continue to influence our governments; local, state, and federal.

There is one lobbying group that never seems to get heard though. They talk tough. They have good information and opinions to share. They are smart. And, they are rich.

They seem motivated to make their opinion known to government officials who are willing to take their money and work for them in our Congress and Senate.

Oppps. I screwed up the last paragraph. This lobbying group has a lot of money. More than all of the other lobbying groups and lobbyists put together. Yet, they can’t seem to put two cents together to hire their own lobbyist to buy the influence of some congressmen or senators in favor of their cause.

Who is this lobbying group that is so powerful, yet so weak?

You and me. Regular citizens of the United States of America. Average Joe consumer.

There are a lot of issues to be concerned about. But, there is one issue that affects us all every day that we, as a lobbying group, don’t seem to have on our radar very much.

For the past few years you’ve have heard or read about it. Some of us gadget junkies and geeks argue about it in tech forums or read about it in tech magazines, newsletters, and blogs.

I brought it up in the second paragraph of this post. It’s copyright. There is so much going on behind our backs as consumers that will, from now and into the future, affect us.

Our politicians are so blind as to believe the thief that guards the jail, because the thief has money, that they actually might allow the thief to write the laws regarding copyright and intellectual property.

I think it is time that “We the people…”, did I just break another copyright law or is the Bill of Rights in the public domain, join together as a group and pay for good lobbyists, just like the big companies do, to buy us some influence in Washington. Ummm… Did I say I didn’t like lobbying somewhere above? Shhhh. I’m on a roll.

Through the lobbyist we would pay for educating our representatives and their staffs to know how to find and assemble good information about music, video, software, and other IP piracy. How to ask the right questions. How to weigh research, public opinion, facts, and testimony, reaching an outcome that is balanced and fair to all involved, not just the thief.

Teach them, instead of believing BS press releases that can be written to say anything the author wants without question, to rely on independent specialists or reputable independent research in the field.

Help them to learn about technology and how it affects them in their offices and homes, as well as ours.

Did anyone really ask the question if the President broke copyright law by giving the Queen of England an iPod with show tunes pre-loaded on it?

Our lobbyist should contribute to the campaigns of the men and women in government who either are willing to stand up for what is good for the people or are willing to be paid to stand up for the good of the people.

And, maybe influence our representatives to hold honest hearings about copyright law and how it affects all of us.

Maybe take some example from trial law to find a solution to the copyright questions. Ask those questions. Weigh the evidence. And, come to a conclusion.

Not one representative was present to speak for the common people as a witness in any hearings about copyright, piracy, or intellectual property to date as I can recall. No college students or single moms. No teens or disgruntled customers. Not one!

It’s about damned time that all of us opinionated gadget junkies, tech geeks, and people who appreciate listening to music we paid for anywhere in our household or having an ebook reader read us the book we paid for, put our money where our mouths are and stop beefing about the problem. Let’s do something about it. Oh, let’s not forget our movies. They are included.

Talk it up. In the forums and on the blogs. Start a movement. Form an organization. Hire a lobbyist or two. Start playing like the big boys. When in Rome…

Let the big corporate types know that “We The People” with the money to buy their products have something to say about those products and customer services. Quit screwing us and we won’t screw you.

Mike DiMichele
Tech Specialist -WGN Radio 720 - Chicago
Savemybutt.com