Rep. Conyers has been a contributor here and is generally on the progressive side (propensity for naught more than Sternly Worded Letters notwithstanding).
Rep. John Conyers has once again introduced a performance rights bill which is mistakenly described as creating "parity." It's only "parity" if you think that doubling the tax on playing music on the radio is "parity."
It pains me to see this kind of boneheaded position from someone who I respect on other issues. Technology seems to be widely misunderstood by most of our elected representatives and special interest spin usually seems to win the day.
Full link to TechDirt article and more quotes on the flip....
http://techdirt.com/...
It's worth noting, of course, that among the top contributors to Rep. Conyers recent re-election was the American Intellectual Property Law Association as well as DLA Piper, the big law firm that (oh look!) Dick Armey has been working for... It's also worth pointing out that Conyers, as head of the House Judiciary Committee, just so happened to have recently abolished the subcommittee on intellectual property -- which (hmm...) would have almost certainly been chaired by Rep. Rick Boucher, one of the few folks in Congress who actually has been known to fight for the rights of consumers, and against the RIAA, when it comes to copyright. This gave Conyers, rather than Boucher, control over new IP related legislation.
With so many pressing issues facing our country and our Congress, it is pathetic to see such attention given to placating the RIAA and other interest groups while so many real wrongs are yet to be righted.