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(According to the wikipedia definition)
“Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material which is covered by copyright law, in a manner that violates one of the original copyright owner’s exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works that build upon it.”

Now I’ve been reporting consistently on copyright infringement and this growing debate at Alternative Fuel Source, a non-profit group I’ve built over the past couple years. The term copyright infringement is straight up and down. You are either in violation of the law or not.

In researching the issue, I’ve been made aware of legal discrepancies and contradictions. Apple is forced to use DRM technology, but the big four record companies don’t apply the same standards to their cd’s, because it would cost more to produce and distribute. Internet radio is being attacked with unreasonably high royalty rates suggested by SoundExchange, but standard radio stations go on playing popular music with much lower levels in play.

I’ve also been lucky enough to be introduced to many intelligent and socially active people. One of which is Jim Gilliam, who contacted me on behalf of Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films. We (PreteFunkEra and I) conversed with them after Prete aquired the domain names of ImpeachGonzales.com and .net. Robert Greenwald had put together ImpeachGonzales.org and said he wanted to partner up on the “Impeach Gonzales” websites.

In turn, we produced a wordpress blog immediately and here we are. That’s called a brief context. I want people who read this to understand why this development has my full attention. I’m almost giddy thinking about it, seeing these two issues that I’ve been following closely merge together. Almost giddy, but not quite.

My lack of excitement is because of the grave implications at stake. If Alberto’s track record is any indication of the severity of this new bill, coupled with the increasing litigation from the entertainment and software giants, it will cause havoc for any entity, whether large or small, non-profit, single user, and anything in between considered responsible for diminishing returns.

Of course, this administration shows continuing trends of supporting big business, and this is most definitely big business. If these select individuals have their way, SoundExchange will crush internet radio, Microsoft will attack freeware aficionados and linux users alike, all with the use of a new bill, or “package” as they said last week, that will act as an overseeing watchdog.

Last week, at the same time the Pentagon was planning to stop the planned return from Iraq of some 20,000 American troops, the same time the they were fighting over $100 billion that the democrats ended up giving, without enforcable bechmarks for the Iraq War, the Bush Adminstration announced it’s intentions to stiffen penalties for piracy, copyright infringement and those who “attempt” such acts.

Snippet from Wired link above

Essentially, the bill would turn copyright law into something more akin to existing drug laws: The government could seize personal property, wiretaps would become legal for the first time, violators could face life in prison and, in an ambiguous and far-reaching provision, the mere attempt to violate a copyright would become a crime.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales detailed their intentions himself almost 2 years ago at an anti-piracy summit. “Attempted Copyright Infringement” (pdf file) would forfeit any materials involved in an “attempt to infringe a copyright” to the US Government, and prosecute those who even just “attempted” such an act under harsher laws intended for those who successfully “infringe a copyright”. On May 14th they set the wheels in motion again sending a letter to Nance Pelosi outlining their intentions for the “Inellectual Property Protection Act of 2007″ (pdf file).

It’s a vague description of what could be sweeping restrictions across the internet for not only users and the traders, but for open source culture, for independent artists, designers, bloggers and anyone who could be construed as someone attempting to copyright intellectual property.

Is this a new witchhunt? They wouldn’t apply these laws unjustly, would they? What is construed as an “attempt”? This is scary language and territory. Foggy. This proposed bill introduces a much wider birth of individuals who could be prosecuted by an administration that ignores the constitution, invading the privacy of it’s citizens with illegal wiretapping programs, while disabling habeas corpus and freedom of speech.

But it’s not just this bill being introduced, it’s the bevy of proposed restrictions (pdf file) and reactions. An onslaught of legislation seen in the past couple of months peppered with major lawsuits and seasoned with quiet battles that you won’t hear about. A myriad of laws that will “attempt” to break the wave of the user friendly, open source culture before it crests into a massive tsunami. They are scared of innovation, and deny the new renaissance that destroys what luddites have fought so hard to build.

It’s symptomatic of the dedication that this administration has to acheiving it’s means by any means, consistently “attempting”, with scare tactics and bullying, to reinstate old useless laws under new titles to protect our “way of life”, which gets muddled and lost in legislation. Repatitive hyperbole and double speak. Freedom defined may very well be freedom denied, but castles made of sand wash into sea, eventually.

Monica Goodling, the former Director of Public Affairs for the United States Department of Justice, testified before congress yesterday. She was one of AG’s closest employees as the liaison to the Whitehouse. Monica 33, is a 1999 graduate of Regent University…AKA Pat Robertson’s college.

A little background on Regent university. Regent Law was ranked in Tier 4 by U.S. News, the lowest ranking and essentially a tie for 136th place out of 170 schools surveyed. A Regent web page claimed that 150 graduates have served in the George W. Bush administration since he took office in 2001. The Bush administration purposely stacked the decks with evangelical Christians (yes men) to further there agenda…. Instead of, you know, picking the most competent people.

Anyways. What did full immunity from prosecution get the congress? A lot.First of all she admitted that she “may have made inappropriate political considerations”. When asked if they were illegal she admitted she ‘Crossed the Line’ of the civil service laws rules. But if it was illegal she didn’t mean to.

Secondly, when she requested a transfer directly from Gonzales he tried to get their stories straight. He tried to review his version of the firings with her DURING THE PROBE. That’s called “Coaching a likely witness” and could be ground for Obstruction of Justice.

“It made me a little uncomfortable,” Monica Goodling, Gonzales’ former White House liaison, said of her conversation with the attorney general just before she took a leave of absence in March. “I just did not know if it was appropriate for us to both be discussing our recollections of what had happened.”

Without missing a beat, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) announced The Senate’s no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will be held in mid-June.

Everyday the evidence piles up to Impeach Gonzales. Everyday someone from his own DOJ is making the case for Impeachment AND possible criminal charges stronger and stronger. Once again if you haven’t signed the petition, do it now! Over 56,000 strong!

A few days ago we were contacted by a representative of Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films and Democracy For America’s new site Impeachgonzales.org in regards to our shared mission. We have been asked to partner with them, and of course we accepted.

If you haven’t done so watch the hard hitting video and sign the petition…..now over 40,000 strong.

We believe that with the concentrated “Gonzales Only” news and open discussion format of ImpeachGonzales.com, the HUGE grassroots network of DFA, the powerful documentaries/videos and the dedication of Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films we are a combination that can’t be stopped.

Again… if you haven’t signed the petition, do it now.

The San Fransisco Chronicle reports,

With Republican support for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales eroding, President Bush offered renewed confidence in his longtime friend Monday and said the attacks on him were “pure political theater.”

But the president did not respond directly to a question about whether he expected Gonzales to serve until Bush’s term ends Jan. 20, 2009.

Senate Democrats last week called for a vote of no confidence in the attorney general, while more Republicans joined in suggesting his resignation. The heat on Gonzales stems from an investigation into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year and his testimony about it to Congress.

Turning his anger on Congress, Bush said lawmakers should be focusing more on approving bills and less on what he presented as political role-playing.

Full Story

I’m sorry George, but comparing Congressional oversight to “Political Theater” is an insult to our intelligence. I dare you to accuse the growing number of Republicans calling for him to resign of participating in “Political Role Playing” to their faces.

You want real theater? How about when Andrew Card and Alberto Gonzales visited a seriously ill John Ashcroft’s hospital bed (against his wife’s wishes) to bully him into reauthorizing your super secret ILLEGAL wiretapping program. Remember that? You can’t write more twisted and warped fiction. When John Ashcroft is the Constitutional hero of the story, that’s the best theater money can buy.

Please understand that all of the backlash happening now is because we finally have oversight. You have to share your shovel in the sandbox. Your consiglieri is going one way or another because of your lies and your “Political Theater”. It’s a shame we will only get AG out of DC, it should be a two for one deal.

For too long this administration has chosen what laws to obey and what laws to ignore. It’s our turn to enforce the law of the constitution. Alberto Gonzales has reduced our privacy and increased the power of the executive branch… Illegally! He crafted the illegal NSA wiretapping program, he wrote and lobbied for the current “interpretation” of the Geneva convention…AKA torture, he fired U.S. attorneys to use the DOJ as a political wing of the GOP, and he obstructed justice during his sworn testimony… enough is enough.

As the head of the United States Department of Justice we deserve a competent, truthful, respectable, smart, and non biased official for the American People and our constitution, not the consiglieri of the President.

We at Impeach Gonzales (PreteFunkEra and Joeylibjr) will be THE scandal filter of all things Gonzo from the MSM and the blogosphere.

The next few days will be fast and furious. We look forward to achieving our common goal.