Bill would give president emergency control of Internet

[Azure]

Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.



They're not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.


The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10320096-38.html

Surely this isn't going to be like the Patriot Bill, where nobody in Congress even tried to read the damn thing.

Or the Iraq War....where nobody in Congress read the damn NIS report. Or the Health Care Bill, where it was so freakin' complex that you would need to hire a lawyer to understand the first page.

[zuluking]

All your base are belong to Obama!

[Locke]

Why would they want to control a series of tubes that are typically stuffed to overflowing with porn?

Come on Mr. President, its free porn, you have to share!

[Draug]

Originally Posted by zuluking

All your base are belong to Obama!

GOLD! Pure GOLD!

[moncton golden flames]

time magazine reported back in 2007 that researchers are considering scrapping the internet. i searched the time archives, and it said the article had expired in the archive....somehow, i can still get artciles from 1987, but not this one from 2007.

this is just one more move to take power from the people and place it back in the hands of the greedy.

[The Goon]

This is no different from the scene in The Dark Knight when Batman hacked in to everyone's cellphone.

The Joker needs to be stopped.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by The Goon

This is no different from the scene in The Dark Knight when Batman hacked in to everyone's cellphone.

The Joker needs to be stopped.

If the Joker would be the US Senate...sure.

This is exactly why you don't hand the same party both the legislation and executive branches.

I think a lot of people forget that Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton very much disliked each other. But they also made one hell of a combo.

[peter12]

Somehow I don't think a bunch of ratty, tattered, and stupid students are going to take to the streets to protest this one. Strange as it represents as big a step in the direction of censorship as anything George W. Bush ever did.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Not surprising to see the Rockefellers behind this.........they have had an axe to grind with the internet for awhile now, because of the lack of complete corporate control and free flowing information.

Yet another reason for the corporate/government to chip way at our freedoms.........this is bogus........

[BlackEleven]

We should just disconnect the US government from the Internet instead. Everybody wins!

[arsenal]

Why would Bill give up control over the interwebs?
Seems silly, especially since his OS is finally something decent. Seems like the perfect opportunity to take over the world now.

[llama64]

Ha. Ha ha ha.

Oh man... I would LOVE to see them pass this bill and then TRY to implement it. The US might have control of the physical servers, but the number of backups and shadow servers around the world is staggering. There is no functional way for any single Nation to control the internet at this stage.

The economic backlash this bill would wreak would be EPIC.

Seriously... /popcorn

[Byrns]

I thought all this crap was going to stop now that the Great Satan® is no longer president. Oh well better luck next time selecting a savior.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Byrns

I thought all this crap was going to stop now that the Great Satan® is no longer president. Oh well better luck next time selecting a savior.

You know, the only people who I ever hear calling Obama a "savior" are ######bags like Bill O'Reilly or cretins like Glenn Beck.

People who voted for Obama weren't hoping for a saviour--they were hoping for someone with a modicum of decency and competence. After 8 years of "leadership" from an out-of-his-depth aging frat boy with no capacity for critical thought, any alternative started to look really good.

This whole "oh, he's not a saviour therefore he's crap" thing is--sorry to say it--really, really stupid. Obama's just a politician. Sometimes he'll be on the money, sometimes he won't. He's still a much better president than Bush, but that really is setting the bar very low indeed. Whether he'll be a better president than Clinton, or even a better president than Reagan--well that remains to be seen. But it's way too early to tell.

[zuluking]

Originally Posted by Byrns

I thought all this crap was going to stop now that the Great Satan® is no longer president. Oh well better luck next time selecting someone with a modicum of decency and competence.

Fixed

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by zuluking

Fixed

I think it's hilarious how desperate the right is to see Obama fail. Meanwhile, he'd have to be the worst president in history to not mop the floor with whatever drooling "values Republican" cretin the party decides to sacrifice to the lions in 2012.

But I understand the bitterness. I really do. I just don't think it's a reason to be hatin'.

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

This whole "oh, he's not a saviour therefore he's crap"

I think he would be more successful if he was Scottish.

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I think it's hilarious how desperate the right is to see Obama fail. Meanwhile, he'd have to be the worst president in history to not mop the floor with whatever drooling "values Republican" cretin the party decides to sacrifice to the lions in 2012.

But I understand the bitterness. I really do. I just don't think it's a reason to be hatin'.

There is no desperation on the right. He WILL fail. There is no possible way that he can live up to the hype he whipped up.

Whats funny is if this bill would've come up during the Bush presidency then all the liberals would be busy practicing their shoe chucking, but since it's President Hope they think it's just super.

[MaDMaN_26]

Next thing you know they'll pass laws to stop us from driving and talking on our cell phones!!

Someone paint Mel Gibsons face Blue and White! FREEEEDOM!!!

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Byrns

There is no desperation on the right. He WILL fail. There is no possible way that he can live up to the hype he whipped up.

Whats funny is if this bill would've come up during the Bush presidency then all the liberals would be busy practicing their shoe chucking, but since it's President Hope they think it's just super.

Yeah, hilarious how all the liberals are clamouring about what a great bill this is....

Wait, it's almost like that was something you made up and not a real thing. That can't be right, can it?

I'm glad to hear you admit that Obama will be a very good president but not the saviour of the American polity. That was all I wanted from him anyway.

All of this "hype" is an invention of the Glenn Becks and Michelle Bachmanns of the world--and let's face it, these are not the most synaptically endowed individuals. Trotting out the utopia fallacy every time you criticize Obama just makes you sound desperate.

Not that you should stop. Honestly, I kind of enjoy it.