many people who support the *principle* of IPR are gravely concerned about the power that is wielded by these lobbyists for the /middlemen/ who have greatly abused IPR for their own good without the slightest concern for the damage that their floatsm has to culture and to society in general.

1) the movie & record distribution companies are responsible for so much of what is wrong with the content industries in the first place (mediocre, formulaic, derivative, banal, unintelligent, uninspiring, unimaginative, unchallenging, etc etc)

they are not the voice of the content /producers/ ... so they are scared of all digital technology on the grounds that a market dynamic might emerge in which producers & consumers may directly interact, thereby obsoleting the role for Suits (ie themselves).

the middlemen are terrified of the economics of the Long Tail (the phenomenon of mass-customization is transforming many other industries without anywhere near the turmoil it does for the publishing industry) ... and these guys want to do do anything that preserves the Status Quo longer, so they do not have to address the new realities.

therefore, given their corrupt self-interest (as opposed to legitimate self-interest), i am deeply of any plea for them to control anything (however valid it may seem on the surface) that might consolidate their gatekeeper role.

2) the mpaa/riaa are their worst enemies!

they are positively shocked to have discovered that their customers would pay zero$$ (ie steal) if the distributors refused to sell their wares to them in a timely & effective manner (ie not 6 weeks or 6 months later; but rather 6 hours or 6 months later!).

these guys have spent a decade figuring out ways NOT to monetize customer demand - and then have the nerve to get angry with their customers when they share content for free (not pirate it for profit, mind you, but just pass it along as a social courtesy).

therefore, i have no sympathy for the middlemen when they ask that their monopolistic role being legislatively enshrined!

if the mpaa/riaa REALLY believe in the sanctity markets, then let them *prove* their sincerity by delivering the products their customers want at a time & in a form & at a price of their chosing -- THAT is called supply & demand! ...and if the Suits are actually as competent at their job as they believe/delude themselves to be, then they should have no problem aggregating content into brands & packages that most customers are willing to pay cash money for!

i believe that the possibility of Sword of Damocles that is p2p is actually an implicit form of structural competition for the monopolists! ... in a world where marginal costs can become ghostly thin, having a real-life MC=0 (in the form of p2p) is a useful curative for their arrogance & stupidity!

p2p keeps them on their toes!

they should not be allowed to be protected from the wrath of the consumer!

sometimes revenge is the only tool that the people have left in their fight against the Suits!