Save the Internet - the pressure is working

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?cl=1425589399&v=11332

by mruocco • 15 years ago

77 23 15 years ago

avaaz.org

indecisive1• 15 years ago

Lets all sign please!

fjarlq• 15 years ago

I agree. Signed.

jasondavies• 15 years ago

Even at a rate of 1 name per second, this would take almost 11.5 days to read out all the names non-stop. Is there some kind of time limit for this kind of thing?

dfreidin• 15 years ago

There's no time limit, but a 60% vote can force him to stop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster_in_the_United_States...

Edit: That's 60% of all Senators, not just those currently there.

younata• 15 years ago

  Edit: That's 60% of all Senators, not just those currently there.

Also known as 60 Senators are required to vote to force him to stop.

lmkg• 15 years ago

Nope. That's the point. It's called a filibuster.

The goal of the Senate is to be the worlds most deliberate deliberative body, which means that the voting doesn't happen until the discussion is well and truly done. Imposing a time limit would allow discussion to be quashed prematurely by manipulating the process.

Naturally, this open-ended system can also be gamed, by not letting a bill get to vote. This lets a determined minority prevent a measure from being passed even when that measure's support is technically in the majority. Some consider this a feature rather than a bug, as it prevents the minority stance from being completely disenfranchised.

This tactic was originally a weapon of last resort, but then its use increased. At some point, a new rule was enacted where discussion could be quashed by 60% (supermajority) vote. This effectively causes a two-tiered system to achieving a mandate, although senators were hesitant of setting the precedent of stopping the filibuster in case they needed to use it themselves later on. Recently it has come into vogue again, with the number of filibusters and threats of filibusters rising considerably.

peterhunt• 15 years ago

While it's awesome that it works against SOPA, this is an illustration of the type of thing that is wrong with our political system.

marshray3• 15 years ago

It's a feature, not a bug.

The founders of the USA when they wrote the constitution intentionally put in a fair amount of paralysis because they preferred a weak Federal government. For things truly needing quick action, there's the office of the President.

jodrellblank3• 15 years ago

Its a stupid feature. It should not take 11 days of all available senators time to register an objection. It is an unjustifiable waste of expensive people's time and effort/opportunity cost.

Put aside "its always been this way" and work out something better - shorter, and to similar effect. As important as SOPA is, its not as important as many other things going on in the world right now, wasting senator time in this way is so daft.

portentint2• 15 years ago

It's by design. Our system is built to prevent what the framers of the Constitution called 'tyranny of the majority'.

A small group can, if it's sufficiently organized, stop something like SOPA.

portentint2• 15 years ago

Just curious: Who's going to read them?

mruocco• 15 years ago

Ron Wyden, senator of Oregon.

mahmud• 15 years ago

Yep! And when he's done with it, he will read The Great Gatsby.

wesleyd• 15 years ago

The filibuster: it's a feature, not a bug.

Brajeshwar• 15 years ago

Is it just me but the website title aptly means "voice" in Hindi (an Indian language).

kaybe• 15 years ago

"About us: Avaaz - meaning "voice" in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages - ..."

inconditus• 15 years ago

On a semi-related note, has anyone signed up for them? They don't comply with the CAN-SPAM act by not giving an unsubscribe link in the emails they send out.

willyt• 15 years ago

I just checked and the last few emails I have do have an unsubscribe link. It's right at the bottom in 8 or 9 pt text.

Save the Internet - the pressure is working

Related Stories