Facebook PW Privacy Motion Blocked by House Republicans

[Siji]

Can someone, anyone, explain to me how republicans can bear to continue calling themselves republicans? I mean does the GOP honestly represent you anymore? I for some reason have a hard time believing the scary thought that the way the GOP is acting and conducting themselves these days actually represents any part of the country besides themselves. What exactly has the GOP been doing which anyone could remotely consider useful? They've morphed into the party of 'no' and rather than saying "your idea sucks, and here is our better alternative" it's just "no and fuck you." And then they turn around and blame everyone but themselves when shit hits the fan. I swear to Christ if Obama and his crew grow some balls this election season and give up on the fucking 'nice guy' bullshit, the GOP is fucking toast. The only way he would and/or would lose is because of his race. That's a whole different argument of disgust. But politically? I seriously don't understand how republicans can stand behind their party these days.

On to the story.. how the fuck can you justify blocking this? Just one more of countless examples of how the GOP is out of touch with the general public.

-

http://www.webpronews.com/facebook-pass ... ns-2012-03

Remember last week when news broke of shady employers requesting passwords to employees’ personal Facebook accounts? While litigation over the privacy issue has been shuffled around in various levels of government, a motion called “Mind Your Own Business On Passwords” was brought up today in Congress that would have granted permission to the Federal Communications Commission to prevent employers from asking employees or potential employees for their Facebook (or Twitter or whatever else) password.

You would think that it’d be a simple matter – prohibit employers from making ultimatums in which employees must either give up their Facebook passwords to their personal accounts or else get canned – but remember that this is the 112th United States Congress: the place where progress, cooperation, and humor go to die.

In other words: no, the motion was voted down.

With the exception of one single aye-voting Republicans, every Republican in the House of Representatives voted against the motion; alternately, every Democrat save for two voted in favor of the amendment. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), who presented the motion, describes the amendment in the video below.

As Rep. Perlmutter said, the amendment is simple enough, yet why did Republicans toe the party line and block the motion? According to the Huffington Post, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee and Technology, told Democrats that the provision doesn’t “protect the consumer.”

“There are many of us who after this debate concludes and moves on, would be happy to work with you on legislation because I think this is a real issue that we all share, and that is protecting privacy,” Walden said. “This doesn’t do that.”

Walden also referred to the time-lapse between when the FCC writes a rule and when it is published. “In fact, you could open the door where they (the FCC) could allow employers and licensees to go after your stuff and you wouldn’t know until they published the rule,” he said.

Soo….. I think what Rep. Walden is saying is that the bill doesn’t go far enough in protecting consumers, so instead of passing a bill that offers some protection to consumers it’d actually be better to vote the motion down and leave Facebook users et al. with zero protection?

Hm.

“Say, I see that you’re hungry there – starving to death, I’d say. Well, I happen to have a sandwich and some fruit with me but, y’know, I don’t think it will be enough to sufficiently feed you so I’m just not gonna give you anything at all to eat, mm’kay?”

[masteen]

Well, it's got nothing in it affirming that fact that Christians are beautiful and special or smashing the rights of women to be anything more than chattel, so why would Republicans support it?

[Aslanna]

If you're not doing anything wrong you have nothing to hide!

[kyoukan]

Legally prohibiting some entity from demanding your password has a lot deeper ramifications than just your employer asking for your facebook login. That's why the bill was voted down. It was a poorly thought out bill that was way too broad.

Also, probably less than a quarter of republicans in congress could turn a computer on.

[Canelek]

Also, probably less than a quarter of republicans in congress could turn a computer on.

It's due to those chubby sausage fingers!