I think that politicians could be made to hear the Internet's voice here.
Imagine if people started donating to a 'SOPA Supporter Anti-Reelection Fund', where all donations go to targeting vulnerable SOPA supporters in the next election.
The message would be that this is a "No-Forvigeness" issue come election time; that 'The Internet is Bigger Than Democrat or Republican'; that this issue matters more to economic/moral future of the country than gay marriage, invading Iraq, or any number of divisive issues; people will donate money to such a fund even knowing some of it will be used against bad apples in their own parties; etc.
There's a ton of potential here, especially when vulnerable SOPA supporters are identified, which will put the political crosshairs on specific individuals. (Who are the most vulnerable supporters come reelection time? Newsworthiness is increased when reporters can put a face on the story).
If the Internet started building such an Anti-Reelection Fund, it might get newsworthy pretty fast.
If the power of bored people over a holiday break was put to work, such a fund could be very real in just a few days, and ready for its cover shot as a credible political threat (donated funds, name-and-shame publicity) by the time the committee reconvenes in January.
I'm just saying. I was surprised by how much political clout the Occupy movement ended up with, despite not having any single unified idea of what they want to change -- but, basically all they accomplished was to shape the message and shift the dialogue around the economic crisis a bit.
I'd be disappointed if the Internet couldn't accomplish something more concrete with SOPA.
Edit: also, if The Internets created such a fund, it might be politically easier for various internet companies or rich geeks to support it via matching funds.
If someone can come up with a specific definition of functionality, I'll build it. Design and everything. I just don't know how something like this should work.
If you're serious, then the website needs several things:
1. a giant counter of # of people who've donated to the fund (or signed 'the pledge', see below!),
2. a live twitter stream for the #NoForgivenessFund hashtag (but someone should come up with something better?)
3. a scrolling list of names of SOPA supporters, weighted to avoid giving much face time to 'safe' seats.
4. a giant 'Donate' banana -- but, heck, we all know that.
Now, actually collecting money for political purposes -- there, you may run into legal problems.
Technically, you need to be a PAC to do the things that the Fund would want to do. See: Stephen Colbert. It starts to get really serious really fast.
As a short-term measure, maybe make the website collect twitter/facebook accounts, and let people validate an email address, and ... hey, how's this for an idea?
A 'Pledge'.
Like some partisans have taken a pledge never to raise taxes, make a similar pro-Internet pledge that people can 'sign' with an email and twitter/fb/g+ account. Part of the pledge will be to vote against and donate to the opponents of anyone who aids and abets anti-internet legislation. The Pledge would be an opportunity for flowery writing, etc.
So you could have a giant list of people -- and later companies -- that would be signing this pledge, and would explicitly be telling you "send me an email with a link to a donate button when you've got something ready to go". Maybe they could specify how much they think they'll be able to donate. (And of course it could be used like The Pledge on politicians).
Probably makes sense to build the pledge site without waiting for a PAC.
Thoughts? Heh, man this is fun to think about ... I'm going to have to cut myself off sometime soon. Must... not... waste time on politics!
I'd flip the "fund" idea around, and make it a "Internet Freedom Supporter Fund"; i.e., anyone who absolutely supports no government controls over the Internet, basing it on the First Amendment.
If each Internet user donated just 1 dollar to this fund in the US, we'd bury SOPA and its progeny forever.
I agree that a targeted, intensely political fund that directly targeted reelection campaigns would be nice to have as an institution.
I'm just thinking about the short-term message, though.
When I read "Internet Freedom" I'm already half-asleep, with visions of old hippies and the EFF dancing in my head.
But the 'No-Forgiveness Fund', the 'Punish SOPA Supporters Fund' or anything negative that directly references both SOPA and reelection funding, makes my ears perk up and may make reporters take note, too.
After all, people are getting a little tired of warmed-over Rick Perry punching bag stories. There's room for a disruptive, twitter-friendly new issue.
You realize that what we're describing is basically crowd-sourcing lobbyists. :) That tickles me pink.
Imagine if people started donating to a 'SOPA Supporter Anti-Reelection Fund', where all donations go to targeting vulnerable SOPA supporters in the next election.
The message would be that this is a "No-Forvigeness" issue come election time; that 'The Internet is Bigger Than Democrat or Republican'; that this issue matters more to economic/moral future of the country than gay marriage, invading Iraq, or any number of divisive issues; people will donate money to such a fund even knowing some of it will be used against bad apples in their own parties; etc.
There's a ton of potential here, especially when vulnerable SOPA supporters are identified, which will put the political crosshairs on specific individuals. (Who are the most vulnerable supporters come reelection time? Newsworthiness is increased when reporters can put a face on the story).
If the Internet started building such an Anti-Reelection Fund, it might get newsworthy pretty fast.
If the power of bored people over a holiday break was put to work, such a fund could be very real in just a few days, and ready for its cover shot as a credible political threat (donated funds, name-and-shame publicity) by the time the committee reconvenes in January.
I'm just saying. I was surprised by how much political clout the Occupy movement ended up with, despite not having any single unified idea of what they want to change -- but, basically all they accomplished was to shape the message and shift the dialogue around the economic crisis a bit.
I'd be disappointed if the Internet couldn't accomplish something more concrete with SOPA.
Edit: also, if The Internets created such a fund, it might be politically easier for various internet companies or rich geeks to support it via matching funds.