Sopa

**Janszoon** · 01-20-2012, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

I'm just the translator/messenger, although if The White House can veto against SOPA, it seems they are able to control the law to at least some extent.

The president is certainly part of the process, but I think a lot of people have an inflated perception that somehow it's all about him. Like I implied earlier, Obama did not author this bill and is not voting on this bill. The real politicians people should be complaining about here are SOPA's authors and supporters in the House of Representatives.

Guybrush · 01-20-2012, 06:44 AM

^I agree ..

Your post also makes me realize how little I know about the US political system. Here, the prime minister and his possè of ministers are generally the ones who come up with new laws. Then they present their suggested law to the parliament which will vote on whether or not to pass the government's suggestion. The parliament is made up of representatives from different political parties. The more votes a party has, the more representatives it has in the parliament.

So, SOPA in Norway would likely have come from the top (prime minister) to be voted for or against in parliament.

I feel a bit ignorant asking this, but how are laws thought up and passed in the US?

**Janszoon** · 01-20-2012, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

^I agree ..

Your post also makes me realize how little I know about the US political system. Here, the prime minister and his possè of ministers are generally the ones who come up with new laws. Then they present their suggested law to the parliament which will vote on whether or not to pass the government's suggestion. The parliament is made up of representatives from different political parties. The more votes a party has, the more representatives it has in the parliament.

So, SOPA in Norway would likely have come from the top (prime minister) to be voted for or against in parliament.

I feel a bit ignorant asking this, but how are laws thought up and passed in the US?

Basically the way it works here is a bill would be proposed by members of one of the two houses of Congress (The House of Representatives and The Senate). Each house has a somewhat different way of doing things but basically the bill is introduced and voted on, and if it passes, it goes to the other house for voting. If it passes in that house, it goes through a little review process and then is sent to the president, who has ten days to either sign it or veto it. If he signs it, it becomes law. If he vetoes it, it goes back to Congress, who then have the option to rework the bill or vote to override the president's veto.

Dr_Rez · 01-20-2012, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Basically the way it works here is a bill would be proposed by members of one of the two houses of Congress (The House of Representatives and The Senate). Each house has a somewhat different way of doing things but basically the bill is introduced and voted on, and if it passes, it goes to the other house for voting. If it passes in that house, it goes through a little review process and then is sent to the president, who has ten days to either sign it or veto it. If he signs it, it becomes law. If he vetoes it, it goes back to Congress, who then have the option to rework the bill or vote to override the president's veto.

A vetoed bill/law by the prez almost always means the congress will at least revise the document rather than just overriding him. Often the prez vetoes not because he dissagrees but would like something in the fine print o be changed.

Mykonos · 01-21-2012, 05:22 AM

So the President has the power to stop bad decisions but nothing absolute? I actually like that system. Most of the political analyses I've seen of the US wrre clearly biased against them so I never actually did know how the system worked. The Brits had a similar one in the past, although the House Of Lords were an unelected esrablishment so we rightfully took away their power to veto long ago. Also, even though she never uses it the Queen has the power to stop pretty much any Parliamentary decision, which I don't like.

Sorry, tangent. Some are urging the internet community to stop buying a single product or service linked to the companies supporting SOPA until April, putting a dent in their March profit margins. Sadly that means no new music until April.

**Janszoon** · 01-21-2012, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RezZ

A vetoed bill/law by the prez almost always means the congress will at least revise the document rather than just overriding him. Often the prez vetoes not because he dissagrees but would like something in the fine print o be changed.

Right. It's actually pretty funny when you look at the list of vetoes. Obama has had 2. FDR had 635.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mykonos

So the President has the power to stop bad decisions but nothing absolute?

Yep, the president has a lot less power in this country than people often think he does.

Dr_Rez · 01-21-2012, 03:18 PM

Wow FDR was a stubborn stubborn man.

Guybrush · 01-21-2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Basically the way it works here is a bill would be proposed by members of one of the two houses of Congress (The House of Representatives and The Senate). Each house has a somewhat different way of doing things but basically the bill is introduced and voted on, and if it passes, it goes to the other house for voting. If it passes in that house, it goes through a little review process and then is sent to the president, who has ten days to either sign it or veto it. If he signs it, it becomes law. If he vetoes it, it goes back to Congress, who then have the option to rework the bill or vote to override the president's veto.

Thanks for the explanation

blastingas10 · 01-23-2012, 04:13 PM

We've been so focused on SOPA that they slipped ACTA past us.

Mrd00d · 01-23-2012, 05:02 PM

We (USA) signed it in October for cryin out loud. We're just waiting for it to ratify I believe. And/or waiting for other countries to sign on... And yes it sucks. People are getting protest fatigue from all this stuff. But as we all have heard, eternal vigilance is the cost of freedom.

01-20-2012, 06:44 AM	#82 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	^I agree .. Your post also makes me realize how little I know about the US political system. Here, the prime minister and his possè of ministers are generally the ones who come up with new laws. Then they present their suggested law to the parliament which will vote on whether or not to pass the government's suggestion. The parliament is made up of representatives from different political parties. The more votes a party has, the more representatives it has in the parliament. So, SOPA in Norway would likely have come from the top (prime minister) to be voted for or against in parliament. I feel a bit ignorant asking this, but how are laws thought up and passed in the US? __________________ Something Completely Different

01-21-2012, 05:22 AM	#85 (permalink)
Mykonos AWhatup Ganache? Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 381	So the President has the power to stop bad decisions but nothing absolute? I actually like that system. Most of the political analyses I've seen of the US wrre clearly biased against them so I never actually did know how the system worked. The Brits had a similar one in the past, although the House Of Lords were an unelected esrablishment so we rightfully took away their power to veto long ago. Also, even though she never uses it the Queen has the power to stop pretty much any Parliamentary decision, which I don't like. Sorry, tangent. Some are urging the internet community to stop buying a single product or service linked to the companies supporting SOPA until April, putting a dent in their March profit margins. Sadly that means no new music until April. __________________ 'Not that Becktionary, the Rhyming Becktionary!'- Bender Bending Rodriguez

01-21-2012, 03:18 PM	#87 (permalink)
Dr_Rez Registered Jimmy Rustler Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 5,360	Wow FDR was a stubborn stubborn man. __________________ Best chance of losing virginity is in prison crew Always Checks Credentials Crew nba > nfl crew Shave one of my legs to pretend its a girl in my bed crew

01-23-2012, 05:02 PM	#90 (permalink)
Mrd00d Stoned and Jammin' Out Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Northern California; Eugene, OR; mobile Posts: 1,602	We (USA) signed it in October for cryin out loud. We're just waiting for it to ratify I believe. And/or waiting for other countries to sign on... And yes it sucks. People are getting protest fatigue from all this stuff. But as we all have heard, eternal vigilance is the cost of freedom. __________________ Mrd00d's Last.fm

01-23-2012, 04:13 PM	#89 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	We've been so focused on SOPA that they slipped ACTA past us.