* Gore on Napster

Topics: Democracy
08 Oct 2000

From: Ervan Darnell



In a recent interview, Al Gore said "The American democratic system
was an early political version of Napster" [1]. He was
probably struggling in a cynical effort to seem sympathetic to youth and
get their vote, but the comparison is apt in ways he did not intend, and
if he really believes it speaks to his vision of democracy as a spoils
system.

Compare the two:

Napstervik: "Record companies make too much money. They should
charge me less so I'll just take it instead."
Democrat: "The rich make too much money and the government should
take some of it on my behalf."

Napstervik: "Artists aren't paid enough."
Democrat: "We should tariff foreign goods to protect
unions."

Napstervik: "Piracy is actually good for the artist because it
generates free advertising."
Democrat: "Redistribution is actually good for the rich because the
government can invest their money more efficiently in welfare than they
themselves can in business ventures." [In the debates Gore
described prescription subsidies for retirees as "investments"
in our economic future.]

Napstervik: "Everyone pirates music. Why shouldn't
I?"
Democrat: "Everyone uses democracy as spoils system. Why
shouldn't I?"


[1]
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2634692,00.html?chkpt=zdhpnews01


===============================================================

Ervan Darnell |"Term limits are not enough.

ervan@iname.com | We need jail."







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