The proposed PROTECT IP law won't protect anything and, duh, will hurt Internet security, too | ZDNet:

"American lawmakers are trying to pass a bill called PROTECT IP, which — despite what you might think — is not trying to protect Internet protocols, but instead is trying to protect intellectual property.

Of course, as you might imagine, if passed this law will do neither.

You may think I pick on Republican congress-o-critter Darrell Issa a lot, and you may be right. He’s often doing or saying something kinda dumb. But, although it’s been a while, I also pick on Democratic Sleestak Senator Patrick Leahy, also often for doing something I consider particularly ill-advised.

See? I’m an equal opportunity party-knocker.

As it turns out, Leahy is backing the PROTECT IP (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011) Act. While we all want our intellectual property protected (there’s a whole raft of foreign Web sites that seem to like to republish my stuff, for example), the way PROTECT IP is going about it is, well, just about what you’d expect to come out of Washington politicians fed MPAA and RIAA propaganda."