Smith says he wants to wait “until there is wider agreement on a solution.”
I think he'll have a much greater chance of success if he waits until there is larger agreement on the problem. Both sides seem very confused as to what this legislation was trying to solve - building a real consensus depends on building that broad understanding before looking for solutions.
Whenever I hear "both sides...", I know a snow-job has begun.
There really aren't two symmetric "sides". Seriously.
There is one faction attempting to impose a draconian, repressive intellectual property regime at the expense of Internet functionality, free speech or whatever else.
And there are all the people who oppose this for whatever reason, whether to save the Internet, save free speech, prevent a repressive regime or even to preserve piracy. These are "a side". The mouth-pieces of the Hollywood rackets want to attribute some position to SOPA/PIPA opponents but you really can't. All you can say that they are opponent for one of the many good reasons for opposing it.
I think you may be attributing motive or position where none really exists.
My point was simply that the chief proponent of this presumes that we already agree on what the problem is and that we should therefore focus on finding the solution. I think he's either deluded or disingenuous (perhaps misled or naive? Possible, but doubtful).
My personal belief is that any SOPA-like legislation in advance of copyright and patent reform attempts to solve the wrong problems.
I think he'll have a much greater chance of success if he waits until there is larger agreement on the problem. Both sides seem very confused as to what this legislation was trying to solve - building a real consensus depends on building that broad understanding before looking for solutions.