ECA President: Lawmakers Know Anti-Videogame Bills Won't Pass

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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ECA President: Lawmakers Know Anti-Videogame Bills Won't Pass

ECA boss Hal Halpin says that the politicians who question him flat-out admit that they know their bills are unconstitutional and will never pass - and yet waste taxpayer money with them anyway.

Until the Supreme Court agreed to review [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100643-Gaming-Faces-Its-Single-Most-Important-Challenge-at-the-Supreme-Court] "Schwarzenegger vs. EMA," all types of anti-game legislation had one thing in common: They had all been struck down by courts as unconstitutional.

And yet, ECA president Hal Halpin told The Escapist, politicians keep bringing them up. While early bills might have been motivated from a genuine desire to help, the recent ones are for nothing more than political posturing - and Halpin said he's been flat-out told as much when he goes in to testify to committees.

[blockquote]A fair amount of those people, in the beginning, were doing so because they were in the right place and motivated from heartfelt feelings. But after the same bills keep getting rejected over and over and overturned over and over, it came to the point where I was testifying and the committees would say in advance that they knew what they were doing was perfectly not constitutional, that it wasn't going to pass muster, but that they had some questions for me anyway.[/blockquote]

The committee members would refer to him as the "paid lobbyist from New York" to let their public know that he was from the "'evil' part of the country," said Halpin (who is from Connecticut). Instead of wasting taxpayer money on bills that they know will never pass, Halpin argued that they should spend that money to do "truly objective, longitudinal studies that are encompassing everything in entertainment."

"Let's see how media is impacting not just children, but adolescents and adults and everybody ... [the] whole last 70 percent of all of those bills were motivated from the wrong place. How do you counter that? How do you say 'stop wasting our money and our time and instead spend that money on research'? Fund your own state colleges and state universities to be able to do these studies instead of wasting all of our time and money on this."

"That message gets lost pretty quickly when there's cameras and it's re-election time."

To read more, check out our full interview with the ECA's Hal Halpin [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101654-When-Games-are-Sold-Like-Guns-An-Interview-with-the-ECAs-Hal-Halpin].

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Dyp100

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Jul 14, 2009
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And this is why I hate politics. -Sigh- But whatever, not like it's ever going to change.

The intent never stays, never.
 

ZippyDSMlee

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Sep 1, 2007
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Fallen-Angel Risen-Demon said:
A ban in VG won't happen especialy in america. They have too many people making money from it...
YAY!
Well law is subjective these days as long as it can be shot down when its passed *and it dose get passed* all it will be used for is blunderbuss to get votes.
 

KeyMaster45

Gone Gonzo
Jun 16, 2008
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Wow, I knew politicians were inherent douche-bags but this takes the cake. I rather hope the Supreme Court is hearing this case simply so they can put an end to politicians using bills like this to gain attention. Heck, once the Supreme Court says "Yay" or "Nay" on a subject you're fairly SoL on doing anything about it.
 

Jack and Calumon

Digimon are cool.
Dec 29, 2008
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I remember when Greece banned Video games full stop. Later, they said it was doing absolutely no good to their economy and had them re-instated immediately after a few months. Oh boy that was funny.

Calumon: They even Banned My Little Pony adventures!!!
 

Mr. Grey

I changed my face, ya like it?
Aug 31, 2009
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I really like this guy, he seems sensible and sees both sides of the argument. I'd like to know more of his opinions and such before I actually start rallying him for Presidency of the World.

I am concerned though... knowing that the Supreme Court has shifted quite a bit and that the current roster of new recruits aren't exactly the best guys we want for this decision. I can't help but feel they planned this one from the start.
 

gmacarthur81

<(^.^<) <(^.^)> (>^.^)>
Nov 13, 2009
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How do you say 'stop wasting our money and our time and instead spend that money on research'? Fund your own state colleges and state universities to be able to do these studies instead of wasting all of our time and money on this.
Exactly like that.

You get called before a committee make sure you get to make a statement to the committee and press that are present.
 

Mezzo.

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Nov 19, 2009
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Christ, as if they didn't already look bad they flat out say this shit?

I can only wonder why we've even elected this morons.
 

Paddin

Senior Member
Sep 30, 2009
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America has a bad habit of trying to make a point with ridiculous lawsuits just to gain media coverage. Also, I hate it when someone claims they are sueing "just to prove a point" but then sue them for $132 bazillion dollars
 

The Grim Ace

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May 20, 2010
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With the way the Supreme Court has been acting recently I do have some reason to fear the Schwarzenegger end of the suit might be upheld. Otherwise, assuming they're thinking with their brains and that little thing called the Constitution then I think we have nothing to worry about and that 'Nay' decision gives these politicians something new complain about.
 

Therumancer

Citation Needed
Nov 28, 2007
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Well, one of the problems with the US is that it allows constant preserverance when it comes to laws and regulations. Getting shot down does not prevent people from continueing to do the same things again and again indefinatly until they get lucky.

Consider that the lawmakers not only are creating the apperance of trying to do something to solve problems (attacking the current scapegoat) but are also constantly keeping the issue on the table in some form, in hopes that it will eventually get through.

The disturbing thing is that it worked, because The Supreme Court is about to hear the case, and truthfully there is always a chance it's going to rule in favor of something like this. It's done some really borked things in the past. This pretty much demonstrates why trying to pass bills you know are going to fail on a subject constantly happens. Keeping an issue alive can be more important than any specific battle on the subject.
 

Sniper Team 4

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Apr 28, 2010
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Exactly why all government positions need to have term limits, not just the President. Force new blood into the system, because very rarely do people actually vote in new blood.
 

grimsprice

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Jun 28, 2009
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Welcome to organized politics.

Where everything is fair game.
Where a fair game means nothing.
And worthless nothings are everywhere.