Rick Schwartz made a powerful post on this blog today regarding the Snow bill.

According to Rick this is his first and only public comment he is going to make on the bill.

It is a must read for all those in the industry

Here is a reprint of his post:

“””””””””””””

What is the excuse now?

Good Afternoon folks,

Many of you have wondered why I have remained so silent on the Snowe Bill. What am I supposed to say at this point? It isn’t like I did not see this coming and I stated so very publicly back long before the Snowe Bill even emerged. I really can’t say any more so all I can do is wait for events to unfold and reprint my words from the DNJournal article I contributed to at the beginning of the year that says it all. Pretty frustrating when you see this stuff coming years away and then few pay attention until crisis is on the doorstep and even then most say they will just leave it to others to take care of.

“Everyone knows I am about the most optimistic person you will ever meet. But my optimism is never divorced from reality. Reality is what IS whether we like it or not. I will probably take some heat for what I have said and even more for what I am about to say, but so be it. The following was a blog post I was going to make this week. I think it would have more value here first. The enemy within There is no question that 2008 will be the most challenging year ever for domain owners and investors. While domainers are having a grand old time their livelihoods are in peril and few really even want to know about it. Combine that with the abuse that domainers themselves are guilty of and I will tell you that the biggest threat lays within the industry. Apathy, greed, wrong doing will surely put us all in jeopardy. While we do these things, our enemy is organizing and they will change rules and laws that will take YOUR domains and the earnings they currently make for you and your families and are actively trying to shift those dollars to their pockets for them and their families.

But party on like a ship of fools my friends. My gift is seeing things before they materialize. But hey, don’t pay attention. Don’t believe it. Don’t do anything. But I promise you that some day in the next 3-5 years (Maybe much sooner) I will point to THIS POST and let you know that there was an opportunity to avoid it but you were too busy laughing at what I suggest. The laughter no different than the day I “Wasted” my first $100 and bought a domain name. So I am quite used to it.

The forces are gathering. You have a choice to ignore this. But when you do, ask yourself how you are going to feel when your domains are in jeopardy? When it is too late? When your domains are gone and the income along with them?

Like I said, the biggest threat may be from within. Let’s face it – many registrars and others are just outright whores and their practices are not only raising eyebrows, but rules and laws will be put in place to try and control them and their abuses. While doing so we may get smothered in the process. Some domainers are no better.They focus on Trademarked domain names and that does not help us either. Some think the problem is small. I will respond to that once I stop laughing. It is out of control and makes everyone look bad.

I see what is going on daily when I get emails from the Internet Commerce Association (ICA). The threats are everywhere. Forces against us are joining together. If the domain industry does not get ahead of this we will all see the day in which some unfair ruling will be used to take your assets away from you. Those assets are worth a fortune. No matter what silly appraisal you have had, GREAT domains are worth much more than what they say. The proof will be obvious when you see the millions they will spend to get what you have at a FRACTION of the fair market value.

There are storm clouds gathering and it is serious. Choose to ignore and you have only yourself to blame. The choice is easy, start educating yourself now. Get the ICA newsletter. Pay attention to the decisions and why domainers are losing domains. Do whatever you can to prevent what is IN PROGRESS. Or do nothing and start looking for your next career and how to replace your incomes.

Some will view this as doom and gloom. Some will view as the sky is falling. My email will go bonkers. It is quite the opposite. The value of domains are going up faster than you or I even know and THAT is the reason we are a target. If the values were not there, if the importance were not there, these folks would not care about our assets. They validate the FACT that some of the assets we own are PRICELESS. Unique assets, investments, collectables, virtual real estate, storefronts, that have gone up in value faster than any other investment in history. Assets worth fighting for. Worth changing laws for. They will spend MILLIONS to get what we own. They will spend tens of millions. Just ask yourself one question. “Why would they spend so much to get what we have?”

We have insurance for everything we own. The house, the boat, the car, the life, the health, the toys, etc. etc. etc. Yet for some unexplainable reason domainers won’t insure their futures. Won’t insure the very thing that pays for everything else. Won’t insure that they are insulated from predators that want what you own. You folks own “Mona Lisa’s” and these PRICKS want it and they don’t want to buy it. They want to legislate it away from you. Tax it away from you.STEAL your assets through legal means and I am telling everyone in the industry that they will WIN if you don’t step up and pay attention and support efforts to insure our futures.

Steve Forbes related much of the same message as this has been done throughout history. Ask any of the top domain lawyers. Ask the top domainers. They all know what is coming. You will all live to see the day that billions of assets changed hands because some of the smartest folks on the planet failed themselves and their families. This is the one predication I don’t want to be right on. My job is to ring the bell as loud as I can and get the industry to take this seriously. Consider the bell rung.”

The only thing I can add to this is a public thanks to Phil Corwin. For folks that don’t know, Phil is the guy standing between you and the screwing of your lives. The industry has a fire department. It has one fire fighter. Phil Corwin. If this industry does not support Phil and his efforts with the Internet Commerce Association, there will be no industry to support. And when this bill goes down to defeat, there will be another right behind it. And another. And another. Then one day in the DEAD OF NIGHT, they will attach some provision somewhere that will change your lives in the most profound way. Please don’t anyone say they did not see it coming. Just say you pissed your futures away because: (Just fill in the BS here)

Rick Schwartz””””””””””””

I especially agree with Rick on his comment about Phil Corwin and his efforts in supporting this industry:

“””””Phil is the guy standing between you and the screwing of your lives. The industry has a fire department. It has one fire fighter. Phil Corwin. If this industry does not support Phil and his efforts with the Internet Commerce Association, there will be no industry to support. And when this bill goes down to defeat, there will be another right behind it. And another. And another. Then one day in the DEAD OF NIGHT, they will attach some provision somewhere that will change your lives in the most profound way.“””

Being a gold member of the ICA I see all of the e-mails send between the ICA board, attorney members and others.  Phil is a very smart guy, without whose help, various interest groups would get through legislation that would eliminate the domain industry and the value of everyone who owns a domain name.

Once again I appeal to all to become a member of the ICA.  We are talking about a cost of around 40 domain name registrations to become a member, or 4 names acquired at namejet for their minimum.