As I’ve often remarked, the inner meaning of SOPA and PIPA is a not very subtle message to Silicon Valley companies: “What part of ‘pay to play’ do you not get?”

As long as the entertainment industry spends more money in Washington than the tech industry, bad laws like SOPA and PIPA will appear with frightening regularity. The government will seem ignorant and unresponsive to the internet community for as long as the internet community refuses to participate — that’s just how this works.

Congress is a game, and anyone who wants to get something done in government plays. Those who don’t play never accomplish anything. It’s a game of reputation, relationships, back-room deals, and big money.

— The Verge