In the only politically responsible move when your party is the focus of national media attention because of a ridiculous budget proposal, Michigan state Democrats have denied that they ever planned to suggest funding an iPod for every student, and also pledged to repay Apple for that controversial "fact-finding trip" where lawmakers are suspected of hatching the supposed initiative. Representative Tim Melton spoke for the three jet setters when he claimed that this whole ordeal has been blown out of proportion, arguing that Dems were actually considering a wide-ranging $38 million technology package, and not just a DAP giveaway. So in the end -- other than bemused readers -- no one seems to have come out a winner here: Melton and his cronies will have to shell out $1,702 each for the Cupertino junket, Michigan kids statewide will have to return all of the iPod accessories they've been buying to prep for their freebies, and worst of all, Apple won't be able to realize its ultimate dream of locking an entire state's children into the iTunes ecosystem for life.

[Via The Raw Feed, photo courtesy of Anti iPod]

Ah, the day we've all been waiting for has finally arrived -- well, sort of. Yeah, it is still a bill, but it's a refreshing start on a long overdue amendment. While content guardians (we're looking your way, MPAA / RIAA) have done their fair share of beating around the issue and insisting that DRM-laced content was the only way to go, consumers haven't exactly been thrilled about such limitations since day one. In yet another glorious case of red and blue coming together for the good of mankind, Rich Boucher (D-Va.) and John Dolittle (R-Calif.) introduced a breath of fresh air they call FAIR USE, or Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S. Entrepreneurship. The idea, of course, is to simply "make it easier for digital media consumers to use the content they buy" by amending the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; according to the duo, the DMCA simply "goes too far by dramatically tilting the copyright balance toward complete copyright protection at the expense of the public's right to fair use." Boucher further substantiates his case for the most down-to-earth politician of all time by suggesting that if the DMCA remains unadulterated, "individuals will be less willing to purchase digital media" due to the unacceptable restrictions that come along with it. We'd ask for an amen, but we don't want to set off any minor earthquakes.

[Thanks, Kevin M.]