It seems that the perpetually greedy Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is trying to strongarm one more group until they have to pay pointless taxes.  The RIAA has proposed that terrestrial radio stations pay royalties on all music that they play.  This is similar to what satellite radio and internet radio stations are responsible for paying.  Here is an excerpt from an article at FMBQ.com:

"He continues, "On behalf of the 6900 radio station members of the National Association of Broadcasters, I am writing to ask that you oppose this effort. What the recording industry is asking you to support is a new 'performance tax' on your local broadcasters. Not only would this new performance tax upend the longstanding mutually beneficial business relationship that exists today between record labels, recording artists and broadcasters, but it would have a serious financial impact on broadcasters that could affect their ability to serve their local markets."

Let's take a good hard look at the facts here.  The RIAA is basically looking to tax radio stations for benefitting off of their property, their music.  They are saying that since internet radio and satellite radio pay, so should terrestrial radio.  The problem is that most internet and satellite radio stations charge a subscription fee. 

That's not even the worst of it.  The real problem is that there has been a sybiotic relationship between the two for years.  When a new artist comes out, and is unknown, they are promoted by the radio stations.  The radio is how most people have found out about new bands for years.  When you pay for a subscription based service such as satellite, you are going to listen to a station that specializes in the music that you know and love.  Rarely will those stations contain new music.  This would cripple the industry and the only new music that we would hear would be hand selected by the shylock clam bakes running the recording industry today.  Instead of one Nickelback, there would be thirty.  We would never again hear from bands such as Social Distortion or Motorhead, and new bands that have not been established and attempt a new innovative sound would never have a chance to catch on.

This would no doubt lead to a revolution against the RIAA.  There would be riots in the streets outside of major recording companies.  The cops would be called in, but the riots wouldn't stop.  Then the fighting would spill into suburbia.  Parents against kids, teachers against students, Icelanders against Norweigans.  We would be looking at another civil war, which would eventually become a world war.  Is it really worth starting World War IV so the RIAA can make 5 cents per song played on the radio?

To illustrate the stupidity of this motion, I have attached a video below: