Anti-piracy bills aside, Congress still takes Hollywood over Silicon Valley

And for a very simple reason: Hollywood pays lawmakers a lot better. The movie industry's top lobbyist, former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, doesn't want anyone to forget it - even if two anti-piracy bills stalled in Congress last week. From California Watch:

The debate pits two powerful California industries against each other, but one gives much more political money than the other. In the Senate, for example, MapLight.org found that the entertainment industry gave $14 million in contributions over the last six years, compared with $2 million from Internet interest groups. The rare admission of the power of campaign contributions from Dodd, a former senator and past presidential candidate, puts a spotlight on the influence of money in this policy debate. "Candidly, those who count on quote 'Hollywood' for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who's going to stand up for them when their job is at stake," Dodd told Fox News last week. "Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake."