The copyright industry wants to convert the head of the copyright office into its own servant by having the president appoint him.

I expect this to make it very hard to get any significant DMCA exemptions in the future. The DMCA exceptions process is basically a distraction, meant to divert energy away from campaigning to repeal the unjust sections of the DMCA. But it has provided limited relief from the wrong, because the copyright office has granted some exemptions. If it stops, maybe we can mobilize opposition to the DMCA again.

Nonetheless, I oppose this change, and I hope some organization will start a campaign against it that I can support. I do not believe in endorsing a change for the worse on the supposition that it might spur opposition.

The idea that copyright should "balance" interests of copyright holders with those of the public gives the copyright holders too much importance. Copyright is supposed to balance one aspect of public interest with another aspect of public interest.