Posted on 09/07/2008 8:54:38 AM PDT by airedale
As the Democrats' presumptive vice presidential nominee prepares to take the stage to accept the nomination of his party this evening in Denver, BetaNews' Ed Oswald takes a look at his long record.
Hailing from the state of Delaware, Senator Joe Biden has spent 36 years in the Senate. Along the way, he's gained a reputation for his direct, often outspoken, sometimes confrontational personality. His positions on technology, which reflect that personality, are sure to please some and enrage others.
Coming from a state which has some of the most lenient business and tax laws, its no surprise that many of Sen. Biden's position's may go against what some consider an anti-big business slant among the more left-leaning members of his party.
A staunch defender of copyright
Biden's pro-business stance is evident in his efforts to expand copyright legislation, often siding with the entertainment industry. His pen has produced significant pro-copyright legislation, and most notably in 2002, he asked the Justice Department to take a tougher stance on those who commit copyright infringement.
Biden's more noteworthy efforts included the PROTECT Act of 2003, signed into law that May, making it a felony to forge keys to force players to play unauthorized computer programs, or to use forged keys to use counterfeited software. Another bill sponsored by Biden last year would limit how consumers would be able to record and play back digital content.
He also co-founded and co-chairs the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, which includes over 70 members from both houses of Congress, including former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Is Biden's anti-piracy stance necessarily a bad thing? As you might expect, he has defended his position, telling the Hollywood Reporter in May 2007, "When somebody holds you up on the street and takes your wallet, we call it robbery. And when somebody steals your idea and creation, we call it theft, plain and simple."
Supporters of copyright law have come to his aid. "Biden has always been a believer in enforcing laws and reducing crime, and he has brought that approach repeatedly to the world of copyright," the Copyright Alliance's Patrick Ross said.
Either way, the subject of copyright is a hot-button issue. It's not out of the question that the topic will be addressed by an Obama/Biden administration.
An opponent of 'warrantless wiretapping'
In an opinion that put him at odds with the man who would be his boss. Sen. Biden sided with his friend, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D - Vt.), in an attempts to blocking immunity for telecommunications companies cooperating in anti-terrorism investigations -- an attempt that ultimately failed.
Biden had argued that passing the bill would give President Bush too much power in allowing for surveillance without any justification. He found himself in the minority on this issue (along with Sen. Clinton), and the final FISA reform bill passed the Senate 69-28.
A supporter of clean technology
One of Sen. Joe Biden's more recent efforts to pass technology-related legislation has been a bill introduced last month to develop a international monetary fund to help develop and promote clean energy technology. The effort is also supported by fellow Senate Foreign Relations Committe Richard G. Lugar (R - Ind.), Robert Menendez (D - N.J.) and Chuck Hagel (R - Neb.).
Biden explains his bill as addressing the problems of climate change, which has been linked by many scientists to the use of fossil fuels. If the US can start developing nations on the path to clean energy early, he believes the environment could significantly benefit.
A skeptic of net neutrality
Some may take issue with Sen. Biden's past statements, which seem to indicate he doesn't believe there is a problem with net neutrality. This stance would appear to be in stark contrast with that of his running mate.
Sen. Obama has said that legislation is needed to ensure that all traffic on the Internet is treated equally. In fact, the issue has become a part of Obama's platform: "Barack Obama supports the basic principle that network providers should not be allowed to charge fees to privilege the content or applications of some Web sites and Internet applications over others," according to a statement on Obama's campaign site.
Biden does not seem to think that way. In fact, in a 2006 hearing on the subject, Biden questioned the need for pre-emptive measures when there was no evidence of any malfeasance by network operators occurring.
If everyone who felt their net neutrality rights were violated were given equal hearings, CNET's Anne Broache reported Biden to have said, "the chairman will be required to hold this meeting in this largest room in the Capitol, and there will be lines wandering all the way down to the White House."
I say, at least, that he pretty well has a leg up on the old
HRT......hair.....replacement....technology....
Most liberals don’t even know we have been to the moon and back — if you said that to them, they would think it was some sort of drug trip....(/s)
Biden believes in Obama bin Bidenbots.
Watching reruns of Sarah’s speech 24/7.
If Biden was given batteries, wires, and a light bulb, he’d be unable to produce light. He is beyond stupid. After all, he is a lawyer politician. That means that he was simply too inept to earn a living practicing law, so he entered the sole profession in which the vast majority of member have never produced anything.
When in doubt. Plagiarize.
May 10, 1999, 0:53 a.m
Goldberg File
By Jonah Goldberg
We hear so much about the craven, "Clinton-hating," neo-isolationist Republicans. Where is the criticism of the newly minted warmongers of the Left?
Joe Biden made a national name for himself by stealing lines from British "statesman" Neil Kinnock. Alas, it cost him his shot at the presidency. So maybe that's why he's sounding so Churchillian. Yesterday on Meet the Press Biden explained that "The only reason Milosevic is even talking about talking is because he's being hurt badly." Biden, a new-found champion of peace through strength, total victory, and bombing people to the negotiating table made this case for winning at all costs:
" Look, you have probably the only three people in Washington here who think we should go straight to Belgrade and arrest Milosevic. But let's not kid each other. We're the only three people. The rest of this is malarkey. The Republican Congress won't even vote for the bombing. The NATO forces won't even go along with the idea of ground troops. And whether or not the president will or will not is not relevant. The question seems to me is: What is the definition of victory?"
And:
"[W]e should announce there's going to be American casualties. We should go to Belgrade and we should have a Japanese-German style occupation of that country."
For some reason it did not occur to Russert that this was somewhat in contrast with Mr. Biden's views during the last American war. During floor debate over the Gulf War, Biden said:
''Only one question must be answered at this historic moment and that is, what vital interest of the United States of America justifies sending Americans to their death in the sands of the Saudi Arabian peninsula, no matter what slights to our national pride or prestige have occurred, nor what emotional crisis may have developed among our leaders as a consequence of anger and frustration and . . . not . . . whether a letter was left on a table.''
And: "President Bush, if you are listening, I implore you to understand that even if you win today . . . you still lose . . . You have no mandate for war . . . the nation is divided.
"The sons of this generation are patriotic, as are the daughters. We will finish it, but for God's sake, do not start it unless you think it is a vital interest, which I feel strongly it is not."
And of course:"The president says he's angry and impatient, but, God bless him, so are all of us. But is that a reason to send a whole generation to war?"
Senator Biden voted against sending troops to the Gulf.
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