Joe Biden, Barack Obama’s running mate, is not your friend when it comes to technology. Well, he could well be your friend, if you’re the RIAA or MPAA.
The vice presidential nominee has sponsored bills over the year that were championed by both the music and movie industry. He was one of the main forces behind the Perform Act, which is what the RIAA used to sue XM Satellite Radio for giving its customers the ability to record songs over-the-air.
One of Biden’s bills that would have made encrypting your data much more difficult, which encouraged Phil Zimmermann to create PGP.
If this type of thing revs your engine, be sure to read CNET’s full breakdown. I know many of you couldn’t give a damn who’s president, much less vice president, (good on you, by the way), but I know that TechCrunch endorsed Obama for his views on technology, so maybe a handful of you care. If not, carry on.
You know I forget, but wasn’t there at some time some kind of message or cause surrounding Obama’s campaign.
Wow. Has that vanished.
Am I understanding you correctly when you say:
“I know many of you couldn’t give a damn who’s president, much less vice president, (good on you, by the way)”
Are you saying good for you to those who could care less about who is in charge of their own country, that no one should care who their president is? Wow, I thought there were intelligent writers at Crunch gear. If this it true, then I will be removing crunch gear form my RS feed.
Who ever you support or what every your value are, every American should care who the President is.
I will wait for a response and hope I just miss understood you…..
No, generally you’re correct. Following the horse race that is the presidential election is silly. Being that I have a degree in political science (NYU calls it politics for whatever reason), I have an extra special hatred for the way the whole system is set up.
When I say I’d rather watch Baseball Tonight or Match of the Day than freak out over McCain/Obama’s latest YouTube video, I’m not kidding.
Carry on.
-na
Nicholas,
First, thank you for the reply.
I can a agree to a certain point, the political race isn’t much more than an Three Ring Circus most of the time. However there is a big difference between not caring about the antics a candidate may be involved in during the campaign and not caring at all who the President is.
And so not to turn what (i think) was supposed to be a post on technology, I will drop it this here.
I don’t know much about politics, but if I remember correctly the vp doesn’t have much power beyond being an adviser. So yeah maybe his ideas on tech aren’t that great, but on a global level, compared to the troubles of the world these tech bills seem pretty minor, and i doubt being VP would make them go much faster. However, Biden does have good foreign affairs experience, one of the few things Obama lacks. So it seems fine to me.
Haha isn’t it strange that you can never get any of this on television, but they get much more money for not giving the complete story, as compared to internet news websites?!
How can anyone figure out who’s going to be the best to lead our country into the next decade?? McCain is billed as the foreign policy guru but doesn’t know the political boudaries of the near east countries. Tech knowledgable? McCain can’t turn on a pc. Economics. ” I don’t know about those things.” Bush? “We’re going to Mars!” Duh, how much chow are you going to be able to pack into your space craft for an 18 month to 3 yr trip, one way, George?? Give me a F—kn break. Obama, Bidens,?? We elect politicians, not scientists. Some day we’re going to get us a bunch of real smart dudes who will cut thru the shit and start saving our faltering grip on the real world problems.