OnTheIssuesLogo

Joe Biden on Corporations

Democratic Sr Senator (DE); nominee for Vice President


We've yielded to corporate America on trade

Q: Given the WTO guidelines, could you actually restrict trade with China?

A: With the WTO guidelines, we could stop these [unsafe] products coming in now. This president doesn't act. We have much more leverage on China than they have on us. The idea that a country with 800 million people in poverty has greater leverage over us is preposterous. We've yielded to corporate America. We've yielded to this president's notion of what constitutes trade, and we've refused to enforce the laws that exist.

Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Democratic debate Dec 13, 2007

OpEd: beholden to corporations because so many based in DE

Like all mainstream candidates, Biden is beholden to corporate interests who support his campaigns or dominate his state; in Biden's case, he cast a noteworthy vote in favor of the controversial 2005 bankruptcy bill, which was a boon to credit card lenders, many of which are based in Delaware due to lax state regulations. Biden's biggest single bloc of support is trial lawyers, who like his strong position against tort reform.
Source: The Contenders, by Laura Flanders, p.180 Nov 11, 2007

Take burden off corporations so jobs stay in US

Q: A lot of Americans are concerned with outsourcing of US jobs. What's your solution?

CLINTON: Well, outsourcing is a problem. We have to end the tax breaks that still exist in the tax code for outsourcing jobs.

BIDEN: Eliminating the tax breaks is not going to keep jobs here in America. We've got to make it more attractive to have jobs here in America and for corporations to be here. You've got to take the burden off the corporations with a health care system that's universal, so we're not at a competitive disadvantage. You've got to have a better education system to provide for the highest-tech jobs that we educate our folks for, so we're not importing 400,000 computer engineers to work in Silicon Valley. And you've got to deal with the innovation and infrastructure needs in this country--tunnels, bridges, etc.--which we haven't done to make us more competitive.

Source: 2007 Democratic Primary Debate at Howard University Jun 28, 2007

Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore.

Amendment to repeal the tax subsidy for certain domestic companies which move manufacturing operations and American jobs offshore.
Reference: Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment; Bill S AMDT 210 to S Con Res 18 ; vote number 2005-63 on Mar 17, 2005

Voted YES on reforming bankruptcy to include means-testing & restrictions.

Amends Federal bankruptcy law to revamp guidelines governing dismissal or conversion of a Chapter 7 liquidation (complete relief in bankruptcy) to one under either Chapter 11 (Reorganization) or Chapter 13 (Adjustment of Debts of an Individual with Regular Income). Voting YES would:
Reference: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005; Bill S 256 ; vote number 2005-44 on Mar 10, 2005

Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy.

Vote to pass a bill that would require debtors able to repay $10,000 or 25 percent of their debts over five years to file under Chapter 13 bankruptcy (reorganization and repayment) rather than Chapter 7 (full discharge of debt).
Reference: Bill HR 333 ; vote number 2001-236 on Jul 17, 2001

Rated 32% by the US COC, indicating an anti-business voting record.

Biden scores 32% by US Chamber of Commerce on business policy

Whether you own a business, represent one, lead a corporate office, or manage an association, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of AmericaSM provides you with a voice of experience and influence in Washington, D.C., and around the globe.

Our members include businesses of all sizes and sectors—from large Fortune 500 companies to home-based, one-person operations. In fact, 96% of our membership encompasses businesses with fewer than 100 employees.

Mission Statement:

"To advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility."
The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Source: COC website 03n-COC on Dec 31, 2003

Other candidates on Corporations: Joe Biden on other issues:
DE Gubernatorial:
Jack Markell
Ruth Ann Minner
DE Senatorial:
Christine O`Donnell
Ted Kaufman
Tom Carper


2008 Senate retirements:

Wayne Allard(R,CO)
Larry Craig(R,ID)
Pete Domenici(R,NM)
Chuck Hagel(R,NE)
Trent Lott(R,MS)
Craig Thomas(R,WY)
John Warner(R,VA)

Incoming Obama Administration:

Pres.Barack Obama
V.P.Joe Biden
State:Hillary Clinton
HHS:Tom Daschle
Staff:Rahm Emanuel
DHS:Janet Napolitano
DOC:Bill Richardson
DoD:Robert Gates
A.G.:Eric Holder
Treas.:Tim Geithner
Winners of 2008 Senate Races:
( * if new to the Senate)
AK:*Begich over Stevens
AL:Sessions
AR:Pryor
CO:*Udall
DE:Biden and Kaufman
GA:Chambliss v.Martin (Dec. 2 runoff)
IA:Harkin
ID:*Risch
IL:Durbin
KS:Roberts
KY:McConnell
LA:Landrieu
MA:Kerry
ME:Collins
MI:Levin
MN:Coleman v.Franken (recounting as of Dec.1)
MS4:Wicker
MS6:Cochran
MT:Baucus
NC:*Hagan over Dole
NE:*Johanns
NH:*Shaheen over Sununu
NJ:Lautenberg
NM:*Udall
OK:Inhofe
OR:*Merkley over Smith
RI:Reed
SC:Graham
SD:Johnson
TN:Alexander
TX:Cornyn
VA:*Warner
WV:Rockefeller
WY4:Barrasso
WY6:Enzi
Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Jobs
Principles
Social Security
Tax Reform
Technology
War/Peace
Welfare

Other Senators
House of Representatives
SenateMatch (matching quiz)
Senate Votes (analysis)
House Votes
Bill Sponsorships
Affiliations
Policy Reports
Group Ratings





Page last updated: Dec 02, 2008