Biden issue positions most of us like--and that distinguish him from real corporatists

[clear eye]

A number of posters have been expressing dissatisfaction with the choice of Biden, claiming that he's a complete "corporatist", similar to the "moderate Republicans" of the 1950's and 60's. The following are some solid Democratic positions he has taken that contradict that notion. I'm sure there are others:

1) He has opposed any privatization of Social Security (I'm not sure the rest of Obama's short list were that solid on the issue).
2) He supports living wage laws/increases to the minimum wage.
3) He firmly supports right to organize bills whenever they come up.
4) He was out front giving cover to progressives trying to stop the dangerous and hugely expensive "Star Wars" missile defense program, a favorite of the military-industrial complex, back when the only people listening were the Progressive Caucus(and not even all of them) and the Union of Concerned Scientists. He hasn't wavered from that position in 16 years, giving opposition a more mainstream cast.
5) He's consistently supported expanding, rather than reducing, SCHIP.
7) He voted to increase payments to physicians for Medicare services, despite pressure to decrease those payments.
8) He voted to strengthen consumer product safety law.
9) He voted against CAFTA.
10)He's voted for safety net programs like increasing Veteran's benefits and residential fuel assistance.

Then there is his FISA vote. He voted against the "compromise" bill.

More controversial is the issue of Iraq. His position for the last few years regarding the Iraq war has been better than most, and he has openly apologized for his vote to give Bush the option to use force. Since he was chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations, and had originally supported a clearer measure requiring the exhaustion of diplomatic efforts before any consideration of force, it is reasonable to believe him when he says he expected to be consulted before the decision to go ahead with force was made, and that he counseled the Bush administration not to start a civil war (by discharging the entire Iraqi military) and not to engage in an extended occupation.

Aside from his excellence as a campaigner, there are real reasons to take satisfaction in Obama's choice.