When it comes to tech friendliness, Republicans just might have it over Democrats. A scorecard compiled by tech news site CNET.com found Capitol Hill Republicans averaged better than their Democratic counterparts—including the Democratic presidential ticket of John F. Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and John Edwards (D-North Carolina).
Kerry was among the bottom half of the Senators with a lifetime 44 percent rating, CNET said, in portion enough due to his votes for Internet taxes and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Edwards rated 50 percent mostly because of his time in service: he was in the Senate only long enough to vote on six out of ten tech-related bills the Senate considered that CNET examined.
The average Senator’s rating proved 61 percent for Republicans and 46 percent for Democrats, while in the House the average rating was 68 percent for a Republican Congressman and 52 percent for Democrats. Nineteen of the 25 most tech-friendly Congressmen were Republicans, CNET added.
The scorecard covered only Capitol Hill, meaning President Bush and Vice President Cheney were not rated under the CNET scorecard.
CNET picked out certain technological linchpin issues like the DMCA and the Communications Decency Act. The Republican showing also accounted for their votes on taxes and free trade overall, both of which are considered crucial for tech companies and the Internet.
CNET said they rated Senators on ten key votes and Representatives for twelve, “chosen for their impact on the technology community at large and their relevance as a technology policy litmus test. We excluded voice votes and committee votes. We also excluded some votes on bills like the CAN-SPAM Act that couldn't reliably differentiate legislators who were pro-technology from those who weren't.”
