Is Intellectual Property really the same as Real Property?

A post on the USACM Technology Policy Weblog discusses how the answer to this question affects the whole IP protection debate.

"Understanding the fundamentals underlying a debate often provides useful insight into policymakers' thinking about an issue. Over the past two days, two different events highlighted a fundamental part of the MGM vs. Grokster debate. On Tuesday, the conservative Heritage Foundation held an event titled 'Government's Role In Protecting Constitutional Rights in Intellectual Property (IP)'. The keynote speakers, former Attorney General Edwin Meese and former Solicitor General Theodore Olsen, drove home their view that there is no difference between real property (land, buildings, etc.) and IP. On Wednesday, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) held the rebuttal event titled 'IP & Creativity'. Gary Shaprio, the President of Shaprio, kicked off the event by persuasively describing all the reasons why IP is different than real property."