Propaganda and Pearlstein

by Brad Peck

Steven Pearlstein is not a reporter, he is a columnist. As such he is freed from journalistic standards of objectivity and is free to give his opinion, yesterday his opinion was wrong. So let's look at the facts behind his "three embarrassing truths about the Chamber"

The first truth is that the Chamber, in fact, does not represent anything close to the 3 million businesses it has always claimed. In response to an inquiry from Mother Jones, the chamber acknowledged that its actual paid membership is only 300,000...

In response to what now? I wouldn't expect someone who gets their news from Mother Jones to read the Wall Street Journal but here is a bit from six days before the Mother Jones article:

"Mr. Donohue said his group, which claims 300,000 members, supported efforts to fight climate change through federal investments and incentives to develop alternative forms of energy that can be produced without emitting carbon dioxide."

Was this sentence in an expose? The result of months of sleuthing? No, it was an article reporting on our press conference from the day before where Tom Donohue said:

"You have a lot of turnover when you have 300,000 members and they sit on top of a federation of three million members through our state and local chambers and associations."

Yes there are two numbers, direct membership and our federation members -- there have always been*. Both are represented at the Chamber, and we represent both on Capitol Hill. Which brings us to Pearlstein's second "truth":

Indeed, the second dirty little secret that was revealed by the defections is how undemocratic the Chamber has become. Among lobbyists in Washington, the Chamber is known as a staff-driven organization...While the Chamber likes to point to its network of policy committees that supposedly advise the board, the panels tend to be dominated by those members with special interests to protect. Recorded votes are rare, and presentations are heavily skewed toward experts who agree with the positions staked out by Donohue's lobbyists, who over the past 15 years tightly allied themselves with the Bush White House and the Republican leadership on Capitol Hill.

At least Pearlstein sourced the first paragraph, it would have been nice of him to give at least a hat tip to the NRDC for this one. The first part is just flat out wrong, if you look at our policy committee process and ask the people who go to those, we couldn’t be more New England town hall-like. On the second part, two of the four speakers at our last energy committee meeting were from the Obama administration. I will grant Pearlstein a little bit of a pass here, given that he accepts Mother Jones as truth, Obama administration officials may seem right-leaning. On to the disingenuous third "truth":

What we've also learned this week is how disingenuous the Chamber has become in its Washington lobbying. To hear it from Donohue and his minions, it's not that the business community opposes financial regulation, or universal health care or controlling greenhouse gases -- it's just opposed to every credible idea for doing something about them. And rather than focus on working constructively to improve legislation, the Chamber's default strategy is to try to kill it outright through exaggeration, misrepresentation and outright lies.

We are hardly opposed to every credible idea, we present many credible ideas. We do oppose however the incredibly dumb ones. Let's look at Pearlstein's examples one by one:

In the hands of the Chamber's propagandists, a rather straightforward effort to halt abuses by mortgage brokers and credit card lenders is being transformed into a regulatory power-grab that will ensnare butchers and bakers and candlestick makers.

The "rather straightforward effort" is the creation of yet another government agency to handle consumer financial protection. Hey, if six existing government agencies tasked with doing something fail to do it, clearly the answer is to create a seventh. And by the way, the folks writing the legislation actually realized our "propaganda" was correct, which is why they are currently re-writing the legislation to exclude some – but not all -- of these small non-financial entities.

A tax on gold-plated health plans that will generate the money needed to provide health insurance subsidies to low-wage workers is turned into a huge income tax on small-business owners that will snuff out job creation.

Wow, I’m surprised the unions let him put this one in here. Here is a snip from our letter to Congress on the above issue:

"Tax on "High-Value" Benefits. The massive tax on "high-value" benefits will expand faster than inflation. It will result in millions of Americans paying at its inception, and millions more eventually facing new taxes. Changes in the modified mark would slightly slow the tax's expansion, but also increase the tax from 35 to 40 percent. The Chamber opposes taxes on benefits hidden by applying them to employers and insurers instead of the policy-holders, who will pay the actual costs. "

In the same letter we also highlight the elements of the Finance bill we support, which ones we oppose, and how it can be fixed. To say that we are not working constructively on health reform is just ridiculous. Yes there are things we oppose – the public option – but there are many more things that we support and would love to see responsible health reform this year, to get there we need to fix the current legislation. Back to Pearlstein:

And a proposal for a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions suddenly is dismissed as an economy-crushing tax increase that will send all manufacturing over to China.

I do so love the phrase "a proposal for a cap-and-trade system." Let’s instead talk about legislation actually before Congress - we told them in May what it needed to look like to respect the environment and the economy – and we told them in June how Waxman-Markey does neither. They are both worthy of complete reads, so I won’t clip but instead will close with a quote from Pearlstein's employers:

We're not ignorant of political realities, and we don't believe the perfect should become the enemy of the good. Congress should deliver a bill to Mr. Obama this year. But given that congressional action could set a template for years or decades, we think it's too soon to settle for something that falls so far short of ideal.

Actually, better yet, let me close with Pearlstein's fellow Post columnist Anne Applebaum:

The truth is that carbon emissions will not be reduced by international bureaucrats, however well-meaning, sitting in a room and signing a piece of paper. They will not be reduced by public relations campaigns or by Oscar-winning documentaries. Above all, they will not be reduced by a complex treaty that neither the United Nations nor anyone else can possibly supervise, particularly not a treaty that effectively punishes those countries that abide by it and ignores everyone else. They can, however, be reduced by the efforts of entrepreneurs...

If you care about the planet, save the jet fuel, cancel the conferences and focus on creating the economic conditions for energy entrepreneurship. Then, this problem will eventually solve itself.

We strongly believe in free speech, not just free speech which supports us, but all sides of the debate. So if Pearlstein want to turn his column over to "progressive" activists, so be it. And we will continue to support America’s entrepreneurs – you know the people who provide actual progress. Pledge your support here.

// * Updated from "there always been" to "there have always been" tks Josh.

Comments

[Dennis Galligher]

our business and it's employees oppose HR II and hope it dies before it reaches the senate. We will cancel our membership if the Chamber does not listen to its' membership

[Loudoun]

As a 10 year local Chamber veteran , having served as a senior executive at the Fairfax County and Loudoun County chambers in Northern Virginia, I can attest that the US Chamber of Commerce does represent the interests and positions of local Chambers of Commerce within their Federation. The US Chamber and the hundreds of local Chambers within the US Chamber Federation understand that the the US economy will be crippled through the adoption of the Waxman-Markey approach to greenhouse gas reductions - which the bill would not accomplish, since it can't address the emissions from China, India and the rest of developing world. While certain companies - including many that have long ago shipped all of their manufacturing facilities to China - may not support the US Chamber's efforts, the broad US business community understands that there are better approaches to address this problem, which apparently has emboldened those who will accept no apostasy to their ideologically rigid position. That is regrettable, for our democracy and for the state of our public discourse.

[A local Chamber CEO]

I find it amusing to see all responses to the US Chamber rebuttal. Apparently representing business interests is no longer allowed in our country.

I wonder about the following:
1. How many of those posting are employed by business?
2. How many purchase products that are ONLY built in countries that have similar labor laws, strict environmental requirements and are required to provide benefits to employees?
3. How many believe that union members agree with each and every thing the union says or does?
4. How many vote exactly as the union says they should?
5. How many believe the US Government will last much longer if we continue to print money and sell our debt to China and others.
6. Do you worry about our debt being called due? What would THAT forecloser look like?

[Gray Anderson]

I have two constructive suggestions for you.
1) Stop lying about your membership. Your actual membership (which agrees with you on issues) is closer to 200,000. There may be 3 million members of local and state Chambers of Commerce, but most of those members reject your far-right ideology.
2) Stop lying about Global Warming. Since the 1980's, the consensus of scientists has been that Global Warming is occurring, that man-made CO2 emissions are a major cause of it, and that it is a major global problem. Your refusal to tell the truth about this issue is causing you to lose members right and left: Apple, Exelon, PNM Resources, PG&E, Levi Strauss & Co, Mohawk Paper, etc.

[E. Green]

This is absurd. NO ONE I've talked to believes this, even he people at my local Chamber. Why all the lying?

[Irene]

I read your response to MoveOn.org/Brad Peck. I read the letter sent by the Chamber to the Senate Finance Committee on Health Reform. I add this to other sources of information on the Chamber.
You are unconvincing. Lie.

[Alys Haugen]

To claim that the local Chambers support your views and, therefore, can be counted as supporting members is bogus. When I had my own business, I was a member of my local Chamber because of the contacts it provided me with. When the national Chamber salespeople came visiting and listed their lobbying efforts, I showed them the door. I do not, and never have, supported your views on the national level. Stop counting me as a supporter.

[Robert Reuter]

Stop lying about your members. The Chamber doesn't represent anywhere near 3 million businesses. And it's doing a disservice to the rest of the country, at the mercy of climate change, to deny those who'd like to try to cleanse our only environment of that opportunity in order to gild the pockets of the boards of the members you DO have.

[Joe Durrenberger]

Start over and count your members by ones.

[Christine]

Stop lieing to make yourself look better, it only makes you look small and more and more people are becoming aware of the inability of our law makers and corporations to just do the right thing. Did you really think you could inflate the numbers of your members by millions and no one would ever question it.

[Kevin]

That certainly isn't what I would have expected the Chamber of Commerce to sound like. How strange to have Glenn Beck turn up to give the US Chamber's reply!

I wish the US Chamber of Commerce would stop lying to the US and post their true numbers--which are apparently not 3 million.

[C Gray]

Sorry, Chamber. You have lost all credibility.

cg

[William Fisher]

Your credibility has been stretched. I've been a small business owner for nearly two decades. You have NEVER represented me, or anything that would help me as a small business owner.

Cheers,

BilFish

[Sandra Natale]

3 million member lie

[Brian Williams]

Mahatma Gandhi: "The world has enough for everyone's need but not enough for everyone's greed." Not even enough for the greed of 300,000, let alone 3 million. Because that greed seems to be endless. Can I just ask you guys this: Do you really believe you are living on a different planet from everyone else? That you can trash it and then go off to live on some French Riviera somewhere that hasn't been degraded by climate change and social destruction? When the climate goes into meltdown, when societies descend into lawless chaos, where you gonna live with all that cash? Why is it never enough? When are you gonna stop and ask yourselves what is it you really need to be happy? More cash than you can possibly spend? If that is your answer, I don't think you are EVER gonna be happy. And you're ruining it for everyone in the process. I think you are like cancer cells in the body of society.

[Nettie Washington]

Unlike Foxites. thinking people gather information from many different sources when trying to form an opinion on an issue. In that effort Mother Jones is just as creditable and the Wall street Journal or Fox News. I never understood the difference between direct members, the federation of members, the local chamber or an association. Does anyone?
What actually happens at the policy committee meetings I attended was the follow: the chair found and appointed two members to take the pro or con of and issue sent down by the chamber. The two member presented their side as the audience listen. Then a motion was presented to support the recommendation of the chamber. That is what is then printed in the newspaper. You failed to mention why those six agencies did not do their jobs. For eight years their budgets and staffs were restricted and reduced. Executive orders encouraged limiting new claims, slow or no investigation of complaints,and lose of jobs for enforcing laws.

[tim smith]

Wow, way to keep it professional, guys! Love the offhand ad hom attacks; they're very snappy. You're not doing a great job of convincing me that you deserve any credibility.

[Adam]

You guys are a bunch of liars. 1% of the country should not be making decisions for the other 99%. You all love money so much that you are willing to sell out your fellow American. You do not have 3 millions members -- you have 200,000 members. Stop telling lies!

[Judith Clark-Upton]

I guess if you choose to count as progress your entrepreneurs contribution to global warming, lack of health care for children and poor, and maxing out the earths resources all to keep a small minority of rich in their houses, cars, and boat, go ahead. As a progressive liberal, I don't see that as progress, I see that as the beginning of the end.
If you don't begin to care for this world, it won't be here to make your ....gee, what is that real number? of clients rich.

[Carol Lopes]

the Chamber is on the wrong size of history, global warming deniers are now part of the Flat Earth Society, and working against public option healthcare...also inflating your membership and following....

[Tracey]

We're on to you and your fuzzy math!

[Patrick Schmidt]

To the Managing Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,

You may feel that your telling the truth with your fuzzy statistics (300,000 actual paying member, who in turn sit on a top of a federation of 3,000,000,000), but you simply being dishonest. Full stop! Because you work with a sleazy style of accounting, I plan to tell all my business acquaintances and friends what a disreputable organization you are.

Patrick Schmidt
Strasbourg, France

[cutjoh05]

I would like to know what are some major consumer products that lend support to the Chamber or are otherwise associated.

So that I can stop purchasing them immediately.

Also, thank you especially to the small business owners and previous Chamber employees who are speaking out on this issue of ethics and honesty - and spreading knowledge from the ground up.

[Monte Hill]

"Stop lying about your members. The Chamber doesn't represent anywhere near 3 million businesses."

[Richard Rodrigues]

I read the Wall Street Journal AND Mother Jones magazine. But not usually in that order...

[Rush Limbloat]

"...David Chavern, the US Chamber's Chief Operating Officer, was on the OnPoint program today, and he asked Eastern Connecticut Chamber head Sheridan if his Chamber was a federation member. "Well we pay you $300 per year so if that makes us a member then I guess we are," Sheridan responded, which Chavern accepted as confirmation.

Which is important because in an FAQ document describing the federation program that Chavern was asking about, and through which the US Chamber derives its 3 million count, there appears the question:

Will local chamber members be locked in to political positions of the U.S. Chamber?

And the answer...

No. Your members will only receive advocacy messages that are agreed to by your chamber.

Uh-huh. So, has the US Chamber been basing that 3 million claim on how many of its affiliates agree with its climate position? Its hard to imagine so, since the Chamber uses the 3 million figure no matter what the issue.

Which is more likely, that the Chamber has polled its affiliates on every issue to find the ones that agree with each position, and by some miracle each time the Chamber's position happens to be supported by affiliates whose combined business membership equals 3 million?

Or that the US Chamber has been inflating its membership numbers?"

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/more_questions_about_the_us_ch.html

[rohbear]

I think it's important to remember that to be successful in sales, it's vital to believe in what one is selling. I have no doubt that the C of C believes it's own sales rhetoric. But that certainly doesn't make it true for the rest of us average Americans who don't run mega-corporations. 300,000 or 3 million? More like 300, if you ask me. And those 300 corporate power-brokers are NOT interested in my health or prosperity, of that I'm convinced. Strip them of their facade! They are not US.

[Rush Limbloat]

"...The US Chamber does not speak for the local chambers. I want to make that point very clear.

"How do you know?" Tom Ashbrook asked.

Because we have never been consulted on their agenda. We have sixteen-hundred companies. We have never been consulted by the US chamber. . . In my five years as the president of this chamber I have never received a call from the US chamber to solicit my opinion on their legislative agenda."

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/more_questions_about_the_us_ch.html

But Chamberpost continues to perpetuate the bald faced lie that they "represent" 3 million.

Caught.Red.Handed.

[MOTHER JONES: Must Reads, US Chamber of Commerce Chamber Rejects Use of Term "3 Million Members" — By Josh Harkinson]

— By Josh Harkinson
For the first time, the US Chamber of Commerce has admitted that its membership should be reported at one tenth the size that many major media outlets have listed it for more than a decade.

In an interview on Friday, Greg Marx of the Columbia Journalism Review asked Chamber spokesman Eric Wohlschlegel to comment on two competing newspaper accounts. Presented with a Wall Street Journal article that said the Chamber claims "300,000 members," Wohlschlegel said, "That's accurate." Read an Associated Press article that said the Chamber claims "a membership of 3 million," he responded, "That's not exactly reported correctly."

The second statement appears to be a reversal for Wohlschlegel, who, in September, told the New York Times: "We have over 3 million members."

[Rod Stoick]

Despite your claims otherwise, it seems as though way too many folks did the homework and called you on your practices. Don't you think it's time to recognize who BUYS the products business makes? We'll be making more and more noise as the all out effort for profit kills legislation, species, and even consumers.

[Ricky Kendall]

Your close relationship with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company tells it all. You do have to protect your interests here, don't you. Shame on you.....

[Rush Limbloat]

"Copy and paste numbers folks –We represent 3 million, 300,000 of whom are direct members."

It's generally best not to lie on top of another lie. You DO NOT represent 3 million people or their viewpoints.

YOU LIE!

[Rush Limbloat]

"The National Journal reports that the Chamber's aggressive lobbying efforts have placed it firmly in *opposition* to the Obama administration's first-year priorities. The business association earned the top spot on the Journal's "Top Health Care Players" list for the first half of the year and has stirred up controversy amongst its own membership due to its strict stance against climate change legislation."

The COC. Like Rush Limbaugh, they want Obama to fail. They are working against everything progressive in this country, hiding behind their red white and blue "U.S." as if they represented anything but GREED.

[Rush Limbloat]

"Hal – Mother Jones has a declared bias."

LOL. And the COC's positions are indiscernible from the rightiest right wing claptrap factory.

They just don't DECLARE it.

So I guess that's OK. You know, like Fox News: Fair and Balanced

[Fern]

How embarrassing it is, to have the Chamber of Commerce of DC misrepresenting themelves. Of course, this is so typical of Conservatives. I guess after eight years of listening to the Bush White House lie about EVERYTHIG, you'd think lying is still "status quo"!

[HEM]

It is difficult to detect any concern from the Chamber of Commerce for anyone's well being other than for those like themselves. Such utilitarianism is the root of much evil.

[Kent]

Your narrow sighted spin shows your thin grasp of honesty. The bigger disgrace is that by claiming to represent our local chambers of commerce you discredit our nation’s small businesses.

[Midnight Rambler]

ChamberPost | October 30, 2009 at 04:30 PM wrote:
"Copy and paste numbers folks –We represent 3 million, 300,000 of whom are direct members."

And you wonder why people think you're dishonest? If they're not members and don't contribute to the positions the CoC takes, then you don't represent them!

[Phil Bateman]

Bottom line? The US CofC represents big business, and, like big business, will obfuscate, exaggerate, exonerate and simply lie again and again to maintain corporate control of the US. Asking serial liars like the CofC to "come clean," be ashamed, or at least take an objective view on economic and political issues and stop its daily, obscenely funded assault against Americans and the American way of life, is an effort in hopelessness. The CofC and its membership, whatever the number, is leading the way for the ultimate and complete destruction of the United States economy and its democratic way of life. All this destruction to perpetuate the profits of a handful of fat cats. The US Chamber of Commerce is no more a part of the American Way than are any of the hundreds of radical fringe elements proudly proclaiming their love of country while doing their damndest to tear it to pieces.

[Brian Jones]

You went from an advertised membership of 150,000 in 2001 to an advertised membership of 300,000 in 2009. Can that be right? You doubled your membership? This is quite apart from the issue of your choice to use the 3 million member claim recently. You don't represent people who do not actually vote for your officers or have a direct and meaningful voice in your policy decisions.

[JAMES HOLLIDAY]

IN MY OPINION AS FORMER MEMBER OF THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THIS ORGANIZATION HAS NEVER REPRESENTED ANYONE ASIDE FROM THE MAJOR CORPORATE FAMILY WHICH TENDS TO DICTATE TO US THROUGH THEIR LOBBYING EFFORTS IN CONGRESS. WHERE BIG MONEY DOMINATES CONGRESSIONAL VOTE OUTCOMES MORE THAN ANY OTHER FACTOR.

I WAS A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER FOR 4 YEARS BACK IN THE MID 1970’S UNTIL I REALIZED THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS I SPENT IN MEMBERSHIP FEES REALLY SCORED ME “0” AS A SMALL BUSINESS MAN EMPLOYING ABOUT 40 FULL TIME WORKERS. THE ONLY THING I SAW MY MONEY GO TOWARDS WAS VILLIFYING ANY LIBERAL OR SOCIAL CAUSE AND NOTHING TOWARD HELPING MY BUSINESS SURVIVE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. THE MONEY I SPENT WENT ENTIRELY TO PROPAGANDA SUPPORTING ONLY THE WEALTHIEST CORPORATIONS AND OLD MONEY INTERESTS AND IN NO WAY EVEN ATTEMPTED TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE IN THEIR QUEST FOR ENTRPRENURIAL INDEPENDENCE FROM BEAURACRACY.

IN FACT, THEIR TARGET SEEMED TO BE SPENDING MY MEMBERSHIP FEES TO SUPPORT THE OLD CONSERVATIVE GUARD AND AID BIG BUSINESS IN THEIR ETERNAL QUEST TO EVADE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF SUPPORTING OUR WAY OF LIFE.

THE FACT THAT THEY LIE ABOUT THEIR MEMBERSHIP IS ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG FOR THEIR DEVIOUS WAYS OF UNDERMINING ANY CAUSE THAT MIGHT HELP THE RANK AND FILE CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTRY. IT STAYS IN THE CHAMBER’S LEADERS BEST INTERST TO SUPPORT ONLY THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE AS THAT IS WHERE THE BULK OF THEIR FAT CAT MONEY COMES FROM AND THE FEES FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS GROUPS IS JUST GRAVEY FOR THEIR VORACIOUS GREED THAT IS SO PRVELENT IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY. RICH GETTING RICHER AND THE HAVE NOTS RECEIVING LESS. WHY ALLOW DECENT AFORDABLE HEALTH CARE TO EVERYONE WHEN SICKNESS IS WHERE THE MONEY IS.

HOPEFULLY, OTHER SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE WILL READ THIS AND REALIZE THAT WHAT THEY PAY TO THIS VERY PARTISAN GROUP GOES NO WHERE TO HELP THEM AND THEY WILL START REASSESSING WHAT BENEFITS THIS OLD TIRED ONE SIDED ORGANIZATION GIVES TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE BIGGEST BUSINESS. ANY SMALL BUSINESS PERSON WITH ANY GRIP ON REALITY WILL CANCEL THEIR MEMBERSHIP AND WITHDRAW THEIR SUPPORT SO THIS DINASAUR WILL WITHER AND DIE AS IT REALLY HAS NO INTEREST IN EVOLVING INTO ANY THING MORE THAN IT ALREADY IS.

[Alan Bixler]

Our country is well on it's way towards becoming a corpratocracy.When you spend millions of dollars fighting the will of the people, where is democracy?

[mark]

You guys are like the Farm Bureau, representing the most reactionary part of the spectrum.

300,000 or 3,000,000. It's the DC office that counts and you are part of the problem.

[Anneta B]

I have been appalled at the positions the US C of C has taken regarding health care reform (public option) and global warming. Shame on you for focusing on short-term corporate gain instead of long-term public and planetary needs.

It would be refreshing (and surprising) to see the Chamber of Commerce take proactive stands on issues that truly benefit the average American and small businesses rather than the large corporations and the Republican Party.

I have been notifying key corporate members of your organization that neither I nor my family will buy their products as long as they belong to your organization. I am encouraging everyone I know to do the same. It is worth the sacrifice if it means that we might see a reversal of policies now being touted by the US Chamber of Commerce.

BTW, quit inflating your numbers. We no longer have to take you PR word for such matters any longer. Rethink your priorities - you will serve your members better if you help them understand that the American people are no longer willing to put up with corporate welfare.

[greybud]

As business man for close to 50 years, I have encountered the Chamber on many occasions. The Chamber could have been like AARP of small business. Like all associations, they thrive on power, policy and persuasion. Lying about membership number, should not amaze anyone. From homeowners associations to the Chamber of Commerce to the AFL-CIO, all associations state that their efforts are for it's members, but corruption, lies and narrow allegiances, tend to prove otherwise. America needs more citizen participatory initiatives, local and national, driven by self contribution, but loosely framed, so that money does not influence the mission. See www.greybud.com .

[Tom]

Acording to the Wall Street Journal, the Chamber of Commerce thus far has spent over 34 million to kill health care reform. Did anyone in your organization ever contemplate contributing some of that money to the millions of Americans who don't have any type of medical insurance?

[Marty Caples]

May the U.S. Chamber of Commerce book three million additional members. Thanks for your help in taking on the run away government in Washington D.C.

Marty Caples
Boise, Idaho

[Jim Porter]

The chamberpot of commerce is a total crock. Their inflated membership figures are just one small indication of their dishonesty. They don't give a flip about global warming, health care for the uninsured, environmental degradation, worker's rights, or any other progressive causes. All they care about is $$$$$ for their members; more, more, always more! There's never enough money to satisfy these greedy bastards. I for one am only going to patronize those enlightened companies (like APPLE) that have resigned from the chamberpot of commerce.

[eyesay]

There are tens of millions of small businesses in the United States. Politically, they are pretty much mainstream Americans. The businessmen and businesswomen I know are mostly Democrats. The Chamber of Commerce represents not Main Street but the Neanderthal wing of American politics.

[Robin]

I am a small business owner. I have never found the US C of C at all relevant to what I do or what I need. It is paid for by the big corporations and it serves their interests - not mine and not America's.