Thursday, November 05, 2009
Business Fights Back - WSJ.com
I continue to be amazed by this president's apparent continuous war against American business interests.
Can't they understand that businesses employ people, and employed people buy things and pay taxes, rather than collect entitlements?...
Can't they understand that businesses employ people, and employed people buy things and pay taxes, rather than collect entitlements?...
The Wall Street Journal's Kimberly Strassel interviews the U.S. Chamber of Commerce President:
"'One thing I can tell you: They can go out and chase me and chase the Chamber and put stuff in the newspaper. It only . . . drives more and more support. . . . You think we are going to blink because a couple of people are out shooting at us? Tell 'em to put their damn helmets on.'
Them's fighting words, all the more so when delivered in the feisty, New York accent of U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue. The 71-year-old was recruited 12 years ago in order to revitalize a drifting business lobby. And the gregarious chief hasn't disappointed: He's grown the Chamber's membership, tripled its budget, transformed its lobby shop, and increasingly thrust it into the political fray. Most recently he's ginned up opposition to union 'card check,' the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) plans to regulate carbon emissions, and parts of the proposed financial overhaul.
The Obama administration's response has been to treat the Chamber like it has Fox News Channel: with brass knuckles. It has launched a campaign to undermine the organization by making CEOs think twice about associating with it. President Obama has openly criticized the Chamber, while adviser Valerie Jarrett has dismissed it as 'old school' and acknowledged that the White House is bypassing it to work individually with CEOs."
