I just wrote an article in which I described the GOP’s continuing disconnect with reality when it comes to the ultimate loyalties of corporate America. But now it begins to appear that the disease might be spreading to the GOP’s staunchest allies as well.
Rachel Maddow just broke a story that only highlights what I’m talking about. She brought up a story about how, in the last couple of days, 1500 American corporations took out full page ads in two major newspapers, citing their commitment to voting rights and freedom in the United States.
But it turns out that while these companies were busy restating their corporate commitment to voting rights and personal freedom, the United States Chamber of Commerce, basically a collateral arm of the GOP, has been as busy as hell manning the phones, and whipping GOP opposition to HR1, the For The People Act. The one small, niggling problem there is that all 1500 of the corporations that took out the full page ads are Chamber of Commerce members!
And now, the heat is already on. There is already growing public pressure building on these 1500 companies to terminate their memberships with the Chamber of Commerce. The whole point being that, if these companies are sincere in their protestations for equal and universal voting rights, why do they want to be members of basically a trade organization that is actively trying to defeat exactly what they stand for?
This is critical. Because the Chamber of Commerce, much like the NRA, requires these corporate sponsorships to provide the gilt to fund their lobbying activity. If a large number of American companies begin to flee the Chamber of Commerce, it’s going to put a serious crimp in their dinner and junkets expense accounts.
I said it in my previous article, but it’s only more relevant now. The entire GOP, both the party itself, as well as its satellite organs, don’t actually get corporate America. They are totally devoted to their own bottom lines. And they’re more than happy to contribute when those cross with the aims of the GOP. But when they don’t, then corporate America will drop the GOP like a bad habit. As Rachel would say, Stick a pin in this one.
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Oh yes…corporate America invented the concept of rebranding after all. Push come to shove, bye bye, Chamber of Commerce.
Right, Bare, the glitz and polish of this high level organization has been buoyed by membership of the banks and just about any unit of public exposed big business … getting universal agreement with public needs has never been front and center … keeping the big money in the hands of big money management has …
Putting on parties at the best hotels and marinas the booze, wine and cigar crowd will finally need to prove their value at getting big jobs done for the Citizens, something they will be at a loss to get done …
The true irony is that the “United States Chamber of Commerce” capitalizes on the LEGITIMATE local Chambers of Commerce (found in virtually every major town and city, as well as some states) which work toward the actual betterment of their communities by ensuring that businesses that become members of the local Chamber follow certain practices that ensure consumers can TRUST businesses operate reasonably respectfully (such as avoiding deceptive advertising–like a “store-wide buy one, get one free” sale but it turns out it’s limited to items in a certain mark-down area).
The government really should demand the “United States Chamber of Commerce” rename itself to better reflect that it is NOT connected to or affiliated with the US government. You’d really be surprised how many people think the “US Chamber of Commerce” is a government agency or branch when, in fact, it has NO affiliation with the government.
Interesting. I did not know this about the “US” Chamber of Commerce.