The White House has been trying to BREAKUP the US Chamber of Commerce

[wndycty]

Simple question for those of you calling Obama a corporatist or a shill for big business, if that were the case why in the hell would the White House be attempting to break up the US Chamber of Commerce by having Valerie Jarrett urge members to quit?

It so easy to throw stones at the White House, its a little more challenging to actually pay attention to some of the moves behind the scenes.

For those on the left who live to criticize Obama and call him names at every juncture something like this undermines the whole weak, feckless, corporatist meme.

I look forward to the "yes, buts" from the critics.

White House pressured Chamber in dispute, sources say

By Peter Nicholas, Tribune Washington Bureau

December 2, 2010|5:33 p.m.


WASHINGTON —Since taking office nearly two years ago, President Obama has frequently clashed with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a major business group that has plowed millions of dollars into opposing his plans to overhaul the healthcare and impose new regulations on Wall Street.

Obama and his aides have criticized the group publicly. But the administration's campaign to neutralize the group went farther, according to new detail about the dispute.

Over the last year the White House has hosted meetings with business leaders to discuss policy, and in some of those sessions asked that they persuade the Chamber to cancel TV ads aimed at defeating Obama's healthcare plan, said a business lobbyist familiar with the matter.

Illustrating the depth of the dispute, the White House also asked corporate executives to drop their membership in the Chamber, the lobbyist said. Last fall, the Chamber received reports that the White House — including senior advisor Valerie Jarrett — had spoken to some executives about resigning from the Chamber, the business lobbyist said, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid becoming personally entangled in the conflict. A second source said there had been discussions at the Chamber regarding the White House urging resignations.
-snip-

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sc-dc-1203-obama-chamber-20101202,0,5954369.story

[jaxx]

1. Kneecap them. Excellent.

There were a few that pulled out before the election, hopefully more to come.

[gateley]

2. There's a lot that goes on that we're not privy to, or it slips under the radar, so

that's why I usually give O the benefit of the doubt -- hoping/assuming he's "working on it", whatever "it" may happen to be.

[wndycty]

4. After serving in a senior capacity in the executive branch of state government I learned. . .

. . .there is a lot things going on behind the scenes that ofter go counter to public perception.

[Tippy]

3. K&R.....The US Chamber is not our friend

[SidDithers]

5. He's an anti-corporatist corporatist!...nt

Sid

[otohara]

6. US Chamber of Outsourcing

is anti-American!

They should at least change their name to reflect what the Chamber is all about now, which is outsourcing.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Sounds like trying to talk militant rascist out of the KKK.

They may leave but they just set up shop under a different name with the same goal.

[mazzarro]

8. I am doubtful of this article.

This is all speculations IMO. No hard evidence was given to prove that it is the case that the WH was trying to do this. If it is true then why the recent attempts at reconciliation?

Is it that the issues or problems no longer exist or has the WH decided that it is better to realign with the chamber - IOW cave? Also why would the WH urge and get some companies to quit the chamber and turn around to make up with the chamber so quickly - what then happens to the companies that quit? I guess they will have to run back with their tails tucked in-between their hind legs.

[Name removed]

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[wndycty]

12. If Obama doesn't have the votes in the Senate its not caving. . .

. . .and if he does nothing he just pases the ball off to a Republican controlled Congress which will make it worse.

[bhikkhu]

14. Nothing has been done yet, but...

If congress passes a bill to extend the tax cuts to the rich and Obama vetoes it, that's not caving. If he vetoes it and gets over-ridden, so be it, but he'll have done what he said he would do. I think a veto of a crap bill (as is likely to get passed) would be the shot across the bow that the GOP sorely needs to remind them who was elected to be president.

[sweetapogee]

22. if congress

passes a bill this session to extend the tax cuts, it will be by necessity a bi-partisan bill and the President will face an uprising in his own party if he vetoes it.

In other words, don't get your hopes up. The best thing for the President is letting the tax breaks expire, but this is up to congress. The congressional dems and especially approx half of the 21 dem senators up for re-election in 2012 just want this whole issue to simply go away. For that reason, in my mind the only question that isn't answered yet is how long, how many years will the tax break extension be?

[flamingdem]

10. Thanks for this info, very interesting nt

[niceypoo]

13. Because they are funding republican elections

[grumgrum]

15. Asking politely to quit is STUPID -- As dumb as the Admin reading letters to the Insurers so they

can be nice and not drop people with health conditions. They make money off denying claims so reading letters of pain is a waste of time. If this is leadership we are screwed. What you need is to write bills and pressure to get those laws passed ot make sure things like the Chamber dont have such power.

[brentspeak]

16. So then Obama hands the Chamber a gift in the form of the NAFTA-style S. Korean free trade deal

Obama gave the job-offshorers exactly what they wanted. Is that part of the strategy to "break up" the US Chamber of Commerce?

http://finchannel.com/Main_News/Business/76821_U.S._Chamber%E2%80%99s_Donohue_Urges_New_Congress_to_Swiftly_Pass_Korea-U.S._FTA_/

U.S. Chamber’s Donohue Urges New Congress to Swiftly Pass Korea-U.S. FTA

04/12/2010 11:44 (1 Day 14:32 minutes ago)

The FINANCIAL -- The new Congress should make passage of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS) an immediate and urgent priority, according to U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue, who welcomed the news that negotiators have effectively addressed lingering concerns regarding bilateral trade.

[Laelth]

17. Break up the Chamber? Good idea.

Break up the Chamber because they oppose the disastrous, probably unconstitutional health insurance company enrichment act? Not so good.

I prefer to break the broken clock when it's wrong, not when it's right. I give the administration little credit for fighting the Chamber on this issue. Fighting the chamber, in general, though? Good idea.

-Laelth

[mistertrickster]

18. "why in the hell would the White House be attempting to break up the US Chamber of Commerce"

"by having Valerie Jarrett urge members to quit?"

Because the Chamber of Commerce are actively fighting Obama's goals with the end result that he fails and he can be replaced by another W.

Obama can still be a corporate shill and be opposed by totally right-wing nut-jobs.

When it comes to his own political survival, TeamObama is a tiger.

Fighting for the working class or people losing their houses? Yeah, not so much.

[Better Believe It]

19. That's why the White House got the Chamber's endorsment for his NAFTA like Korea trade deal.

Thomas J. Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO

“This agreement will create thousands of new jobs, advance our national goal of doubling exports in five years, and demonstrate that America is once again ready to lead on trade. The administration has done its part. Now it’s time for the new Congress to make passage of KORUS a top priority in January. We will do everything in our power to round up the votes.”

[Laelth]

20. +1 (for the truth).

The idea that the White House is trying to "break up" the Chamber is patently ludicrous.

-Laelth

[Doremus]

21. How'd that fight with the CofC work out..? As well as everything else, looks like. nt