{"id":19543,"date":"2011-04-11T07:30:19","date_gmt":"2011-04-11T05:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=19543"},"modified":"2011-04-11T07:30:19","modified_gmt":"2011-04-11T05:30:19","slug":"u-s-chamber-of-commerce-doesnt-speak-for-me-how-about-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/u-s-chamber-of-commerce-doesnt-speak-for-me-how-about-you\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Chamber of Commerce Doesn't Speak for Me — How About You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I\u2019ve been saving stories on 350.org\u2019s \u201cThe U.S. Chamber of Commerce Doesn\u2019t Speak for Me<\/a>\u201d campaign in my \u201cmost important things to get to\u201d box for awhile now — (yes, I\u2019ve got quite a few things in there).<\/p>\n

Anyway, we recently partnered with 350.org to get the word out more on this campaign \u2013 so, it seems like a perfect time to share my thoughts on it with you all (as well as a number of great comments from the 350.org crew and others).<\/p>\n

As a starter<\/strong>, the basic point is: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce does not actually represent the interests<\/strong> of the numerous small businesses that are its members (or even the interests of many of its larger members). It represents the interests of a handful of major companies in a few industries.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because these are the companies that have taken control of the Chamber\u2019s decision-making and lobbying process.<\/p>\n

As Bill McKibben writes<\/a>:<\/p>\n

On its webpage, the chamber\u00a0brags<\/a> that it\u2019s the biggest lobby in Washington, \u201cconsistently leading the pack in lobbying expenditures.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group spent as much as\u00a0$33 million<\/a> trying to influence the 2010 midterm elections, and has announced that it will beat that in 2012.\u00a0 That, of course, is its right, especially now that the Supreme Court, in its\u00a0Citizens United<\/em> ruling, opened the floodgates for corporate speech (as in \u201cmoney talks\u201d).<\/p>\n

But the chamber does what it does with a twist.\u00a0 It\u00a0claims<\/a> to represent \u201cthree million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions.\u201d The organization, that is, seems to speak for a country full of barbers and florists, car dealers, restaurant owners, and insurance salesmen, not to mention the small entrepreneurs who make up local and state chambers of commerce across the country.<\/p>\n

At least when it comes to energy and climate, though, that claim is, politely put, a fib. \u00a0The Chamber of Commerce doesn\u2019t have to say where it gets its money, but last year a group called\u00a0U.S. ChamberWatch<\/a> used one of the last disclosure laws still in existence to uncover a single pertinent fact. They went to the headquarters of the chamber and asked to see its IRS 990 form. It showed that 55 percent of its funding came from just 16 companies, each of which gave more than a million dollars. It doesn\u2019t have to say\u00a0which<\/em> companies, but by their deeds shall you know them.<\/p>\n

The chamber has\u00a0long opposed<\/a> environmental standards.\u00a0 In the 1980s, it fought a ban on the dumping of hazardous waste.\u00a0 In the 1990s, it fought smog and soot standards.\u00a0 On climate change, though, it\u2019s gone pretty near berserk.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As Brad Johnson of Think Progress’ Wonk Room writes<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The Chamber, described by\u00a0350.org<\/a> founder Bill McKibben as the \u201cpower plant\u201d of \u201cmoney pollution<\/a>\u201d in Washington, DC, has led lobbying efforts to block action on climate change for decades.<\/p>\n

Because of its pro-pollution, anti-science stance, the Chamber is threatening American prosperity \u2014 its supposed mission. Several companies, including Apple, Exelon, and Pacific Gas & Energy, have\u00a0quit the lobbying group over its climate denial.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Statements from these top corporations who have publicly spoken out against the Chamber, which I’ve covered in the past, will be the topic of another post on this campaign soon.<\/p>\n

The Chamber, like Republican politicians, doesn\u2019t speak for its constituents. It speaks for the richest of the rich. And with all the money the richest of the rich and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have, they can, unfortunately, easily throw enough money at advertisements that make it look otherwise and convince the American public and small business owners that they are for the people.\u00a0But they are not<\/strong>. And it\u2019s time to show that. The wealth gap in our country continues to grow. The attack on basic rights to clean air, clean water, a livable climate, the health of the American public, and a functioning economy are stronger now than perhaps at any time in U.S. history.<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t signed the petition above saying that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce doesn\u2019t speak for you yet, go ahead and do so now.<\/p>\n

Much more important, as I\u2019ve been discussing at length lately, it\u2019s time more of us got out on the street and show the world that we are not going to sit back as our country and economy are hijacked any longer. Show the world that you really want to see change in the United States by organizing an event in your area now. You can get in touch with the new and improved 350.org to link that up with broader national and international actions as well.<\/p>\n

If the people in charge aren\u2019t speaking for us, maybe it\u2019s time we let them know that we\u2019ve noticed.<\/p>\n