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Edited on Thu Feb-22-07 12:43 PM by merh
Seriously, you need to get your head out of the clouds and take a good look at how the Republicans and the DLCers have been using the Chambers of Commerces, the Rotary Clubs, the Kiawana Clubs, the Lions Clubs to gain support and foster their notions as to what "America should be". If you don't believe me about the US Chamber, then check out their list of accomplishments that they BRAG ABOUT ON THEIR SITE. The U.S. Chamber fights for you every day. Learn what positive differences we were able to make-with your support-on economic growth and the U.S. business climate. And we're not done yet. With your help, we can accomplish all of our priorities. * Antitrust Sherman Act Section 2 Comments-Submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice on Section 2 of the Sherman Act. * Corporate Governance, Capital Markets, and Securities Regulation: Investment and Growth Initiative Attorney-Client Privilege Waiver, Mutual Fund Rule, Auditing Profession, Capital Markets Commission, Executive Compensation * Elections Helped elect 222 out of 277 Chamber-endorsed candidates. Pro-business candidates won 19 of 35 targeted House races and 4 of 12 targeted Senate races. * Energy and the Environment Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Refineries, Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) * Global Anti-Counterfeiting And Piracy Initiative Anti-Counterfeiting Legislation, Legislation, CACP, Education, Detection and Enforcement * Health Care Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Health Information Technology Bill, Medicare Physician Fix, Best Practices Guide * Homeland Security Customs, Border, and Transportation Security, Chemical Site Security, Patriot Act, Public-Private Partnership With the Intelligence Community, SAFETY Act * Immigration Issues Comprehensive Immigration Reform, H-2B Seasonal Visas, Highly Skilled Visas, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), Electronic Employment Verification System * International Trade and Investment Omnibus Trade Package, CFIUS Reform, Free Trade Agreements, Ex-Im Bank Reauthorization * Labor Issues
Federal Contractor Record Keeping, Minimum Wage, Americans with Disabilities Act, Corporate Campaigns and Union Card Check, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
* Legal Reform
Asbestos Litigation Reform, Obesity Lawsuit Limits, Public Opinion, State Lawsuit Reforms
* National Chamber Litigation Center
The Chamber's law firm, the National Chamber Litigation Center (NCLC), continues to save companies hundreds of millions of dollars through its aggressive litigation program of filing amicus briefs and direct party challenges.
* Pension Issues
Comprehensive Pension Funding Reform, Deferred Compensation, Financial Statement Reporting * Regulatory Reform National Uniformity for Food Act, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Database, Data Inconsistency, Implementation of the Data Quality Act * Taxes
Estate (Death) Tax and Extenders Legislation, Tax Relief Reconciliation Legislation, Tax Extender Legislation, Acceleration of 3% Withholding Effective Date * Technology & E-Commerce Telecommunications Reform, Spectrum Allocation and Management * Travel and Tourism Co-sponsored the Global Travel and Tourism Summit, April 10-12. More than 900 leaders in the travel and tourism industry gathered to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing travel and tourism around the world. * Workforce Training Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Education and American Competitiveness, Education Reform, No Child Left Behind, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) * Worldwide Sourcing Opposition to Anti-Competitiveness Legislation, Global Sourcing http://www.uschamber.com/issues/accomplishments/default.htm?n=tbThe US Chamber of Commerce is considered a stealth PAC: http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=43Overview: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Stated Purpose: Provides businesses with a voice of experience and influence in Washington, D.C., and around the globe. Tax Status: 501(c)(6) Political Orientation: Republican Profile: Influencing elections has historically been a key function of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Bolstered by $10 million in contributions from drug companies in 2000,1 the Chamber disseminated messages that appeared intended to influence at least 22 congressional contests, and at least eight state judicial contests. The group spent nearly $1.2 million in the Michigan U.S. Senate race alone.2 3 The Chamber backed off television advertising in 2002, opting instead to fund a get-out-the-vote grassroots effort while providing other groups with money to air advertisements. In the 2002 election cycle, the Chamber's grassroots effort included sending out 50 field coordinators to 32 states, mailing almost two million letters, and making about one million get-out-the-vote phone calls -- almost double its 2000 figures in those categories -- the National Journal reported.4 The Chamber has also funded other groups. It gave $2.6 million in 2002 to the American Taxpayers Alliance (ATA), which ran ads attacking a Democratic Illinois Supreme Court candidate.5 The Chamber also gave an unspecified amount to Mississippians for Economic Progress, a group that ran ads in 2002 attacking Democratic Mississippi Supreme Court incumbent C. P. (Chuck) McRae.6 The Chamber's apparent silence in the 2002 Mississippi judicial races, combined with the sudden burst of advertising by the Law Enforcement Alliance of America in the Mississippi Supreme Court contest, prompted the Wall Street Journal to speculate that the Chamber was funding that group. (As of two weeks before the election, the LEAA had run more ads in that contest than the two candidates combined.) The Chamber declined to comment on whether it was behind the LEAA's work.7 Despite evidence of its payments to other groups, neither the Chamber nor the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate that promotes pro-business judges and seeks legislation to limit plaintiffs' rights, reported activity in 2000, 2001 or 2002 on the line of their tax form that calls for declarations of grants and allocations.8 In response to an inquiry from Public Citizen about the definition of grants for that line on the tax form, the IRS pointed to federal regulatory language describing grants as including "loans, program-related investments and payments to exempt organizations in furtherance of their exempt purpose."9 The State of Mississippi sued the Chamber following the 2000 election cycle, alleging that the organization's state judicial elections ads constituted unreported electioneering activity. The Chamber argued that its messages were not subject to regulation because they did not invoke "express advocacy" words, such as "vote for" or "vote against." A federal judge disagreed, calling the messages "thinly veiled exhortations to support the campaigns of . . . candidates."10 The 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals subsequently overruled that decision, finding that the Chamber did not violate Mississippi's election laws because it did not use express advocacy.11
Notably, the IRS definition of political expenditures, those for activities "intended to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of anyone to a federal, state, or local public office,"12 is far broader than the express advocacy standard. Nonetheless, the Chamber reported zero political expenditures to the IRS from 2000 to 2002, alleging that none its advertisements and none of its contributions to other groups were intended to influence the outcomes of elections.13 14
The Chamber has made no secret of its plans to influence the 2004 elections. The group says it intends to spend $40 million to defeat state and federal candidates who oppose its agenda. Its top target is Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.).15 The Chamber followed through on its pledge by launching a $400,000 ad campaign in mid-August that accused Daschle of jeopardizing South Dakotans’ access to health care.16 17 The Chamber also broadcast an ad praising Rep. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in his campaign for the U.S. Senate.18
1 Tom Hamburger and Laurie McGinley, "Drug Lobby Wins Big With Massive Spending Against Medicare Plan," Wall Street Journal, Nov. 9, 2000.
2 Public Citizen's analysis of 2000 "Buying Time" database.
3 Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG) Reports, 2000.
4 Peter H. Stone and Shawn Zeller, "Business and Conservative Groups Won Big," National Journal, Nov. 9, 2002.
5 American Taxpayers Alliance 990 form, 2002.
6 Robert Lenzner and Matthew Miller, "Buying Justice; For Years Trial Lawyers Owned State Courts. Now Big Business Is Striking Back," Forbes, July 21, 2003.
7 Michael Orey, "Business Targets Judicial Race in 'Tort Mecca,'" Wall Street Journal, Oct. 30, 2002.
8 U.S Chamber of Commerce and Institute for Legal Reform 990 forms, 2000-2002.
9 IRS spokeswoman Nancy Mathis e-mail message to Public Citizen Senior Researcher Taylor Lincoln, Aug. 5, 2004.
10 Timothy R. Brown, "Chamber Must List Political Spending," Baton Rouge Advocate, Nov. 3, 2000.
11 Editorials, (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, Nov. 14, 2002.
12 IRS Form 990 Instructions, Line 81, 2003. (Available at www.irs.gov.)
13 U.S. Chamber of Commerce 990 forms, 1999-2002.
14 IRS Form 990 Instructions, Line 81, 2003. (Available at www.irs.gov.)
15 Brody Mullins, "Chamber Targets Daschle," Roll Call, Feb. 2, 2004.
16 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Web site. (Available at www.uschamber.com. Accessed on Aug. 20, 2004.)
17 "Group Targets Ads Against Daschle," Houston Chronicle, Aug. 20, 2004.
18 Meg Kinnard, "GOP Candidates Fill Airwaves in S.C. Senate," National Journal, May 10, 2004.
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