Rift between Obama and Chamber of Commerce widening

[cal04]

Health-care reform and economy are points of contention
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101902176.html?hpid=topnews

The White House is moving aggressively to remove the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from its traditional Washington role as the chief representative for big business, the latest sign of a public feud ignited by disagreement over the administration's effort to overhaul the health-care system.

Instead of working through the chamber, President Obama has reached out to business executives, meeting repeatedly with small groups of CEOs in his private White House dining room. He also has dispatched top aides Valerie Jarrett and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to corporate boardrooms. Since the summer, the three have met with some of the biggest names in the business community, including the heads of IBM, Wal-Mart Stores, Time Warner, Eastman Kodak, Starbucks, Amazon.com and Coca-Cola.

In the process, Obama is attempting to rewrite the rules of the game in Washington, where the chamber and other business lobbying groups have long held a highly visible, and powerful, place at the intersection of policy and politics.

"The question we have is: Does the chamber really represent the business community the way they used to?" said Jarrett, the president's chief business liaison. "It seems as though their members are disengaging."

[elleng]

1. Excellent!

Great Prez!

[GoldenOldie]

2. What is the functionof the Chamber of Commerce???

I always thought it was local organizations which united local business's to support one another within their individual communities and states thus allowing all to prosper. What happened to the support of small business? The small business's have paid their dues yet it seems the "Chamber of Commerce," has become a function of big business and all the corruption and power that goes along with it.

[elleng]

3. I don't know the history, but locally may be where it began.

Has indeed become 'big business.' Another group, National Federation of Independent Businesses I think, provides some option.

[malaise]

4. Well several huge companies have left the Chamber recently

over the climate change bill and they were punked big time today with that bogus press conference.
The Chambers of Commerce are among the oldest and most evil of associations on the planet. They're at war with everyone these days. Life is good :evilgrin:

Bravo to the Yes men!!!

add

[Cha]

5. Nike, Exelon, Pacific Gas & Electric,

Apple...

[Cha]

6. US Chamber of Commerce..fauxsn00ze,

The Pentagon! And, who says PO "lacks courage"?

[KharmaTrain]

7. Ah The Irony...

The Chamber is nothing but a union of large corporates...they "collective bargain" (translation: collude) and pay dues to this organization to negotiate for them with the government. And what are they bargaining against? Card Check...the right for their workers to be able to do the same thing.

A very good move...the quiet chance that doesn't make headlines but could be a big move in breaking the grip of lobbyists in government.