U.S. Chamber of Commerce Throws its Weight Around

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is using its considerable clout to prevent forward motion on two issues of import to American workers:  Health care reform and the filling of three vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board.

The conservative Chamber is using television ads to promote its website, ResponsibleHealthReform.org.  I checked it out and found it to be full of misinformation, stating a a government-run health plan would "control costs...by limiting access to health care treatments and delaying access to physician and hospital care". It states that a public option would increase costs for those with private insurance, if indeed those poor companies could survive in such an environment.   Now, never mind that these and other erroneous myths have been debunked by no less an expert than President Obama himself.  Or that mega-corporation Wal-Mart has recently come out in favor of health care reform.  The Chamber still persists in spreading these lies.  Why?

Well, it seems that they are worried about additional taxes on business.  All right, but business generally passes on those costs to consumers, so where's the problem?  If they are really concerned with fiscal pressure being put on average Americans, then why do they oppose a plan that would alleviate spiraling health care costs?

On the labor front, the Chamber of Commerce has become obstructive as Obama tries to fill three vacant seats on the National Labor Relations Board.  Since January of 2008, the NLRB has been stymied due to its lack of membership.  The Democrats would not fill those seats during the last part of the former administration, fearing appointments that would shift the Board entirely against labor.  Now the Chamber is calling for a hearing on one appointee, a former labor lawyer.  Gee, I wonder why.

The mission statement of the U.S.Chamber of Commerce is as follows:  "To advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility."  I think its members need to remember that trying to influence lawmakers to see their point of view through obstruction, lobbying and PAC contributions is probably not a responsible interpretation of its "mission".