With all the glowing words about the Chamber of Commerce in the local papers recently, I think some other words should be said.
The Chamber of Commerce is not the working man’s friend. The Chamber of Commerce supports politicians that are in direct contradictions to what the common man believes, such as Common Core, amnesty and abortions. The local Chamber of Commerce supports these types of candidates as well as the national C of C.
You can talk about all the good things done by the C of C all you want to, but I would like to remind you that even the mafia don gives to his local church.
I am not saying the C of C is anywhere near being the mafia, but the principle is the same.
In Mississippi last year the C of C helped bankroll the Republican establishment’s effort to keep Thad Cochran as U.S. senator where they paid walking around money to the Democrats to vote in a Republican election.
In Georgia the local C of C was supporting candidates that supported Common Core and amnesty. Most people haven’t noticed the C of C hasn’t cried a tear or condemned the president for his unconstitutional granting of amnesty to illegal immigrants.
The C of C is fighting in the Georgia state legislature to stop the law that would stop illegal immigrants from getting drivers’ licenses. Illegal immigrants have been getting Ga. drivers’ licenses since 2012.
According to Center for Public Integrity, the U.S. C of C, the nation’s biggest lobby and buyer of political ads, paid $173.5 million to its top advertising firms during the period 2008 to 2012. This does not take in all the local and state buying of politicians.
Every local beauty salon, tire store, grocery store, car wash, or any business is a member and probably is too busy to know what is going on with the C of C.
I know of only one business in the state of Georgia that resigned his membership when he found out some of the things that the C of C was supporting. He wasn’t going to be a member of an organization that was doing things that were detrimental to the wishes of his customers.
The C of C also supported Obama’s moves on Cuba.
The C of C has taken a distinct leftward tilt under Thomas Donohue the last few years. Most local business are detached from the national C of C, but Thomas Donahue is not detached from them when he brags about how many businesses he represents across the country.
The C of C has fought Tea Party candidates tooth and nail since its inception because the Tea Party does not support the C of C’s left-leaning candidates.
The Tea Party supports the vast majority of the agenda of the C of C except left-leaning projects that are detrimental to the stability and security and morality of the country. The Republican political win in 2014 would have been far greater if the C of C and National Republican party not been involved at all.
According to Eric Erickson right now in the State Capitol, Republicans are refusing to pass religious freedom legislation because the C of C is beholden to the gay rights agenda.
That very same C of C is demanding they raise taxes and, according to Erickson, they are going to do it. The C of C could care less whether the border is sealed or not.
I repeat, the Chamber of Commerce is not the common man’s friend and when you see that plaque on the wall denoting membership in the Chamber of Commerce at your local business then you will know who they are supporting.
W. H. Pool
Fayetteville, Ga.
