Posted on 07/11/2010 6:15:21 PM PDT by Libloather
Dems plan attack over GOP meeting with business leaders
By Jared Allen - 07/11/10 02:57 PM ET
Congressional Democrats believe the House GOP plan to meet with business and trade lobbyists in the Capitol this week has provided them with yet another opening to attack Republicans for cozying up to big business.
The GOP plan calls for the top officials from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, the National Association of Homebuilders and the National Association of Manufacturers to gather with leading House Republicans in the Capitol to help the GOP craft part of its America Speaking Out policy agenda.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), the Republican tasked with forming the jobs portion of the GOP agenda document, are among those scheduled to attend the meeting.
After reports of the business and trade group meeting surfaced, Democrats predictably went on the attack -- in a release, the DNC chided Republicans for holding a "Lobbyists Speaking Out" forum.
Republicans appeared to buckle somewhat from the latest round of pressure. Shortly after news first broke of their initiative, GOP leaders announced plans to livestream the meeting, rather than hold it behind closed doors.
In recent months, Democrats have been relentless in their attacks on Republicans for coordinating their efforts -- political and policy -- with business leaders.
The attacks began in earnest after a February Wall Street Journal story placed Boehner at a private dinner with a top Wall Street executive to discuss a return to days when Wall Street donated primarily to Republicans.
According to the Journal, Boehner told James Dimon, the chairman and chief executive of J.P. Morgan, that Republicans had stood up to President Barack Obama’s attempts to rein in the financial industry, and expressed disappointment that Wall Street continued to donate money to Democratic campaigns.
After the article was published, Democratic aides immediately circulated a barrage of press releases about Boehner’s reported meeting. One Democratic leadership aide acknowledged at the time that the Journal story provided Democrats with the perfect ammunition to begin a counter-assault on Republicans.
That counter-assault has since become one of the key pillars of the majority's communication efforts going into the pivotal midterm elections in November.
"So again, we want to rein in the health insurance industry, Republicans say 'no,'" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said just before the July Fourth recess, repeating what's become a popular Democratic talking point. "We want to rein in Big Oil. Republicans say 'no.' We want to rein in those who are reckless on Wall Street. Republicans say 'no.'
"We are here for Main Street. They are here for Wall Street. We are here for the people's interests. They are here for the special interests. That is the fight we have here every day. We hope we can find common ground. We seek that, but if we can't, we must go forward on behalf of the American people."
It has only been in recent weeks that Republicans have begun to fight back with just as much force and vitriol.
Although top Republicans, including Boehner and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), were furious with Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) for apologizing to BP, Boehner hasn't taken much other criticism lying down.
Instead of apologizing or backtracking from his comparison of the financial regulatory reform bill to "killing an ant with a nuclear weapon," Boehner dug in.
On Thursday, Boehner again defended himself from another chiding from President Barack Obama, who responded to a lackluster jobs report in part by calling out Republicans for blocking his economic agenda.
"On President Obama’s watch, more than three million Americans have lost their jobs and unemployment is near 10 percent," Boehner said in a statement. "The American people continue to ask, where are the jobs? But the President keeps whining and indulging in childish partisan attacks. How out of touch can he get?"
The RATS don't have a clue.
The democrats have no credibility on this issue anymore.
It’s about time!
If we don’t have busines we don’t have jobs.
Government doesn’t create jobs it only creates taxes, fees, legislation, costly mandates, etc.
Oh you mean the “business leaders” will be paraded like those “nurses and doctors” at that press-con before Obamagoo introduced Obamacare?
This is just another reason why they will be hanging them from lamposts.
Business sector has influence in Washington (both sides of the aisle, and at all levels of government).
My question is, how much influence does the GOVERNMENT sector have on government? And on which side does their influence fall? Remember, government is a multi-TRILLION dollar “industry”.
Yeah, it’s those evil businessmen again. You know, the one’s who provide 80 percent of the jobs in this country? Good target for the Dems.
The US Chamber of Commerce
NFIB and NAMA “ARE” the enemy to the dems. Think ‘Kulaks’! (I am a member of all of the above)
I look forward to it.
See, this is what pisses me off about the GOP. This fricking backtracking and groveling to the Dems. Why can't they just stand up for once and tell the Dems to go screw themselves?
“The reactionary Republicans are conspiring with the Evil capitalist pigs who ruined the economy & the Gulf and have become their running dog lackeys.” Commissar David Axelrod, assistant to President-for-life and Ill Douche Barack Hussein Muhammed Obama.
Commies must vilify business, or they can’t count on the ignorant masses to help them bleed them dry.
Republicans should fire back and call the Democrats Un-American for standing AGAINST business, jobs, and prosperity.
But they won’t.
Why risk anything when the ignorant masses are going to run to the polls to vote them in? It’s a shoe-in for them, unfortunately for American freedom.
Ship of fools.
Democrats and Republicans are well-paid servants of the banking industry. Where would this country (and the world economy), be without them?
We'd better realize and face that.
American politicians meeting with American businessmen is an excellent counterpunch and potentially offensive move.
zero can promise gummint jobs, but anyone taking them will realize they're make-work-temporary, and will not back zero long term .. just long enough to 'get theirs'
MY popcorn's popped and a few friends are beginning to drop in ....
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports an open borders immigration policy. No enemy of the Democrats there.
“President Barack Obama, who responded to a lackluster jobs report in part by calling out Republicans for blocking his economic agenda. “
Which part of the Kenyan’s brilliant plan did pubbies block? Did I miss something?
I wouldn’t call it groveling. I call it giving America the openness Obama promised but withheld.
All American loving business owners during the next two months should unilateraly lay off at least 30% of their work-force. That will create a firestorm never seen before going into an election.
We need to be ALL IN this election to purge the scurge of ALL Progressives in our governments...ALL OF THEM.
Bush and the Republicans tried to rein in Freddie, Fannie, Jamie and Franklin, but the Democrats said no and gave us the biggest financial meltdown since the great depression.
I am glad an Adult some where stood up to meet with someone who might have a plan. I’m sure they wd meet with a union “leader” if the plan wasn’t to take over some working plant some where.
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