Corporate America launches massive lobbying blitz to kill key parts of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion economic plan

Washington Post ^ | Aug 31, 2021

[11th_VA]

A torrent of political groups representing some of the country’s most influential corporations — including ExxonMobil, Pfizer and the Walt Disney Company — are laying the groundwork for a lobbying blitz to stop Congress from enacting significant swaths of President Biden’s $3.5 trillion economic agenda.

The emerging opposition appears to be vast, spanning drug manufacturers, big banks, tech titans, major retailers and oil-and-gas giants. In recent weeks, top Washington organizations representing these and other industries have started strategizing behind the scenes, seeking to scuttle key elements in Democrats’ proposed overhaul to federal health care, education and safety net programs. Among the most active is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is starting to put together an economy-wide coalition to coordinate the fight against the still forming economic package, including its significant price tag, policy scope and potential for tax increases...

Other opponents include the Business Roundtable, whose board counts the chief executives from Apple and Walmart. The group similarly is preparing to fight corporate tax increases, which Democrats hope will fund their vast new spending. And the pharmaceutical industry has embarked on its own wide-ranging campaign to combat Democrats’ drug pricing proposals, another potential revenue source in the bill. Conservative outfits previously backed by the sector’s top trade group, known as PhRMA, have run recent ads claiming lawmakers’ plans would have worsened the coronavirus pandemic.…

In a sign of the obstacles Democrats face, the Chamber of Commerce last week took a firm stand against the package, promising to do “everything we can” to prevent Congress from adopting it in full…

[Augie]

Never thought I’d ever agree with the Chamber of Commerce.

My first thought as well.

Generally speaking, when the CoC is for it, decent people should be against it.