Free Republic

That's why the participants want the secret history of the 2020 election told, even though it sounds like a paranoid fever dream–a well-funded cabal of powerful people, ranging across industries and ideologies, working together behind the scenes to influence perceptions, change rules and laws, steer media coverage and control the flow of information. They were not rigging the election; they were fortifying it.“

Jobless claims continue to surge as more than 6.6 million Americans filed new unemployment benefits last week, according to new data released from the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday.That brings the three-week total of new unemployment claims to 16.8 million as the economic fallout over the Wuhan coronavirus continues to take its toll on the nation’s economy. About 6.6 million Americans had filed new claims the week before and 3.3 million new claims were filed in the week ending on March 28. The previous record for number of new filings in a single week was in 1982 when 695,000...

Ciudad Juarez – An investigator with the Chihuahua state Attorney General's Office and her 5-year-old daughter were gunned down outside their house in Chihuahua city on Tuesday, Mexican officials said. Brenda Carrilla and her daughter were leaving the house when a group of gunmen traveling in at least two vehicles opened fire on them. Carrilla was killed instantly and the little girl died while being transported to a clinic, the AG's office said. One of the drug cartels that operate in Chihuahua left a message about a week ago on a street in Chihuahua city, the state capital, threatening to...

The good news for President Obama: The Chamber of Commerce broke into applause twice during his speech Monday morning to welcome his ideas. The bad news: They clapped just twice, in a 35-minute address. Obama himself acknowledged early on that he doesn’t have the best relationship with the Chamber. (“Maybe if we had brought over a fruit cake when we first moved in, we would have got off to a better start,” he joked.) The first applause line came halfway through Obama’s remarks, as he spoke of opening up new markets and selling more American goods in other countries. “I’ll...

WASHINGTON – Echoing John F. Kennedy, President Barack Obama prodded business leaders Monday to "ask yourselves what you can do for America," not just for company bottom lines, even as he sought to smooth his uneasy relations with the nation's corporate executives. Speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the president urged the business community to help accelerate the slow economic recovery by increasing hiring and unleashing some of the $2 trillion piling up on their balance sheets. "I want to encourage you to get in the game," Obama said. He enumerated new efforts by his administration to improve the...

Nothing wrong with profit sharing - as long as it's a private transaction either between an employee and the company or the union and the industry. But Obama's not concerned about that kind of setup. In fact, he makes it sound as if government would have a role in enforcing such profit sharing (video at RealClearPolitics link) "'If we're fighting to reform the tax code and increase exports, the benefits cannot just translate into greater profits and bonuses for those at the top. They have to be shared by American workers, who need to know that opening markets will lift...

Obama tries to woo business, slams "burdensome" tax By Alister Bull and David Morgan WASHINGTON | Mon Feb 7, 2011 7:36pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama stepped up efforts to woo the U.S. business community on Monday, seeking its help to tackle "burdensome" corporate taxes in a speech to a business group that has long been a fierce critic. Obama, on a drive to win over business and independent voters before the 2012 presidential election, also repeated a promise to advance trade deals with Panama and Colombia that would help U.S. companies, but he did not lay out...

Believing a huge upset win in California is now within reach, the Republican Party is pouring $3 million into GOP Senate challenger Carly Fiorina's battle against incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer, forcing Democrats scrambling to respond just one week before Election Day. The $3 million from the National Republican Senatorial Committee comes on top of the $4.8 million it has already spent in the race. Pundits see that massive influx of dollars as a clear indication that incumbent Democratic Boxer is in serious jeopardy, because the GOP usually does not spend heavily in Golden State races. This year, however, all bets...

My Fox News colleague Glenn Beck yesterday urged his radio listeners to participate in the “largest fundraiser for the Chamber.” Several readers wanted me to join in. Sorry, but I can’t think of a more perfect illustration of that old saying that “the enemy of your enemy is not always your friend.” If you have followed this blog over the years, you know I have opposed illegal alien amnesty in all forms, opposed the bipartisan TARP bailout from day one, opposed the bipartisan auto bailout from day one, and opposed the Obama stimulus from day one. The U.S. Chamber of...

It is the fourth quarter and the Democrats are down by a lot! They know they cannot win, but their coach is vigorously trying to prevent an embarrassing defeat on November 2nd. He blames Republicans, Fox News, John Boehner, Sean Hannity, angry people attending town halls who cling to their guns and religion, and anyone else in sight hoping that something will stick so they can catch a breath and slow down the momentum mounting against them. Like his policies, his attacks on his opposition have also failed. I guess you can’t blame a man for trying. With that in...

The White House attack on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce isn't about "disclosure." It's about disarmament. While posing as campaign finance champions, the ultimate goal of the Democratic offensive is to intimidate conservative donors, chill political free speech and drain Republican coffers. Chamber of Commerce official Bruce Josten tried to educate the public. "(W)e know what the purpose here is," he told ABC News. "It's to harass and intimidate." Josten cited protests and threats against chamber members as retribution for ads the organization ran opposing the federal health care takeover. But this isn't the first time liberal bullyboys have targeted...

Just outside the DC Beltway, in Maryland’s sprawling first congressional district, an electoral battle is underway that exposes unique ideological fault lines beneath America’s political landscape. The campaign pits freshman “Blue Dog” Democratic congressman Frank Kratovil in a rematch against Republican Dr. Andy Harris. Given the political tilt of the district, coupled with the Tea Party tsunami gathering force this year, one would think that this race should be a slam dunk for Harris. A tall, affable family man, Harris is an anesthesiologist, Navy veteran, hardcore free-marketer, and constitutional conservative. By contrast, Kratovil, a former attorney, tries to portray himself...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue is vowing to "ramp up" political advertising in the final weeks before the Nov. 2 election and accuses the Obama administration of conducting a smear campaign against the chamber.

Trying to keep his former Senate seat out of Republican hands, President Barack Obama singled out former Bush administration advisor Karl Rove Thursday night for meddling in the race through special interest-funded attack ads. “Right here in Illinois, in this Senate race, two groups funded and advised by Karl Rove have outspent the Democratic Party two-to-one in an attempt to beat [Democratic nominee] Alexi [Giannoulias] – two-to-one. Funded and advised by Karl Rove,” Obama said at a fundraiser for Giannoulias in Chicago. Obama also continued his cloaked assault on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – “one of the largest groups...

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has more than doubled its spending on political attack ads since Tuesday, prompting criticism from liberal groups that question the origin of the funds. The chamber reported spending $9.3 million on ads targeting Democrats in eight Senate and 22 House races since Tuesday. It had spent just less than $9 million this year through Monday. Chamber President Tom Donohue has pledged to spend $75 million this election season as the business group tries to oust Members who voted for policies it opposes, such as the health care and financial regulatory overhauls.

U.S. Chamber Endorses Manchin for Senate in West Virginia An Invaluable Leader Who Understands that Lower Taxes & Smart Energy Policies Will Help Get Americans Back to Work CHARLESTON, WV—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce joined the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce today to announce its endorsement of Joe Manchin for Senate, highlighting his record of supporting the state’s businesses and workers. “We’re endorsing Joe because he understands the economic challenges our country is facing and has a record of supporting policies that allow businesses to create jobs,” said Lisa Rickard, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber and president of...

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday endorsed Gov. Joe Manchin in the special election for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia, a rare nod for a Democratic candidate by the business lobbying group.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched a new television advertisement attacking Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown. The 30-second spot targets Brown's performance as state attorney general, suggesting his office's approach to enforcing state regulations has driven jobs out of the state.

The nation's largest business organization launched a multimillion-dollar advertising attack in California on Wednesday night on U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, part of a nationwide effort targeting vulnerable Democrats. The Chamber would not say exactly how much it plans to spend on the race. But the ads, which will be combined with a major push to identify and contact business-friendly voters, reflect the aggressive political strategy that the nonprofit business lobbying group will employ this year in an effort to stymie what it considers the anti-business thrust of the Obama administration. The chamber has set aside about $75 million for...

I'm a lifelong Republican - a supply-side conservative. I worked in the Reagan White House. I was the chief economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for five years. In 1994, I helped write the Republican Contract with America. I served on Bob Dole's presidential campaign team and was chief economist for Jack Kemp's Empower America. This November, I'm voting for Barack Obama. When I first made this decision, many colleagues were shocked. How could I support a candidate with a domestic policy platform that's antithetical to almost everything I believe in? The answer is simple: Unjustified war and unconstitutional...