dagblog - Comments for "Barack Obama and the Chamber of Mostly Shallows"

I'm really embarassed for

jollyroger — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:33:31 +0000

In reply to I'm really embarassed for him

I'm really embarassed for him

And this is from a guy who's not embarrassed by the signature on his paycheck...(con respetto)

File this under:"A triumph of

jollyroger — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:30:00 +0000

In reply to The AFL-CIO seems to have

File this under:

"A triumph of managed expectations."

I guess a master of bait'n switch can use the principle in more than one direction. I'm awed ...

Ask yourselves what you can

AmericanDreamer — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:45:38 +0000

In reply to The AFL-CIO seems to have

Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers, to support the American economy, and to invest in this nation.

That part is pure mush and naive if meant sincerely. When he says stuff like that without proposing any policy changes or even laying groundwork for proposed policy changes I lose respect for him. Obama knows the corporations have fiduciary duties to their shareholders to maximize returns, which usually translates into maximizing profits. Marjorie Kelly refers to this as the doctrine of shareholder supremacy. So long as shareholder interests predominate over the interests of Americans seeking employment, and over communities trying to preserve their revenue base, where there is a conflict among those there is no reason whatsoever to expect that jawboning from the President is going to make a whit of difference on this issue.

Corporations respond to the opportunities available to them. If they can greatly increase their profits by outsourcing they're going to do it. And they will use the full extent of their very large political influence to retain maximum outsourcing opportunities.

The AFL-CIO seems to have

rmrd0000 — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:42:54 +0000

In reply to Barack Obama and the Chamber of Mostly Shallows

The AFL-CIO seems to have liked the speech

(From Greg Sargeant)

AFL-CIO: We liked Obama's challenge to Chamber of Commerce

By Greg Sargent

I keep reading in various places that all those losers on the left are absolutely outraged that Obama sold them out by giving what's widely being described as an "olive branch" speech today to the Chamber of Commerce. But judging by the AFL-CIO's response, it seems some liberals actually are pleasantly surprised by how he handled it.

AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale emails a list of the passages from Obama's speech the AFL-CIO liked, where Obama seemed to challenge the Chamber to live up to its responsibilities to America and the American worker:

Obama's reminder to business that they have a responsibility to America, that they can't just worry about shareholders and the bottom line:
"Ask yourselves what you can do for America. Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers, to support the American economy, and to invest in this nation."
Obama's reminder to business that there are important regulations:
"For example, even as we work to eliminate burdensome regulations, America's businesses have a responsibility to recognize that there are some safeguards and standards that are necessary to protect the American people from harm or exploitation."
His reminder to business that changes in the tax code need to benefit everyone:
"If we're fighting to reform the tax code and increase exports to help you compete, the benefits can't just translate into greater profits and bonuses for those at the top. They should be shared by American workers, who need to know that expanding trade and opening markets will lift their standard of living as well as your bottom line. We cannot go back to the kind of economy -- and culture -- we saw in the years leading up to the recession, where growth and gains in productivity just didn't translate into rising incomes and opportunity for the middle class."

My understanding is that labor officials expected Obama to repeat his insistence on more infrastructure spending -- which after all isn't that controversial, since the Chamber supports the idea in principle. But labor types didn't expect, and were cheered by, Obama's defense of government regulation, the emphasis on reforming the tax code so it benefits everyone, and the insistence that corporations need to ask themselves what they can do for America and its workers.

As Digby notes, the speech wasn't exactly FDR telling "organized money" that he "welcomes their hatred," but Obama did give folks on the left more than the media previews in the lead-up to the speech might have led you to expect.

By Greg Sargent | February 7, 2011; 2:40 PM ET

From The Economic

miguelitoh2o — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:50:15 +0000

In reply to Barack Obama and the Chamber of Mostly Shallows

From The Economic Populist:

President Obama gave a speech today to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a conciliatory message, why he even offered up a symbolic fruit cake. But the gifts Obama is bearing ain't no house warmers, they are more offshore outsourcing, bad trade deals, corporate tax reduction wish lists and key multinational corporate players in the White House.

Would the U.S. Chamber of Commerce suddenly wake up and consider being interested in the nation that bears their name? Not from history. Remember when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce demanded Stimulus funds not be used to hire Americans or buy American? Or how foreign companies and nations are trying to buy our elections through them? Their list of egregious horrors against the American workforce is as long as their forked tongues.

Imagine this was 1904 and Teddy Roosevelt was in Office. There is no doubt instead of promising more bad trade deals and to rewrite the corporate tax code per lobbyists' demands, we would see some sort of requirement these companies hire Americans and contribute to America. Unfortunately, this is not 1904 it's 2011 and Obama sir, is no Teddy Roosevelt.

I'm really embarassed for him

Michael Maiello — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:13:03 +0000

In reply to Barack Obama and the Chamber of Mostly Shallows

I'm really embarassed for him that he went there. If he wanted to talk to Donohue he should have summoned him to the White House, sat him down and served him water without ice.