David Gregory(NBC) to speak @ Repug NFIBSummit along with repugs Barbour ,

[caligirl]

and Newt Gingrich.


http://www.nfib.com/object/DavidGregory.html
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2585909&mesg_id=2586539


NFIB agenda lists David Gregory as the first guest speaker, as well as Haley Brbour and Newt Gingrich. This organization is the largest small business association behind the Enzi bill that will set health insurance back several decades at the expense of 250 million who have insurance.

Date: NFIB National Small-Business Summit, June 18-20, 2006 Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
Cost: $450 per person

Who is the NFIB?

The National Federation of Independent Business is the largest advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals. NFIB was ranked the most influential business organization (and 3rd overall), in "Washington's Power 25" survey conducted by Fortune magazine.

NFIB's purpose is to impact public policy at the state and federal level and be a key business resource for small and independent business in America. NFIB also gives its members a power in the marketplace. By pooling the purchasing power of its 600,000 members, the National Federation of Independent Business gives members access to many business products and services at discounted costs. NFIB also provides timely information designed to help small businesses succeed.


http://www.nfib.com/page/aboutHome


Of the $1.9 Million $$$ the organization has provided in regulated hard money political donations since 2000, 97% has gone to Republicans according to the Center for Responsive Politics. They have also worked to help repub candidates.

They are a huge source of money to the republican party.They brought the AHP idea to the Bushies during the 2000 campaign.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. When we started our business back in 93 ........

.... these folks contacted us. I recall VERY clearly their spiel ........ blah blah blah ..... Republican ....... blah blah blah ......... Republican ......

I said: I voted for Clinton.

They said: Bye.

[caligirl]

4. They are repug alright look whose in the photo gallery:

2002


2004

[Kerrytravelers]

2. Guess we know he's "fair and balanced" at MSNBC.

:eyes:

[wishlist]

30. I have wondered about him for awhile due to some of his remarks

I remember back in about November he said that nothing more would come out of the Plame investigation, it was over and Rove would not be indicted. He was playing down the whole matter in line with Repub talking points.

[caligirl]

31. I didn't realize it went that far back. I was thinking the Rove bullies

extracted a measure of penance from him for his pushing McClellan verball Feb 14. He apologized Feb 19 and this notice of his speaking at NFIB went up Feb 27th.

[AllieB]

3. David Gregory used to give Scotty a hard time

during White House press briefings. This should be interesting.

[ShortnFiery]

7. He's done a little "soft shoe" since ... I hope he remains true ...

to what seemed to be high journalistic standards.

Talk about going into the belly of the beast.

[snowbear]

5. Is it really referred to as a "Repug" NFIB Summit ??

I mean... I don't know their history. I just did a quick scan of their website and without doing some serious research, I can't tell from looking at their site whether they are bi-partisan or not?

I wouldn't think that David Gregory would lean right in a zillion years...

But if there are DU'ers here that know for certain that NFIB leans Republican, I'd sure like to see that info.

I just can't --- can'T --- CAN'T for the life of me think that David Gregory is a Rethug or that he leans even slightly to the right. I've seen him on too many late night shows, and have read far too many things about him to think for one second that he leans right.

Seriously--- someone --- ANYONE ---- please tell me that this summit is NOT just for ReTHUGS..

David Gregory is NOT one of (((( THEM )))) !!!!

If he is.. and has been hiding it all along, please let me know.

I just don't believe it though.

[caligirl]

8. No one is saying he is one of them, I am shocked that he would speak at

their function which if you read more you will easily see it IS a largely Republican group. I am wondering about his recent apology to Scott McClellan after the blow up they had in the WH press room. After finding out about Chris Matthews activitries with repugs and taking fees for speaking to them, fundraising event for them Nothing surprises me anymore. I have no idea what party Stretch belongs to but he is listed as a speaker at an event that is by and large Republican. Look through the photo Gallery of past Summits and you will see the faces, look at the agenda for past events and you can draw the connection.


An article I posted at another thread from the WSJ has the organization states" The NFIB, in particular, has emerged since the early 1990s as the most Republican-leaning of Washington trade groups."


http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/nw/?postId=6044

>That's a powerful lineup of Republican campaign allies. The NFIB, in particular, has emerged since the early 1990s as the most Republican-leaning of Washington trade groups. Of the $1.9 million the organization has provided in regulated "hard money" political donations since 2000, 97% has gone to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan campaign-watchdog group here. The organization's network of small-business owners also has worked to help Republican candidates.<

[caligirl]

20. R Sen. Jim Talent is a former lobbyist for NFIB -2001

Republican Sen. Jim Talent, who defeated Ms. Carnahan in November, actually worked as an NFIB lobbyist in 2001 between his earlier service in the House and his Senate campaign. "I ask my colleagues to just look at this practically," Mr. Talent says. "There are millions of people who don't have health care who could get it if we enact this legislation. You've got to have something better to offer before you oppose a bill that could do that much." http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/nw/?postId=6044

[caligirl]

16. Check this out, Faris(NFIB CEO and Pres) was RNC exec dir RNC

Finance Committee during Reagan.

"executive director of the Republican National Finance Committee from 1978 to 1981." See post below

[caligirl]

6. 2005 agenda for their summit , they get a military briefing and look who

the speakers are: Sessions R of Alabama, Hastert,Trent Lott and Bush officials. Not a democrat in there.

White House briefing
Old Executive Office building
Speakers: Barry Jackson, Deputy Assistant to the President
Cathie Martin, Deputy Communications Director
4:15 Buses depart for Mandarin Oriental Hotel
6 p.m. Buses depart for Capitol Hill Club
6:30-7:30 p.m.

Reception
Capitol Hill Club
Host: House Speaker Dennis Hastert (Ill-14th Dist.)
7:30-9:45p.m. Dinner
Dinner speaker: Rep. John Boehner (Ohio-8th Dist.)
Chairman, Education and the Workforce Committee
9:45p.m. Buses depart for Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
8-9:30 a.m.

Breakfast, Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Grand Ballroom ABC
Speaker: Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.)
Member, Senate Judiciary Committee
9:30-10 a.m. Morning session begins
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Grand Ballroom ABC
Speaker: Military briefing
10-10:45 a.m. Speaker: Trent Lott (Miss.)
10:45-11 a.m. Break
11 a.m.-12 p.m. Speaker: U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (Wisc.-1st Dist.)
12-12:15 p.m. Break
12-1:30 p.m. Lunch
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Grand Ballroom ABC
Speaker: Dan Danner, NFIB Executive Vice President, Federal Public Policy and Political
1:30-2:15 p.m. Afternoon session begins
Speakers: Lisa Goeas, Vice President, Political
Sharon Wolff Sussin, NFIB National Political Director
Nick Faraone, Vice President, Development
Mari Patterson Rusch, National Director of Development
General comments: Political Landscape and Fundraising
2:15-2:30 p.m. Break

[mmonk]

9. As a businessman for many years,

I was always bemused by the NFIB. Everything they ended up advocating helped Wall Street and not main street. They are killing themselves by making their large competitors even more powerful and end up being driven out of business.

[caligirl]

10. the Enzi's attend the 2005 NFIB summit in 2005 as seen in the 2005

photo gallery.Leadership trust meeting, Monday, June 20, 2005 http://www.nfib.com/object/leadershipTrustPhotos.html

google image looks like the Enzi's



"Last fall, the chairman of the key Senate committee on health-care legislation, Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi, introduced S. 1955, "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2005" (HIMMA). Dubbed by Sen. Enzi as "a compromise approach," the bill blends a modified version of S. 406, the Snowe-Talent bill, along with some initiatives intended to streamline varying state health insurance regulations. Chairman Enzi is making this concession in order to move the bill through his committee and onto the Senate floor." http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_26154.html

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

11. No doubt in my mind where this organization stands:

From their website:
https://www.nfib.com/page/agendasummary.html

"What We Fight For":

Simplify the Code and Reduce Taxes

Eliminate the death tax. NFIB will again lead the fight to make the death tax repeal permanent. Although the tax-relief bill approved in 2001 will lead to a repeal of the death tax in 2010, it will rise from the dead back to 2001 levels in 2011 unless Congress approves legislation making the repeal permanent. NFIB supports and will continue to advocate for a full repeal of the death tax.

Make income-tax relief and increased expensing limits permanent. During his State of the Union address and in the FY 2006 budget proposal, President Bush called on Congress to make permanent the tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003. This would lock in lower rates for every taxpayer and would be especially helpful to approximately 85 percent of small businesses that file tax returns as individuals. These increased savings will provide small-business owners with capital to reinvest and grow their businesses while creating stronger incentives for small-business job creation. NFIB will support actions that make these improvements permanent.

Simplify the tax code for small business. With more than 200 different IRS requirements, an estimated 80-85 percent of small-business owners are forced to pay tax practitioners to prepare their tax returns. This is a costly practice that is especially burdensome for the smallest of small businesses. NFIB will continue to fight for a tax code that makes clarity, certainty and consistency the rule – not the exception.

Curb Frivolous Lawsuits

Curb frivolous lawsuits. Frivolous lawsuits create a climate of fear for America’s small businesses. While some claims are legitimate, large percentages are completely without merit. NFIB members say that being sued is one of the most threatening experiences for a small-business owner, especially for the smallest of the small, which can be put out of business by one lawsuit. NFIB will continue to support reforms of the legal system, including sanctions against attorneys who bring frivolous lawsuits.

Cap damages in medical liability suits. Our country is facing a medical liability crisis. Due to skyrocketing medical liability insurance rates, many small-business owners are finding it increasingly difficult to afford health insurance for themselves and their workers, and to locate specialty medical care from OB/GYNs, surgeons and emergency room doctors. NFIB supports legislation that would cap non-economic damages in medical liability suits at fair and reasonable rates and abolish joint liability so that liability is commensurate with responsibility. NFIB also supports capping attorney fees to ensure that patients harmed from negligent care are allowed to keep a higher percentage of the award.

Ease the Burden of Excessive Regulation and Intrusive Laws

Make regulations less costly and complicated for small business. Regulations can be both expensive and intrusive for small business. Washington’s complex regulatory maze results in a per-employee regulatory cost to a small firm that is nearly 60 percent more than the cost to large firms. NFIB supports actions to review and analyze the impact of regulations to determine their impact on small business.

Reduce the burden caused by federal paperwork. Businesses currently waste precious hours completing page after page of federal forms, some of which are duplicative and burdensome. The cost associated with paperwork is especially expensive for small business. IRS paperwork alone costs small businesses about $75 per hour. NFIB supports tougher oversight on federal agencies in how they are meeting previously mandated paperwork reduction goals.

<snip>

[caligirl]

14. Jack Faris NFIB CEO/Pres was also the RNC National Finance Director

from a googel search this:"Faris has been a nationally recognized political advocate since NFIB members waged the fight of their lives against government-mandated health-care coverage in 1993. At that time, The New York Times described Faris as "silver-haired and acid-tongued," as he spoke out on behalf of small-business owners."
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:6-UPHpgt4WkJ:www.estrategy.gov/forum/forum_five/faris_bio.doc+jack+faris&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=8&client=firefox-a

and this:President and CEO
National Federation of Independent Business

Jack Faris has served as president and CEO of NFIB since April 1992.

After graduating from David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., Faris worked in the banking industry. He later joined the international construction firm of Joe M. Rodgers and Associates, where he was responsible for marketing, personnel and planning. Faris also served as campaign finance director for Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander in 1978 and as executive director of the Republican National Finance Committee from 1978 to 1981. For 12 years, Faris owned his own marketing and management consulting firm, working primarily with small and independent businesses. More.External link http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/sbaward/en/judges_faris?c=us&l=en&s=corp

[Doctor_J]

12. Is there anyone in the media who ISN'T getting speaking money from the GOP

Hitler would have killed to have a media this loyal.

[ShortnFiery]

13. I don't know about loyalty

or is it coercion?

The look on Gregory's face about a week after the dust-up with Scotty was that of an abused child.
This is all B.S. impression, so take it as such, but I think someone with something got to him ... to tone it down, way down. I hope I'm wrong but something is NOT right with Gregory's demeanor.

[snowbear]

15. Well....... ((( sigh )))

I guess we'll just have to try and get our hands on David's speech and see if it was just a standard "paid BIG TIME to give a spiel" (and kept it non-partisan) .. or if he was *gasp* actually there because he's... .. you know...

I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt until I see what he rambled on about. :shrug:

[caligirl]

17. I agree, we should just ask him.

[snowbear]

18. Ok Cali... you set up my appointment with him... and....

I'll definitely ask him! ~~~

[caligirl]

19. Wouldn't we all like to go!

:loveya:

[Stinky The Clown]

21. This organization is insidiously deceptive ........ Orwellian, almost

They prey on the small business person. They approach us as if we're rich. Or wanna be rich like their fat cat sponsors. When they contacted me in 93, my two partners and me (both women) had just started our practice. To give you some idea of how 'rich and republican' we were, we had just riddent the metro into DC to call on some potential clients, trying to land our very first commission. As we came out of the station at Dupont Circle, there was a homeless guy with a cup, rattling quarters and asking for money. My partner leaned over to me as we were walking and said "ha! he makes more money than we do!"

Anyway, they called and offered us health care - not a plan, but one of those crazy-assed 'use our docs at a discount' things. Oh ... and we could donate to them so they can 'lobby congress for good business laws'. They badmouthed then-president Clinton.

Awful, awful people.

[caligirl]

23. they stand to reep 100 million bucksoff this insurance deal for its

600,000 members.

[caligirl]

22. Snow and Talent authored a different version of the Enzi bill

NFIB Launches Campaign To Secure Senate Action on Small-Business Health Plans
04/ 01/ 2004
The small-business group NFIB today called on the U.S. Senate to follow the lead of the U.S. House and pass legislation enacting Small-Business Health Plans (AHPs) prior to adjourning for the 2004 elections. NFIB President Jack Faris renewed the NFIB call to action during an event on Capitol Hill where Faris announced that NFIB members are launching a petition drive to mobilize the Senate to pass The Small-Business Health Fairness Act (S. 545). U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao along with Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Chairwoman Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Sen. Jim Talent (Mo.), who sponsored S. 545, joined Faris at the event.

[caligirl]

24. Feb 14 Scotty and David have words, Feb 27 NFIB announces on their

web site David will be a speaker at an annual event the NFIB Summit after Gregory apologized to McClellan on Feb 19th.


http://www.nfib.com/page/summitHome.html
David Gregory to Speak at Summit
02/ 27/ 2006

http://americandaily.com/article/12949
The exchange between McClellan and Gregory, which took place during a February 14 morning briefing, when the cameras were not on, went like this:
McClellan: "David, hold on, the cameras aren't on right now. You can do this later."

Gregory: "Don't accuse me of trying to pose for the cameras. Don't be a jerk to me personally when I'm asking you a serious question."

McClellan: "You don't have to yell."

Gregory: "I will yell. If you want to use the—that podium to try to take shots at me personally, which I don't appreciate, then I will raise my voice because that's wrong."

McClellan: "Calm down, Dave, calm down."

Gregory: "I'll calm down when I feel like calming down. You answer the question."

During the afternoon briefing, when the cameras were on, Gizzi said that Gregory "stayed on message. At one point he threw his hands up at McClellan and said, 'Oh, come on.' He wasn't at the White House briefings for the rest of the week."

Five days later, on Meet the Press on February 19, Gregory finally apologized. "I think I made a mistake," he said. "I think it was inappropriate for me to lose my cool with the press secretary representing the President. I don't think it was professional of me. I was frustrated, I said what I said, but I think that you should never speak that way, as my wife reminded me, number one. And number two, I think it created a diversion from some of the serious questions in the story, so I regret that. I was wrong, and I apologize."


So is this the price of keeping a press pass? Or something else. Why the NFIB whose biggest effort in 1993 was to end government mandated health coverage, something President Jack Faris, former RNC Finance director (78-81) was involved in.

[caligirl]

25. kick

[caligirl]

26. kick

[caligirl]

27. "Both the president and I know a lot of people in this room," Cheney @NFIB

dinner.

NFIB walks arm in arm with GOP
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) - June 21, 2002
by Kent Hoover
"NFIB and the Bush administration do walk hand in hand, because we do see eye to eye," says White House Senior Adviser Karl Rove, a longtime NFIB member who made a rare public appearance at the organization's recent Washington summit.

Vice President Dick Cheney also spoke to NFIB members at a dinner that featured the same menu that was served at President Bush's inauguration lunch.

"Both the president and I know a lot of people in this room," Cheney noted, adding that "NFIB represents grass-roots activism at its finest."
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Ggr_WoL7kz0J:seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2002/06/24/editorial2.html+NFIB+speakers&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=11&client=firefox-a

NFIB opposed Clinton health plan:The alliance between the NFIB and Republicans had been building since 1994, when the federation became the first business group to oppose Clinton's health care plan. Money played a special role in the relationship. After Republicans took control of Congress in the 1994 elections, the NFIB boosted its lobbying budget and tripled PAC spending – from $371,000 in the 1994 campaign to $1.2 million in 1996. In all, the NFIB's PAC contributed to nearly 300 House and Senate candidates, most of them Republicans.Wash. Post Feb 11 '97
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:mwVtYELC72QJ:www.thewashingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/tax/stories/tax021197.htm+NFIB+speakers&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=37&client=firefox-a


Sen Enzi, sponsor of AHP small business agenda, s1955 bill to rip off the insured and strip mandated health coverage also took money from Abramoff per: State-by-state GOP scandal scorecard grows longer

October 20, 2005

State-by-state GOP scandal scorecard grows longer

WayneMadsenReport.com /http://mparent7777.livejournal.com/3790913.html

[caligirl]

28. Kick

[sidwill]

29. Never has a political party done

so much

for so few

Who needed so little.

The Republicans are having a clearance sale and what they are selling are the American people as sheep to be sheared.

And bidness is good.

[caligirl]

32. kick

Love Gregory, but why speak at the NFIB summit, an event that is pretty much just republican attended and run.