Edwards supporters: WHY WE FIGHT

[jgraz]

Chamber of Commerce vows to
punish anti-business candidates

The group indicates it will spend in excess of the approximately
$60 million it put out in the last presidential cycle.

WASHINGTON -- Alarmed at the increasingly populist tone of
the 2008 political campaign, the president of the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce is set to issue a fiery promise to spend millions of
dollars to defeat candidates deemed to be anti-business.



"We plan to build a grass-roots business organization so
strong that when it bites you in the butt, you bleed,"
chamber President Tom Donohue said.

<snip>

Reacting to what it sees as a potentially hostile political climate, Donohue
said, the chamber will seek to punish candidates who target business
interests with their rhetoric or policy proposals, including congressional
and state-level candidates.

Although Donohue shied away from precise figures, he indicated that his
organization would spend in excess of the approximately $60 million it
spent in the last presidential cycle. That approaches the spending levels
planned by the largest labor unions.

The chamber president is scheduled to announce the broad outlines of the
organization's plans for the 2008 election and beyond at a news conference
here today. Donohue also plans to fire a rhetorical warning shot across the
bow of candidates considered unfriendly to business.

"I'm concerned about anti-corporate and populist rhetoric from
candidates for the presidency, members of Congress and the media,"
he said. "It suggests to us that we have to demonstrate who it is
in this society that creates jobs, wealth and benefits -- and who it
is that eats them."

More (if you can stand it) at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-chamber8jan08,1,5346679.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

[tsuki]

1. That is why I am not a member. I found out that they are pro-big

business, but could care less about small business. A pox on their house.

[frogmarch]

2. A big K&R for this one!

Now I'm REALLY energized! :mad:

[AzDar]

3. This just aggravated my ulcer.

Vote Edwards!!!

[jackson_dem]

4. Edwards will surprise the corps. and msm on Super Tuesday

[bobbolink]

42. From your keyboard to the monitor of the goddess!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

signed...

A SuperTuesday caucus attendee... :hi:

[OneGrassRoot]

5. Exactly!

I love Obama's inspirational message...I really do...and I wish it was possible for change to occur with such a message. In 2000, maybe it would have been.

But things are so extreme now and "they" are going to dig in tooth and nail to keep the power they've accumulated over the last seven years. If everyone's on a level playing field, compromise and discussion are preferable, IMHO.

But when the playing field has become so uneven, and the middle class essentially disappearing, those at the top absolutely WILL NOT give up without a fight. Why would they?

That's not to say that Obama or Hillary won't or can't dig their heels in if they had to, but I'm drawn to Edwards because he identifies the enemy very clearly and is warning them (even with the threat of political suicide) that he's coming after them (the Enrons and Halliburtons). It's dangerous, and that's exactly why I support him and admire him.

As always, this is only my opinion.

(Oy...I really need to take the time to proof before posting)

[melody]

6. K&R!! We need to punish Tom Donohue

I'm a businessperson AND a populist. I wonder how he figures that out.

[ProSense]

7. Donohue can try, but he will not succeed

Today, Edwards is rated 15% by the US COC
Kerry is rated 0% by the US COC

It's possible to have a populist message, be ignored by the media and still win the nomination

[mother earth]

8. Edwards is not anti-business & not all corporations are evil,

though the majority of evils in this country are indeed thanks to the unprecedented carte blanche, pandering by and of, and influence peddling of the BIG corporations who chew up people's lives and retirements, like Enron, and get away with it. Somebody refresh my memory, how many Enron execs did time? And then we have those no bid Halliburton contracts, Monsanto crushing small agriculture, and hybridizing seeds so even mother nature is not enough!

Come on! We know how big business is honoring us with jobs, they want slave labor, just ask any of them moving into those third world countries where there's no labor laws, kids are running ragged, people inhaling lead paint, and on and on....and then they fake that they can't get trained or educated Americans to fill jobs, even knowing there are plenty of people vying for those very jobs, sure we need more work visas...somebody else will do it cheaper than the average American, import 'em in.

Why worry about illegal immigration, outsourcing, importing, nasty and greedy trade agreements, when the real source of the problem is the BIG corporations & their greed.
We have to fight for an increase in minimum wage, while CEO's enjoy landslide profits, and the gov't votes in raises for themselves when they should be fired.

If the Chamber of Commerce is smart they will honor business and do it the right way & join John Edwards in the American fight! It's the economy stupid, it's labor laws! It's the face of the disappearing middle class, it's you & me. This is indeed WHY WE FIGHT!!!!

Major kudos to you, jgraz! Americans better realize who will fight the good fight before it's too late.

[AndyA]

9. And does anyone really believe these people are going to do ANYTHING to help

the American people unless it's FORCED ON THEM?

No friggin' way.

That is why they can't be sitting at the table next to a friend when the deal is made; they aren't going to give up anything. It will have to be taken away from them, just like they took it away from us.

John Edwards is the man to send these folks packing!

[Joanne98]

10. GOOD! Bring it on!!!!!!!!

:puke:

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. You all would put an end to the rotten influence from these business organizations,

if you'd only litigate all their dark little secrets, throughout this land. What they're doing on a federal level, is just an extension of what the do in their own backyards.

[The Traveler]

12. They're getting nervous

They have been unable to snuff the Edwards campaign in time to stifle the message. Barack and Hillary have been borrowing from Edwards' rhetoric lately ... and to me that is an example of democracy in action. (Hey ... they are listening and responding, isn't that what we want?)

The message is out ... but this is no time to let up on the gas. The Edwards camp must continue pressing the issue and fighting to win this. Edwards might not win the nomination, but he sure as hell is shaping the ground of the debate.

[MissPuddy]

32. John Edwards leads....others follow

I agree so much with you Traveler! Everytime Edwards comes up with a phrase...."this is personal"...."fighting against the status quo"....Obama and Clinton use his lingo. After Bhutto was murdered he recommended an independent investigation. He was the FIRST to say this and then "The Others" followed. I'm so sick of John Edwards being shoved off to the side when he is actually the only authentic ORIGINAL candidate with a real, decisive plan and not "hot air." Go Edwards!

[midnight]

34. I don't just want Hillary and Barack to repeat Johns message,

I want them to actually fight for it.

[bpeale]

13. and we plan to dismantle your sorry ass!

[asdjrocky]

14. Whatever the outcome-

This is a good fight to be in. It feels right. For once, maybe the American people might decide to take the powers that be head on.

We can dream too.

[Triana]

15. What a creepy creature - looks just like what he is - robber baron

You know, when the snarling, age-spotted, white-headed CLUES start jumping out and flailing their arms, yelling and making threats against the people of this country RIGHT ON OUR FRONT PORCH - RIGHT IN OUR LIVING ROOMS - and we have ONE MAN who who is willing to fight them on our behalf - and so many Americans stand there all googley-eyed "ooohhing" and "ahhhhing" over Obama and Clinton on teevee or the internets and not paying AAAANY ATTENTION to the fact that the big money candidates are BOUGHT and they are part of the problem - well, they DESERVE what they get - MORE of the status-quo of corporate dominance of their government at their EXTREME expense - not to mention the expense of this country.

UNFORTUNATELY - the REST of us - get to suffer with the never-ending corporatocracy that bilks us of our lives, health, prosperity, world respect, and livlihoods right along with them.

I cannot THINK of any sadder commentary on the state of this country than that.

WE THE PEOPLE - idiotically sitting here sawing off the VERY BRANCHES upon which we (and our country) are perched.

Pfffft!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

31. Right on Triana!

:yourock:

[2hip]

16. ~ EDWARDS IS THE PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE ~

This is how we should start "framing" him!



        Edwards '08 tees!

[montanaliberaldem]

38. If Obama and Clinton are such strong advocates for change, where have they been for the last year?

Where has their strong talk been in dealing with the Republicans in Congress and the idiot in the White House? We see Feingold and others giving them hell, but what of Obama and Clinton? I have seen no risky stands taken by either, little strong conviction, and that disappoints me tremendously.

I will vote for the nominee of my party, but neither of them has done anything to convince me that they are truly committed to fostering real change. Both are bright, articulate and head and shoulders above anything the Republicans can offer. Both would be capable presidents. I like them both and have defended Hillary more times than I can count to my Republican friends. I don' "hate" either one, but I see Edwards as the real deal. He is the author of the current debate. I echo the complaint above that he makes a bold statement and the others "borrow" it. I don't recall "change" being on everyone's lips a month ago. Edwards is right on every issue important to me. Right, tenacious and unapologetic. That's what I like.

He needs to hammer away at his being the only one vowing to get us out of Iraq as quickly as possible. 70% of Americans agree. I work with young vets in an education program and few people understand the depth of the damage - physical, psychological, and emotional - their service to their country has caused them. We need to get out of Iraq now. The military would stay forever, sacrafice all, even without a chance for what can be regarded as success or victory. We shouldn't ask them to.

Ask yourselves what the campaign would be about without Edwards in the race? He has rachetted up the seriousness of the debate.

[bobbolink]

43. You can use "risk" together with those two names?

I"m with you... our country is in MUCH too serious a condition to let those who are playing footsie with the corporations have 4 or 8 years in the Oval.

I"m really depressed that voters can't/won't see this!!

The choice should be a no-brainer!

I switched to Edwards because he's the ONLY candidate speaking out for those in poverty. BUT.... his stance against the corporations solidified it for me, and made me a several-issue voter!

[bvar22]

17. I've seen Death Camp Aryan NAZIs with kinder faces.

[jgraz]

22. We sooo need Swamp Rat right now.

[jgraz]

23. dupe

We don't need him THAT much. ;)

[laureloak]

18. We don't have anit-BUSINESS candidates. Its corrupt

corporations that we are against. Bad corporations give good corporations a bad name.

[brentspeak]

19. K and R

:kick:

[bvar22]

20. Americans who WORK for a Living need a FIGHTER,

not someone who will give these creeps a "Seat at the Table".




The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[BrklynLiberal]

21. K and R.

Hope the voters realize that these pro-business guys are sooo against the average worker...

[smokey nj]

24. K&R!!!!!!!

[balantz]

25. It seems odd thanking this guy,

but in his attack he proves beyond any doubt that John Edwards is THE most populist candidate of the top three leading candidates. Edwards is not a corporate insider of Washington.

On edit the article names Edwards as the most vocal on the issue.

[Wisconsin for Hill]

26. um, no. You fight for the same reason that Nader fought

You'd rather be "anti establishment" than admit your candidate LOST.

[balantz]

27. I think I speak for many of us in saying I'd rather not be percieved

as anti-establishment, but the corruption within the establishment will take someone from the outside to be able to work at correcting the imbalances created by that corruption. We want our government to be of and for the people, not a tool of major corporate power and greed.

[jgraz]

28. Congratulations. It only took you 8 posts to get pegged as an asshat by most DUers.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Mythsaje]

36. When the establishment is corrupt

it's an honor to be "anti-establishment."

I wear the badge proudly and fuck those who don't like it.

[Critters2]

46. Yeah, right. The establishment is such a friend to ordinary Americans.

What this country needs are a couple of good dynasties. :puke:

[depakid]

29. That guy just looks evil....

Love to see him handed his own ass, bleeding.

Preferably in prison.

[Plucketeer]

30. Good God!

Here's the EPITOMY of what John talks about beating back! What a nasty, scum-bag SOB. :grr: Here's a curse on that man's very existence! :nuke:

[Infinite Hope]

33. Chamber of Commerce = Republican Party 2.0 n/t

[fuzzy otter pop]

35. look at the scumbag..... it actually thinks, its alive!!!!

how cute.

[Kurovski]

37. K&R. (nt)

[frogmarch]

39. another big kick nt

[defendandprotect]

40. It's war on populists --- and war on ideals of democracy ---

"I'm concerned about anti-corporate and populist rhetoric from
candidates for the presidency, members of Congress and the media,"
he said. "It suggests to us that we have to demonstrate who it is
in this society that creates jobs, wealth and benefits -- and who it
is that eats them."

Since there has been so little discussion over this campaign period of corporate-fascism -
in fact, none at all -- you can see how frightened they are of any real discussions taking
place about corporate-fascism.

Of any truth reaching the public about what has been happening in our nation and around the world --- i.e., predatory, savage capitalism.

[defendandprotect]

41. Because of people like this Americans have to finance opposition to their buying of

government and representatives ---

When $ becomes power to corrupt government, we are in a lot of trouble!!

[november3rd]

The Chamber and the Corporations aren't Citizens

They can't even vote. They are working as a political action committee, which completely belies the so-called "free market" "laissez faire" "invisible hand" "anti-union" spiel we always get from the stuffed shirts, especially in an election year.

Just ask George Bush about ethics in free market stock deals, or Dick Cheney about insider no-bid contracts in a competition is sacrosanct world!

Oh, by the way, Mr. Bernanke, what's with the bailouts and the interest rate cuts? Maybe Mr. Paulson thinks that's free-market economics, but it looks a hell of a lot like inflation-to-screw-the-poor-and-bail-out-the-rich to me.

The American people should thank God for John Edwards. He's the only candidate standing up between what's left of our democracy and complete fascism.

[debbierlus]

44. DO NOT GIVE UP because of the refusal of the corporate owned media to cover him

That is EXACTLY what they want

[rch35]

45. bring it on nt

[Two Americas]

47. the battle lines

Our adversaries know precisely where the battle lines are drawn in this battle which they started. They recognize who their enemies are - all of us who are supporting Edwards. They know what is at stake, and they are not mired down in debate and niceties, but are free to go right for the jugular. They are very well-financed, determined and motivated, and they are very clear about their goals.

It is important to recognize that this is not merely one bad apple that is spoiling the bunch. This man is doing us a favor by revealing the agenda of our adversaries. I much prefer this to the usual nicey-nice platitudes and PR that is used to disguise and hide this agenda from us by more polished and suave spokespeople for the interests of those few who have such disproportionate control over our government and our lives.

The problem is systemic and pervasive, not isolated and discrete. Do not take this revealing and telling example that is so perfectly representative of a broad and omnipresent problem and crunch it down into a very small matter of one evil guy, or one bad organization, or one convoluted conspiracy of a handful of “elites.” It is the system that allows people such as this and organizations such as this to rise to power and prominence that is the problem—that rewards and protects the most anti-social and anti-democratic behavior imaginable.

Rather, take this example and broaden it into a universal and powerful statement of exactly what has gone wrong in this country, as a clear and coherent prelude to promoting the time-honored traditional principles and ideals of the Democratic party, and the program that has always brought the party its greatest electoral success.

Our adversaries know what the battle is about and where the battle lines are drawn. So must we if we are to survive.

We can stand firmly on the shoulders of the giants who have gone before us, and we can use them as a model and as a guide.

FDR said:

“ Liberty requires opportunity to make a living — a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.

“For too many of us the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor — other people's lives. For too many of us life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness.

"The royalists of the economic order have conceded that political freedom was the business of the Government, but they have maintained that economic slavery was nobody's business. They granted that the Government could protect the citizen in his right to vote, but they denied that the Government could do anything to protect the citizen in his right to work and his right to live.

"Today we stand committed to the proposition that freedom is no half-and-half affair. If the average citizen is guaranteed equal opportunity in the polling place, he must have equal opportunity in the market place.

"But the resolute enemy within our gates is ever ready to beat down our words unless in greater courage we will fight for them."

[redqueen]

48. Exactly.

Hey jgraz... didja see this one from The Guardian?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2660631

Good stuff!

[liberal N proud]

49. Precisely why Edwards is being squeezed by the MSM

[Plucketeer]

50. Kay & Are!

With an extra kick to Donohue's cranium! :kick:

[earth mom]

51. Sounds like the mafia to me.

:yoiks:

[Cronopio]

52. I so want to inflict some serious disappointment on him.

Fascists with a sense of entitlement give me the biggest woodies.