samboct
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Sserpentia
Sorry, but as a small business owner, there's a distinct whistling in the wind as far as the Chamber of Commerce is concerned. Here's an article pointing out the rise of competing organizations-
"Small Business Groups Join Forces to Voice Strong Support for Small Business Jobs Act
American Sustainable Business Council, Small Business Majority and South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce Join Senators at Press Event Tuesday to Urge Passage of Jobs Bill
Washington DC, Sept. 14, 2010—Small business advocacy organizations American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), Small Business Majority and The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce will join Senator Mary Landrieu, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Senators Jeff Merkely, Barbara Boxer and Maria Cantwell at a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday morning, September 14, to voice their strong support for the Small Business Jobs Act.
“We’re here to show the strong, unequivocal support this bill has from the small business community,” said Frank Knapp Jr., president and CEO of The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and speaking on behalf of the ASBC. “Our small business organizations have worked very hard on this issue and with a clear voice—this bill must pass for the good of our nation. We’re ready to lead the country out of this poor economy and—with the financial resources provided in this bill—we will do just that.”
“This is a bipartisan bill that contains crucial provisions for small businesses,” said John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. “Small businesses’ biggest problems include a lack of access to loans, a disproportionate tax burden and high healthcare costs. This bill addresses those issues and more. There’s absolutely no reason it shouldn’t be passed immediately.”
The bill, already passed by the House, is supported by local, state and national business groups across the political spectrum. It focuses on helping small businesses, which create most of the nation’s new jobs, where they need it most. The bill includes measures to expand small business lending such as creation of a $30 billion lending fund to encourage small business loans by community banks and provides $12 billion in targeted tax cuts for small businesses. Other pertinent provisions include tax equity for the 22 million self-employed to help them afford health insurance, export promotion support for small businesses and business expansion incentives.
“I need a loan badly in order to grow my business. I’ve been trying to get one for months, but the process has been incredibly arduous and often times unreasonable,” said small business owner Heidi Kallett, owner of stationary and gift store The Dandelion Patch in Vienna, VA. “Small business owners like me need help, and this bill provides it.”
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill this week.
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About American Sustainable Business Council
The American Sustainable Business Council is a fast-growing collaboration of 23 business networks, including the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Majority and other organizations whose leaders are meeting in Washington Sept. 13-14 and will be attending the Small Business Jobs Act press conference. The Council represents more than 50,000 companies and more than 150,000 executives, owners, investors and entrepreneurs working to build a strong, sustainable economy.
About Small Business Majority
Small Business Majority is a nonprofit, nonpartisan small business advocacy group founded and run by small business owners and focused on solving the biggest problems facing small businesses today. We speak for the nearly 28 million Americans who are self-employed or own businesses of up to 100 employees. Our organization sponsors scientific research that guides us to understand and advocate on behalf of the interests of small businesses across the country."
Why would such an organization exist?
Well, an explanation from a news article by Bloomberg shows why-
Simply put, the Chamber of Commerce's interests are aligned with large businesses, not small ones. Small businesses can't export jobs, they don't have the infrastructure in China to support doing business there. To export jobs to China, you need to be able to negotiate contracts etc. This is something that large businesses can do- and they can build plants in China.
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its legal-reform affiliate spent $37 million to lobby Congress and the executive branch in the last three months, bringing its total for the year to $81 million.
That’s one-fourth more than the $65 million the group spent between January and September 2009. For all last year, the chamber and its Institute for Legal Reform spent a record $144 million on lobbying.
The chamber, the largest U.S. business lobby, failed to prevent President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress from overhauling health care and regulating the financial industry. The group has said it plans to spend $75 million to support congressional candidates in November’s election. Most of the money spent by the chamber on political activities from July through September has gone for advertisements backing Republican candidates.
The group has led efforts against legislation requiring it to disclose the corporations and individuals funding its political activities; the measure was blocked by Senate Republicans in September.
A top Obama adviser, David Axelrod, has singled out the group for criticism over its undisclosed donations, and the Democratic National Committee has run an ad suggesting some of the money spent on political activities may have come from overseas. Chamber President Tom Donohue has said none of the money spent on political advertising comes from foreign donors."
This is a case where I don't think your skepticism is warranted.
Sam
< Message edited by samboct -- 10/20/2010 7:55:05 PM >
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RE: Chamber Of Commerce Gives Seminars On How To Export... - 
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