U.S. business under attack by its own government

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Who would have thought that President Barack Obama would take a page — maybe an entire chapter — from the Richard Nixon political playbook?

A Review & Outlook piece in the Wall Street Journal explains the connection. The subject is campaign fund disclosure: “Democrats claim only to favor ‘disclosure’ of donors, but their legal intimidation attempts are the best argument against disclosure. Liberals want the names of business donors made public so they can become targets of vilification with the goal of intimidating them into silence. A CEO or corporate board is likely to think twice about contributing to a campaign fund if the IRS or prosecutors might come calling.”

The war on business that’s being conducted by liberals is puzzling and misplaced. Who do they think creates income and wealth that generates taxes to fund Obama’s expanding government?

Regarding Wichita-based Koch Industries and an Obama administration official’s potentially improper disclosure of information, the Journal says it’s glad to hear that this example won’t be used again. But the Journal is skeptical: “… pardon our skepticism given the ferocity of this White House-led campaign against businesses that donate to political campaigns. Faced with electoral repudiation as the public turns against their agenda, Democrats are unleashing government power to silence their political opponents. Instead of piling on, the press corps ought to blow the whistle on this attempt to stifle political speech. This is one more liberal abuse of power that voters should consider as they head to the polls.”

Shutting Up Business

Democrats unleash the IRS and Justice on donors to their political opponents.

If at first you don’t succeed, get some friends in high places to shut your opponents up. That’s the latest Washington power play, as Democrats and liberals attack the Chamber of Commerce and independent spending groups in an attempt to stop businesses from participating in politics.

Since the Supreme Court’s January decision in Citizens United v. FEC, Democrats in Congress have been trying to pass legislation to repeal the First Amendment for business, though not for unions. Having failed on that score, they’re now turning to legal and political threats. Funny how all of this outrage never surfaced when the likes of Peter Lewis of Progressive insurance and George Soros helped to make Democrats financially dominant in 2006 and 2008.

Continue reading at the Wall Street Journal

Comments

3 responses to “U.S. business under attack by its own government”

  1. Chuck

    OK, but you haven’t given an example of when these threats or intimidation has actually occured.

  2. sue c.

    Chuck, one example would be the ACORN protesters at the homes of AIG officials. And other CEOs have had SEIU thugs in their front yards. If you google it, you can probably find many examples.

  3. sue c.

    2 more examples of the intimidation tactics of the left on businesses: The protests/boycott of Target after it was learned they gave money to a Republican.

    The Whole Foods boycott/protest after the owner spoke out against the healthcare bill.

    The Left (mostly ACORN/ SEIU & other unions) send thugs to your place of business or home to hurt you.

    The law to protect donors was implemented in the 1960s to protect members from the NAACP who were being intimidated by the then Democrat-run State of Alabma.

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