Kludge
11-08-2011, 02:56 AM
"We've been pointing out for a while just how incredibly out of touch the US Chamber of Commerce is these days. The giant lobbying firm (not to be confused with the US Department of Commerce -- a government agency), has consistently been taking a position that is anti-innovation, anti-growth and anti-jobs. It does this by supporting protectionist policies for just a few large companies who pay it a ton. It never supports innovative upstarts. Over the past few years, that's meant that it's been losing the true innovators, the companies who actually create jobs and contribute to economic growth today. Apple dumped the US CoC two years ago (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/05/AR2009100502744.html) over its anti-science position on climate change. Yahoo recently refused to renew its membership (http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111013/11270216337/yahoo-dumps-us-chamber-commerce-over-its-extremist-position-protect-ip.shtml)out of disgust over the Chamber's position on PROTECT IP/SOPA. And now there are reports saying that both Google and the Consumer Electronics Association are considering dropping out of the Chamber (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67603.html) over its support of PROTECT IP/SOPA. Kind of silly to call yourself the "US Chamber of Commerce" when all of the companies in industries that actually involve innovation are dropping your for your anti-innovation position, isn't it?"
Write-up by Mike Masnick of Techdirt. Original article with comments @ http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111106/23002616649/us-chamber-commerce-quickly-showing-that-its-out-touch-as-google-cea-consider-dropping-out.shtml
Write-up by Mike Masnick of Techdirt. Original article with comments @ http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111106/23002616649/us-chamber-commerce-quickly-showing-that-its-out-touch-as-google-cea-consider-dropping-out.shtml