Thread: MO: Chamber of Commerce president backs immigration reform

Chamber of Commerce president backs immigration reform

Issue: 1073 Date: 3/17/2011


National Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donahue spoke to the Regional Chamber and Growth Association.

National Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donahue offered up a conciliatory message today to the Regional Chamber and Growth Association, as he praised some top labor leaders, emphasized his support for some -- but not all -- new federal regulations and proposed a 20-cent increase in the nation's gasoline tax.

Donahue also attacked what he saw as an anti-immigration push, saying that some critics need "to get a life" and recognize that immigrants are necessary, along with international trade.

"Unless we're all American Indians here, we're all immigrants," Donahue said, referring to the packed luncheon crowd in the RCGA's meeting room downtown.

He took note of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the country, and said, "We don't have to make them citizens, (but) we need to make them legal."

On the international trade front, Donahue observed, "Ninety-five percent of the people we want to sell something to, live somewhere else."

The hike in the gas tax, he said, was needed to help cover the infrastructure improvements and upgrades that the United States will require if it wants to move forward and compete with other rapidly developing countries.

Donahue noted that the gas tax had not been increased in almost two decades and proposed that an increase be phased in over several years. "You do 15-20 cents over three years and no one will notice it," he said. What would be noticeable, he continued, would be the good the extra money could do on the infrastructure front. He predicted that private money will flow in to help, if the government leads the way.

Donahue emphasized his cooperative talks with AFL-CIO national chief Richard Trumka regarding that infrastructure push, and on other fronts.

Donahue said his point was that business leaders could and should work with others -- including labor adversaries -- on issues and programs on which they agree. "The only way to get things done is to build a coalition," he said. Donahue added that even a vigorous disagreement "doesn't have to be personal" and decried those on all sides who he said had gone too far in rhetoric or actions.

Donahue's message contrasted with the national Chamber's image, particularly after its hefty spending in last fall's elections to air attack ads against targeted Democrats -- including Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

Donahue made only a brief mention of the Chamber's political activities, drawing a chuckle from the RCGA crowd when he cited some discussions he had recently had with U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Ca., whom he added he'd unsuccessfully tried "to knock off" last fall.

Donahue's broader message was that Americans should be challenged -- not discouraged -- as they look to the future.

People look at the rapid growth in China, India and Brazil, he said, and legitimately "wonder whose century is it going to be? Is it going to be theirs or ours?"

"Yes, our competitors are closing in on us from many sides. And, yes, we are still shaken by the worst recession since the Great Depression," Donahue said. "But I don't see a nation destined to gradually slide into mediocrity. I see a nation that remains resilient."

Donahue questioned whether fast-growing countries, China in particular, had the right kind of government to foster economic growth long term. "China is a dictatorship," he said bluntly. But such countries have been advancing, he said, because "they've watched what we've done and they have been trying to do it."

The U.S., he continued with dismay, "We watch what the Europeans have done and we try to do that."

(Donahue later observed that Europe's growth rate was slow and many of its countries have demographic issues -- an aging native population, low birth rates and a growing immigrant population.)

Donahue said he supported government regulation in principle, saying it was necessary in many areas -- citing roads, food production, health care and the financial industry. He objected, he continued, to what he saw as overregulation threatening to swamp business and other aspects of American life.

Donahue cited the federal government's three branches -- the executive, legislative and the judiciary -- and observed, "Whoever heard of the regulatory branch?"

But he faulted Americans as well, saying they demand government help and oversight and then balk at the implications.

"Americans know how to do things," Donahue said, referring to the nation's challenges, from improving public education to embracing new energy sources and trimming national debt. "On the other hand, we're so comfortable that we find reasons not to do them."

(By Jo Mannies, Beacon political reporter, Fri., 3.11.11)

http://www.scanews.com/2011/03/s1073/107318/

We have enough people in the US. We DO NOT need immigrants.

Ah, it has been proven that even the Native Indians immigrated here at one point. If you want to play that way then technically even they are not native to this land.

Making illegals legal is like letting a bank robber keep the money. If you reward people for breaking the laws, then why bother with laws at all?

Wow, raise the Gas Tax? WTF, most of us are on the Gas Diet already. Gas or food but not both. Raise it up higher will only make things worse.

Donahue also attacked what he saw as an anti-immigration push, saying that some critics need "to get a life" and recognize that immigrants are necessary, along with international trade.

NO PEA BRAIN its not anti-immigrant.
its anti-ILLEGAL-immigrant. there is a big difference, ya moron

The US Chamber of Commerce is a globalist tool to end the United States and render the world's nations to the tyranny of the World Trade Organization.

It's so sad to see an organization that at one time represented the best of America for America turn into a treasonous organization that uses lies and fallacies to mislead small businesses into believing that selling their goods to people who earn $1 a day is preferable to protecting the jobs and economy of their primary market that earns on average almost $200 a day.

And maybe some of these business people will wake up and ask Tom Donahue, if I'm importing washing machines from Mexico and selling them for $600, how do I turn around and sell washing machines made in Mexico to Mexicans when Mexicans can make and buy their own washing machines? Or if I'm importing computers and coffee pots from China, how do I turn around and sell computers and coffee pots to the Chinese when the Chinese can make and buy their own computers and coffee pots?

It's hard to imagine but it's absolutely true that the members of the US Chamber of Commerce are a sad testimony of the failure of public schools to educate this generation of American business people, otherwise the US Chamber of Commerce would have ceased to exist years ago as it should.

The success the US Chamber of Commerce has in our society with its anti-American self-destruct agenda in Congress and state capitals is tied directly to the inability of its members to realize they're being stripped and marched straight into the Chamber of Economic Death.

Those of us who know and see should boycott businesses who are members of the US Chamber of Commerce. And as to Tom Donohue, the so called CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce? Look at his credentials. He's never started a business, never owned a business, never worked for a business. He's nothing but a globalist puppet of the multi-nationals exploiting the small to medium-sized businesses through a brain-washed folly of failure by design.

Donohue studied at St. John's University, before pursuing an MA in Business at Adelphi University (1965). He then worked as an administrator at Fairfield University (1967–69) and worked as a trustee at Marymount University.

From 1969 to 1976 he was the US Official Deputy Assistant Postmaster General. From 1984 to 1997 Donohue was President and CEO of the American Trucking Association.

He has also served as the President of the Center for International Private Enterprise. He is the an Emeritus Hudson Institute Trustee, a member of the board of Qwest (2001-?), of Sunrise Assisted Living Corporation (1995-), of Union Pacific (199, and of XM (1999-).

And it's not clear that he ever graduated with a degree in anything.

i can't stand the chamber of commerce ...

Take that suit off of him, put him in a pair of dungarees and force him to look for a job in construction or manufacturing. See how long it takes him to realize that there are not enough jobs for Americans even without the competition by illegals.

What kind of Americans are these whose God is greater profits?

The greatest struggle in America is the war among the classes. The greatest motivation of those who have is to have more at the expense of their fellow citizens. Lowering the cost of labor allows people like Donahue to have more things than they need at a cheaper price.

Whether it be goods from abroad or jobs in America, globalization is their goal. We need some old fashioned frontier justice for people like Donahue.

Mod Edit

What he doesn't understand - or maybe doesn't want to acknowledge - is that once our current crop of illegals is amnestied, they will want higher wages and benefits, erasing the benefit of low cost labor he desires. To keep costs low, he will need a whole new crop of illegals to work for slave wages.