Strange Bedfellows?

I read this phrase in a Washington Times editorial last week: "...the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO and the ACLU..." Then I spewed bad coffee all over the rest of the editorial page and used it to clean up my desk. Before the coffee spew, though, I remember the issue of note was matching Social Security numbers of employees with the Department of Homeland Security's database. It's a law that is designed to, you know, provide a measure of security for the homeland by verifying that prospective or even curent employees are actually who they say they are and in our country legally.

Not sure whether it was just a bad dream, I just chedcked the USCOC website to find the press release. Read it here (caution, do not read while drinking or eating anything; be seated comfortably).

It reads in part:

September 10, 2007
Chamber Files Legal Challenge Against DHS “Social Security No-Match” Regulation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today joined with other business organizations in intervening in a legal challenge against the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) so-called “Social Security No-Match” regulation issued on August 15."

And, sure enough:

"The suit intervenes on behalf of a lawsuit filed last week by the AFL-CIO, several California labor groups and the ACLU, which argued that because of errors in the SSA database, many American citizens could be fired because of this new regulation."

What bothers me about this? Where do I start? Maybe it's just me. Maybe I sholdn't assume that the members of the US CoC are good, solid upstanding American business men and women. When I hear "Chamber of Commerce" I automatically think "Republican." Why? Well because Republicans band together to promote a public policy that generally favors capitalism and free markets. There are notable individual exceptions, of course, mostly in the Senate, and at least one, whose name rhymes with Gilchrest in the House.

But how can I think "Republican" when these people are teaming up with the Socialists? The answer, of courser, must be that the USCoC does NOT represent solid, upstanding, patriotic American business folk. This chamber and others, such as Bob Burdon's Chamber, represents tragically misguided business folk or pathetically greedy business folk.

But Mr. Netherland, Chambers of Commerce across the land are non-partisan. As smart (not ethical, mind you, or conscientious) but as smart business folk, as you call us, we cater to clients and consumers of every political stripe. A buck is a buck, right? You wouldn't tie our hands in our pursuit of profits and shareholder equity, would you?

No. But the AFL-CIO and the ACLU are, at this very second, scheming to do just that. They are going into every facet of your operations looking for ways to make your profit margins even thinner, the cost of doing business every higher. And they will make it look like your fault. And they will succeed. And how will they succeed? They will rely on your tragic misguidedness or your pathetic greed. Oh, I mean your non-partisanship.

Why don't you people wise up and realize that there is a subtle difference between making a buck and cutting your own throats. I will be happy to teach a course at the USCoC on ethics and principles and patriotism (the love of ones own country). I think I'll call it "Can I Run a Successful Business AND Support and Promote Laws Designed to Protect My Country's Sovereignty? Or Why the AFL-CIO and ACLU are Bad for Business.