Once again the GR Chamber of Commerce wants us to believe that they are looking out for the little guy

Last week the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce hosted Neil Bradley. Bradley is the Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce posted some pictures of Bradley on their Facebook page, with the following comment:

Thank you to Neil Bradley, Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for sharing your insights today on how policy changes, taxes, and tariffs impact small businesses.

It is instructive that the GR Chamber mentions how only small businesses would be impacted by taxes and tariffs. However, this is not surprising since the GR Chamber of Commerce always appears to act as the great defenders of small businesses. For example, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce has come out against a ballot initiative in Michigan called Invest in MI Kids. The premise of this ballot initiative is to restructure the tax system in Michigan so that millionaires and billionaires will be more in taxes. The GR Chamber is claiming this would negatively impact small businesses, but in reality, they are opposed to any tax policy that would impact members of the Capitalist Class.

It is also instructive that the GR Chamber of Commerce only referred to Bradley as the Chief Policy Officer of the US Chamber of Commerce, where he is in fact so much more than this. According to his bio on the US Chamber of Commerce site:

As executive vice president, chief policy officer, and head of strategic advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Neil Bradley is responsible for the organization’s overall advocacy efforts. In addition to managing policy development for the Chamber, Bradley oversees its government affairs activities, political program, and relations with other business organizations.

Thus, it seems safe to say that Bradley was in Grand Rapids to talk with GR Chamber members, small medium and large. Equally important is the fact that Bradley, “Prior to joining the Chamber, Bradley spent nearly 20 years working in the House of Representatives, including 11 years working for the House Republican leadership. He served as deputy chief of staff for then-Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA) where he developed the legislative agenda for House Republicans, oversaw policy formulation in the leader’s office, and coordinated committee activity in the House. Bradley held the same position for Eric Cantor (VA) during his tenure as majority leader. Before that, he was policy director for House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (MO).” 

The Chamber of Commerce, whether local or national, generally back the GOP, but lets face it, both parties are fervent defenders of Capitalism. It is also worth noting that the US Chamber of Commerce the largest lobbying organization in the United States, and also works to influence policy in many other countries. The Chamber of Commerce has a long history of defending business interests at the expense of working class people and eco-systems. 

The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce has a long history of being anti-union, pro-cop, and opposed to any regulations against the business class. GRIID has written dozens of of articles about the GR Chamber of Commerce since 2010, which you can find here.  

For excellent additional sources with critical analysis of the Chamber of Commerce, see Alyssa Katz’s book, The Influence Machine: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Capture of American Life, and check out the SourceWatch page on the US Chamber of Commerce.