The troglodyte crap spewed by the Chamber and other corporatist propagandists makes me almost too tired to type, but that's what they depend on--that people who know will become too weary to combat their bs. Here's to the Yes Men and their tireless efforts to speak truth to the greedy bastards.

I don't think they fooled anybody when they shortened their name from the original "Chamberpot of Commerce".

· Yr Obd't Servant

On any future purchases, I will check beforehand to see if the company that produces the product I would like is a member of the Chamber. If so, I will shop another business and relay the message to the company that lost out and the particulars why.

"the Chamber routinely undermines American democracy by spending millions to oppose sane climate legislation, health care reform, and employee free choice - not to mention so-called 'grassroots' campaigns to kill banking regulations on derivatives trading. That's right: the Chamber is lobbying to prop up the same system that left the American economy in a shambles."

And let's not forget the outsourcing, corporate tax breaks, free trade giveaways and leveraged buyouts ...

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is all about the fat cat CEOs, the Investment Bankers and the the Oligarchic Families that don't care if they destroy America to fatten their wallets.

I have to laugh at the term "far-left" agenda as it is used today. 2009's 'far-left' is at the most the equivalent of 'fair', 'just', 'humane', 'sensible',
'decent'. Today's rightwingnuts, including the Chamber, need a quick trip back to the '60s to know what 'far-left' really means.

Well, a'int that too bad.....

Good...Good...Good!!!!

Screw 'em all!

This is good.

The Yes men were in a state of complete obscurity until this - lees than one in 10,000 has probably heard of them. Now they are rapidly apporaching a household word.

The Yes Men's clever antics have poked and provoked the capitalist beast to break it's own rule #1 of the media propaganda model - NEVER, EVER give left-dissenters news coverage or any other publicity. NEVER renounce them, just ignore them. And never, for crying out loud, issue press releases that you are engaging in a frivolous lawsuit against them!

I just had a great time sending this letter to my local COC directly and as an Open Letter to the Editor of the local newspaper. Feel free to customize, and I certainly hope The Yes Men don't mind my borrowing some of their language here and there to make my point.

Dear (local COC):

I am writing to let you know that as an owner of a small business in (my local community), I will not become a member of the (local COC).

I am taking this stance because it has recently come to my attention that the US Chamber of Commerce has spent over $50 million on lobbying fees in Congress. The Chamber, as I’ve learned, does this in an attempt to undermine American democracy by opposing necessary and sane climate legislation, health care reform, employee free choice, and to kill much needed banking regulations on derivatives trading.

Not only will I not become a member of the COC, I will not do business with any company that is a member until the COC stops their democracy-killing lobbying on such matters and gets with the program to do what is right for our children, our grand-children, our communities, our country, and our world at large.

Additionally, I will explain to any company that is a member why I am choosing to do business elsewhere in the hope that the business terminates its membership with the COC so the COC will finally awaken to the degradation it is doing to our communities by holding and lobbying around these positions.

If the US COC continues to hold these positions, we will not even have a world in which to conduct our businesses. Apparently, the US COC only considers the bottom line and cannot think outside the box in a way that will create a sustainable future for all businesses, not to mention our communities.

I am aware that my boycott of all businesses related to the (local) COC will be a hardship for me as I had previously enjoyed doing business with many of them; however, I care more about the sustainability of our communities and our world than I do about one or another business.

If I am incorrect in any of my views or if the (local) COC is not a member of the US COC and does not promote nor support its views on the above-mentioned matters, I will be happy to re-evaluate my position. Until such time, please do not solicit my business for membership.

"Whatever you do may seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it." ~Gandhi

PS. To all Common Dreamers, I have to say, that really felt great to write and send off!!! Now, I'm off to send one directly to the US COC. Isn't being an activist fun?!?...{Said with a twinkle in my eyes and sincerity in my heart}. Be well, All!

WiseCrone

Having known of the Yes Men for several years now, I've often wondered where they get the time and money to pull off their elaborate pranks. Whatever, I'm sure glad they're alive and well, using humor, parody, satire and ingenious creativity to infiltrate the corporate power structure in ways that now has the CofC making a total fool of itself and exposing itself for what it really is - greed incarnate with zero sense of humor. Let's use the brilliant Yes Men tactics to pull off mischievous pranks for the common good in our own communities.

The Chamber of Commerce has no since of humor, but it is good at making money. Just use the right words, such as 'left wing' and 'under attack' and they will scare tens of thousands of conservative idiots into parting with some of their hard earned dough.

Business owners - there IS an alternative to the CoC.

Join BALLE - the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.

http://www.livingeconomies.org/

If BALLE not active on your community, make it active by joining and recruiting other local businesses to join.

Wouldn't it be ironic if we were to learn that the lawsuit filed by the COC was actually filed by the YesMen posing as the COC.
The text of the lawsuit is so hypocritical and just plain stupid that one is forced to believe that it another satirical joke.

I do bussiness to make a living. They do bussiness to make a killing. And as such anything is fair since they consider it war. It really is a shame the USA has no means to effectively hinder and reeducate those who live like that.

I would be willing to bet a fair sized chunk of money(if I had any left) that the Chamber drops this lawsuit. Why, you may well ask? Simple; They won't be able to stand the scrutiny that they will have to undergo from the cross examination of the defense.

They will scurry for the shadows to hide in due time but, little do they know, the shadows are getting harder to find...

Walkingtrees

The problem with stats like the 63% distrust of the media is that 60% might suspect "liberal media bias." The same when you hear Obama's approval ratings- It's presented as if anyone who disapproves is from the right-wing.

"'FAR LEFT-WING AGENDA' ATTACKS
US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE"

and,

"The US Chamber of Commerce is Under Attack"

---

*YAWN*

Same old agitprop from the right-wingnuts.

Headline should read: "SLAVISH AGENDA EXPOSED, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHINES"

Which will come when we see the headline: "DONKEYS FLY!"

under attack? since the late seventies this organization
has been doing all that it can to destroy the middle
class in america. they produced training videos and have
conferences on how to take a successful american business
and move it off shore and how to get a tax credit as well!
they are under attack? they have as members the worst american corps who don't give a damn about laws the environment
or any type of civic responsibility. its about time that
they feel under attack- now they will feel how we have
felt for the last 30 + yrs. the race to the bottom has
finally bit theirs and its not so funny now. great job
yes men. the bullies always cry when they finally get
a good hard shot to the nose don't they? it looks
like they are starting to crumble now isn't it a shame?

Yes Men sez: "But it's still pretty ironic that the Chamber would ask for money for its effort to punish criticism, given that they are so ... publicly in support of free speech.

***
The Chamber prefers its free speech in large denominations.