Thursday, July 27, 2006

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Ad Campaign Should be “Contract Out America”

Guess what the United States Chamber of Commerce is not promoting in their upcoming national advertising campaign, the advantages of making products in America! Yes, instead their bizarre campaign will pander to incumbent politicians who voted in favor of the Medicare Prescription Drug program back in 2003.

The benefit to American business is what? If I stretch I can find two connections. One, drugs made in the U.S. taken by elderly and disabled now are partly being paid for by the government. So some of the drugs previously donated to America’s elderly poor are now funded by the U.S. government.

The second benefit falls upon employers who pay for their retiree’s health care insurance. Other than these two connections, I am hard pressed to find a bonanza for America’s employers as a result of Medicare Part D. The chamber will spend $10 million on TV and radio ads thanking mostly Republican lawmakers who backed the plan 3 years ago. The chamber will also conduct direct mail, internet and get out the vote campaigns.

Why would the chamber conduct such a shameless marketing campaign on behalf of Republicans? My theory is their real message would not resonate, especially in light of post Katrina and Iraqi war government contracting. The Chambers unstated position is “Keep Republicans in Office, They Want to Contract Out America”.

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