Business Community Offers Its Final Comment on Debt Ceiling Debacle: Whatevs

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


The Washington Post reports that over the past few years, business groups have heavily bankrolled the conservative Republicans who voted against raising the debt ceiling last week. That’s no surprise. The bigger question is what they’re going to do in the future. Will they continue to support tea party firebrands who threaten the U.S. economy and the health of the business community by playing games with the debt ceiling?

The chief lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Josten, said the debt-ceiling roll call would be only one of many factors considered by the Chamber when it decides which candidates to support in 2014.

“Everyone has their own number one issue, and in the Chamber’s membership, again unlike any other association, we have a lot of members with a lot of different number one issues,” Josten said.

Similarly, Scott Talbott, senior vice president for policy at the Financial Services Roundtable, said: “This vote will be a factor in the future before we make contributions, though it will not necessarily determine the outcome.

….Lobbyists say they are also aware that some of the Republicans may have voted against raising the debt ceiling to give themselves political cover from angry tea party constituents, knowing there were enough votes to avoid a default.

Well, that ought to put the fear of God into them! Something tells me that these tea party heroes are getting a somewhat clearer message from groups like Heritage and Club for Growth, that are on the other side of this issue. This story make it pretty obvious that the Chamber of Commerce has no real intention of punishing anyone who voted against the debt ceiling increase; has no real beef with the tea party wing of the GOP; and has accepted that its role is to oppose Democrats but otherwise STFU. Everyone hoping for a bit more adult supervision in the Republican Party is going to have to look elsewhere.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate