There’s an interesting post on the Washington Examiner web site by Timothy Carney. Here’s the first line:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has issued its 2009 congressional scorecard, and once again, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex. ? certainly one of the two most free-market politicians in Washington ? gets the lowest score of any Republican.
It seems that voting against business subsidies and against the stimulus bill didn’t make Ron Paul popular with the Chamber.
The question I pose to others: Is it possible to be pro-business and pro-free-market? I think it is, but DC trade associations are so short-sighted and wrapped up in political maneuvering, they never consider whether subsidies are beneficial beyond a narrow industry.
Take the Chamber for example: Is the net effect of subsidies for solar energy beneficial to most of their members? BTW: This was one of the subsidies the Chamber liked. The answer is of course it isn’t beneficial for most of their members.
As I have similarly mentioned on previous occasions, the next time a group like the Chamber talks about being in favor of free-markets, just laugh. They only care about what’s in the best interest of the organization itself and those members that they are concerned about pleasing.
