For Dems, Special Treatment and Access for Lobbyists and Special Interests are Worth the Destructive Cost to Small Businesses

May 23, 2012

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Shelley Adler (NJ-03), Pete Aguilar (CA-31), Jeff Anderson (MN-08), George Badey (PA-07), Ron Barber (AZ-08), John Barrow (GA-12), Ami Bera (CA-07), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Kathy Boockvar (PA-08), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Lois Capps (CA-24), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Andrei Cherny (AZ-09), David Cicilline (RI-01), Tarryl Clark (MN-08), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Costa (CA-16), Mark Critz (PA-12), David Crooks (IN-08), John Delaney (MD-06), Val Demings (FL-10), Tammy Duckworth (IL-08), Bill Foster (IL-11), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Pete Gallego (TX-23), John Garamendi (CA-03), David Gill (IL-13), Alan Grayson (FL-09), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Pam Gulleson (ND-AL), Clark Hall (AR-01), Brad Harriman (IL-12), Jose Hernandez (CA-10), Brian Higgins (NY-26), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Paul Hirschbiel (VA-02), Kathy Hochul (NY-27), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Q. Byrum Hurst (AR-04), Steve Israel (NY-03), Bill Keating (MA-09), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Pat Kreitlow (WI-07), Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Nita Lowey (NY-17), Dan Maffei (NY-24), Larry Maggi (PA-18), Jim Matheson (UT-04), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Gary McDowell (MI-01), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Joe Miklosi (CO-06), Brendan Mullen (IN-02), Patrick Murphy (FL-18), Mark Murphy (NY-11), Rick Nolan (MN-08), John Oceguera (NV-03), Bill Owens (NY-21), Sal Pace (CO-03), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Scott Peters (CA-52), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23), Hayden Rogers (NC-11), Raul Ruiz (CA-36), Lori Saldaña (CA-52), David Schapira (AZ-09), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Brandon Shaffer (CO-04), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09), Louise Slaughter (NY-25), Gene Stilp (PA-11), Betty Sutton (OH-16), Mark Takano (CA-41), John Tierney (MA-06), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Manan Trivedi (PA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-03), Christie Vilsack (IA-04), Jamie Wall (WI-08), Tim Walz (MN-01), Charlie Wilson (OH-06), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

For Rahall’s Party, Special Treatment and Access for Lobbyists and Special Interests are Worth the Destructive Cost to Small Businesses
As Long As A Payday Follows for Dems, Their Special Interest Allies Will Thrive While Economy Suffers

WASHINGTON —– In the Obama-Rahall economy small businesses are consistently stripped of the certainty and support they need to boost the economy and get West Virginians back to work. However, Nick Rahall’s party leaders are richly rewarded and thus committed to ensuring there are no roadblocks along Democrat donors’ path to push for their anti-growth priorities in Washington.

“It’s Nick Rahall’s party’s allegiance with special interest allies that have squandered away billions of taxpayer dollars on high-risk companies, a big-government healthcare takeover and a nearly $1 trillion failed stimulus,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “West Virginia small businesses have fallen off Nick Rahall’s radar as his obsession with looking out for the interests of his Democrat donors remains on top of his priority list.”

At the price of small-business growth and economic stability President Obama’s administration makes sure it takes care of their allies:

“It was an unremarkable January day, with a steady stream of lobbyists among the thousands of daily visitors to the White House and the surrounding executive office buildings, according to a Washington Post analysis of visitor logs released by the administration…” (TW Farnam, “White House Visitor Logs Provide Window Into Lobbying Industry,” The Washington Post, 5/20/2012)

In return, Washington Democrats are rewarded by their special interest allies and campaign donors:

“During the next three years, the department provided $2.4 billion in public funding to clean-energy companies in which Wagle’s former firm, Vantage Point Venture Partners, had invested, a Washington Post analysis found. Overall, the Post found that $3.9 billion in federal grants and financing flowed to 21 companies backed by firms with connections to five Obama administration staffers and advisers.” (Carol Leonnig and Joe Stephens, “Venture Capitalists Play Key Role in Obama’s Energy Department,” The Washington Post, 2/14/2012)

With billions of taxpayer dollars going to failed projects during Obama’s tenure, small businesses struggle in an economy that has remained stagnant, and unable to gain momentum:

“‘Growth is slow, but choppy, and consumers, executives and investors are looking for more progress,’ said Ken Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board, a private research group.” (Ruth Mantell, “Leading Economic Indicators Dip in April,” MarketWatch, 5/17/2012)

###