Liberals Organize Against Issa

Newly emboldened as chair of the House's key investigative committee, Congressman Darrell Issa, a conservative California Republican, this week sent letters to more than 150 business lobby groups, asking them to identify government rules that they want eliminated

Issa wants to hand the government over to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a who's who of corporate America. The new Republican Congress is their opportunity to get rid of those pesky environmental laws, consumer product safety laws, and even rules to prevent another Wall Street financial train wreck.

Issa plans to hold hearings of his Oversight and Government Reform Committee to explore how he can help corporate America rid itself of "burdensome government regulations." According to Politico, dyn.politico.com/members/forums/thread.c...d=1&threadid=4914087 Issa asked businesses, including Duke Energy, FMC Corp., Toyota and Bayer, to supply him with their wish lists. He also sent letters to industry lobby groups including the American Petroleum Institute, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Association of American Railroads, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) and entities representing health care and telecommunication providers.

Let's go back in time and see what corporate leaders have predicted about proposed government rules seeking to make business more socially responsible: (see article for list)

Issa is only the latest corporate lackey to practice crony capitalism. What's needed is a different version -- responsible capitalism -- that recognizes the balance between business profits and the public interest.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, this week released nearly 2,000 pages of documents from more than 100 companies and trade associations outlining federal regulations they'd like to axe.

By the Center's count, 58 of these organizations that Issa solicited for comments are politically active, having spent a combined $456 million on lobbying since 2009. And during the 2010 election, through their PACs and employees, they've also contributed about $8.9 million to federal-level candidates and committees, with about 68 percent of that sum benefiting Republicans. In all, 24 organizations that Issa published letters from Monday gave a combined $223,100 during the 2010 election cycle to 31 members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which plans to conduct hearings on many of their suggestions. Of this amount, 83 percent has gone to the committee's Republicans.

Issa's office has issued numerous letters to organizations seeking advice on what government regulations to target. Those groups, combined with the groups Issa published letters from Monday, have spent a combined $909 million on lobbying during 2009 and 2010 and contributed a combined $41.6 million during the same time, with 56 percent of that sum benefiting Republicans.