Bogus "Fox Fact": U.S. Chamber of Commerce, under attack from Obama, represents "3 million businesses"
In recent days, while discussing the Obama administration's "attacks on biz," Fox News has repeatedly touted the bogus "fact" that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce "represents 3 million businesses." However, as Mother Jones has reported, "most of the businesses aren't direct members of the US Chamber, nor do local chambers have any effective oversight of the national group"; further, the chamber's own spokesman admitted the group's "direct members" are closer to 360,000.
Fox News repeatedly touts "fact" that U.S. Chamber of Commerce represents 3 million businesses
From the October 26 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto:
Wallace: White House attacking chamber, "which represents 3 million businesses." During the October 25 edition of Fox News' America's News HQ, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace said that the White House is attacking the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "which represents 3 million businesses."
Beck: Obama is attacking chamber, which "represents 3 million businesses." During the October 23 edition of his Fox News program, Glenn Beck claimed that "Obama and his cronies don't like the free-market system" and stated that the Obama administration is attacking the Chamber of Commerce, which Beck repeatedly said "represents 3 million businesses."
Chamber "does not represent anything close to the 3 million businesses it has always claimed"
CJR: Businesses chamber claims to " 'represent' ... are not direct members of the national group," report using 3 million figure "is misleading." From an October 23 Columbia Journalism Review article:
The question has been pushed by Mother Jones staff reporter Josh Harkinson, who reported last week that while news accounts typically refer to the Chamber's three million members, the organization's roster of direct, dues-paying member businesses is about one-tenth that size. The larger number is derived from counting businesses that belong to state and local chambers, many of which belong to the national organization. But while the U.S. Chamber does claim to "represent" businesses that belong to the smaller chambers, those companies are not direct members of the national group.
The distinction matters, Harkinson argues, because the larger figure makes it appear that support for the Chamber's positions -- many of which Mother Jones opposes -- is more broad-based than it really is. "The Chamber claims to speak for the U.S. business community," he says, and the widespread use of the three million figure "certainly adds to" the impression that it does. But if many of those three million aren't sustaining the Chamber financially or playing a role in setting its policies, how meaningful is the number? On Wednesday, Harkinson published an open letter to several reporters who had recently used the "three million" figure (sometimes with caveats or qualifiers), asking them to publish a correction.
On the issue of the size of the Chamber's membership, there's not actually much dispute. On Friday, [chamber spokesman Eric] Wohlschlegel said the organization has about 360,000 direct members (a number, he emphasized, that has been growing since executive director Tom Donohue took over); in addition, it counts about 1,200 state and local chambers and about 900 trade associations as members. And the Chamber does cite this figure publicly.
[...]
Whatever the value of the representation the national group provides to members of local chambers, there are clear, qualitative differences between direct, dues-paying members and companies that are part of the "federation." There may be plausible arguments for including both figures, but a story that reports on the group's size and uses only the larger number is misleading. A story that cites the smaller membership number, on the other hand, is accurate -- as the Chamber agrees.
Harkinson added on October 26 that the "Chamber often purports to 'represent 3 million businesses' based on the fact that they're enrolled in local chambers of commerce. But most of the businesses aren't direct members of the US Chamber, nor do local chambers have any effective oversight of the national group." Harkinson also wrote of the chamber's claims that it "represents" 3 million businesses:
At the same time, the Chamber has resisted doing anything more to explain its true size on its website or press releases. Neither source cites the Chamber's true membership number or explains what the group means when it says it "represents" 3 million businesses. Maybe the Chamber thinks the media is lazy or gullible enough to continue exponentially inflating its size.
Wash. Post's Pearlstein: Chamber "does not represent anything close to the 3 million businesses it has always claimed." In an October 16 Washington Post column, business columnist Steven Pearlstein wrote that the "first truth is that the Chamber, in fact, does not represent anything close to the 3 million businesses it has always claimed. In response to an inquiry from Mother Jones, the chamber acknowledged that its actual paid membership is only 300,000, including several thousand local chambers of commerce whose own membership was used in calculating the inflated 3 million figure. Moreover, when Josh Harkinson of Mother Jones contacted some of those local chambers, their leaders took pains to distance themselves from the national organization, whose policies, they said, they had no hand in shaping and with which they frequently disagree. 'They don't represent me,' said Mark Jaffe, chief executive of the Greater New York Chamber."
Can you say mid-terms?
360 thousand, 3 million, whatever.....
And the people who do use this site to help guide their voting patterns? We already know who they'll vote for.
So, who might be influenced by MMFA fact checking which documents all the lies and distortions? The average Joe Blow who eventually gets more accurate information because MMFA shamed the news media into being better. It would have been better had the news sources done it on their own, but short of that, they are called to account for their behavior here.
Eventually the voters will get a clearer picture. And they won't ever see all the big things or the small things that MMFA contributed to the pile.
Randy
First of all Randy, you have no clue with regard to what actual conservatism is or isn't other than maybe you think it must be diametrically opposed to your own narrow little retarded ideology.
...The Shadow knows!
Huh?
Randy
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations. More than 96% of U.S. Chamber members are small businesses with 100 employees or fewer.-From USCOC site
Greater New York Chamber of Commerce is an approved New York State Not For Profit; recognized by the US Chamber of Commerce. It operates under Rule 501 C 6, as an Exempt Organization of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. It also maintains a charitable fund to help assist local chambers, trade organizations and civic groups under IRS Rule 501 C 3. -From GNYCOC site.
Is Josh Harkinson a credible source or media attack dog of the Obama administration who seeks to to damage the USCOC for not signing on for "Health Care Reform"?
MMFA makes Bogus claim about FNC repeatedly touting "Bogus" "fact". MMFA is no longer a credible source and possibly a propaganda organ of the far left.
Members of SIEU "locals" not represented by the National Union? Not by MMFA standards of "truth".
...Back to the shadows Zzzzzzzzzz....
There is an interesting article about these numbers. To find it, scroll up!!!!!
Actually all lobbyists and special interests ought to be booted out of Washington including USCOC. Our government is the best government money can buy.
Keep thinking they're looking out for the best interest of poor people. If they take money from you and give it someone else they are buying their vote and retaining or accumulating power. "A chicken in every pot!" Sounds great, but nobody cares about the chicken farmer that had their chickens "taxed" away from them, unless they become a chicken farmer.
I promise you a piece the wealth of others and fruit of other people's labor by virtue of your existence. Vote for me!
Guess you missed where the USCoC's own spokesman admitted that they only have about 300k members after they were called out for lying about the 3 million figure.
Oh and are you saying the Washington Post is an unreliable source too? Because they also called out the USCoC.
And how is being "recognized by the US Chamber of Commerce" change the fact that the members of the GNYCOC are not actual/direct members of the USCOC?
The US Chamber of Commerce claims membership, and therefore influence, where it doesn't exist. The companies they claim as members are not members of the US Chamber of Commerce.
It's pretty simple.
The USCOC (who I could actually care less about) is the parent organization and has affiliate members. This is disingenuous nit picking by your ilk in an attempt to illustrate something on the agenda of your ilk.
Sort of like those your ilk loathing those who illuminate direct quotes and behavior by Obama and his non-vetted political appointments that sound suspiciously like socialist rhetoric. But that's not real; nah, even though more and more of it seems to surface all the time (and I don't know if it is or isn't, but I'm not going to simply ignore the evidence on the say so of your ilk). To quote one of my favorite films "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
I am being honest; but respectful? Of you? Not any more likely than you showing respect to opposing views or opinions which, as far as I've seen, you have been anathema to do.
What is actually illustrated here in this alleged quibble over "journalistic accuracy" is the question of whether a group represents it members or affiliates groups. Once again you interpret this as some sort deep dark issue that your ilk attribute to FNC (read the headline) which is rather disingenuous since I actually read Harkinson's actual article and he listed 17 other "news" outlets including NPR, AP, and the NYTimes who quote the USCOC's number. So to say this is a "Bogus 'Fox fact'" issue is a mischaracterization of the your precious facts, isn't it? Isn't it? Or is it okay if you don't like someone or something to misrepresent that facts about them? Guess it's not so simple huh?
Your buddy Obama's crew of spin doctors gather a few few left leaning doctors and stick them in White Coats and suddenly "doctors" support the Democrat version of health care reform? (which I know for a fact is a steaming pile of bovine manure) But "this" is somehow an issue? I call "shenanigans"! Where are your fact checkers and champions of truth on that little dog and pony show?
Ta-ta Dolly, ta-ta... Love ya, catch ya in the shadows.
The US Chamber of Commerce doesn't have 3 million members. You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. Claiming that they have 3 million members is the dishonesty on display here, not what people like me say when we say that they only have about 300,000 members.
And I have tons of respect for opposing views. I have no respect, however, for lies or liars. I am proud to be able to announce that I don't respect liars - believe it or not, that's a good thing to be able to say about oneself. You, on the other hand, defend and support liars. That behavior is disrespectful to your fellow citizens, to the truth, and to our President.
And yeah, this is a bogus fact. The truth has been known for several days, and if other news organizations have spread this same dishonesty, then please, feel free to tell MMFA. But MMFA saying that FoxNews has sinned here doesn't mean that they are saying that no one else has ever sinned in a similar fashion!
MMFA sourced the Josh Harkinson/Mother Jones article but omitted the facts about other news agencies accepting USCOG's numbers in order to make it "Bogus 'Fox fact'". So apparently MMFA engages in (at least in this case) the same biased reporting it accuses FNC of. FACT. Game, set, match.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?..."
P.S. -"... defend and supporting liars."? You mean liars like Obama, Pelosi, Reed, Dodd? Your assertion: Guess defense lawyers are disrespectful and un-American as well. Bad argument. Keep trying. What is disrespectful to America is Nancy Pelosi saying "are you serious?" when asked about Constitutional authority to mandate that individual Americans "buy" health insurance. Can anyone say "infringement of individual liberty"? She attempted to cover it by likening it auto insurance and saying it fell under Article 1, section 8 (To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;), a false argument. Individuals can choose not to own an automobile and thus not pay auto insurance. The only way to opt out of government mandated health insurance is to die. So if you assert personal liberty under the legislative agenda of the Democrats, you need to die. Hmmmmmm.... But I'm disrespectful of my fellow citizens and President! Thanks for opening my eyes you patriot, you!
Still love ya, DellDolly, you're awesome even though I think you're dead wrong.
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-HealthcareReform/idUSTRE58D67120090914
First of all they only polled 2130 doctors
Second here is what the article actually reported:
Note: they had to choose ONLY one of those three options. No other options were offered.
So your quote:Is a LIE.
Where's DellDolly? DellDolly! Where are you? - LOL
I could, let's be clear COULD say only 10% of doctors favor a public option, sourcing the same article. Liars figure, and figures lie.
Sooooooooo, you are either not too bright or you are deliberately obtuse. I tend to think it's the latter ;)
Nice try.
Peace.
But you dishonestly assert that the number of doctors surveyed is relevant. It's not. First lie by you.
Then you lie about what the 63% mean. The doctors said that they either wanted EVERYONE to have a public option, or they wanted to keep our current system for most people, and a public option for just those currently left out.
So BOTH groups support a public option. Some want a full public option, some want a limited public option. They wanted a mixture of public and private, which is what the public option being bandied about in Congress will give us.
Second lie from you.
Then you tell a third lie about what the 10% means.
What's clear is your reading comprehension sucks and your ability to draw conclusions from what you read are sorely lacking.
Don't ever think that challenging me is a good idea - you'll lose every time. You are no match for me.
I lie about what 63% means? How?
To broadly say:
Is inaccurate at best. So I challenged that.
FACT: When given a three-way choice among private plans that use tax credits or subsidies to help the poor buy private insurance; a new public health insurance plan such as Medicare; or a mix of the two; 63 percent of doctors supported a mix. - Reuter's article
You, DellDolly, the guardian of truth, should have at least supported my assertion that "Actually, 63% of doctors support a public option in health care" was inaccurate, but your blind disdain for anything I type was overwhelming. More evidence that you are a partisan vomit sipper and don't really care about "truth" "honesty" or any of the other things you claim.
The survey was of 2130 doctors.
The U.S. had about 800,000 active doctors as of 2005 article in USA Today.
Contrary to your assertion, the number surveyed, and the make up of the population of the survey is relevant to the discussion. The Reuter's article also provided the following: A critical thinker would now question how many of the members actually share the organization's view? If you want it to sound like doctors oppose the public option you might just say "The AMA, an organization that represents doctors opposes the public option". This is how "truth" become malleable and is used by both sides to advance their cause. In fact the Obama White House did this a short time ago, remember? Where was your outrage? Ohhhhhhhh there wasn't any, because you wanted to believe that "truth" didn't you?
Hahahahahahahaha! Really?
Don't worry Dolly, you're pathetic as ever and that is what makes you so endearing. No challenge at all.
Love ya!
Conceivably the dumbest thing ever written.
PACs represent people. Unions represent people. Lawyers represent people. Professional organizations sometimes represent people...
But business networks don't represent people.
The reality is that if their not direct members and if they don't donate money to the CoC, than they don't have any influence on decisions!
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) does the same thing. HSUS is focused on animal RIGHTS legislation and none of the money donated to them helps a single animal, it saves no dogs or cats, it spends all the cash on an animal rights agenda. That and making sure any "pit bull" or "wolf hybrid" in the local pound gets killed.
Your LOCAL Humane Society is focused on animal WELFARE, the money you donate to them helps to rescue and help animals, they save dogs and cats and all sorts of domestic pets. The aim of the LOCAL agency is far different than the national HSUS but most LOCAL agencies belong to the HSUS.