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Business lobby tops labor lobby

December 26, 2011

Business won the  lobbying wars in Sacramento this past year, knocking off more potentially pesky legislative proposals than any other special interest group under the dome. [CaliforniaWatch]

Between labor, business and others, interest groups spent more than $216 million for lobbying lawmakers during the first nine months of 2011. A political action committee of the business lobby, JobsPAC, spent $9.2 million statewide, with a portion of that amount going to support several state politicians thought to be friendly to business.

Sen. Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) was one of those, according to the report, and he voted “the California Chamber of Commerce’s way on each of 13 bills on the chamber’s scorecard.” The Chamber prevailed on 62 of the 87 bills it challenged for a 72 percent win ratio.

The report also found that labor groups generally “won” by passing new laws, while “business groups mostly fought battles to maintain the status quo.”


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With all the Labor and Business money floating around the Sacramento, voters get the screw. Oh wait a minute, we’re the voters – I forgot. We’re screwing ourselves, aren’t we? Hey I’ve got an idea; instead of campaign finance(TV commercials) reform, don’t let stupid people vote!


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I wholeheartedly support your view about no campaign contributions from businesses or unions. Let’s do campaign finance reform that stipulates contributions can only come from individuals whose residence would allow them to vote for the politician. In other words, no contributions from outside the district, state, etc., for any election. Of course, you know no politician would support that. Contributions only from potential voters? How un-American that would be.


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They need to make sure that companies like PG&E can’t find loopholes that allows them contribute to politicians in their district.


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Okay, let’s “do campaign finance reform” Any ideas on how to start? Call up our representative and ask them to campaign a bill that will dimish his/her reelection coffers? Ask them to champion a bill that will diminish the massive graft from special interests, labor unions and corporations?


They would become the instant pariah of their party and then no second term. There’s just too much money at stake and that’s whether you’re talking about the state or national politics. Remember the Feingold/McCain Campaign Finance Reform bill? That’s why something as mindless as the Norquist no taxes pledge can succeed. As W. said, “You’re either with me or your against me”.


I have no idea what the solution is but I know what it isn’t and that is anything conventional.

Anybody have any ideas?


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I feel that Brown is doing a good job {holding protective shield up}. I only skimmed through the California Watch article, if I get a chance I’ll read it more thoroughly so maybe I’m missing something. It’s disappointed that Blakeslee takes so much money from the business lobby but I still support him. I feel he’s a fair man. I didn’t see anything in this article that shows impropriety by Blakelee. I wish that we had laws forbidding the lobbies and the unions from campaign donations (campaign reform), our govt. has sunk to such a low that they all must take the blood money (although I do support unions). A good guy can’t win if they don’t take their money, it’s disgusting. Rather than listening to what the networks and papers have to say about a candidate it just might be more accurate and informative to just look at who pays for the politician and try to find out what cause the lobbyist are going for during that election cycle and vote that way. Don’t use debates to see what your candidate is about, they ALL lie just look at which lobbies own them.


I don’t like all the lobbying but after skimming through the California Watch article it looks like the system is working more cohesively than usual. When was the last time that the unions as well as the business community (The Chamber) both said that they were happy or even satisfied with one of our governors actions,,,oh yeah not since the last time Brown was Gov..


From the article:


“After Brown finished considering the bills on his desk in mid-October, the chamber produced a two-and-a-half-minute video praising the governor and touting the success of its “job killer” lobbying campaign.”


From the Labor Union:


“Much of AFSCME’s hard work during last year’s election season has come to fruition for us this year,” the report says. “With the election of Jerry Brown, AFSCME has been able to enjoy a greatly improved relationship with the Governor’s office.””


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