Yesterday U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue appeared on Fox News Sunday, and in the course of a 15-minute interview, defended taxpayer-funded bonuses, championed a broken healthcare system, and brushed off concerns about bailed out companies.
Let's take a look at just some select segments:
Bonuses: Donohue went to bat for the bonuses at bailed out company AIG, which was the target of public outrage earlier this year.
WALLACE: So are you saying if AIG wants to give million-dollar bonuses, so be it?DONOHUE: I'm saying if -- AIG is in a lot of trouble, but I'm saying if it took the right people to fix AIG, you're going to have to pay them. Same thing right here in this network. You know, if you lost your -- you couldn't pay your very best people, I'm not sure they'd stay. They'd probably go to another network.
Bailouts: Immediately after defending AIG's outrageous bonuses, Donohue brushes off any and all concerns about bailout companies.
WALLACE: We're also not taking a huge bailout from the federal government.DONOHUE: But I'm not particularly worried about those few companies that took the bailout. That will work out. . .
Yes. Just close your eyes, cross your fingers, and it "will work out." That's responsible governance for you.
Healthcare reform: Donohue defends the status quo of healthcare in America, asserting both that a.) businesses are doing enough for healthcare already, and b.) a public option shouldn't be used to cover those who don't already have health insurance. Does Donohue prefer the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" option for healthcare reform?
DONOHUE: But what we're saying -- there should be a bill that does wellness. There should be a bill that helps us perhaps have a mandate on individuals. There should not be a mandate on companies. We now cover 170 million Americans.We -- and by the way, if you're going to do a federal plan, I think you've got a real problem, because you're going to have more opposition to what we're trying to do here than you can imagine, because you're going to put everybody else in a very difficult position and a non-competitive position.
Bonuses, bailouts, and a broken system: Is that the America in which the U.S. Chamber of Commerce believes? Here's hoping they don't get their way for much longer.

