6:18 PM Eastern - Monday, September 14, 2009

Like Two Vitriolic Peas in a Pod: Glenn Beck and the US Chamber of Commerce

Tomorrow, two of America's most favorite right-wing institutions will converge in East Lansing, Michigan at an event ironically titled the "Future Forum." FOX News' Glenn Beck and US Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue will both keynote an event hosted by the Michigan Chamber that is sure to tickle the free market fancies of those in attendance.

Both Beck and Donohue's Chamber have a history of letting loose vitriolic, reckless rhetoric. ThinkProgress has a brief overview:

Beck has called President Obama a "socialist," a "Marxist," and a "racist" with a "deep-seated hatred of white people." It may not come as a surprise that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with its right-wing agenda of blocking health care reform, clean energy legislation, and workers' rights, is embracing Glenn Beck's hate and fearmongering.

But wait, there's more. Beck and Donohue have both promoted ludicrous inaccuracies about the Employee Free Choice Act. Here's just a snippet:

Beck Guest: Employee Free Choice Act akin to "tyrannies and socialism"

Fox News' Glenn Beck hosted Mark McKinnon of the Workforce Fairness Institute, in a segment that amounted to nothing more than a screed against the bill. After saying that people who want to hear pro-Employee Free Choice guests need to "turn to PBS," Beck gave McKinnon free rein to spew talking points:
Well, we call it the Forced Choice Act, Glenn. It is just a huge goody bag...[I]t eliminates the ability for workers who are being organized to cast a secret ballot, a democratic principle that we hold dear...They have private ballots in America, but not in other countries where there are tyrannies and socialism.

Needless to say, that's all false and misleading - even the Wall Street Journal admits the Employee Free Choice Act doesn't take away the secret ballot.

US Chamber: Employee Free Choice Act "a firestorm bordering on Armageddon"

Randel Johnson, vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits at the Chamber, said defeating the measure was the lobby group's top priority in the coming session of Congress, and he described the coming fight in Congress over the issue as a "firestorm bordering on Armageddon."

Not only is the Employee Free Choice Act a measure that would help the economy and level the playing field for working people, it's only "Armageddon" to the reckless corporations that have abused the law for decades.

The US Chamber's vitriol on the Employee Free Choice Act was also the original inspiration for our "Scary Movie," highlighting some of the more crazy statements made by greedy corporate barons. This video should serve as a good substitute if you're not able to attend tomorrow's Beck/Chamber hoopla in East Lansing.

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