The Chamber China Syndrome
Mr. Bob Morgan, president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, says in a report about Mayor Anthony Foxx taking an all expense paid trip to China that, “Relationships matter whether you’re doing business in the Southern United States or … China. We’re making this investment in time and resources because we believe there is business to be had down the road.” There is much to discern in this one statement.
Bob Morgan works for the people who direct the Chamber of Commerce. Over the years one of their main objectives has been to have a good working relationship with the elected representatives of Charlotte. Who those relationships are with changes with the elections.
At one time it was Lynn Wheeler and Pat McCrory, more recently it was Ed Peacock; but Mayor Foxx, leading a strong Democrat majority, would necessarily be the one the chamber would seek a relationship with now. What better way than to arrange a trip to China, all expenses paid, where the chamber representatives get to enhance their relationship with the mayor during the entire trip.
Seriously, Bob and Anthony will be talking to each other all day long for days. Bob’s a very cordial gentleman; Anthony’s a lawyer and a politician. They’ll get on famously.
So, the trip to China, so far as the Chamber is concerned, is also about establishing and reinforcing relationships with the mayor of a city that spends millions each year with local business. This is how crony capitalism works. They become friends, the elected representatives vote for projects to give chamber members business and, for the chamber members, it has been well worth it.
Over the years the taxpayers of Charlotte have spent, and are in line to spend, hundreds of millions of dollars on unnecessary projects whose only purpose is to line the pockets of the members of the Chamber of Commerce. The list includes, but is certainly not limited to, convention centers, a NASCAR museum, light rail, a basketball stadium on Tyvola and another one downtown. As the chamber is in it for the long run, we can expect a continuation of these wasteful projects as the elected ‘representatives’ spend taxes from everyone on a select few which purpose is to keep the chamber satiated.
If Occupy Somewhere wants to direct its attention to something, this is where. It’s not just business that is causing the problem; it is the relationship business has with government.
While on the subject, please note the Chamber doesn’t have to work too hard to establish relationships with the School Board, as Bob Morgan’s brother Tim was just elected to an at-large seat.
These relationships are one of the major things wrong with our country. Anthony Foxx, following the lead of those before him, believes his job to be one of business solicitor. The Chamber supports him in this belief. And so they waltz along with millions of tax dollars that should be spent for the people, but are instead spent to enhance the Chamber members and Foxx’s standing with them.
We have an amendment to the federal constitution which people take to mean a separation of church and state. We need one to separate business and state as well. In fact we had a constitution whose entire being was the limitation of government, but whose meaning has been perverted to suit the desires of those who benefit from government diversion of taxes to them.
Anthony Foxx is going to China in order to become buddies with members of the Charlotte Chamber. If they bring any Chinese businesses to Charlotte it will be a surprise. What they will bring are new ideas on how to screw the taxpayer to the benefit of their cronies.
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