Shimkus: ‘Corporate Titans Are My Friends’
Shimkus: ‘Corporate Titans Are My Friends’
Today, conservative extremist Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) engaged in a one-man debate whether corporate America is good or evil. The Republican Party’s attempts to characterize the Waxman-Markey green economy legislation as economic catastrophe have been neutered, as the bill has gained the support of a broad coalition of corporate America, poverty advocates, labor unions, and environmentalists.
In a confused monologue, Shimkus attempts to follow new Republican talking points and portray himself as a defender of the little guy against corporate greed. But he can’t stop himself from also praising the corporations as his friends:
We’re fighting for the ratepayer. This debate is: “Who protects the ratepayer?” The corporate titans are my friends! I’m a Caterpillar supporter. I’m an Exelon supporter. I’m an Ameren supporter. A lot of these companies that have negotiated deals, they support me. But I know that they’re in the room to protect shareholder wealth, the wealth of the bond holders, the wealth of the stockholders. And that’s okay.
Watch it:
Caterpillar ($54,250), Exelon ($48,749), and Ameren ($39,500) are indeed some of Shimkus’s top contributors. But unlike Shimkus, an ideological global warming denier, these “corporate titans” recognize the reality of the threat of climate change and the need for a new clean energy economy. Caterpillar and Exelon are members of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a corporate-environmentalist coalition supporting Waxman-Markey, and even coal-powered Ameren supports global warming pollution mandates.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Well, we know whose side he’s on.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:07 pmAnd it ain’t the side of the people.
It’s the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
Another myth bites the dust:
Money can buy you love, the love of a doting teabagging congress-critter.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:08 pmIsn’t this a fine example why we need campaign finance reform?
May 20th, 2009 at 5:10 pmShimkus: I’m a Caterpillar supporter. I’m an Exelon supporter. I’m an Ameren supporter.
– - You’re an athletic supporter too.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:10 pmSHITKUS: The corporate titans are my friends! I’m a Caterpillar supporter. I’m an Exelon supporter. I’m an Ameren supporter.
What about your constituents? You know, the people who voted for you. Do you support them?
May 20th, 2009 at 5:10 pmWell, we all know that corporations working with government are trying to do what is best for the country.
(snarkity snark snark)
May 20th, 2009 at 5:12 pmShimkus is full of shimshyt. Is anyone listening too his ‘dumb’ comments.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:13 pmDemocrats are protecting big business; Republicans are protecting consumers.
Whoops, I guess Shimkus FORGOT his ‘lines’ in the neo-con playbook! What a schmuck!!!!
May 20th, 2009 at 5:15 pmi hope the voters in his state remember who’s interests he’s promoting in washington next time it comes voting time since it sure as hell ain’t theirs
May 20th, 2009 at 5:16 pmWhat he said is not surprising, given the R after his name (I’m not a follower of his, so I am only surmising that he is a Bushie through and through). But I’m curious as to what was said after that clip. It sounded like there was a “but” coming.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:17 pmDidn’t this doofus make another stupid remark in public about a month ago?
LIke a true repug – he, like Bush, readily admits who his friends are — the haves and the have mores.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:17 pmShimkus is a repug so of course he`s on the side of big business. Zooey you got it right, he does not care about his constituents.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:19 pmThat’s right — I just recalled that he said Obama’s energy plan was more disastrous than 9/11.
Republicans surely must have to pass a stupid test.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:21 pmThey are talking today about renaming the Democratic party — like third graders in the schoolyard.
And there are still about 20% of the population who want to identify themselves as republicans. That just scares the heck out of me. Just.WOW.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:23 pmAnd the people voted for this buffoon? That says a lot about the people in his district. Reminds me of Bachman. Do the voters live in a toxic dump? How else can you vote for these Repug losers?
May 20th, 2009 at 5:35 pmOT, but Matthews just referred to Limpballs’s announcement to step down as GNOP leader as “the biggest whale is quitting the ocean.”
And when is TP going to finally ban by IP address? Whatever the hell that is at #2 is truly, well, number two! And we still have the problem with only one flagging per post.
PEACE
May 20th, 2009 at 5:36 pmWe’re fighting for the ratepayer. This debate is: “Who protects the ratepayer?” The corporate titans are my friends! I’m a Caterpillar supporter. I’m an Exelon supporter. I’m an Ameren supporter. A lot of these companies that have negotiated deals, they support me. But I know that they’re in the room to protect shareholder wealth, the wealth of the bond holders, the wealth of the stockholders. And that’s okay.
I have to say, that I at least appreciate his honesty, which is unusual for a congressman. I don’t think he’s stupid, as much as he is just a complete believer in a free market economy, which involves believing that corporations always have the best interests of the people at hand, because they are either consumers and/or shareholders.
It’s pure ideology that completely runs aground against the scientific findings around climate change. Corporation do not have our best interests in mind. It seems so simple to see. And I sincerely believe that the handfull of corporations who have supported green economy legislation have some money to make in it, or see an angle somewhere.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:38 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
Just a few of the Corporate Titans that bundled contributed to Barack H. Obama in 2008:
Goldman Sachs $980,945
May 20th, 2009 at 5:39 pmMicrosoft: $806,299
CitiGroup: $657,268
JP Morgan Chase: $650,758
Sidley Austin: $574,938
Time Warner: $547,951
IBM: $518,557
Skadden, Arps: $510,274
Morgan Stanley: $490,873
General Electric: $479,454
Lathan & Watkins: $467,311
========
CFP, you moron those aren’t environmental company’s.
Here are a few of McCain’s top Corporate donors:
Merrill Lynch $371,295
Citigroup Inc $320,251
Morgan Stanley $271,152
Goldman Sachs $230,095
JPMorgan Chase & Co $225,557
UBS AG $182,079
Credit Suisse Group $179,053
Wachovia Corp $169,057
PricewaterhouseCoopers $167,900
Bank of America $155,251
Lehman Brothers $125,357
Bear Stearns $117,498
Is that why McCain “quit” the campaign trail to get the economy in hand?
May 20th, 2009 at 5:40 pmCFP,
how is this on topic? please refer to #4 and see the affirmation there that a lot of us want campaign finance reform for everyone. Sometimes your stupidity is so childish.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:41 pmCFP,
The Turkish chat spammer makes more sense than you do.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:49 pmEvil corporate America employs the bulk of citizens. Just keep on biting the hand that feeds you. Brilliant. Just brilliant.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:54 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
The National Socialist American Workers’ Party f/k/a the Democratic Party has a lot of Corporate Titans funding it.
Then it seems very unlikely that it is, in fact, the National Socialist American Workers’ Party, doesn’t it? Or does simple logic simply elude you entirely?
Sorry, answered my own question.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:57 pmShimpkus is my Rep. His pat reply to all my correspondence is ‘we’ll just have to agree to disagree’. Like I have a choice or something. I stopped writing to him after about the 4th or 5th form letter type reply. Did I mention the Shimkus’ district is one of thse Republican gerrymandered districts? IL-19
May 20th, 2009 at 5:58 pmCFP you ignorant punkass troll
The starve children, Kill Americans in stupid wars, TORTURE party AKA the GOP is OWNED by corporate America
May 20th, 2009 at 6:00 pmIllinois used to be a manufacturing power house. May companies like Motorola, hp and others hired thousands of workers. All these jobs are gone now. But, they spent all kinds of time whoring out the city of Chicago for less than 500 corporate Boeing executives. Just goes to show you where their priorities are …..
May 20th, 2009 at 6:01 pmI’m an Exelon supporter??
Got some good drugs there, eh?
May 20th, 2009 at 6:01 pmThe Republican Party’s attempts to characterize the Waxman-Markey green economy legislation as economic catastrophe have been neutered, as the bill has gained the support of a broad coalition of corporate America
Yet another misleading post by thinkprogress. Giving the impression that corporate america is behind this bill and then linking to ceres.org whose stated mission is:
Mission: Integrating sustainability into capital markets for the health of the planet and its people.
Just because the has been able to get corporations to “partner” with them to help their PR does not mean that these corporations think this bill is a good idea. If it would have linked to an actual non climate aimed website saying it is a great bill, then that would mean that coporate america is behind it.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:04 pmI recall Exelon’s PAC making huge donations to the Obama camp. Open Secrets showed it to be $203,663.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/search.php?cid=N00009638&name=(all)&employ=Exelon&state=(all)&zip=(any+zip)&submit=OK&amt=a&sort=A
Exelon-$203,663
Caterpillar-$37,303
Ameren-$1,125
That’s over $240,000 in blue skin from the same companies for Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:07 pmamercians you want capitalism you got it.
aint it great.
capitalism creates a society of haves and have nots.
with communism man exploits man with capitalism it is the other way around
naw lets dont blame capitalism lets blame everybody and anybody
lets play the blame game while capitalism self destructs.
the future of america. visit a third world country to get a look see
May 20th, 2009 at 6:08 pmWhy is it wrong for someone to support corporations?
Here’s from wikipedia:
Shareholders are people. Employees are people. Corporations provide jobs. Corporations provide investment returns to shareholders. They provide tax revenue for our government to run.
Much like we are all the government; we are all the corporations. It’s about as disingenuous for progressives to paint corporations as monolithically impersonal and devoid of value; as it is for conservatives to paint government as impersonal and devoid of value.
Does anyone here work for a corporation? Or have investments in corporations?
May 20th, 2009 at 6:20 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
The National Socialist American Workers’ Party f/k/a the Democratic Party has a lot of Corporate Titans funding it.
=======
The National Grand Obstructionist Torture Party f/k/a the Republican Party has a lot of Corporate Titans funding it as well.
/snark
May 20th, 2009 at 6:21 pmforgot. corporations also provide goods or services that people want.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:21 pmShimkus also supports child molesters http://www.americablog.com/2006/10/gop-rep-john-shimkus-r-il-let-foley.html
May 20th, 2009 at 6:27 pmresearcher. you suggest visiting a third world country. America is not third world today. We have a tradition of capitalism. If we are not currently third world, isn’t it an indication that our tradition of capitalism has had at least some bearing on our relative better standard of living?
May 20th, 2009 at 6:28 pmcorporations also provide goods or services that people want.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:28 pm—
So do governments….
kwsventures
My GOD you are stupid. Small businesses employ the BULK of American workers you brainwashed moron.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:41 pmagreed. The answer seems to be what balance we strike between supporting business, labor, government, individuals and other interest groups.
Supporting corporations or government or unions or any other special interest group, is not inherently wrong.
We collectively decide what balance is appropriate.
Corporations need champions, just like any other group.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:42 pmJohn you are a liar and a fool. The only impression this article leaves is the one it SAYS that those corporations ARE supporting global warming legislationg. My GOD you are ignorant. There is NOTHING deceptive here. You are just too stupid to understand, well, pretty much anything
May 20th, 2009 at 6:45 pmCorporations need champions, just like any other group
May 20th, 2009 at 7:09 pmCorporations already have too much power. They want and take advantage of “personhood” status when it suits them. They want all the rights of “personhood”, but none of the responsibilities. They need to be controlled and regulated. The defenders of these international beasts sound like the fools who defend their captors (Stockholm syndrome) in a hostage situation.
Shimkus represents one of the poorest areas of Illinois, yet he fails to present, sponsor or co-sponsor any legislation that would help the people who put him into office. He is an empty sack, a water carrier for the extreme right-wing and a babbling buffoon. The fact that he keeps getting re-elected speaks volumns about his constituency. It is our shame that he represents Illinois.
May 20th, 2009 at 7:14 pmEugeneDebs Says:
——————————————————————————–
John you are a liar and a fool. The only impression this article leaves is the one it SAYS that those corporations ARE supporting global warming legislationg. My GOD you are ignorant. There is NOTHING deceptive here. You are just too stupid to understand, well, pretty much anything
It says they support the bill but none of the corporations have stated they support the bill, only the website. So obviously you were mislead and did’t even realize it. Thanks for proving my point!
May 20th, 2009 at 7:18 pmHere’s my commenraty about capitolism, solialism and government.
Socialists mainly share the belief that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital, creates an unequal society, and does not provide equal opportunities for everyone in society. Therefore socialists advocate the creation of a society in which wealth and power are distributed more evenly based on the amount of work expended in production. (wiki.com)
Key items here are:
- Capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital.
- [Capitalism] creates an unequal society.
- [Capitalism] does not provide equal opportunities for everyone in society.
– [Socialists want] wealth and power [to be] distributed more evenly based on the amount of work expended in production.
Commentary:
Can one see WHY a corporate PIG would hate socialism? Are these CEOs really worth millions? Capitalism unchecked is like financial genocide to the poor and middle class in the USA. Every time capitalism over-reaches, the populace gets mad and pushes more to socialism for protection. If anyone is to blame for socialism, in my opinion, it is those with the power and money with too much unchecked greed.
Solution:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:20 pmThere has to be a healthy balance between capitalism, government and the populace for all to thrive and grow. There needs to be social “safety nets” for those to fall into when capitalism or government fail. The social “safety net” is tough to measure and keep from abuse or prolonged use, hence gives light to the heated debate or the years.
Zooey Says:
What about your constituents? You know, the people who voted for you. Do you support them?
AKA “ratepayers” – j.shitkus
thank you, zooey… heh… “SHITKUS”…
May 20th, 2009 at 7:20 pmJohn
I am not fooled. YOU are stupid and your point has been shredded. They claim it has a support of a broad coalition
May 20th, 2009 at 7:43 pmIt then SHOWED support by BICEP
BICEP companies include Gap Inc., eBay Inc., Symantec Corp., Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Sun Microsystems, Looks like a broad coalition to ME. It then talks about the OTHER corporations they cite as recognizing reality of the threat of climate change and the need for a new clean energy economy. Nothing misleading here. Your inability to read and understand virtually ANYTHING does not constitute misleading. You are a moron what YOU dont understand isnt evidence of deception
EugeneDebs Says:
——————————————————————————–
John
I am not fooled. YOU are stupid and your point has been shredded. They claim it has a support of a broad coalition
It then SHOWED support by BICEP
BICEP companies include Gap Inc., eBay Inc., Symantec Corp., Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Sun Microsystems, Looks like a broad coalition to ME. It then talks about the OTHER corporations they cite as recognizing reality of the threat of climate change and the need for a new clean energy economy. Nothing misleading here. Your inability to read and understand virtually ANYTHING does not constitute misleading. You are a moron what YOU dont understand isnt evidence of deception3
Your comprehension skills are quite pathetic. The website says that they represent these companies in improving the environment, but we have no indication from the actual companies that they agree that this bill is a good bill which is exactly what this blog suggests. Companies like Nike and Ebay have not weighed in, this website does not speak for them because they have “partnered up” to help the environment. You have been mislead and fooled and you blindly follow because you are too ignorant to realize it.
May 20th, 2009 at 7:56 pmrhf. your point about the abundance of natural resources in America is valid.
But, if you consider the former Soviet Union, they also had access to similar resources, without the performance.
Capitalism is obviously not perfect. Neither are the alternatives.
Capitalism needs more regulation than what has occurred in the past 20 years.
But, the idea that capitalism is the problem, solved by it’s abandonment and substitution by socialism, I think is overly simplistic.
The access to resources had a huge role. But, so did the relative freedom of the American market.
If socialism is the sole answer, those countries that have been practicing it, would have a more convincing advantage.
Our Chicago School swing to unfettered markets has led to excess that needs regulation; not abandonment.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:03 pmOkay, fine, lets get Shimkus a Nascar where he can put his supporters names.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:16 pmWe all know what a mess Canada is, right backup?
May 20th, 2009 at 8:32 pm… (almost an hour later due to interuption)…
P.D. Says:
And the people voted for this buffoon? That says a lot about the people in his district. Reminds me of Bachman. Do the voters live in a toxic dump? How else can you vote for these Repug losers?
oy… sorry… the answers to your questions:
lousy turnouts, but yes…
some of them, yes…
not as lively nor pretty as bachman, but now that you mention it…
not a toxic dump, but corn and beans rule, and wheat…
and right in the middle of nothin’ to do…
how? misinformed and a heavy reliance on religion…
oh, and lotsa lush limpbone… “and NOW Glen Beck!”…
ugh.
the wiki bio.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:37 pmwiley.
I’m sure there are many different measures, but for a country with a large population, the U.S. fairs well, in purchasing power comparisons:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita
May 20th, 2009 at 8:47 pmRoket Says:
Shimpkus is my Rep. His pat reply to all my correspondence is ‘we’ll just have to agree to disagree’. …
ha ha! i got that too… no more…
greetings, fellow 19ther!
May 20th, 2009 at 8:49 pmsorry for the bad link. If you click on the link above and then this one:
it’s got the charts showing purchasing power by country.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:50 pmone more try and then I’ll quit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita
May 20th, 2009 at 8:54 pmThe European Union rates best in two out of three of those charts, backup, and China is fourth.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:10 pmwiley.
true. you could argue the reason China is fourth, is due to free market economic reforms.
and I agree the U.S. and E.U. are at similar levels.
your points reinforce the idea that the U.S. is not stronger, but at the same time not weaker, than the more socialist countries of Europe.
good points.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:34 pmActually, my point is that the GDP isn’t a very good indicator of the quality of life for most people.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:35 pmI agree there are different, and probably better, indicators. I just don’t know what they are.
gotta split. take care.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:40 pmy tu, backup.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:44 pmIf you take care of your employee, your customer, and your product, shouldn’t share holder value take care of it’s self? Shareholder value is what is killing our economy by corporations looking at short term profits.
May 20th, 2009 at 10:56 pmAmazing eh? I mean such ignorance you can’t help but feel sorry for him…them…the ideology is so thick, so suffocating, he didn’t even know the corporations changed sides. hey may ask for a refund after watching this pathetic soul, sell his soul… He is such a dog the corporate leassh is choking his sensibilities…off balance due to lack of oxygen his presence, his words, who he stands with and who he hurts is sucked out until the life of the human is stolen out from under them, he is crippled, groping. You have to feel sorry for the guy; albeit, for the party who he occupys and takes up so much space in. It will take a prayer, forgive him for he knows not, that he knows not.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:12 pmHe gets points for honesty, anyway. And for everyone’s Insane Members of Congress Fantasy Leagues, that’s 5 points for Shimkus for admitting he’s a corporate shill, with 2 bonus points for admitting it during a public congressional hearing.
PS – This guy represents Lincoln’s town of Springfield, Illinois?!
May 21st, 2009 at 4:29 amRep. John Shimkus (R-IL) says “I’m a Caterpillar supporter. I’m an Exelon supporter. I’m an Ameren supporter”.
Corporations don’t give a damn about America or Americans. They only care about the bottom line.
Why can’t Shimkus support the average working class American family instead?
May 21st, 2009 at 4:51 am