Chamber, Obama crank up budget lobbying

Supporters and detractors of President Barack
Obama’s budget began to activate their grass-roots networks this weekend to put
pressure on lawmakers in Washington regarding the proposal.

For example, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce began contacting its members Friday
about their concerns about Obama’s budget. Consequently, many have already
called and e-mailed their representatives on Capitol Hill as the relevant House
and Senate committees prepare to draft a budget resolution based off Obama’s
proposal.

{mosads}“Everyone knows that the president is cranking up his own grass-roots campaign.
We are going to try to do the same,” said Bruce Josten, executive vice
president of government affairs for the Chamber.

Chamber officials said Friday that 5,000 of their members have already
contacted lawmakers about their concerns surrounding Obama’s budget in just one
day.

The Chamber’s No. 1 concern is that lawmakers may use the budget reconciliation
process to pass a resolution containing two of Obama’s most important
priorities: funding for health care reform and a cap-and-trade plan designed to
reduce greenhouse gases. By pushing for reconciliation, Congress would not need
the 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate. A simple majority in the
higher chamber instead could pass a budget resolution.

“They very simply do not belong in a budget reconciliation process,” said Josten.
“Both are huge complex issues and both require open and transparent debate.”

The Chamber activating their own grass-roots network follows news this week of
Obama reaching out to his own activists and volunteers from the campaign trail
last year. Organizing for America, a wing of the Democratic National Committee
(DNC), is organizing its own support for Obama’s budget with canvassing events
Saturday and encouraging members to call into their members of Congress about
the plan.

“Now, passing this budget won’t be easy. We are already hearing the same worn
arguments we have heard for years, and we will surely hear more in the coming
days,” Obama says in a video message to supporters. “That’s where you come in.
That’s why I’m asking you to head outside this Saturday to knock on some doors,
talk to your neighbors, and let people know how important this nation’s budget
is to our future.”

Josten said Obama’s campaign machine for the White House was very tech-savvy
and effective in achieving its objectives. But the Chamber executive said that
enthusiasm surrounding the election has died down and Obama’s apparatus might
not translate well into a congressional battle over the budget.

“It is entirely different on communicating for a legislative issue or a budget
resolution,” Josten said.