Checking my email tonight, I found in my inbox an email from
Move Maryland Forward. I clicked the link on it curious to see who this organization is and what they are advocating. Turns out they are a campaign backed by the US Chamber of Commerce. They have a comparison of Ben Cardin's and Michael Steele's positions on the Estate Tax (Death Tax, as they call it), CAFTA, and Small Business Health Plans. You can see their stilted view of the two candidates here:
http://www.movemarylandforward.com/
No other Maryland candidates are even compared on this website. It is strictly on the Senate race. Pretty ironic given that it is supposed to be about moving Maryland forward.....
What I'm wondering is, how did I end up on their email list since I'm subbed to only Democratic/progressive groups email lists? Granted the email makes it seem like this is just some simple comparison of the candidates. But clearly when you read the profiles, Steele's has been made to be more favorable, as it speaks about him being the first African American MD Lt. Governor, the first in his family to go to college, and that he studied for the priesthood. Not to mention all the "pro-business" stances he's held. You'd thnk he was our saviour.
Meanwhile when you search for "Move Maryland Forward" on Yahoo, you find more Democratic websites, while this one is nowhere to be found. Is it because this is a newly formed website or because they couldn't be bothered to get it listed on the search engines? Or that they wanted it to remain below the radar?
And then when I completed a search on the US Chamber of Commerce and campaigns, I found this website: http://www.voteforbusiness.com/...
This website allows users to map the campaigns they are supporting. However, it requires you to register to view their resources on elections around the country, in adddition to their town hall meetings and such. While it claims to be non-partisan, I'd be hardpressed to prove that since the candidates they are supporting are not easily accessible to non-members. And given that they are backing Steele, it's not hard to guess that they tend to back GOP candidates.
Has the Chamber of Commerce been backing other candidates in your state? Is this something that they are doing across the country? Or are they trying to help out the GOP in states where the GOP is unable to spare anymore money as it goes into crisis mode for the 2006 elections?