The_AT Chamber_NN1 's_GE Mistakes_NN2 The_AT Chamber_NN1 of_IO Commerce_NN1 pursued_VVD failed_JJ policies_NN2 during_II the_AT Bush_NN1 years_NNT2 ,_, so_RR why_RRQ should_VM Obama_NP1 listen_VVI to_II it_PPH1 ?_? 
This_DD1 has_VHZ been_VBN a_AT1 rough_JJ period_NN1 for_IF the_AT Chamber_NN1 of_IO Commerce_NN1 ,_, the_AT Washington_NP1 ,_, D.C._NP1 ,_, organization_NN1 that_CST claims_VVZ to_TO be_VBI the_AT voice_NN1 of_IO American_JJ business_NN1 ._. 
Its_APPGE doubts_NN2 about_II climate_NN1 change_NN1 and_CC the_AT desirability_NN1 of_IO capping_VVG emissions_NN2 have_VH0 led_VVN prominent_JJ members_NN2 to_TO quit_VVI the_AT organization_NN1 ._. 
Its_APPGE knee-jerk_JJ opposition_NN1 to_II many_DA2 parts_NN2 of_IO President_NNB Obama_NP1 's_GE agenda_NN1 led_VVD my_APPGE Slate_NN1 colleague_NN1 Eliot_NP1 Spitzer_NP1 to_TO call_VVI for_IF it_PPH1 to_TO be_VBI stopped_VVN ._. 
With_IW Democrats_NN2 controlling_VVG both_DB2 Congress_NN1 and_CC the_AT White_NP1 House_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 does_VDZ n't_XX have_VHI natural_JJ allies_NN2 ._. 
Obama_NN1 adviser_NN1 Valerie_NP1 Jarrett_NP1 referred_VVD to_II the_AT chamber_NN1 as_CSA "_" somewhat_RR old_JJ school_NN1 ._. "_" 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ recently_RR punked_VVN by_II a_AT1 comedy/activist_NN1 group_NN1 ,_, the_AT Yes_UH Men_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ staged_VVD a_AT1 mock_JJ press_NN1 conference_NN1 to_TO announce_VVI the_AT chamber_NN1 supported_VVD climate-change_JJ legislation_NN1 ._. 
The_AT change_NN1 in_II political_JJ facts_NN2 on_II the_AT ground_NN1 ,_, the_AT new_JJ zeitgeist_NN1 ,_, and_CC its_APPGE own_DA poor_JJ choice_NN1 of_IO words_NN2 have_VH0 left_VVN the_AT chamber_NN1 feeling_VVG a_RR21 bit_RR22 left_VVN out_RP ._. 
CEO_NN1 Thomas_NP1 Donahue_NP1 gave_VVD a_AT1 long_JJ interview_NN1 to_II the_AT Wall_NP1 Street_NNL1 Journal_NN1 (_( the_AT editorial_JJ page_NN1 )_) complaining_VVG about_II the_AT chamber_NN1 's_GE poor_JJ treatment_NN1 ,_, lamenting_VVG that_CST its_APPGE wise_JJ counsel_NN1 was_VBDZ n't_XX being_VBG sought_VVN in_II the_AT formulation_NN1 of_IO policy_NN1 ,_, and_CC vowing_VVG to_TO fight_VVI ._. 
"_" This_DD1 is_VBZ a_AT1 great_JJ place_NN1 ._. 
If_CS you_PPY walk_VV0 on_II our_APPGE lawn_NN1 ,_, we_PPIS2 're_VBR going_VVGK to_TO turn_VVI on_II the_AT sprinklers_NN2 ._. "_" 
(_( Because_CS nothing_PN1 indicates_VVZ with-it-ness_JJ so_RR31 much_RR32 as_RR33 a_AT1 71-year-old_JJ guy_NN1 telling_VVG the_AT kids_NN2 to_TO stay_VVI off_II the_AT lawn_NN1 ?_? )_) 
But_CCB there_EX is_VBZ a_AT1 fundamental_JJ reason_NN1 why_RRQ the_AT chamber_NN1 is_VBZ n't_XX being_VBG invited_VVN into_II the_AT rooms_NN2 where_RRQ legislation_NN1 and_CC policy_NN1 are_VBR being_VBG made_VVN these_DD2 days_NNT2 :_: It_PPH1 does_VDZ n't_XX have_VHI much_DA1 to_TO offer_VVI ._. 
For_IF generations_NN2 ,_, the_AT Chamber_NN1 of_IO Commerce_NN1 has_VHZ held_VVN itself_PPX1 out_RP as_II the_AT sensible_JJ ,_, we-know-better_JJ voice_NN1 of_IO business_NN1 :_: Follow_VV0 the_AT policies_NN2 we_PPIS2 --_NN1 i.e._REX American_JJ business_NN1 --_NN1 approve_VV0 and_CC advocate_NN1 ,_, and_CC the_AT nation_NN1 will_VM grow_VVI and_CC prosper_VVI ._. 
We_PPIS2 'll_VM have_VHI more_DAR jobs_NN2 ,_, higher_JJR wages_NN2 ,_, rising_VVG asset_NN1 values_NN2 ,_, and_CC widely_RR shared_JJ prosperity_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB it_PPH1 did_VDD n't_XX work_VVI out_RP for_IF anybody_PN1 ._. 
By_II pretty_RG much_RR any_DD measure_NN1 ,_, the_AT years_NNT2 from_II 2001_MC to_II 2008_MC were_VBDR lost_VVN ones_NN2 ._. 
Job_NN1 creation_NN1 was_VBDZ extraordinarily_RR weak_JJ by_II historical_JJ comparison_NN1 ._. 
In_II September_NPM1 ,_, on_II a_AT1 seasonally_RR adjusted_VVN basis_NN1 there_EX were_VBDR 108.544_MC million_NNO private_JJ (_( nongovernment_NN1 )_) payroll_NN1 jobs_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ about_II the_AT same_DA number_NN1 there_EX were_VBDR in_II June_NPM1 1999_MC ._. 
(_( To_TO see_VVI the_AT data_NN ,_, go_VV0 here_RL and_CC then_RT check_VV0 "_" nonfarm_VV0 private_JJ ._. "_" )_) 
10_MC ten_MC years_NNT2 ,_, in_II other_JJ words_NN2 ,_, the_AT private_JJ sector_NN1 has_VHZ n't_XX created_VVN a_AT1 single_JJ job_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 's_VBZ pathetic_JJ ,_, especially_RR when_CS you_PPY consider_VV0 that_CST the_AT population_NN1 grew_VVD 9_MC percent_NNU during_II those_DD2 years_NNT2 ,_, from_II 282_MC million_NNO in_II 2000_MC to_II 308_MC million_NNO today_RT ._. 
Wealth_NN1 did_VDD n't_XX expand_VVI ,_, either_RR ._. 
In_II fact_NN1 ,_, as_CSA this_DD1 Census_NN1 report_NN1 shows_NN2 ,_, in_II this_DD1 decade_NNT1 ,_, income_NN1 inequality_NN1 rose_NN1 ,_, the_AT percentage_NN1 of_IO people_NN living_VVG below_II the_AT poverty_NN1 line_NN1 rose_NN1 ,_, the_AT number_NN1 of_IO people_NN getting_VVG health_NN1 insurance_NN1 from_II their_APPGE employers_NN2 fell_VVD ,_, and_CC median_JJ income_NN1 failed_VVD to_TO budge_VVI ._. 
The_AT stock_NN1 market_NN1 ?_? 
Forget_VV0 about_II it_PPH1 ._. 
Oh_UH ,_, and_CC at_II the_AT end_NN1 of_IO it_PPH1 ,_, the_AT financial_JJ system_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ got_VVD precisely_RR the_AT regulatory_JJ environment_NN1 it_PPH1 wanted_VVD from_II Washington_NP1 ,_, blew_VVD itself_PPX1 up_RP ,_, inflicting_VVG hundreds_NNO2 of_IO billions_NNO2 of_IO dollars_NNU2 of_IO costs_NN2 on_II taxpayers_NN2 ._. 
To_TO use_VVI a_AT1 metaphor_NN1 the_AT old-school_JJ chamber_NN1 might_VM use_VVI ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ like_CS they_PPHS2 designed_VVD a_AT1 golf_NN1 course_NN1 ideally_RR tailored_VVN for_IF the_AT game_NN1 of_IO American_JJ business_NN1 ._. 
And_CC yet_RR the_AT chamber_NN1 repeatedly_RR shanked_VVD its_APPGE shots_NN2 ._. 
These_DD2 were_VBDR excellent_JJ conditions_NN2 for_IF businesses_NN2 to_TO do_VDI what_DDQ the_AT Chamber_NN1 of_IO Commerce_NN1 says_VVZ they_PPHS2 're_VBR supposed_JJ to_TO do_VDI ._. 
But_CCB the_AT policies_NN2 failed_VVN in_II their_APPGE intended_JJ results_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ the_AT reason_NN1 Democrats_NN2 now_RT control_VV0 every_AT1 lever_NN1 of_IO power_NN1 --_NN1 and_CC why_RRQ the_AT Chamber_NN1 of_IO Commerce_NN1 is_VBZ standing_VVG with_IW its_APPGE face_NN1 pressed_VVN against_II the_AT glass_NN1 ._. 
