We disagree with the “pro-business” label in this story and the implication it’s just Democrats who see this issue, but otherwise see it as quite accurate. These lobbies are not “pro-business”; they have an extreme ideology based on the highly discredited Laffer curve low-tax, and an over reliance on the “free market”.
“In case after case, many Statehouse observers have noted, the fate of major pieces of legislation this year has depended on one thing: the support or opposition it receives from a small number of pro-business lobby groups led by the Kansas Chamber, Americans for Prosperity, and the conservative think tank Kansas Policy Institute.
“’That’s basically David and Charles Koch that run our state Legislature,” said Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, which heard and passed the anti-union legislation.’…
“Billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch are co-owners of Wichita-based Koch Industries, one of the Kansas Chamber’s ‘cornerstone members.’ They also founded Americans for Prosperity, a nationwide network of groups that advocate for pro-business, free-market policies.
“Kansas Policy Institute is a think tank and lobbying organization that is part of the State Policy Network and the American Legislative Exchange Council, both of which are funded by the Koch brothers…
“The school finance overhaul was perhaps the most significant and visible example of a bill that appeared, based on committee testimony, to have no popular support outside the small group of pro-business lobby groups…
“Nearly every school district in the state, with the exceptions of Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley, either issued statements or submitted testimony opposing it. It was also opposed by the Kansas Association of School Boards, United School Administrators of Kansas, several district superintendents and other education groups [including Game On].
“According to the official minutes of the hearing, the only oral testimony in favor of the bill came from Mike O’Neal, president of the Kansas Chamber, and James Franko of Kansas Policy Institute…On Wednesday, March 25, barely two weeks after it had been unveiled, Gov. Sam Brownback signed it into law in a private ceremony in his office, with no advance notice to news media.
“Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, said she was surprised that the two business groups had more sway over the process than the education groups.
“’I don’t know that we would question that, in the finance committee, we would have banks and insurance companies show up,’ Francisco said. ‘So why would we be surprised if, on a school bill, we hear from school administrators, teachers and students? And then all of a sudden we have other people who come in and say, ‘we’re speaking for the general public.’ So there is this concern about who really represents the general public.’”
Read more here: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2015/apr/05/pro-business-lobby-groups-wielding-big-influence-l/