
My name is Robert Heath. I am the owner of a small business in Delray Beach, Florida named Analytical Software Packages, Inc. My business is a member of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. The people at the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce tell me that we are a member of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce.
Indeed, the U. S. Chamber of Commerce prominently claims "The United States Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest businesses federation representing an underlying membership of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region." My business, Analytical Software Packages, Inc. is one of those businesses.
I was flabbergasted, when the U. S. Chamber of Commerce began lobbying the Congress on my behalf in opposition to Senator McCain's Tobacco Legislation. The U. S. Chamber of Commerce has *NEVER* sought the opinion of the member businesses to gauge our feeling about this legislation. In fact, when I called the Chamber, the Chamber's lobbyists merely repeated the Tobacco Industry party line, and refused to hear my position on this legislation. Every time I tried to inform them of my position they merely shouted me down. How can they understand the position of the membership, if they won't listen to the members? How can they represent the membership if they NEVER ask the membership's position?
Obviously, they don't represent the membership. They merely take our money in dues and membership fees, and just rehash the warn out lies of the Tobacco Industry!

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