The Anti-Capitalist Capitalist

Our own Kara Ceriello, president of the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce, got a nice write-up last week in Mother Jones, which covered the very well attended showing of Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story”. The article included some interesting comments on the distinction between the little Chamber of Commerce that serves our ‘hood and the big old U.S. Chamber of Commerce that serves the interests of big old corporations:

You might say that the Wallingford Chamber and that other, slightly larger chamber of commerce based in Washington, DC, aren’t on the best of terms.  Last week at the Wallingford Chamber’s meeting, Ceriello was approached by a business owner who wanted to make sure the two groups were completely seperate. Another member who runs a retirement home handed her a letter signed by 100 of his residents expressing concern about the US Chamber’s move to block rape victims’ lawsuits. Ceriello had to explain that her chamber isn’t a member of the US Chamber. It’s not even a member of the Greater Seattle Chamber, precisely because that group is a member of the US Chamber. But she promised to present the signatures to its CEO, and to tell him: “This is why we and so many smaller chambers here in Seattle are not members of your organization.”