Don DeWitte, former Mayor of St. Charles, is the Republican candidate for Illinois State Senate in the 33rd District. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has endorsed him. On his Facebook page on August 27, 2018 DeWitte wrote:
“Great news!! I am proud to have received the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business in the race for the 33rd Senate District! I look forward to working with the NFIB to make sure that small businesses are supported across Illinois in the coming years.”
DeWitte is PROUD of NFIB? Let us unpack, shall we?
NFIB claims it is an advocacy group that supports small business. Truth is that it directs the majority of its attention to corporate interests. NFIB also benefits from nice BIG contributions from Freedom Partners – a conservative, “free market” promoting, nonprofit – which is operated by board members with long time ties to the Koch Brothers.
NFIB claims it is “nonpartisan”, however, during the 2012 campaign cycle, the organizations campaign contributions went overwhelmingly to Republicans. Additionally 100% of the organization’s advertising budget supported Republicans and/or opposed Democrats.
NFIB opposed the idea that people with disabilities should have the right to fully participate in all aspects of society. It called the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (civil rights act) “an expensive headache to millions” and “a disastrous impact on many small businesses struggling to survive.” (1)
NFIB was the lead litigant in a failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The organization continues to work towards its repeal. Perhaps this is because in 2011 NFIB accepted a substantial donation from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) which is a large health insurance lobbying group.
Wendell Potter knows first hand how organizations like NFIB and AHIP operate. Potter is the author of Deadly Spin. As the head of PR at CIGNA, his job was to create fear based spin to deceive the public. Potter became a whistleblower and he is now an outspoken advocate for healthcare reform. He writes:
“AHIP in 2011 gave the NFIB $850,000 to finance an effort to persuade Congress to repeal a provision of Obamacare that will actually help many uninsured people afford coverage. NFIB is a nonprofit that calls itself the voice of small business but which I know from my days in the insurance industry has often been a voice for my former bosses.”
DeWitte is proud of the backing of NFIB which wants you to vote against your best interests. It is time to reject this nonsense. Organizations like NFIB hurt ALL Americans.
Elect candidates like Nancy Zettler – Democratic candidate for Illinois State Senate in the 33rd District – who see through the message laundering, have a clear view on healthcare and want to reduce the influence of special interest groups that negatively affect We the People.
- Mandel, Susan. “Disabling the GOP”, The National Review November 6, 1990, Vol. 42 Issue 11, pp. 23–24
