By Rick Manning
U.S. Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) has just delivered his support to the woke corporations that are forcing Americans to embrace their left-wing politics. He has joined Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) to give more power to the Federal Reserve and reward the left-wing companies that shamelessly attack Americans and their values.
For the last decade, Durbin has worked to capture corporate interests, drafting them into an ongoing campaign to advance left-wing political goals. Durbin has helped convince big corporations to become more and more woke and rewarded them for doing so. It’s a transactional relationship that benefits both woke companies and left-wing politicians like Durbin: in exchange for supporting his politics, Durbin rewards them with cronyism.
This campaign kicked off with the now-infamous Durbin Amendment, which became law when Barack Obama was President and Democrats controlled a large majority in both the House and Senate. The Durbin Amendment created price controls on the fees retailers pay to banks, credit unions, and credit card networks to process debit card payments. It transfers billions – yes, billions – of dollars to retailers that already dominate the market, including Walmart, Home Depot, and Target. At the time, Home Depot’s CFO told investors the amendment would be worth at least $35 million a year to the retailer.
Durbin admitted in 2013 that the strategy was working. Big businesses that previously resisted left-wing policy goals were suddenly receptive to them, an obvious thank you to the Democrats for the payoff they received from the Durbin Amendment. “For the longest time, Democrats had very little to say to retailers who walked into their offices,” Durbin told POLITICO. “The conversations were cordial, and then came the issue of minimum wage and there was the end of the meeting. But now there’s a lot to talk about.’”
Since then, the floodgates have opened. Corporations have become willing participants in the Democrats’ culture war. Walmart has forced Critical Race Theory training on its employees. Home Depot has shamed Christian workers. Kroger was named America’s Wokest Supermarket for their employee indoctrination plans.
In recent months, the tide seems to be turning. Bud Light sales cratered after they embraced woke culture, insulted their customer base, and refused to own up to it. Target’s stock price crashed after they were exposed for promoting “tuck friendly” swimsuits to children.
While Target was defending itself to customers and investors, Senators Roger Marshall and J.D. Vance introduced the poorly named Credit Card Competition Act, a bill to put tens of millions more in the pocket of Target by expanding the Durbin amendment and creating more price controls that would amount to a payoff for the retailer while eliminating consumer credit card rewards. This week Max Miller joined them on the House version of the bill. Unsurprisingly, Target’s stock price is climbing.
A month ago, I wrote that Republican Senators like Vance needed to ask themselves why they would support legislation that replenishes the dollars woke corporations are spending to destroy America. Today, the same question must be asked of Max Miller.
It is easy to understand why Illinois’ Dick Durbin would want to fill the pockets of woke retailers like Target with unearned cash, what is impossible to fathom is why Congressman Max Miller would join him.”
Rick Manning is President of Americans for Limited Government.