i'm a small business owner, but today, i'm here representing three chambers of commerce, hispanic chambers of commerce. the latin american and caribbean business chamber of commerce, the nicaraguan american chamber of congress, and the salvadorean american chamber of commerce, of which i had been the vice- president, and i'm still a member. i'm speaking on behalf of the three of them in support of mario west. one of the reasons why we decided to support mario -- and i have four copies here of a letter of support from the three chambers. one of the reasons is because we really like not only his ethics and commitment to the community, but also, the fact that he understands small businesses. as a chamber of commerce, representing hispanics, i think hispanics are naturally born business people. if we could sell rocks, they would sell rocks. they are very, very good. everybody is always selling something. if you walk by the mission, you try those hot dogs in the corner, they are really, really good. those are really the small businesses. i think you have a challenge here. you need to understand

the next speaker is the president of the chinese chamber of commerce. pplause] >> my name is tony fong, president of the chinese chamber of commerce. i had no idea i would be on stage with mayor lee and [inaudible] welcome. the chinese chamber of commerce has a long history. we're not only famous for the parade but we have done many things. in the president of the chinese chamber is an honor. i have been waiting for this job for over 200 years. it is my first term and may be my last term. anyway, we wish everyone happy chinese new year. the year of the dragon means power, prosperity, and happiness. power can be rightfully used or wrongfully used. if wrongfully used, it can mean disaster. today i am not wasting a minute of power. i do wish him good health. thank you very much. thank you for coming. [applause] >> thank you, tony. our next speaker is mr. thomas ing of the chinese benevolent association. [applause] >> good morning. i am delighted to be here representing the chinese consolidated benevolent association on the occasion of the first issue of the

chamber of commerce. which is an interesting twist, the tale of two cities, the danville chamber and l.a. chamber. we partnered to co-write and put out a signed letter from the chamber of commerce to support the bipartisan legislation introduced into the senate for the w.a.i. organization. because of support from the u.s. conference of mayors and people sitting in this room, we had 106 chambers from across the country that we're estimating represented about 100,000 employers that signed onto that letter. i will tell you the amount of comments and the appreciation that we have received back because of that level of support, and i owe tremendous thanks to the people in l.a., l.a. chamber of commerce, and the people in this room. as i look around and i look at the people represented, i'm thinking, yes, your chamber signed on. we ended up, we did an initial push. because many of you are aware because of different bills on the house side, we kind of stepped back from that particular letter, because it was addre

peter is supervisor and senior adviser of the traffic and transport division at the chamber of commerce, amsterdam. they are partners with businesses and public authorities to develop a robust and economically healthy region. they supervise a team of professionals in the port industries, barge, rail, and road transport. sounds like mta. the chamber of commerce amsterdam is known as an element of innovative approach to connectivity and mobility. he is strong and establishing unique partnership to create groundbreaking solutions. he started a task force formability management for employers and employees to reduce car trafficked by 10%. -- he started a task force for mobility management for employers and employees to reduce traffic by 10%. >> i will give you the perspective of the business community in amsterdam. athis is the region of amsterda. this is the inner city of amsterdam, and the rest of the city are the suburbs. the whole city, there are 2.2 million people, but the real city of amsterdam, there are less than 800,000, which i think is about the same as san francisco. i will also

pinkus, you are hear representing the chamber of commerce correct? and chamber represents business interests, correct? >> yes. >> and on behalf of those interests it usually does not lobby for greater restrictions on companies, right? >> i do not represent the chamber in connection with labor issues. >> but you represent the company management of some of the most powerful companies in the country, right? >> i don't with respect to to any labor law issues. >> what about with respect to corporate policy? >> i have clients that are individuals. i have clients that are companies. >> hasn't the chamber filed a lawsuit against the nlrb for its rule requiring employers to post a notice explaining employ's rights to unionize, are you familiar with that? >> i know that the chamber has challenged an nlrb rule, i'm not representing that issue. >> the chair will stipulate that there's an open case disputinin that. >> i appreciate that, chair could answer the question mr. pinkus couldn't. hasn't the chamber filed a lawsuit against the nlrb for its rule -- to unnec

chamber of commerce, spur, emeryville chamber of commerce, and east bay eba. thank you for partnering with us. i know i will miss some of you, but let me extend a welcome to the public officials that i have been alerted are here. from the city of san francisco, the director of the mta, the executive director of the port of san francisco, the director of the office of economic and workforce development, the director of business development, office of economic workforce development. from the city of oakland, council member, district 5, city administrator, the sick -- the assistant city administrator, the executive director of the port of oakland, and the chair of the port commission. i know i have missed someone. forgive me. if someone wants to send up a card, i will acknowledge your. there it quickly, just have to mention when i have this many people in the room, a few things about the business. we had a great year. everything that is supposed to be up for us is up. hopefully that is a good economic indicator. we are off to a great start in 2012. hopefully you a

we have two, one from the park merced and another from the chamber of commerce. >> from the chamber of commerce. from time to time, we need to look at these. we have done this. we encourage people to rent vehicles, whether it is you hall type of vehicles, there are parts of san francisco that could be better served by allowing that type of business in with community support, a neighborhood commercial zoned area that has got sufficient parking lots available as part of the development, so we would urge the committee to recommend this with the full board. supervisor mar: bank you. >> good afternoon, supervisors. my name is deedee workman. i have court with the supervisor on this for over a year. the park merced shopping center is one, which and large parking lot that accommodates more than a few cars. there is ample space for an automotive rental business like u-hall. there are no other businesses like in nearby, so people tend to drive to pacifica or another city to get theirs. we recommend this. allowing the automotive sales is good policy for the city. it will establish neighborhood-

but in richmond virginia, lewis powell who was then the chamber of commerce advisor, an executive on the board of directors and about a dozen other corporations reacted a little bit differently than my reaction as we see as the flowering of the democracy working. he called it an attack on the free enterprise system and wrote a memo in great detail to the chamber of commerce saying the free enterprise system is under attack and he cited ralph nader by name as somehow because the consumer protection issues and the laws that were coming into effect and he called for what he said using activist minded courts to create a corporate rights doctrine in effect to have the corporations come together and find as he said over many years not just a short-term effort, fund over many years a campaign to transform american social political and legal structures to be more favorable to the largest corporations. six months later president nixon appointed him to the supreme court made the same day that he appointed a conservative william rehnquist and it's interesting how to actually ended up being quite

we have been working with the merchants association, the chinese chamber of commerce and many associations here to come up with a great idea to make walking much easier but also to make buying merchandise and enjoying chinatown much easier. hopefully also allowing the bus to run smoothly while these activities are going on. without further delay, i would like to introduce our mayor, who is no stranger to chinatown and who is really spearheading this idea. thank you. [applause] mayor lee: let's see if everybody can occupy the parking space. exactly what we want to do is make sure people use the sidewalks as much as possible. first of all, how the new year, everyone. i know that as we celebrate the traditional new year, as soon as i finish with one new year, i get ready for the next year, because chinese new year is also a huge celebration not over chat -- not only over chinatown, but all over the city. the city really makes a lot of money with a lot of tourists that come in. the department of public works has already started -- you are already cleaning up the big gate down there and the gra

chamber of commerce and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that the chamber represents. the chamber strongly supports the goal of enhancing consumer protection. but we're extremely concerned that the recess appointment is actually going to have the opposite effect. creating confusion and uncertainty for businesses that want to comply with the law and imposing unnecessary and duplicative costs on legitimate businesses. rather than focusing on the constitutional issues, which i agree with ambassador gray, it's been well discussed, i would like to focus on these constitutions for consumers, for businesses, and for the economy of the judicial determination that the appointment of the director violates the constitution. and i think it's important to understand that the dodd frank act provided prior to the appointment of a director some of the powers of the bureau could be exercised by the treasury secretary. these included rule making under federal consumer laws that predated dodd frank. very important lending laws, home mortgage disclosure act, conducting supervisory examina

especially with the leadership of all the members and supporters and volunteers of the chinese chamber of commerce. we have seen so many years of the street fairs, the parades' that attract a quarter million people. we really have set an example for the rest of the country. i want to congratulate everyone for their hard work. i look forward to seeing everybody this saturday at the parade. taking an example of the lunar utah -- lunar new year and how celebrate it, we talked about it lunar new year and chinese new year as the same period that are pretty much the same, but lunar new year is celebrated by many groups within the asian american community, including korean- americans, vietnamese americans, and many others. we want to celebrate the chinese new year every year, but also the occasion of asia pacific heritage month in grand style, and set an example for the rest of the country. this year, our theme is celebrating heritage, advancing education. we will be presenting three awards to distinguished individuals and organizations in the area us of advancing education. the nomination is open to the

was working he called it the attack on the free enterprise system and he wrote a memo to the chamber of commerce outlining a multi-year corporate funded organized corporations to fight back and to fight back really against democracy work and put in some kind of balance into our into our system of economic system and into the amazing thing about this memo. talk about in the book how explicit and detailed it was from using activist minded courts he called it to create corporate rights to change the political legal and economic structure of america that was his goal and the amazing thing is six months after writing this memo to the chamber of commerce president nixon appointed him to the supreme court and he got his chance to do just that did did nixon in your opinion no the paul was all about this kind of stuff you know let's because it causes so many things came out of this away from heritage and cato and all these think tanks and federalist. or did nixon just think he was a because he had been asked before to be on the supreme court he turned it down yeah and at the time nixon actually had two n

that it's really about whether lewis powell succeeded in doing what his memo said that the chamber of commerce and corporate america should do which is change the legal social and economic structure it wasn't just about winning a few supreme court cases it was about change in american culture and that is i think what they succeeded in doing so i think we now see the results not only in our democracy after citizens united but in the food we eat the water we drink the wars we fight. almost throughout our society i talk about schools essentially being corporate ties now and the economy i think what we see in the economy is once we accepted the lewis powell theory the chamber of commerce theory that corporations are just like people and have rights rather than being tools that serve us rather than we are tools that serve the corporations once that got flipped around everything was beyond debate so if the if corporations wanted to start up at all the benefits and privileges of a corporation but put all the jobs and to sweat shops overseas or into dangerous factories in china that would be just fine

san francisco chamber of commerce. the san francisco department of children, youth, and their families. san francisco department on the status of women. san francisco zero divided foundation. we would like to thank the city department heads that are here. the department of status of women. the human rights commission, and our own director, the office of civic engagement and immigrant affairs. you have an opportunity later in the meeting for public comment. please indicate if you would like to speak or write down your questions and return the cards to staff members. i would like to introduce an outstanding leader who has worked hard to bring the diverse segments of the san francisco community together to reach a common ground. since coming into office in january of 2009, he has brought thoughtful leadership to our city. we're pleased to welcome the president of the san francisco board of supervisors. thank you. [applause] >> good evening. i am pleased to be with all of you today. i want to think the immigrant rights comm

and of course of your own chinese chamber of commerce incidently involved over there to my right.ause] sending notes. did she send us notes? all right. and i suspect that. there are other people that will be introduced, but diane is on the schedule, which she has ever one else on a time schedule, and i am already passed the time. i am about to ppresent to you so there can be a formal swearing-in, and then i will come back and finish up with the introductions. it is important to do that, because they came to be introduced. and [laughter] so with that, let me ask the senior u.s. senator, former mayor city and county of san francisco and also force in the public decision making of this nation like canada it for reelection, dianne feinstein. [applause] thank you. and >> thank you. just a word if i might. for me, this is a time of hope and opportunity. i was sitting here, and some of it was bittersweet. i was thinking back to november 22, 1978, when i took my first oath of office as acting mayor in the mayor's office. then 1980 when i took my first oak of office 32 years ago as duly el

now take a chamber of commerce object to mr. bush's recess appointments? pacino a? >> i don't know, congressman. some of them are made in the circumstances here. so you don't know what the chamber did? okay. the national labor relations board, mr. pincus insurers the union and nonunion workers alike. now slide six. thank you -- slide six shows the nlrb protects the right to bargain for wages, benefits and working conditions and the right to take action with coworkers to improve working conditions. now mr. pincus, you are here for business interests, correct? on behalf of the business interests in the chamber represents and is an advocate for restrictions on company management, ray? >> i don't represent the chamber in connection with labor issues. >> she represent the interest of company management and ceos in the most powerful companies in the country, ray? >> i don't with respect to any labor laws. >> what about with respect to corporate policy? >> i have clients who are individuals. >> let me ask you. didn't the chamber file a lawsuit require employers to post a no

chamber of commerce, unprecedented coalition. they came together regardless of ideology and differences, and every time i -- i look at this list, i'm reminded that essentially it is america. it's america. business, labor groups, state organizations, city organizations, and organizations from all 50 states. we got a letter from these thousand organizations recently, and i'm going to quote what they said. some of what they said. they said "there are few federal efforts that rival the potential of critical transportation infrastructure investments for sustaining and creating jobs and economic activity. they wrote, in 2011, political leaders, republican and democrat, house, senate ashes, and the administration, stated a multi-year spht bill is important -- surface transportation bill is important for economic recovery. we urge you to follow words with action. this is what they asked us. make transportation job number one and move legislation immediately the house and senate to invest in the roads and the bridges and the transit system

to the leadership of "business journal," he was named a siness person of the year by the cut chamber of commerce. you have met a number of his talented reporters on the scene, and alex and joins us today. you were on our first episode one year ago, and we thought it was time to have you back. it is the 30th year of the washington business journal. >> if yes, we are really honored and humbled that we are here for 30 years i joked that people left when they met me and said you are the publisher of the washington business journalal is that not an oxymoron? we approve there is business in washington. >> as someone whoho cered politics for decades, i have to tellou i find there are so many more interesting people in the world of business than polilitics. where some of your favorites? >> the dow is a great question. >> did not war i would ask you that. >> i could remember sitting 15 years agot the aol headquarters with the head of communications. we were talking to khaki bush and --athy bushkin and whether aol could support a c corporate initiative. she walks to steve case's office. he said i would be

the weather tomorrow not going to be chamber of commerce type. we will have some light rain starting in the authority bay tonight. spreading over the rest of the bay area tomorrow. ifif you head out, if have you to go to work expect cloudy skies, maybe a little bit of drizzle and light rain. streets will be wet and temperatures chilly, only in the upper 40s. we will look for things to change by midweek. we will talk about that after we cover the numbers the marin civic center 46, 45 out at travis. fairfield, low pressure spinning off the northwest, sending a lot of high clouds but not much moisture toward the bay area. some radar echoes picked u. light rain spreading south. finally the doppler showing a few echoes. what the future cast. the green means rain and as we get toward sunrise a little bit of rain and then some sun and clouds tomorrow. monday starts wet. cloudy and wet for president's day, temperatures will be mostly in the upper 50s for the bay area so a cold start to the week with forecast highs only in the mid50s. then, high pressure a

lebron james can be in charge of the cleveland chamber of commerce and the cast of "jersey shore" cannational campaign for manners, humility and modesty. if newt gingrich can do it, why can't they? in fact, if newt gingrich can do it, why can't i? this is me with senator bill bradley. he's over 6'6" and i'm barely 5'6". he's noticed the difference and has given me a friendly kiss on the top of my head. i'm pleased to announce today if newt gingrich can speak for all catholics, i'm going to speak for all tall people. >> i think the gentleman from illinois made his point. he certainly did. [ male announcer ] say goodbye to "ho-hum," and hello to "whoa, yum." use campbell's cream of chicken soup to make easy enchiladas, cheesy chicken & rice, and other chicken dishes that are oh...so...whoa. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.

host: back to the point of the chamber of commerce. guest: since it is not a super p.a.c. it doesn't have to disclose its donors. we do not know where the money that fueled that advertisement is coming from because whether it is the chamber or any other group that is organized as the chamber or as we were talking about like a social welfare organization is, they just simply, based on the laws we have right now, which are very contentious and a lot of people disagree with, they do not have to disclose the source of their money and therefore we know less about these ads when it comes to funding sources than the advertisements from super p.a.c.'s, which are a step further in terms of how overt they may be in terms of support of candidates but the down side perhaps of having to is disclose where the money is coming from. host: union bridge, maryland. bill on the line for republicans. go ahead. caller: yes. what i wanted to find out is the amount of money spent on the campaign and amount of votes acquired divided into the money.for the votes acquired and what each vote cost the

every year the vietnam chamber of commerce published a list of vietnam's top destinations for investment and danang has been at the top for three years in a row. it scored particularly well in terms of quality of manpower, transparent access to information, and cooperation by public officials. the main charge now will be to remain at the top of the list and continue attracting investors from abroad. >> thank you so much, akiko. tomorrow on the second day of our special report, we'll discuss one of the major challenges for the development of central vietnam. that is finding high-quality manpower in the tourism industry. that's going to wrap up our bulletin for today, reporting from hanoi. >>> in other news, north korea and the united states are due to hold direct talks in beijing on thursday over north korea's nuclear development. the meeting will be the first since the death of kim jong-il in december. north korea's nuclear em voi arrived in beijing on tuesday. he did not speak with reporters. u.s. special envoy glenn davies arrived wednesday. >> in the leadership in pyongyang, we'll be