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BUSINESS INTERESTS

The Business Roundtable (BRT) supports free trade, corporate-tax reduction, Social Security private accounts, reduction of corporate liability for lawsuits, and reforming education to meet industry needs.

The US Chamber of Commerce (USCC) agrees with those positions, but also fights against such things as mandatory labeling of genetically modified food, family and medical leave, OSHA ergonomics guidelines, and raising the minimum wage.

Abbott Laboratories: Miles D. White, chairman/CEO, BRT

AdvantEdge

Ensure

Glucerna

PediaSure

Similac

MI Industries: Robert S. Milligan, chairman, USCC board

Happy Pet pet foods

Honey Creek Farms pet foods

Nature’s Variety pet foods

Pfizer: Henry A. McKinnell, chairman/CEO, USCC board, BRT chair

Celebrex

Lipitor

Viagra

Zoloft

CONSERVATIVE THINK TANKS

The Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) aims to "clarify and reinforce the bond between the Judeo-Christian moral tradition and the public debate over domestic and foreign policy issues." It’s current top issues include defending Supreme Court nominee John Roberts; ending legalized abortion; dramatically scaling back Social Security; and opposing stem-cell research.

The Heritage Foundation funds conservative research and publications on a range of domestic and foreign-policy topics. It advocates relaxing regulations on corporations; banning same-sex marriage by constitutional amendment; partially privatizing Social Security; switching from a progressive income tax to a flat tax or national sales tax; and promoting work, abstinence for the unmarried, and marriage as the antidotes to poverty. According to its Web site, an upcoming Heritage forum will show that "almost all" Iraq-war dissenters oppose capitalism, "many are Communists," and "at root, they are anti-American."

The Manhattan Institute believes in applying free-market capitalism to almost every social program, from Medicare to public education. The latest issue of its magazine, City Journal, includes articles blaming single motherhood for poverty among African-Americans; praising George W. Bush’s Social Security reform plan; encouraging alumni to pressure colleges to teach only traditional Western civilization; and bemoaning the fact that "American music stars are overwhelmingly left-liberal."

The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) also calls for free-market solutions, particularly to environmental problems. It recently released the 2005 version of its "Environmental Index" report, which focuses primarily on debunking "eco-pessimists." The institute also advocates against taxes, living-wage ordinances, drug importation from Canada, and school vouchers.

Reason Foundation, a libertarian group, is most familiar to Bostonians via the regular Boston Globe column by Cathy Young — a contributing editor to the foundation’s magazine, Reason — in which she regularly criticizes liberals and feminists.

Basic American Foods: William Hume, chairman, Heritage trustee

Potato Pearls mashed potatoes

Dalton Enterprises: Timothy G. Dalton, founder, Manhattan Institute trustee

Latex-ite driveway products

EW Scripps: William R. Burleigh, chairman, EPPC chairman

Shop at Home Network

Procter & Gamble: Al H. St. Clair, Reason Foundation trustee

Always

Bounce

Charmin

Cover Girl

Crest

Head & Shoulders

Iams

Luvs

Oil of Olay

Pampers

Pringles

Secret

Tampax

Vicks

Zest

US Sugar Corp., Donald G. Tobin, founder, Manhattan Institute trustee

C&H Sugar

Blue Diamond almonds

Sugar in the Raw

Sweet’N Low

Wente Vineyards wines: Jean Wente, owner, PRI board member