Sneaky little bastards, aren't they?

Quote of note:

But while the business associations convey support to the White House —  and funnel money to the Social Security campaign —  individual companies that make up the trade groups are for the most part declining to take a public position.

A Los Angeles Times telephone survey this monthof the 20 largest U.S. companies found only two willing to publicly support the president's proposal on Social Security.

Trade Groups Join Bush on Social Security
Though individual firms are wary, nearly 100 associations answer a White House battle cry.
By Tom Hamburger
Times Staff Writer
April 11, 2005

WASHINGTON   Snow swirled outside the White House as presidential advisor Karl Rove strode into Room 450 of the Old Executive Office Building, just across from his West Wing office.

Four weeks had elapsed since his boss, President Bush, embarked on a national campaign to overhaul Social Security   and the reception was as chilly as the Washington winter. Polls showed the public wary, Republicans were balking on Capitol Hill, and businesses that had agreed to lend support were dropping out under pressure from labor unions.

The White House had summoned dozens of the nation's most influential business lobbyists so Rove could personally deliver the message that Social Security was the president's No. 1 domestic priority —  and introduce the committee charged with building support for it.

Even in a business community still divided on the issue, the private talking-to penetrated deeply.

Since that Feb. 24 meeting, nearly 100 state and national trade associations —  representing bankers and bakers, restaurateurs and road builders —  have joined Compass, the Coalition for the Modernization and Protection of America's Social Security.