Marathon Pundit: CEO fights Schakowsky and her anti-business agenda

Last month I was in attendance at a Joel Pollak business forum as Rick Woldenberg, the CEO of Learning Resources, decried overreaching federal regulations on lead in toys and educational products, including rock samples.

"Caution: federal law requires us to advise that the rocks in this educational product may contain lead and might be harmful if swallowed,'" is a label on a rock collection he sells. When he read that the audience members laughed, albeit nervously. What will the Democrats come up with next?

Schakowsky, perhaps the most liberal member of the House of Representatives, is a staunch defender of the new regulations.

Which leads Woldenberg to tell the Wall Street Journal, "If Democrats are going to put me out of business, I'm going to put them out of business first."

More from the Journal:

"I think Obama ran as more of a moderate, and business people here are now realizing that this huge expansion of government is not sustainable," said Leo Dombrowski, an attorney at Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP in Chicago, whose clients are fighting new environmental rules.

A survey of small business executives commissioned by the Chamber and conducted by Republican pollster Frank Luntz and Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, found that 52% of 590 small business executives surveyed described themselves as "somewhat" or "much more" discouraged about the future because of the "new rules and regulations coming from the current Congress and the Obama administration." Of the business owners polled, 64% described themselves as discouraged.

Mr. Woldenberg has channeled his unhappiness into helping raise $497,000 for Joel Pollak, a 32-year old Harvard law school graduate who is challenging Obama friend Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Chicago's 9th district, an author and ardent defender of the new children's product lead law. That's 20 times more than any Republican has raise for a run against Ms. Schakowsky, who polled 75% in the last election and is vying for a 7th term.

More...

Ms. Schakowsky is polling at slightly more than 60%, according to her internal polls, a solid lead but narrower than in the past. The campaign has hired four field staffers for the first time, and is sending less money to Democrats in closer races.

The Journal didn't ask Schakowsky if she eats rocks, but she told the paper, "The goal is to save children from toys that are toxic."

Overreach.

And if Learning Resources goes out of business? Well, the end always justifies the means with these liberals. They don't get it. They don't care.

But Joel Pollak gets it.

Thanks to Marathon Pundit reader Jed Skillman for tipping me off to this story.

Related post:

Report from Joel Pollak's Chicagoland Business Forum

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