How many are familiar with work of ALEC?
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) began in 1973, and has supported conservative policy ideas. It is currently focusing on lawsuit reform, tax and spending limitations, and school choice.
ALEC is made up of state lawmakers to share conservative policy ideas. Through the years, ALEC has been obscure at times, and in the forefront at times. It is now in the forefront because of the record gains by conservatives in state legislatures in 2010.
Former White House czar, Van Jones of the Obama Administration, now leads the group called Color of Change. Its members are left-wing activists and media. They are bullying big business to cut off aid to ALEC.
ALEC has a meager budget of $7 million, coming from 2,000 legislator members who chip in $50 each per year. Contrast this to the tens of millions that unions are investing in Wisconsin to recall Governor Scott Walker. Anyway, Color of Change is approaching big business, demanding they stop contributing to ALEC because it is racist. This scares them. The main thrust by Color of Change is saying that voter ID laws are racist and unworthy of their support. They also say that ALEC supports Florida's "Stand Your Ground laws" in the wake of the killing of Trevon Martin. These "Shoot First laws" exist in 26 states, and are endorsed by former Democratic governors, including Janet Napolitano, now head of Homeland Security. Color of Change also criticizes ALEC's support of privatized education, and they support Planned Parenthood. They are playing up the race card because they know it has the most potential to spook big business. And, it is working.
There are several big companies that have caved under Color of Change's pressure to date, including Coca-Cola, Mars Candy, Wendy's, Kraft and the Gates Foundation. AT&T, Walmart, State Farm and Johnson & Johnson are withstanding the attacks at present. If they cave, too, they will be abandoning one of the few voices in state capitals that support free enterprise policies.
ALEC is feeling the pressure, and announced that it is abandoning its Public Safety and Education task force on non-economic issues. It is surely a shame to see the group bending to this pressure. This ugly, anti-ALEC campaign by Van Jones and Color of Change is typical of today's liberal activism, and they are resorting to demonizing their opponents, and trying to shut them down. The business community needs to realize that ALEC won't be the last target of Color of Change. We, as citizens, need to know about this behind-the-scenes activity, and to encourage our state and national elected officials to support ALEC whenever possible.
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2 Comments for "How many are familiar with work of ALEC? "
To whom is $7MIL considered "meager"?
[quote]Color of Change is approaching big business, demanding they stop contributing to ALEC because it is racist. This scares them. They are playing up the race card because they know it has the most potential to spook (pun not intended?) big business. And, it is working.[/quote]
It should only scare them, if they [u]are[/u] racist. Oh - I see what you mean.
I notice that you failed to mention that Color of Change is an African-American organization whose stated goal is: "to strengthen Black America's political voice. Our goal is to empower our members - Black Americans and our allies - to make government more responsive to the concerns of Black Americans and to bring about positive political and social change for everyone."
Did you think readers would infer it was a black organization, because you mentioned President Obama?
Or should we infer that your attacks against this organization indicate that you personally oppose strengthening black America's political voice?
This is a democracy, with free speech; if the corporations bail on ALEC - that's ALEC's problem. If you have to depend on handouts, then you have propagate messages that are more palatable.
lastpercentile Apr 25, 2012 12:50 PM
Mr. Shill, you must be confused; $7 million is approximately the cost of their seminar scheduled this summer.
ALEC has a rotating membership of about 2,000 elected officials, lawyers, and judges who pay a nominal dues of about $100 for two years. For that, and for pushing anti-American laws through their states, they enjoy twice a year a rendezvous with Kochs et al. at a wholly-reserved resort where they rub elbows with the rich and are told not to let anyone outside, under any circumstances, see the paperwork they are issued.
ALEC has a permanent corporate/ business membership of about 200. They pay dues of around $25,000 a year, and also donate enormous sums to the projects they are working on. They are the ones for whose benefit the laws are being passed. For example, the NRA was ALEC's corporate co-chair recently, and ALEC passed all their insane fantasy laws in every possible state. Among them, of course, is the law forbidding schools to prohibit students from carrying loaded guns on campus, and the Stand and Kill law. You will recognize an ALEC law because it will be passed essentially unchanged in up to 26 states (those where ALEC controls a trifecta) this year, and it will cut the state and its people off at the knees, usually for the purpose of shifting what little wealth the people have left to their possession but sometimes to prohibit states from passing environmental laws OR studying environmental issues--those are the states ALEC intends to tear up and leave as sodden waste dumps of poisoned water and oil sands.
Nice job of disinformation, Ron--one of ALEC's most respected abilities. Oh, and by the way, 2,000 x $50 is $100,000, not 7 million.
Fiona Mackenzie May 03, 2012 7:11 PM