ALEC is a critical arm of the right-wing network of policy shops that, with infusions of corporate cash, has evolved to shape American politics…ALEC’s model legislation reflects long-term goals: downsizing government, removing regulations on corporations and making it harder to hold the economically and politically powerful to account. Corporate donors retain veto power over the language, which is developed by the secretive task forces. The task forces cover issues from education to health policy. ALEC’s priorities for the 2011 session included bills to privatize education, break unions, deregulate major industries, pass voter ID laws and more.
Corporations “helping” state legislators to craft legislation, in short. What a fantastic arrangement.
“Dozens of corporations are investing millions of dollars a year to write business-friendly legislation that is being made into law in statehouses coast to coast, with no regard for the public interest,” says Bob Edgar of Common Cause. “This is proof positive of the depth and scope of the corporate reach into our democratic processes.”
Check out ALEC exposed, and grind your teeth.
Comments
10 responses to “To write business-friendly legislation”
Shocked, right? This was the story on Fresh Air yesterday. Noble Ellington was interviewed and said that, actually, all interests are represented in ALEC because, being an elected official, he represents everybody!
Sadly, the latest Pew party identification survey reveals that Republican support among white voters, women and men, of all ages and incomes, has increased since 2008. I guess they want their country back.
What if they gave a class war and only one side showed up?
I know, that was what alerted me. I too was stunned by Noble Ellington. The corporations are at the table but the workers and people who can’t pay their medical bills are also represented there because Ellington represents them and he’s insulted that Terry Gross should imply otherwise.
He sounded quite dim, and I had to wonder if he was doing a Columbo. I bet he doesn’t sound dim when sitting at the table with the ALEC honchos.
What the hell is model legislation, anyway. ALEC draws up “model legislation.” Wtf is that? And why are unelected people allowed to do it?
Bob Edgar used to be my congressguy – he the man!
Could be worse. At least they aren’t ACORN.
They may help businesses, but they don’t do pimping.
Your last link doesnt work(probably a missing http:// or www)
Sili, I hope that was poorly phrased sarcasm. Otherwise, you should change the spelling of your ‘nym to “Silly,” because pseudo-journalist James O’Keefe’s outright lies about ACORN have been long since been exposed.
[The link to ALEC exposed needs fixing, it’s pointing to somewhere on B&W at the moment, possibly just needs an “http:\\”] KUTGW
Oops, thanks Dr Dave; fixed.
Thanks Deepak, too.
Last time I took Sili to task it was indeed irony, so let’s hope it is this time.
I think it’s possible that you’re not all that good at irony, Sili! More Poe than irony.