NYT editorial on ALEC: The Big Money Behind State Laws

[highplainsdem]

This was originally published on the 12th, but I missed it then:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/opinion/the-big-money-behind-state-laws.html

It is no coincidence that so many state legislatures have spent the last year taking the same destructive actions: making it harder for minorities and other groups that support Democrats to vote, obstructing health care reform, weakening environmental regulations and breaking the spines of public- and private-sector unions. All of these efforts are being backed — in some cases, orchestrated — by a little-known conservative organization financed by millions of corporate dollars.

The American Legislative Exchange Council was founded in 1973 by the right-wing activist Paul Weyrich; its big funders include Exxon Mobil, the Olin and Scaife families and foundations tied to Koch Industries. Many of the largest corporations are represented on its board.

ALEC has written model legislation on a host of subjects dear to corporate and conservative interests, and supporting lawmakers have introduced these bills in dozens of states. A recent study of the group’s impact in Virginia showed that more than 50 of its bills were introduced there, many practically word for word. The study, by the liberal group ProgressVA, found that ALEC had been involved in writing bills that would:

-snip-

There is nothing illegal or unethical about ALEC’s work, except that it further demonstrates the pervasive influence of corporate money and right-wing groups on the state legislative process. There is no group with any comparable influence on the left. Lawmakers who eagerly do ALEC’s bidding have much to answer for. Voters have a right to know whether the representatives they elect are actually writing the laws, or whether the job has been outsourced to big corporate interests.

I disagree about there being nothing unethical about ALEC's work -- and I also question the legality of what ALEC does and its tax-exempt status as what is supposedly an "educational" 501(c)(3) organization. ALEC appears to be a giant lobbying machine designed to bring corporations and conservative lawmakers together to get the corporations the legislation they want.

But despite that quibble with the editorial, I was VERY glad to see it. It's about time the media spotlight is directed toward the American Legislative Exchange Council and all the harm it's been doing.

[Botany]

1. Welcome to the party NY Times

The story about ALEC is a year old ..... remember Kasich* and Walker
and the firestorm they started? Maybe the can look @ Ohio 2004 or
the WMDs in Iraq or ...... liberal media



* John was a founding member of ALEC in the 1970s.

[prairierose]

2. Isn't it amazing how long it takes "mainstream media"

to catch on to what is happening and begin to tell the important stories? Every time a major media outlet catches up to reality, I am amazed it took them so long. I keep telling myself that, after all these years, I should not be amazed but just take it for granted. But I still have this memory of press that investigated and reported objectively and I guess, I keep hoping they will return.

[EC]

3. I disagree also,

We haven't elected anyone on the ALEC board to write laws for us or to serve for us.