Taxpayer Dollars Subsidize ALEC Birthday Bash

[Snarkoleptic]

As the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) gears up for its 40th birthday party in Chicago, Illinois, next week, some state legislatures are digging into taxpayers’ pockets to pay for ALEC politicians to travel to the birthday bash.

South Dakota made headlines earlier this year, since amidst cuts to important social services such as healthcare and education, the legislature's Executive Board decided to use taxpayer dollars to foot the bill not only for ALEC travel, but also to pay the $100 membership fees for all 105 state legislators -- which would put taxpayers on the hook for $10,500. And the pricetag will be much higher to fund legislators' flights and hotel rooms for ALEC meetings, where they will be lobbied by special interests and urged to pass corporate-friendly "model bills" in their state

Some two dozen Kansas lawmakers may be headed to Chicago. Given ALEC's goals of "limited government" and "reduced taxes," some newspapers think that it is "comically ironic" that some of these legislators are asking taxpayers to foot the bill.

Kind of a sparse article, but I live in the Chicago area and was unaware these fascists were coming to town.

http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/08/12200/taxpayer-dollars-fund-flights-alec-birthday-bash

[Snarkoleptic]

1. Aaaaand cue the protests! ((not sure how I missed this event and the scheduled protests))

http://www.unionbook.org/profiles/blogs/alec-protest-august-8-2013
J

OIN US: Let’s “Welcome” ALEC to Chicago
Thursday, August 8, 2013, Noon

Outside the Palmer House Hilton Hotel, 17 East Monroe, Chicago, IL 60603
We will gather outside the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) 40th Anniversary Conference, to expose them and their dangerous agenda that exploits working and middle class families, while protecting major corporations and CEOs.

http://occupywallst.org/article/aug-7-9-three-days-action-shut-down-alec-chicago/

Aug 7-9: Three Days of Action to Shut Down ALEC in Chicago
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) will be meeting in Chicago on August 7-9 at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel. ALEC connects corporate lobbyists with legislators behind closed doors to write "model legislation". This Legislation is then put on the floor of state legislatures across the country, without indication that it is an ALEC model bill. Put simply, corporations are writing state laws. That type of concerted effort in favor of profit between business interests and the state is NOT acceptable. ALEC's model bills include Right to Work (for less) laws, "Ag-gag" bills which brand environmental and animal rights activists "terrorists", Arizona's racial profiling law (SB1070), Wisconsin legislature's attack on public-sector collective bargaining, and so many others.

Facebook organizing here-
https://www.facebook.com/events/381320208639722/

[MotherPetrie]

2. That is obscene.

[freshwest]

3. Dammit. Just dammit.

[ancianita]

4. That's IT? No one has any suggestions about what to do about ALEC's shindig?

[Snarkoleptic]

5. See reply #1 for protest info.

n/t