This week, we report on the most influential corporate-funded political force most Americans have never heard of -- ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. A national consortium of state politicians and powerful corporations, ALEC presents itself as a "nonpartisan public-private partnership". But behind that mantra lies a vast network of corporate lobbying and political action aimed to increase corporate profits at public expense without public knowledge.
In state houses around the country, hundreds of pieces of boilerplate ALEC legislation are proposed or enacted that would, among other things, dilute collective bargaining rights, make it harder for some Americans to vote, and limit corporate liability for harm caused to consumers -- each accomplished without the public ever knowing who's behind it.
We explore ALEC's self-serving machine at work, acting in a way one Wisconsin politician describes as "a corporate dating service for lonely legislators and corporate special interests."
Here's a preview:
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"United States of ALEC" is a collaboration between as Okapi Productions LLC and the Schumann Media Center, headed by Bill Moyers, which supports independent journalism and public watchdogs including the Center for Media and Democracy, whose investigators are featured in the report.
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Let's not forget they pioneered "stand your ground law" among other draconian laws.
I kind of marveled at the time of the "serendipitous" nature of it all. What were the odds the public would be "hand delivered" a case like this to accentuate the ALEC issue in such an emotionally charged way? To this day I remain incredibly sad Trayvon Martin ended up becoming a victim to someone like George Zimmerman--but, in light of everything that came out during the public airing of this case--I do not feel that Trayvon's death was in vain. It represented a significant turning point in terms of bringing the controversy of the ALEC organization into the light of day.
Going forward I hope the American people will challenge legislation that comes out of these types of associations. I recognize there are "freedom of association" protections--but, it continues to concern me our legislators are not required to "disclose" these memberships to consituents--unless they are directly asked about them.
It is a covert takeover of America.
This is a terrorist organization.
We must take every action to snuf it out.
State union-busting measures
Repealing minimum wage laws
Privatizing public lands
Repealing capital gains taxes
Repealing the estate tax
Fighting any efforts to address manmade climate change while touting “the many benefits of atmospheric CO2 enrichment”
Repealing paid sick day laws around the country
Requiring a super-majority to raise taxes
Pushing rules that deem that kids eating rat poison is an “acceptable risk”
~ThinkProgress.org
OBAMA/BIDEN and a Straight Democratic Party Ticket in 2012.
"Fascism should rightly be called corporatism because it represents the merger of state and corporate power" Benito Mussolini
"the merger of state and corporate power"
merger.
I work for a large Corp that was recently 'acquired'. It was such a large merger that it went before the FTC. It was approved.
It has & will continue to cost THOUSANDS of employees their jobs. Approved during a Democratic Presidency.
I worry that Politics & US Political Parties have become a pathetic sham. ALEC is very alarming & I question why it was clandestine.
And you'd be right …
Geo Carlin This explains a lot. http://goo.gl/j0knS
George Carlin The Truth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCaU3CuTwU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKQs-jDI7j8&feature=related
I know how awful that sounds, but when a nation gets as divided as ours is now, these thoughts come to mind.