"Model Legislation"

Moderators, please feel free to move this if you feel it should be under a different heading.

ALEC is a powerful group in this country that most people have not heard of, however most have felt their presence. Please take a couple of minutes and look over the following information.

I apologize in advance for the length of this post and hope to not sound like a conspiracy theorist. It seems their name comes up frequently when I'm researching many of the newer legislative items at the state and federal levels.

Here's a link to a report NPR did on them last October.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130891396
Shaping State Laws With Little Scrutiny

“Here's how it works: ALEC is a membership organization. State legislators pay $50 a year to belong. Private corporations can join, too. The tobacco company Reynolds American Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp. and drug-maker Pfizer Inc. are among the members. They pay tens of thousands of dollars a year. Tax records show that corporations collectively pay as much as $6 million a year.
With that money, the 28 people in the ALEC offices throw three annual conferences. The companies get to sit around a table and write "model bills" with the state legislators, who then take them home to their states.”
“One of those bills is now Arizona's controversial new immigration law. It requires police to arrest anyone who cannot prove they entered the country legally when asked. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants could be locked up, and private prison companies stand to make millions.
The largest prison company in the country, the Corrections Corporation of America, was present when the model immigration legislation was drafted at an ALEC conference last year.”

Here is a link to ALEC's Model Legislation page
http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Model_Legislation1

“One of the most important resources ALEC provides to its members is model legislation. Through the combined effort and unique partnership of public and private sector members, model legislation is drafted, deliberated and approved by one of ALEC's eight Task Forces. These bills provide a valuable framework for developing effective policy ideas aimed at protecting and expanding our free society.
While ALEC provides the resources, our members, long known for their legislative activism, introduced hundreds of bills based on ALEC model legislation. During the latest legislative cycle, dozens of ALEC model bills were enacted into law.”

Here is a link to their latest press releases:
http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Releases&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=15530

One more article:
Conservative Corporate Advocacy Group ALEC Behind Voter Disenfranchisement Efforts
“The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative organization linked to corporate and right-wing donors, including the billionaire Koch brothers, has drafted and distributed model legislation, obtained by Campus Progress, that appears to be the inspiration for bills proposed by state legislators this year and promoted by Tea Party activists, bills that would limit access of young people to vote.”
“Meanwhile, as Campus Progress reported last month, in New Hampshire, state House Speaker William O’Brien (R- Hillsborough 4) says that proposed election legislation will “tighten up the definition of a New Hampshire resident.” O’Brien claims that college towns experience hundreds of same-day voter registrations and that those are the ballots of people who “are kids voting liberal, voting their feelings, with no life experience.”

http://campusprogress.org/articles/conservative_corporate_advocacy_group_alec_behind_voter_disenfranchise/

I think ALEC smacks of being a corporate "lobbyist" organization, but we all should be aware of tools and strategies of those who would legislate for the interests of a select few, or a "group" as it were. Most legislation benefiting the working class was and is in response to citizen outrage similar to what we see going on around our nation now.
However, the "Tea party members" are on a roll, so let's make ourselves aware of organizations such as this, because they certainly do make an impact.

Who's Creating Walker's Playbook?

This a rather long article, but worth the read.

"ALEC's most infamous "success" was the passage of Senate Bill 1070 in Arizona, otherwise known as the anti-immigrant, racial-profiling "show us your papers" law. SB 1070 was written by Arizona legislator Russell Pearce with the help of the NRA and the Corrections Corporation of America, a private owner of prisons. Few noticed when the Republicans introduced the bill in the Wisconsin Legislature when Democrats were in control, but now that Republicans beholden to ALEC are in charge, look for it to return."

http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-14041-this-article-portrays-the-attitude-and-hateful-comments-of-a-.html

I found a list of members from the house of representatives. Wow, just wow! You have to see it to believe the list.

http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=house_of_representatives

Replying from the previous locked thread, this bill is definitely not what we think it is. It is a union busting bill. They want to make the entire nation like the right to work states. NC is a right to work state and basically it makes it harder to unionize. It also keeps wages extremely low. The idea behind it is too basically freeze or lower the minimum wage so that more us will be hired at $5 an hour or something. It doesn't really help anything. Trust me we do not want this.

I not only trust your opinion, lendme- I agree wholeheartedly! My state of Iowa has been a "right to work" state for quite some time, but we in Union circles call it "right to work for less" which is indeed what this law does!
I checked out your link, Jane- funny, I see two of Iowa's reps- King and Boswell- who have NOT gotten on board with HR 589, and with all the names on the member's list, I am feeling very apprehensive of 589's ever getting out of commitee!

I hope no one misintrepets my doubts on passage of HR 589- just my feelings after 2 1/2 years of disappointments and dashed hopes. I am doing all I can to bug the #### out of our Reps. and Sens. Must keep trying!!!

Thank you Jane! great topic..very informative. Knowledge is power.
Sometimes I feel like there is so much to learn about all of this, that I will never possibly learn it all during my lifetime! lol

Governor can still do what Legislature didn’t

"The American Legislative Exchange Council, (ALEC) a conservative legislative organization, is urging state legislatures to “decline to build the Obamacare edifice.” ALEC recommends that states stop promulgating rules that put Obamacare into place and stop accepting federal grants that are being awarded to the states to put the program in place."

http://www.idahopress.com/opinion/article_551849d4-4309-11e0-8dc1-001cc4c002e0.html

North Carolina Becomes First State in 2011 to Send Health Freedom Bill to Governor's Desk

"The North Carolina Senate today approved House Bill 2 (HB2), sending the legislation to Gov. Bev Perdue for her signature. North Carolina is the first state in 2011 to bring legislation modeled after the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act to a governor's desk. This legislation protects the rights of citizens to pay directly for medical care, and would prohibit the government from penalizing North Carolinians for failing to purchase health care."


http://www.emailwire.com/release/58245-North-Carolina-Becomes-First-State-in-2011-to-Send-Health-Freedom-Bill-to-Governors-Desk.html

ALEC: The Behind the Scenes Player in the States' Fight Against the Middle Class

"One of the most influential organization which connects state legislators with corporate money and corporate think tanks to influence pro-corporate, anti-union state legislation is the secretive American Legislative Exchange Council, often known as ALEC. Funded by some of the largest corporations based in the United States, ALEC takes the policy ideas of corporate-friendly think tanks, turns them into hundreds of "model legislation" bills undermining unions, blocking environmental protections, opposing health care reform, and supporting the tobacco and private prison industries."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/alec-states-unions_b_832428.html

In their scorecard .pdf file they claim to have 115 bills enacted last year alone. It's a map that shows how many bills were proposed and how many passed.

http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=2010_Legislative_Scorecard

EDIT: 3/26/2011. It looks like this template has been moved from the original link.

And their private enterprise board of directors:
Board Members

Ms. Sano Blocker, Energy Future Holdings
Mr. Don Bohn, Johnson & Johnson
Mr. Jeff Bond, PhRMA
Mr. Bill Carmichael, American Bail Coalition
Mr. Derek Crawford, Kraft Foods, Inc.
Mr. John Del Giorno, GlaxoSmithKline
Mr. Michael Hubert, Pfizer Inc
Ms. Teresa Jennings, Reed Elsvier
Mr. Ken Lane, DIAGEO
Mr. Bill Leahy, AT&T
Mr. Kelly Mader, Peabody Energy
Mr. Richard McKardle, UPS
Mr. Bernie McKay, Intuit, Inc.
Mr. Mike Morgan, Koch Industries, Inc.
Ms. Sandy Oliver, Bayer Healthcare
Mr. David Powers, Reynolds American Inc.
Mr. Gene Rackley, Coca-Cola Enterprises
Ms. Maggie Sans, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Mr. Russell Smoldon, Salt River Project
Mr. Toby Spangler, Altria Client Services, Inc.
Mr. Roland Spies, State Farm Insurance Co.
Mr. Jerry Watson, American Bail Coalition

http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Private_Enterprise_Board&Template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=15533

Jane- You are AWESOME!!! I love it that you posted the private enterprise board members' names- it was one of the first things I looked at when I went there through your link. You have uncovered yet another way that the right- wingers in this country have joined forces to mold and sculpt this nation to suit their own greedy self- interests. You totally rock! Keep it coming, my dear! I will be checking in periodically, I take care of my 3 grade school grandkids during the week, so I have to log off frequently. My hat is off to you!

BUMP for ET.

BUMP. Bill Cronon also covered ALEC.

Its funny what ya really find when you start turning over the rocks. Bill did a great job.

gettheminNOVEMBER wrote:Its funny what ya really find when you start turning over the rocks. Bill did a great job.

It is pretty funny. I haven't read his post yet. This thread is my research.

EDIT: And I've only scratched the surface.

John Boehner's official blog:

ALEC, Representing Nearly 2,000 State Legislators, Urges Repeal of Job-Killing ObamaCare Law

Posted by Don Seymour on January 07, 2011
"The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), representing nearly 2,000 state legislators, released a letter to Speaker Boehner today urging repeal of the job-killing ObamaCare law. In the letter, ALEC highlights “the tremendous financial burden” the health care law imposes on states, including:"

http://www.speaker.gov/Blog/?postid=219239

John Boehner speaking at an ALEC event in 2009. Watch at :39 where he states he is a former member of ALEC and had been since the 80s.

U.S. Rep. John Boehner speaks at ALEC on December 4 in DC. Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypFZk--yAmc

JaneWI wrote:John Boehner speaking at an ALEC event in 2009. Watch at :39 where he states he is a former member of ALEC and had been since the 80s.

U.S. Rep. John Boehner speaks at ALEC on December 4 in DC. Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypFZk--yAmc

Thank you I will share this. Boehner is SO full of himself.

Something to look into. Remember how Scott Walker kept using his buzzword "Tools" for the economy, and "Tools" for the state. Well it looks like he was taking his leads from ALEC. The same organization that is now taking on Dr. Cronon for speaking out against them. Is this our smoking gun?

Hey Jane I found this comment on FB. ALEC TOOLS AND WALKER MENTIONS TOOLS?

JaneWI wrote:I found a list of members from the house of representatives. Wow, just wow! You have to see it to believe the list.

http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=house_of_representatives

The link is not working.

I know I am joining this late so excuse me but it is pretty common knowledge at this point that the ALEC council writes big business friendly legislation that is later enacted by republican lawmakers. The Wisconsin anti-union bill was an ALEC bill if I am not mistaken.