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Forum Post: ALEC Infiltration, First Report.

Posted 10 years ago on Aug. 16, 2013, 6:37 p.m. EST by shoozTroll (17632)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

They don't like we little people very much and wish to remove us from the political process.

Why doesn't that surprise me?

From the Bill Moyers interview, with Wisconsin Rep Cris Taylor.

"Representative Chris Taylor is a Democrat elected to the Wisconsin legislature in 2011. Last week, she attended the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) annual conference in Chicago. Writing about her experience at The Progressive magazine’s website, she describes her experience inside the “ALEC universe” and writes: “ALEC members have been quietly working out of the public eye to develop their agenda so that when given the opportunity, they are ready to start creating an ALEC nation. That time has come. And they are ready.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/16/wisconsin-democrat-who-infiltrated-alec-they-dont-want-people-involved-in-the-political-process/

Welcome to the once and future,

United States of ALEC

15 Comments

15 Comments


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[-] 0 points by shoozTroll (17632) 10 years ago

More from rep. Taylor.

"In the last two days, I have been completely submerged in the ALEC universe, at times fascinated by the extensive infrastructure the group has assembled while horrified at the policy and practical results for the average person.

The backbone of the American Legislative Exchange Council is an infrastructure that has been developed over the last 40 years that melds together rightwing think tanks, corporations and legislators. This ménage a trois has created a policy-making machine that produces a corporate agenda to elevate private profits over the needs of most people. "

http://www.progressive.org/alec-nation

For some odd reason, there's been no honest report from the party who's name must not be mentioned, under threat of being called partisan.

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

One guy I was talking to, who was from one of these right wing think tanks was saying we need to curb Obama’s reckless power with these administrative regulations, and he wanted a federal constitutional amendment saying Congress has to approve federal regulations. I said, I don’t think most people are going to want to amend the Constitution for that. I don’t think that ignites people. Maybe it does on the far right, but most people don’t really care about that. And he said, “Oh, well, you really don’t need people to do this. You just need control over the legislature and you need money, and we have both.”


Ahh, lol. Where the hell is Chris? How about gsw? Hahahahaha.

[-] 1 points by gsw (3407) from Woodbridge Township, NJ 10 years ago

f alec, Thanks for the encouragement, GF

Initiative Amendment site has been improved btw http://www.cusdi.org/

maybe your editing helped GF ???

power to the 99 percent

[-] -3 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

Ooh, lookie, you tried to hide the right wing rhetoric. How about a fortune cookie?

[-] 1 points by gsw (3407) from Woodbridge Township, NJ 10 years ago

Special interests' influence over Congress has become excessive. It causes government to promote special interests' well-being over the People's well-being. As a direct consequence, each year government squanders at least $350 billion of the People's wealth—over $4,000 per year from a family of four. Moreover, the related moral decay in our highest elected officials now permeates governance and the business elite, as evidenced by gross malfeasance, corruption, and government-sanctioned theft in many of our most trusted institutions. The situation is intolerable; we cannot permit it to stand. Ideally, in our republic the People can elect representatives who will solve these problems. Unfortunately, special interests—for example, big business, lobbyists, multi-national corporations, military-industrial complex, foreign governments—select the slate of viable candidates in both parties and influence them long before the People vote. Today, our constitutional checks and balances cannot restrain the impact of media's enormous cost and its extremely persuasive technologies. The resulting huge campaign spending by special interests translates into almost permanent reelection of their chosen candidates. Inevitably, those elected have major obligations to their contributors. Congress cannot and will not resolve these problems because solutions are contrary to the personal interests of a majority of its members. Voters may change political leadership, but, despite campaign promises, improvements are usually cosmetic. Congress is a law unto itself and can always reverse improvements, create loopholes, and make end-runs. Evidence shows that underlying causes remain unchanged; these systemic problems continue to grow. The Constitution's preamble defines fundamental concepts of our republic—government must promote the general welfare. Excessive promotion of special interests' welfare over the People is clearly dysfunctional governance. We would be stupid to permit managers of a business to set their own pay, perquisites, ethics, and rules for vendor gifts—we know that such a company would be a disaster. Nevertheless, we permit congresspersons to do exactly this and more. So, how can we retain the benefits of good representative government while providing oversight control to keep congresspersons responsive to our wellbeing after we elect them? The solution must lie in improved checks and balances—it is manifestly futile to keep hoping that a preponderance of congresspersons will somehow overcome their human nature. The literature abounds with authors who criticize government but offer no solution or hope that Congress will somehow implement a solution. This Plan takes a proactive stand: it applies the constitutional right of the People and the power of the States to enforce a solution upon Congress over inevitable congressional opposition. The plan follows the explicit remedy prescribed by the Founding Fathers in the U.S. constitution—it conforms strictly to the written word of the U.S. Constitution.

http://www.cusdi.org/

It is just democracy.

[-] -3 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

It is far too easy for the appropriators of our nation’s funds to spend without limit and outside of reason, but that is something that can be remedied. The solution is an amendment to the Constitution that imposes greater accountability on Congress and requires a balanced budget. The stipulations of such an amendment would need to ensure spending does not exceed revenue and prohibit borrowing money to make up for any shortfalls. In 1957, my state of Indiana was the first to apply for a convention to propose a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. Since then, many other states have followed suit.

Balancing our budget transcends party politics. No matter who controls Congress or the presidency, our $15 trillion dollar (and growing) national debt will remain an ever-present hurdle to economic growth and recovery. The problem won’t be going away any time soon, either. More than 30 years of deficits cannot be solved with only one year of policy.

Today America faces an uncertain economic future. Millions of Americans are unemployed, and some even suggest America faces a new normal in economic mediocrity. Spending ourselves into more debt won’t solve that problem; in fact, doing so will only make it worse. State legislators must take the long-sighted view and exercise our rights within the Constitution to limit Congress’s ability to drive our nation into further economic decay. This Handbook is your guide to achieving that goal.

Jim Buck, Indiana State Senator

Chair, Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force http://www.alec.org/publications/article-v-handbook/

It's just ALEC.

[-] -2 points by shoozTroll (17632) 10 years ago

Where's any of them?

Bathing in their FEAR of following my links. They've admitted as much.

This proves what I've been saying all along.

ALEC, Destroying Democracy, one State at a time.

Or now that enough prep work is done..........ALL AT ONCE!

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

But, this is not the first time that this has come out. That's what makes it beautiful. With all of that learning going on, mayhap the second time around will finally start to sink in.

[-] 1 points by shoozTroll (17632) 10 years ago

Where are those that wonder why I call them out for claiming avoiding the system is useful?

It isn't. It plays "right" into ALEC's hand.

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

Sure it does.

[-] -1 points by shoozTroll (17632) 10 years ago

But will it wake them up?

http://progressive.org/alec-education

It's not like they've folded the information on ALEC into their thinking so far.

They mostly pretend that if they ignore it, it won't matter.

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

Probably not.