ALECS

by Ted Rudow III, MA (Tedr77 [at] aol.com)

Mon, Oct 8, 2012 11:18AM

Political force most of America has 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.
“All of us here are very familiar with ALEC and the influence that ALEC has with many of the [legislative] members,” says Arizona State Senator Steve Farley. “Corporations have the right to present their arguments, but they don’t have the right to do it secretly.” As of August 16, 2012, 70 state legislators have cut ties with ALEC. None of them in California.It also includes politicians who have been featured speakers or who have accepted awards at ALEC meetings. (If you have additional names, please add them with a citation. The names in this original list were verified as of posting.)
Ted Rudow III, MA

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