[Local_activists] ALEC 4

[Wanda Ballentine]

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

http://unitedrepublic.org/alec?akid=102.14574.rLI0qR&rd=1&t=5
The ALEC Scorecard – Updated Daily!
See who quit ALEC, & thank them. See who’s still 
funding ALEC, & tell them it’s time to quit!

http://www.thenation.com/article/167583/meet-twenty-eight-lawmakers-who-have-quit-alec-month?rel=emailNation
Meet the 28 Lawmakers Who Have Quit ALEC This Month

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/legislators-alec-post/
EXPOSED: Politicians Defending Corporate Front 
Group ALEC Get Money From Its 
Donors
Another reason to support ALEC - share many of 
same corporate donors. Analysis of lawmakers & donors they share.

http://truth-out.org/news/item/8688-on-the-news-with-thom-hartmann
On the News With Thom Hartmann: Open-Government 
Group Files IRS Complaint Against ALEC, and More
Common Cause filed IRS complaint against ALEC, 
accusing Koch-brother think-tank of posing as 
tax-exempt non-profit while engaging in 
widespread lobbying.  Calling IRS to audit ALEC & 
force organization to pay penalties & back taxes.

http://www.thenation.com/article/167571/fight-bigger-alec?rel=emailNation
A Fight Bigger Than ALEC
Exit ALEC movement must go beyond group to 
confront damage it has done. Voter ID laws hve 
created a lot of damage, particularly blacks, 
Latinos & other groups. The Nation teamed up with 
Colorlines.com to cast vigilant eye on 
anti-democratic efforts.  Need to replace voter 
suppression laws with voter engagement laws.

http://www.commondreams.org/video/2012/04/24
No Shortage of Shadowy Special Interest Groups to Fill ALEC's Role video
Rachel Maddow reports on the recent, scandalous 
history of the National Center for Public Policy, 
expected to step into the void as ALEC moves away from writing voter ID laws.
Takes a while to get to this.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/us/alec-a-tax-exempt-group-mixes-legislators-and-lobbyists.html?_r=1
New York Times - Conservative Nonprofit Acts as a Stealth Business Lobbyist
Published searing exposé of ALEC detailing how it 
masquerades as tax-exempt charity while co-opting 
government to serve corporate special interests.

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/907283/right-wing_group_will_take_up_voter_suppression_effort_dropped_by_alec/
Right-Wing Group Will Take Up Voter Suppression Effort Dropped by ALEC
National Center for Public Policy Research 
stepping into breach ALEC left when disbanded 
voter suppression arm. Having many people vote 
dangerous to GOP. Someone must be in charge of 
returning nation to Jim Crow days.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/04/27-8
ALEC Retreats, the Right Wing Freaks
ALEC Dir of External Relations Caitlyn Korb 
appealed to Heritage Foundation for help while 
prepping “very aggressive campaign to spread word 
about what we do.” Will launch website called “I 
Stand with ALEC.”  Coalition-building & outreach 
spearheaded by Americans for Tax Reform. Rarely 
do activists get satisfaction of seeing union 
busters or environmental despoilers testify to 
campaign’s effectiveness.  “We’re getting 
absolutely killed in social media venues, Twitter, Facebook,

http://www.prwatch.org/node/11450
NRA Awards Scott Walker for Pushing Concealed 
Guns and the ALEC-related "Castle Doctrine" (Shoot First) Laws

http://www.prwatch.org/node/11453
Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch Defends ALEC on FOX
Wisconsin's Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch on Fox 
News,'  "Fox & Friends" defending ALEC & 
discussing historic nature of upcoming recall 
elections. Both facing recall elections June 5.

http://www.prwatch.org/node/11445
Fox's Bill O'Reilly Defends ALEC Against Supposed "Fascism"

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/louisiana-republican-state-chairman/
Louisiana’s Republican State Chairman Of ALEC 
Resigns From The Organization
Rep. Greg Cromer (R), ALEC’s State Chairman in 
LA, decided to resign.  Meetings that occurred in 
state, in capitol, related to public policy, that 
he should have been aware of if not present at 
meetings.  Not invited, not aware they occurred until well after the fact.

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/south-carolina-alec-member-literally-exempted-alec-from-state-lobbying-and-ethics-laws/
South Carolina ALEC Member Literally Exempted 
ALEC From State Lobbying And Ethics Laws

http://grist.org/energy-policy/alec-says-it-plans-to-craft-legislation-to-take-down-state-renewable-energy-targets/
ALEC is plotting to take down state renewable energy targets
2 conservative political organizations stepping 
up coordinated efforts to repeal state-level 
renewable energy targets.  ALEC may start 
crafting laws designed to kill or weaken state 
targets for renewable electricity, heating, & 
fuels. Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, & other 
energy companies paid membership fees to help 
write legislation repealing carbon pollution 
reduction programs.  Will this continue??

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/wash-post-kaplan-alec/
Exclusive: Washington Post’s Kaplan and Other 
For-Profit Colleges Joined ALEC, Controversial Special Interest Lobby
Kaplan for-profit college division & other 
for-profit education companies joined ALEC.
For-profit colleges ultimate special interest, 
receive  90% of revenue from federal financial 
aid,  $30 billion a year, & charge students 
sky-high prices. Have high dropouts rates, dismal 
job placement, & caught engaging in highly 
coercive & deceptive recruiting practices. When 
bad actions publicly exposed, used enormous 
resources from expensive lobbyists & consultants.

http://www.alternet.org/story/155128/using_alec_playbook%2C_bobby_jindal_radically_reshapes_public_education?akid=8649.202899.Gus3-I&rd=1&t=18
Using ALEC Playbook, Bobby Jindal Radically Reshapes Public Education
Bobby Jindal transformed public education in LA & 
education advocates have deep concerns about who's going to benefit.

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/alec-wants-to-kill-cheap-broadband/
ALEC Wants You To Pay 750 Percent More For High-Speed Internet
Take public high-speed broadband Internet. 
Wilson, North Carolina, decided it would 
create  own broadband system, which  offered 
speeds twice as fast as private competitors for 
similar price.  Other cities began offering 
this.  But state legislators, receiving $600,000 
in contributions from telecom industry, reacted 
to services by undercutting them with bill making 
it practically impossible for cities to provide fundamental service.

http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=149293
Michigan's Emergency Manager Laws Are Dismantling 
Democracy from Within with ALEC-branded Shock Doctrine

http://www.propublica.org/article/alec-and-exxonmobil-push-loopholes-in-fracking-chemical-disclosure-rules
ALEC and ExxonMobil Push Loopholes in Fracking Chemical Disclosure Rules

http://truth-out.org/news/item/8693-alecs-vision-of-pre-empting-epa-coal-ash-regs-passes-house
ALEC’s Vision of Pre-Empting EPA Coal Ash Regulations Passes the House

http://truth-out.org/news/item/8718-breaking-up-with-alec-is-hard-to-do-for-johnson-johnson
Breaking Up With ALEC Is Hard to Do for Johnson & Johnson
Procter & Gamble 13th major firm to drop 
membership in ALEC, few corporations publicly 
confirm loyalty. Johnson & Johnson is one, likes 
templates making it more difficult for people to 
hold corporations accountable when products 
injure or kill child, partner, parent.

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/blue-cross-blue-shield-leaves-alec/
Blue Cross Blue Shield Leaves ALEC

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/former-alec-chairman-homophobic-slur/
Former ALEC Chairman Responds To Criticism With Homophobic Slur
In GA - legislators defended ALEC 
membership.  Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R), former 
national chairman of ALEC, lashed out at Bryan 
Long, exec dir of organization:   ”Mr. Long 
doesn’t like free speech, advocacy for anything 
other than what he wants. Majority of citizens in 
this county & state going to agree with ALEC. I’m 
not afraid of some Occupy pansy”

http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=149479
Five Pennsylvania Legislators Leave ALEC
  A grassroots campaign by Keystone Progress to 
encourage Pennsylvania legislators to publicly 
reject membership in the American Legislative 
Exchange Council (ALEC) is already yielding 
dividends. Five former members of the shadowy 
right-wing front group behind state laws 
restricting access to the ballot & “stand your 
ground” gun laws have already said they have left 
ALEC. One of those, State Sen. John Pippy (R), is 
the former ALEC Pennsylvania state chair. 
Nationally, thirteen companies have announced 
they have severed ties with the “stealth business 
lobbyist” organization. Zaid Jilani reports 28 
lawmakers nationwide have quit ALEC this month.

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/04/27-4
For-Profit Education Firm Kaplan is 14th Company to Dump ALEC