AFL-CIO blog: ALEC’s Economic Rankings (of state economies) Based on Corporate Wish List

[highplainsdem]

A number of sites and publications have unfortunately just regurgitated ALEC's own spin about itself and its updated "Rich States, Poor States" publication, which Kansas governor Sam Brownback is helping them promote. (See their press release.)

But the AFL-CIO has an accurate take on what ALEC is up to with these rankings comparing states' economies:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/06/23/alecs-economic-rankings-based-on-corporate-wish-list/

ALEC’s Economic Rankings Based on Corporate Wish List
by Mike Hall, Jun 23, 2011

It comes as no surprise that the right-wing, Koch brothers-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) says the “best” of the nation’s states’ economies can be found in states where corporations are king and the middle class is an after-thought, if that, in state policies such as taxes, environmental laws and wages.

ALEC recently released its report, “Rich States Poor States” that supposedly gauges the economic health of each of the 50 states. But, says Ann Pratt, Executive Director of Progressive States Network, “At a time when the economic security of the middle class is in peril, these rankings based on a corporate wish list of anti-middle class policies could not be more divorced from reality.”

To ALEC and their CEO friends, a state with a low minimum wage, one in where there are fewer jobs, or one in which millionaires don’t pay their fair share in taxes is considered “richer” than one which pursues policies that actually ensure the economic security of the middle class. After seven straight months of job losses in the state and local government sector, with teachers, firefighters, and policeman losing their jobs every single day, the criteria used by ALEC to assess states’ economic health are not only wrong—they are irresponsible.

ALEC’s economists give points to right-to-work states, low minimum wage laws, low corporate tax rates, weak workers’ compensation, the “quality of legal system”—probably more accurately described as few regulations to obey—and other criteria.

-snip-

I agree that it's no surprise that ALEC's economic rankings are a corporate wish list, since ALEC's main purpose seems to be to enable corporate control of state legislatures (and as much control of, or interference with, the federal government as possible through those state legislatures).

For more information on this group, see the long compilation topic on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

[JDPriestly]

1. Hillarious

Per the article cited in the OP:

Top 5 States
1. Utah
2. South Dakota
3. Virginia
4. Wyoming
5. Idaho

Seriously, would you want to live in any of the "top 5 states"? Maybe if you like ranches, yes. But, from the point of view of culture? No.
And Virginia may be wealthy, but Wyoming? Idaho? South Dakota? Utah does all right, but I don't think of it as a wealthy state.

Bottom 5 States
46. Hawaii
47. California
48. Maine
49. Vermont
50. New York

On the other hand, New York and California are homes to some of the richest people in the country (think Silicon Valley and Beverly Hills) and handle enormous wealth. This list is just silly.

Housing in New York and California is inordinately expensive. And you should see the mansions in parts of LA. I assure you there are not many houses of that size in South Dakota.

(I live in California, but not in one of the mansions.)

At least in past years, California has been a state that pays more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Several of the Southern states receive more than they pay. The list is a joke.

[999998th word]

2. Way to go !! Keep the light shining on ALEC

I try to educate people @ every opportunity. If enough of us do this whittling away

we can make some real progress ! I've found a good way to bring it up is when someone

comments on my 'Recall walker' button-obvious, but it can subtly find it's way into conversations.

Many people become interested when I point to the similarity of all the bills being passed @ once

in different states, and have written notes on scraps of paper w-American Legislative Exchange Council,along with credible sites,not google

or wiki ,which is scrubbed regularly by their hired PR firms,so they can delve into it further.

A lot of people are more open to this info than I thought.