Bill Berkowitz: Smart ALEC: Dragging the Secretive Conservative Organization Out of the Shadows

[highplainsdem]

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/bill-berkowitz/35279/smart-alec-dragging-the-secretive-conservative-organization-out-of-the-shadows

Smart ALEC: Dragging the Secretive Conservative Organization Out of the Shadows
by Bill Berkowitz | March 31, 2011


As puzzle master Will Shortz might say, what is a four-letter acronym for a virtually unknown, but politically powerful conservative organization? If you guessed ALEC, you won't be receiving an NPR lapel pin, but rest assured, you are in very elite company.

Most people are unaware of the existence or reach of this shadowy organization. The members of ALEC would rather you remain ignorant of their purposes. In fact, these folks are so uncomfortable with anyone knowing about them that a University of Wisconsin history professor is being hammered by the Republican Party of that state for suggesting in an entry on his blog that in order to better understand the actions in various states with new Republican governors whose radical legislative proposals are remarkably similar, it might be worthwhile paying attention to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Hardly a day goes by without a conservative governor proposing some draconian anti-labor, anti-middle class law aimed at - dare I say it -- destroying democracy in this country. And, while the Washington, D.C.-based ALEC may not be responsible for all of the mayhem going on in such states as Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana, Florida, and Michigan (with more states certain to follow), it has historically played an extraordinary role in shaping pro-corporate legislation in a number of states.

-snip-

For years an assortment of enterprising journalists and progressive organizations have taken a go at ALEC. The headlines and titles of some of the stories and/or reports that have been written -- "Ghostwriting the Law for Corporate America," "Corporate America's Trojan Horse in the States: The Untold Story Behind the American Legislative Exchange Council," a report by the Defenders of Wildlife and Natural Resources Defense Council -- serve as examples of how difficult it has been to expose ALEC's activities. It's more than past time to drag ALEC out of the shadows.

Good overview of ALEC here, well worth reading in its entirety.

Berkowitz has written about ALEC before. If you check the long compilation topic here on the http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x591230">American Legislative Exchange Council, reply 121

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x591230#678331

links to an article Berkowitz wrote in 2003 about ALEC's attacks on animal activitis, "State Legislatures Launch ALEC-backed Attack on Anti-factory Farm and Animal Rights Campaigners."

ALEC is continuing that attack, by the way. The recent bills in Florida and Iowa that criminalize taking photos or video of a farm are from ALEC:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x643719

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x677119 (reply 13)

[Mojeoux]

1. Kick and rec and share!

:kick:

[highplainsdem]

3. Thanks!

:hi:

[Warpy]

2. Every time light is shined into another corner

and another nest of cockroaches is discovered, it's a good day for America.

Now all they have to do is follow the money and we all know just about where it will lead.