3 Drop ALEC - 297+ More To Go

While the news from yesterday was very encouraging – it is important to remember that there are over 300+ corporations, trade organizations and nonprofits that belong to ALEC.

I watched as the news exploded around progressive-land – and it is exciting news.

I signed the petition at CMD and the State Farm and AT&T emails kicked back as “user unknown" - I wish!

AND it is important to remember these companies would still be members if it had not been for your activism.  These companies did NOT voluntarily quit the America Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).  They quit ALEC because of YOUR efforts.

I wanted to take a look at the statements from yesterday – cause I was interested to know if they used ALEC “model press release” format.  But it appears that they did not.

BUT – each press statement has a statement within it - that cannot be ignored - statements that should continue to bother & alert US citizens – which I have bolded  - because there are still 297+ corporations, trade organizations and nonprofits that belong to ALEC

KRAFT

We belong to many external groups, including ALEC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes growth and fiscal responsibility.

ALEC covers numerous issues but our involvement has been strictly limited to discussions about economic growth and development, transportation and tax policy. We did not participate in meetings or conversations related to other issues.

Our membership in ALEC expires this spring and for a number of reasons, including limited resources, we have made the decision not to renew.

COKE

The Coca-Cola Company has elected to discontinue its membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Our involvement with ALEC was focused on efforts to oppose discriminatory food and beverage taxes, not on issues that have no direct bearing on our business. We have a long-standing policy of only taking positions on issues that impact our Company and industry.

PEPSI

Pepsi quietly dropped its ALEC membership several months ago.

PepsiCo, another soft drink giant, belonged to ALEC for 10 years. In January, a company vice president told ColorOfChange that it wouldn’t renew for 2012.

He didn’t say it was because of ALEC’s stance on voter ID laws. But in an email to ColorOfChange, he said that issue would be considered if PepsiCo ever weighs rejoining ALEC.

Another statement from a ALEC Board company member:

Scott Harelson, a spokesman for the Salt River Project, a large public utility in Arizona, said it had no view one way or the other on the Stand Your Ground laws, but was solely focused on ALEC's ability to influence legislation involving energy and water.

"We don't weigh in. We don't take a stand on criminal law. We don't take a position," Harelson told HuffPost. "ALEC's a large organization. It has a lot of members, any one of whom may disagree with or not be in complete agreement with any number of positions ALEC supports."

I’m sure there is an SS member from Germany that probably said something similar about Hitler’s Nazi organization.

Do you really think – in the long run – these companies are going to give up their place at the table to vote “as equals” on ALEC “model legislation?

297+ more companies and over 2,700 legislators must kick ALEC to the curb before we can claim victory.

ALEC must close it's doors and be no more -  forevermore.

Be cautious in your optimism on this victory – please.

We need to keep focused and keep up the good work and the activism.

We must destroy ALEC!  They must lose their membership – corporate and legislative.

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ALEC members and those affiliated with ALEC in any manner

MUST NOT BE RE-ELECTED or receive our support in any means or manner!

Without state and federal legislators ALEC will cease to exist and it will implode.

For more information on ALEC –

Please read this or this or this

or this series of six articles.

This is what ALEC is About  - An Interview with Mark Pocan about the ALEC Annual Meeting.

A Minnesota specific report about ALEC by Common Cause.

And watch this news video  from North Carolina on how other ALEC "model legislation" is going to screw the citizens of North Carolina - legislation introduced by ALEC legislators.

Do your own "act of education".
Distribute these materials about ALEC to your friends and family.
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