Many people who are new to the world of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) may have trouble grasping on to the concept of elected legislators cozying up with corporations for the benefits of the corporation.
Many people might have a problem understanding how an elected official who is elected to
serve we the people – in a government of, by and for the people
Is now in office to
serve the corporations – in a government of, by and for the corporations.
This entry is meant to help the reader understand the ALEC “public-private (aka profit)” connection from a historical standpoint.
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Just like many organizations that people belong to there is an expectation of behavior among the members.
Since the mid-90’s (which happens to be the same time that the Koch brothers loaned a then almost bankrupt ALEC, $500,000 to keep ALEC afloat (more on that another time) the expectation of elected officials who belonged to ALEC were espoused by the organization in a very unambiguous manner.
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Here’s a little history and a chance to see how the ALEC expectations of your elected officials who chose to belong to ALEC have changed.
From the 1995 ALEC States
State legislators welcome their private sector counterparts as equals at the table as both groups seek solutions …
From the 1996 ALEC Business Plan
State legislators welcome their private sector counterparts as equals at the table as both groups seek solutions …
From the 1998 ALEC Business Plan
State legislators welcome their private sector counterparts to the table as equals, which allows both groups to work in unison developing policies …
From the 2000 ALEC Annual Report
Legislators welcome their private sector counterparts to the table as equals, working in unison to solve the challenges …
From the 2011 Legislative Membership Brochure
Legislators welcome their private sector counterparts to the table as equals, working in unison to solve the challenges
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Then the next question that comes up for the novice to the ALEC profit sector member and the ALEC legislator is “how do they do this?”
A recap from the letter filed by Common Cause to the IRS states it pretty succinctly:
The largest portion of ALEC’s work is conducted through nine Task Forces covering various issue areas. Each Task Force has two co-chairs, one state legislator and one corporate representative, and the task force members also include ALEC members from both sectors.
And I want to make it clear here - that there are MANY private (aka profit) corporate representatives on each of the task forces. It is not just one corporate representative!
From the ALEC Profit Sector recruiting brochure the cost for a corporation to belong to a task force is:
ALEC’s Nine Task Forces Membership Dues
Civil Justice $3,000
Commerce, Insurance $2,500
& Economic Development
Education $2,500
Health & Human Services $3,000
International Relations $10,000
Natural Resources $3,000
Public Safety & Elections $2,500
Tax & Fiscal Policy $3,000
Telecommunications $5,000
& Information Technology
Also in the ALEC Profit Sector Recruiting brochure is this statement
One of ALEC’s greatest strengths is the public-private partnership. ALEC provides the private sector with an unparalleled opportunity to have its voice heard, and its perspective appreciated, by the legislative members.
From Inside ALEC July 2008
Each year ALEC’s Task Forces discuss, debate, and vote on dozens of model bills. It is our defined process that produces final model legislation …
From Inside ALEC January 2010
ALEC Task Forces debate, discuss, and vote on Model Legislation for the states.
From Inside ALEC July 2010
ALEC public and private sector members, serving on ALEC’s nine national Task Forces, draft, introduce, debate, and vote on Model Legislation throughout the year. To date, ALEC members have approved over 700 model bills, resolutions, and policy statements, all available online at www.alec.org. Every year, hundreds of ALEC Model Legislation is introduced in the states. In the 2009 Legislative season, 115 ALEC bills were enacted.
From the 2010 ALEC Legislative Scorecard
ALEC public and private sector members, serving on ALEC’s nine national Task Forces, draft, introduce, debate, and vote on Model Legislation throughout the year. To date, ALEC members have approved over 700 model bills, resolutions, and policy statements, all available online at www.alec.org. Every year, hundreds of ALEC Model Legislation is introduced in the states.
From the 1993 ALEC Annual Meeting Program
In ALEC's Task Forces, state legislators and corporate decision-makers work in a dynamic partnership to identify the issues and develop the policy solutions to the challenges facing the nation. Task Forces are empowered to commission and publish research and analyses, create workshops for ALEC meetings, frame policy resolutions, draft model legislation and develop legislative strategies.
Telecommunications Task Force
• vote on the Regulatory Reform Bill
From the ALEC 1997 Annual Meeting Program
The Civil Justice Task Force has scheduled a follow-up to its spring Austin , Texas
The Health and Human Services Task Force will vote on the Charity Tax Credit BUI that allows tax credits for contributions to charitable organizations, …
At the end of the discussion, the Task Force will vote on a model resolution concerning the privatization of Social Security.
The Task Force will also vote on resolutions regarding reforms to the federal bankruptcy code.
ALECs Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force will vote to approve a second State Factor on telecommunications lax reform.
Three items are scheduled for a vote at this Task Force meeting: legislation creating common Ports of Entry; a Resolution outlining Principles for 1STEA Reauthorization and a Resolution on Fast-track Trade Authority.
Vote as equals – the ALEC Profit Sector members have an equal say on ALEC “model legislation” as noted in this Bloomberg article:
If the final language doesn’t turn out the way they like, industry representatives have the power to block it from being posted in ALEC’s online library where it can be downloaded by state lawmakers.
Legislators and private-sector task force members must vote to endorse any model legislation -- and each group must deliver a majority before it is officially adopted, Weber said.
And one other thing you should note:
One of the things that ALEC legislators and ALEC Profit Sector members voted on was the ALEC Voter ID “model legislation” which takes away the vote from American citizens.
Corporations get to vote – why don’t we?
Corporations get to have an “equal” seat at the table with ALEC legislators – why don’t we?
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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 –
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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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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