Ralph Watts (IA) - Loves his ALEC!

From Think Progress today I found this little blurb about Iowa.

Last week, Progress Iowa asked Hawkeye State legislators to cut ties to ALEC in light of its work to push voter restrictions in state legislatures around the country and what the it called ALEC’s “detrimental effect on public policy.” Twenty-one Iowa lawmakers are ALEC members, according to Progress Iowa, including House Republican Leader Linda Upmeyer, who serves as ALEC’s national second vice chairman.

In response to this call for lawmakers to distance themselves from the increasingly toxic conservative organization, Watts fired back in a House floor speech yesterday:

How should we respond to Progress Iowa? … I say, Nuts to you! Your intimidation tactics may work on some legislators and even some high-level executive offices, but it doesn’t get traction with this legislator.

This hostile reaction from Watts is unsurprising: the top quote on his campaign website, the late arch-conservative Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC), begins “Compromise, hell! That’s what has happened to us all down the line – and that’s the very cause of our woes.”

Did this surprise me – Hell No –

Why? 

From the ALEC 1983 Annual Report

Paul Hollrah, Director of State Government Relations, The Sun Company, congratulates U.S. Senator Jesse Helms on his contribution to ALEC's 1983-84 Source Book of American State Legislation. ALEC Executive Director Kathleen Teague looks on.

From the ALEC 2000 Annual Report

Among those who were involved with ALEC in its formative years were: Robert Kasten and Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin; John Engler of Michigan; Terry Branstad of Iowa, and John Kasich of Ohio, all of whom moved on to become Governors or Members of Congress. Congressional members who were active during this same period included Senators James Buckley of New York and Jesse Helms of North Carolina, and Congressmen Phil Crane of Illinois and Jack Kemp of New York.

Iowa need to make sure the Mr. Watts is not re-elected. 

He’s a dyed in the wool, card carrying member of the American Legislative Exchange Council.

ALEC, hell!

That’s what has happened to us all down the line – and that’s the very cause of our woes.”