200+ Reasons to be in KC to Protest ALEC

ALEC Protest

Kansas City, MO

Friday, May 2

11:30 - 1pm

Kansas City Marriott Downtown (200 W 12th Street)

Barney Allis Plaza

Any one who has followed me for awhile knows that ALEC identified me as a "radical opponent" in a March 2011 newsletter to their State Chairs.
Why?
Because I was the first person ever to compile and publish names of past and present ALEC members.

Being that they have a meeting coming up - guess it's time to take a look at part of the list again.

How do people get on an ALEC list?

That question comes up all the time.  The most common are:

  They serve on ALEC task forces

  They have paid ALEC dues through their campaign finances

  They self identified themselves somewhere , anywhere as an ALEC member.

  They have been shown as a signatory on an ALEC letter.

  They have been listed by ALEC as a member, in ALEC documents.

  They have been “outed” by a credible source, on the web.

  They have attended an ALEC meeting.

  They previously were employed by ALEC and now work in government.

Because these were pulled from the web and historical documents some of the people listed are no longer living and some of them are claiming they kicked ALEC to the curb – which I question (I think they say that just to get re-elected).

Current ALEC Member/Close Ties Affiliations

This one is pretty evident – the main purpose for knowing the people who are currently affiliated with the extremist, pro-corporate American Legislative Exchange Council is to get them out of government - any and all government.

We must make sure that all current ALEC government employees are not re-elected or not re-appointed. 

Some of the names on the list are candidates who ran for office and were not elected.  As part of their campaign expenses, they paid for an ALEC membership.  We must make sure that these people are never elected to public office and they want to be elected.

Past ALEC Member/Close Ties Affiliations

This may seem questionable to some – but it is as important as making sure that current members are not re-elected or elected.

It is important to know past members.  Just recently, many past ALEC members crawled out from behind the baseboards (like the Kochroaches they are) to run for office again or for appointments to state and federal commissions and other offices.  Because these people were not on the current lists which are posted elsewhere – they went unnoticed as ALEC members.

   Past ALEC members are appointed to US government positions.

   Past ALEC members are appointed to state positions.

   Past ALEC members become lobbyists who have influence on your legislation.

   Past ALEC members become judges who have an influence on

      your justice system and decisions.

   Past ALEC members become regents of your universities who have

      an influence on the decisions made in relation to higher education.

   Past ALEC members serve on commissions that affect the running
     of your state.
   Past ALEC members serve on councils or commissions that affect the running
     of your city, your county and your municipalities

   Past and current ALEC members are generational in some states
    (aka family of ALECers)
   Past member run for office again at a later date!!

Past and Present people with ties to ALEC

MO - Missouri

Sue   Allen  MO
Joan M  Barry  MO
Linda   Bartelsmeyer  MO
Carl L  Bearden  MO
Judy  Berkstresser  MO
Walter   Bivens  MO
Ellen  Brandom  MO
Rick  Brattin  MO
Joan  Bray  MO
Harriet  Brown  MO
Eric  Burlison  MO
Gary L  Burton  MO
Roy F  Cagle  MO
Connie  Cierpiot  MO
Mike  Cierpiot  MO
Rich  Chrismer  MO
Michael  Colona  MO
Bonnie  Cooper  MO
Gene  Copeland  MO
Stanley   Cox  MO
Sandy  Crawford  MO
Jane  Cunningham  MO
Becky   Currie  MO
Paul R  Curtman  MO
Pat  Danner  MO
Cynthia   Davis  MO
Tom  Dempsey  MO
Charlie  Denison  MO
Ronnie  DePasco  MO
Scott D  Dieckhaus  MO
John  Diehl  MO
Bob  Dixon  MO
Tony  Dugger  MO
Fred  Dyer  MO
Steven  Ehlman  MO
Jim C.   Ellington  MO
Ed   Emery  MO
Sue  Entlicher  MO
Catherine  Enz  MO
Doug   Ervin  MO
Herbert C  Fallert  MO
Keith  Frederick  MO
Barney  Fisher  MO
Doug   Funderburk  MO
Sam  Gaskill  MO
Chuck  Gatschenberger  MO
Michael R  Gibbons  MO
Jack  Goodman  MO
Sam  Graves  MO
John  Griesheimer  MO
Chuck  Gross  MO
Russell  Gunn  MO
David C  Hale  MO
Vicky  Hartzler  MO
Dave  Hinson  MO
Ted  Hoskins  MO
James M  Howerton  MO
Rodney  Hubbard  MO
Steve  Hunter  MO
Allen  Icet  MO
Rodney  Jetton  MO
Caleb  Jones  MO
Kenny  Jones  MO
Timothy W.   Jones  MO
Richard R  Joplin  MO
Mary  Kasten  MO
Shelley  Keeney  MO
Mike  Kelley  MO
Pat  Kelley  MO
Peter  Kinder  MO
David John  Klarich  MO
David  Klindt  MO
Andrew  Koenig  MO
Don  Koller  MO
Bart  Korman  MO
Michele  Kratky  MO
Bill   Lant  MO
Jim  Lembke  MO
Donna  Lichtenegger  MO
John  Loudon  MO
Blaine  Luetkemeyer  MO
Mike  Lybyer  MO
Jean  Mathews  MO
Karen  McCarthy  MO
Cole   McNary  MO
Robert  Mayer  MO
Kate  Meiners  MO
Ronnie  Miller  MO
Brian   Nieves  MO
Gary  Nodler  MO
Jerry  Nolte  MO
David  Oetting  MO
Mike  Parson  MO
Susan  Phillips  MO
Darrell  Pollock  MO
Charles  Portwood  MO
Bryan  Pratt  MO
Rex  Rector  MO
Bill   Reiboldt  MO
Annie  Reinhart  MO
Ron  Richard  MO
Luann  Ridgeway  MO
Randall  Robb  MO
Carson  Ross  MO
Marietta  Rutledge  MO
Mary Lou  Sallee  MO
Therese   Sander  MO
Rodney  Schad  MO
Vicki  Schneider  MO
Shane  Schoeller  MO
Delbert  Scott  MO
Patricia  Secrest  MO
Jonathon  Selsor  MO
Charles W  Shields  MO
Bill   Skaggs  MO
Jason T.   Smith  MO
Joe R  Smith  MO
Todd  Smith  MO
Katie  Steele  MO
David  Steelman  MO
Chuck  Surface  MO
Mike  Sutherland  MO
James  Talent  MO
Mike  Thomson  MO
Steven  Tilley  MO
Noel  Torpey  MO
Irene  Treppler  MO
Rochelle  Walton Gray  MO
Phillip  Wannenmacher  MO
Richard  Webster  MO
William  White  MO
Dale  Whiteside  MO
Billy Pat  Wright  MO
Zachary  Wyatt  MO
Brian   Yates  MO

KS - Kansas
Claude  Aruand  KS
Richard  Bond  KS
Elaine  Bowers  KS
Tom  Bradley  KS

Rob  Bruchman  KS

Terry  Bruce  KS

Steve   Brunk  KS

Karin  Brownlee  KS

Mike  Burgess  KS

Terry  Calloway  KS

Richard   Carlson  KS

Dave  Corbin  KS

Jeff  Colyer  KS

Pete   DeGraaf  KS

John  Faber  KS

Joann  Flower  KS

Rocky D  Fund  KS

Mario  Goico  KS

TerriLois  Gregory  KS

John C  Grange  KS

Janice  Hardenberger  KS

Gary K  Hayzlett  KS

Ron   Hein  KS

Phil  Hermanson  KS

Carl  Holmes  KS

Mitch   Holmes  KS

Kent  Glasscock  KS

Deena  Gordon-Horst  KS

Terri Lois   Gregory  KS

Amanda  Grosserode  KS

Gary  Haulmark  KS

Gary K  Hayzlett  KS

Steve   Huebert  KS

Tim  Huelskamp  KS

Lynn  Jenkins  KS

Robin  Jennison  KS

Dick   Kelsey  KS

Daniel J  Kerschen  KS

Kenneth R   King  KS

Lance Y  Kinzer  KS

Marvin  Kleeb  KS

Phil  Kline  KS

Forrest   Knox  KS

Brenda  Landwehr  KS

Barbara  Lawrence  KS

Janis  Lee  KS

Garrett  Love  KS

Julie   Lynn  KS

Bob  Marshall  KS

Peggy   Mast  KS

Ty   Masterson  KS

Doug   Mays  KS

Joe  McLeland  KS

Kelly  Meigs  KS

Ray  Merrick  KS

Jerry  Moran  KS

Susan  Mosier  KS

Don   Myers  KS

Melvin  Neufeld  KS

Lana  Oleen  KS

Mike  O'Neal  KS

Ralph   Ostmeyer  KS

Peggy   Palmer  KS

Joe   Patton  KS

Mike  Petersen  KS

Mary   Pilcher-Cook  KS

Joann  Pottorff  KS

Larry  Powell  KS

Hon. Tony  Powell  KS

William  Prescott  KS

Dennis  Pyle  KS

Pat  Ranson  KS

Marc   Rhoades  KS

John James  Rubin  KS

Ronald  Ryckman  KS

Don  Sallee  KS

Don   Schroeder  KS

Scott   Schwab  KS

Sharon  Schwartz  KS

Joe  Seiwert  KS

Tim  Shallenburger  KS

Sheryl  Spalding  KS

Chris  Steineger  KS

Gene  Suellentrop  KS

Dale   Swenson  KS

Todd   Tiahrt  KS

Ben  Vidricksen  KS

Susan  Wagle  KS

Jason  Watkins  KS

Merrill  Werts  KS

Bill   Wisdom  KS

Kevin  Yoder  KS

ALEC Legislators - Protecting Profits of Dirty-Fuel Energy

There are some major problems with the arguments being used by ALEC legislators to implement ALEC dirty-fuel corporate written legislation that punishes residences that have gone solar.

I'm not an energy expert - so the fact that I can see these flaws and bring them to others attention
- does not speak kindly of the solar industry experts
- who have intentionally chosen to keep their mouths shut
- and chose not to properly inform the public on these bills.
and not debunk the ALEC arguments.

Solar energy experts have reported on the bills
- bitching, whining and moaning about the bills
But never once
not once
have they taken the time to show the hypocrisy and lies hidden in these bills
 - and write an authoritative article on the myths/fallacies of the propaganda being used to push
      these regressive solar consumer penalizing bills.
 
First
The first use of solar for residential use was in 1973.
The dirty-fuel energy companies have had 41 years, 41 years, to prepare for and address this issue - without using regressive consumer punishing legislation.
The energy companies are stuck in a 100 year old mentality - that of a typewriter - and ignoring what was coming and not properly making budget allocations to handle.
We should not be held responsible for the poor business practices of the energy companies.
By legislating in this manner we are socializing the losses of energy companies
- through legislation
- while the energy companies are set up to reap untold profits from the legislation, in the future.

Second
They argue that solar users pull off the grid without paying for use of the grid.
That is totally false unless the solar user is totally disconnected from the grid.
Solar users are still ON THE GRID and paying into the grid - paying proportionately to their use of the grid - when sunlight is low. cloudy days - during shady days or at night.

Third
In relation to the item above - ALEC legislators claim, "They [solar users] are not paying for the infrastructure they are using."
As we all know residential solar energy systems are purchased and installed BY THE HOMEOWNER. They paid for the infrastructure they are using.

Fourth
The energy companies note that they themselves are turning to more solar energy - thereby stating that residential customers should rely on them, the energy companies.
This is just another argument that the profits for solar should be going solely into the energy companies pockets and that consumers shouldn't individually, reap the benefits from solar.
You know and I know that even though dirty-fuel energy companies are moving some of their energy to solar - we are not going to see any changes (aka reductions) in our energy costs.
 
Fifth
ALEC legislators whine that solar residential customers should not be compensated for the surplus energy they are putting back into the energy system.
When power companies buy energy from their users,
- it saves the energy company money because they can dial back on their own output
-AND prolongs the life of their equipment (infrastructure),
    thereby saving the energy company money.

Sixth
ALEC legislators are always whining that the cost of solar development is too high.
Hell, everything costs too much today
  - but in fact, expanding solar protects consumers (and energy companies)
         from the ever fluctuating costs of dirty fossil fuel
  - whereas the fuel that powers solar panels is free (duh).
          AND there are no harmful emissions form solar.

Seventh
The Director of ALECs Energy Taskforce noted of residential solar customers ""They should be paying to distribute the surplus electricity." and allow energy companies to "charge [solar] homeowners for feeding power into the grid."
I think its time for solar users to quit giving their excess energy to the energy companies.  Screw 'em.

I'm not an energy expert - so I'm sure there are more arguments to counter what ALEC legislators are saying.
I wish to god - someone in the solar energy field would write a good understandable article on this and promotes it extensively.
By not doing so - they are allowing deceptive ALEC legislators to dominate the discussion which is harmful both to the US and to our planet.

But we all have to admit that American Legislative Exchange Council members are only protecting the profits of dirty-fuel energy with consumer punishing solar bills that are being introduced.

GA-42 Battle - Are Those Lies About ALEC?

http://photobucket.com/images/bullshit%20meter?page=1

Whenever my bullshit meter goes off - it's time to sit down to the keyboard
and it went off big time today.

Saw this little battle going on in Georgia:
There are two people in Geogia battling it out for Senate seat 42.
Williams and Parent
and it's gotten nasty - slinging crap at each other.

I don't care who wins - but
this drew my attention.
And it's a good example of how far candidates will go to distance themselves from the ultraconservative, pro-corporate extremist American Legislative Exchange Council.

The conservative blog Peach Pundit reported this

The poll also tested voters’ response to Parent’s trip to an ALEC conference while serving as a state representative a couple of years ago. Williams’ team has been talking about that trip, hoping it will anchor doubts about Parent as too business-friendly for the Decatur and North Druid Hills district’s progressive politics.

There’s little truth to either of these claims – Parent as a crypto-ALEC member or the nebulous question about a pro-Republican group backing Williams.

Parent did attend a conference of evil ALEC cabalists while serving as a state rep. But she went as a spy.

Parent’s spokespeople wouldn’t discuss their internal polling in public, but released a statement following my inquiry. “Elena attended the ALEC conference on behalf of the AFL-CIO, progressive champion Sen. Nan Orrock, and other Democratic leaders to help build plans to defeat their extreme agendas,” said Matt Weyandt, Parent’s senior campaign advisor.

A spy...
to defeat ALECs extreme agenda
Bullshit!

Here's what you need to know:
Elena Parent was elected in 2010 to the Georgia legislature and served one term - until December 2012.

The ALEC meeting she "spied on" was August 2011
Elena Parent "the spy" was a freshman legislator with only 9 months on the job.
Evidently - Georgia couldn't find anyone else, with a little more experience as a legislator,  to go to New Orleans to spy on ALEC - at their annual meeting.

On July 13, 2011, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) unveiled this trove of over 800 "model" bills and resolutions secretly voted on by corporations and politicians through ALEC. 

Before July 13, 2011 - everyone - literally everyone, including the AFL-CIO, thought those of us who were writing about ALEC were wearing tin-foil hats. 
There is no way, no way the AFL-CIO was on board "to defeat ALECs extreme agenda "by August 2011 
- or to ask someone to "spy" on ALEC on their behalf.

And if she did so - where in the hell is the report?
What did she find out in 2011 - that the rest of would have like to have known - - in 2011?

And the
Pièce de résistance 
In August 2011
Nan Orrock was a MEMBER of ALEC - an alternate on the Communications and Technology Taskforce.
She did not quit ALEC until April 2012.
and could attend any ALEC meeting she wanted to
There was no need for them to find "a spy" in August of 2011.

NOW - - 
in 2011

WY Sen. Phil Nicholas, R-Laramie, said he attended one ALEC meeting and noticed many lobbyists from Wyoming were there, including a coal company lobbyist.


He said he viewed the meeting as primarily a lobbying effort and never went back.

IF
Ms. Parent went to only one ALEC meeting and agreed with Mr. Nicholas - as shown above - I wouldn't be writing about her.

But in an effort to get her elected
it appears that a group of "democrats" - have gotten together to build a tall tale - to save her tail.

But the story they have built around her ALEC conference attendance
reeks of
bullshit!