ALEC comes to Charlotte (NC) to craft model legislation

[pampango]

Source: Charlotte News Observer

The American Legislative Exchange Council will be in Charlotte on Friday for its spring task force meeting, where “model legislation” is considered for promotion in states across the country. ALEC brings together corporate interest and state legislators to craft free-market, conservative bills behind closed doors.

Common Cause has obtained and posted agendas for the meetings online. Here’s a sampling of model laws they’re considering:

Restricting state attorney generals’ ability to enforce regulatory laws, doing away with requiring energy companies to pursue renewable energy resources, promoting nuclear power, giving states the authority to collect sales tax on retailers without a physical presence in the state, giving tax credits of up to 75 percent of tax liability for providing health care for the uninsured, privatizing Medicaid, and weakening public employee unions.

The liberal Progress North Carolina sent out a statement this afternoon calling on state legislators who serve on the education task force to abandon it because of its heavy promotion of charter schools and private school vouchers. The group says it knows of four legislators on the task force: Rep. Bryan Holloway, Rep. Linda Johnson and Sen. Tom Apodaca, all Republicans. Sen. Don Vaughan was a member until he resigned last week because he is running for chairman of the state Democratic Party.

Read more: http://projects.newsobserver.com/node/24590

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So now ALEC is coming up with "model laws" to attack public employee unions, Medicaid, charter schools, private school vouchers and alternative energy sources. They probably want to win back corporate support they have lost in the last weeks due to their "model laws" on stand-your-ground gun laws and the state immigration laws.

[bonniebgood]

1. ALEC brings together corporate interest and State Legislators.....

When will OCCUPY start writing Model Laws bringing together the 99% interest
and state legislators? Something needs to balance this kind of lawmaking.
I have know about ALEC for about 15 years. My research years ago showed CONGRESS MEMBERS sat on the board of ALEC. ALEC wrote the laws on the drug disparity. ALEC wrote sentencing law. A clear case of "alec bringing together corporate interest (private prisons) and legislators to make law.
I was so young and naive back then, the big question came to my mind, "I thought that was our U.S.Congress and staffers job to write laws"?. after all, our history books taught me so.
Our congress person NOW Vice President voted for those Drug Disparity and sentencing laws to benefit private prisons.
Now all of a sudden lawmakers and corporations are running like rats saying they did not know what alec was up to? BS
This is the reason we should NEVER send a 'lawyer' to congress.

[hue]

2. great response!! Yes ALEC has been around a long time!!

[blm]

3. Romney was there yesterday - GOP is trying to make Charlotte ground zero for protesters

in hope of forcing a repeat of 1968.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

5. But would't the new anti-protest laws

apply to the wingnut Taliban too? Or do they only apply to OCCUPY? I'm guessing the latter. Pfft.

[blm]

11. My point is that the GOP will gin up more protest in the expectation that it will culminate in

an even more heated protest of Dem convention. Think about this 0 ALEC held their meeting in Charlotte, too, Friday. A day after the BoA meeting there. All of a sudden the GOP has made Charlotte one of their hubs this year.

[shagnasty]

4. Support ALEC With Each Amazon and Walmart Purchase; Then Come Here To Piss And Moan About Them!!!

You don't stop ALEC by feeding them.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. I avoid both. Nt

[allan01]

6. re:ALEC comes to Charlotte (NC) to craft model legislation

if alec is a charity , then i am santa clause. if a chairty , then alic needs to have its non profit status revolked and organised as a for profit entity.

[freshwest]

7. We've only begun to fight these guys.The media left after the social issues and won't/can't cover

The real injury they are doing to us economically and government wise because they're owned by the same ilk. Or their commentators are too dumb, or afraid if they call it what the hell it is, corporatism (fascist takeover) they will lose their jobs. So they play ignorant and keep the folks busy with the gladiatorial games and animal circuses.
I don't think media is ever going to be able to go back to the purpose for which it was intended, to inform the public about how they are being governed and by who, be it churches, companies or institutions of government.

[lonestarnot]

8. I hope you have planned a nice welcoming program for them.

[tooeyeten]

9. Boycott their corporate supporters n/t

[Rain Mcloud]

10. Where are the Jobs?

Since ALEC owns the GOP and We have had 10+years of the Bush Tax Cuts to promote hiring,where are the Jobs?
Where are the Jobs?
When will You Guys start hiring People like You Promised?
Where are they?
Where are those Jobs?
So,about those Jobs You all promised,Where are they?
Any word on all those good jobs for everyone?
13 Trillion Tax Payer dollars later,where are all those jobs?
Oh thats right,that would be welfare!

[Angry Dragon]

13. +40

[Angry Dragon]

12. ALEC is a domestic terrorist organization