This weekend, Moyers & Company will rebroadcast our episode “United States of ALEC.” In it, we take a closer look at the American Legislative Exchange Council, which brings together corporate lobbyists and state-level legislators who then write “model bills” for states behind closed doors. These articles take a look at events concerning ALEC that have happened since we first broadcast the episode at the end of September including a report on ALEC’s annual policy summit which took place this week in Washington.
From Around the Web
- Study: ALEC is Bad for the Economy
“The American Legislative Exchange Council, the corporate-funded group that generates nearly a thousand pro-business model bills per year and feeds them to state legislatures nationwide, is holding its annual policy summit in the nation’s capital this week to meet with new state lawmakers and ‘prepare the next generation of political leadership.’ This coincides with the release of a report showing that ALEC’s economic prescriptions are not good for the economy.”
Erika Eichelberger, Mother Jones, 11/29/2012 - As Scandal Engulfs American Legislative Exchange Council’s U.K. Affiliate, A Closer Look at its U.S. Operation
“The Atlantic Bridge, the British affiliate organization to the American Legislative Exchange Council, is quickly erupting into a scandal that may force the public to scrutinize the practices of both right-wing groups. Earlier this month, the U.K.’s Charity Commission shut down Atlantic Bridge after an investigation revealed that the nonprofit has operated as little more than a front for various corporate lobbying and Tory party interests. The scandal has already forced the resignation of David Cameron’s Defense Secretary Liam Fox after the revelation that the Atlantic Bridge’s London-based director, Adam Werritty, had improperly acted as a high level adviser to Fox while employed by a number of military industry and lobbying clients.”
Lee Fang and Scott Keyes, ThinkProgress, 10/17/2012 - Climate Skeptic Group Works to Reverse Renewable Energy Mandates
“The Heartland Institute, a libertarian think tank skeptical of climate change science, has joined with the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council to write model legislation aimed at reversing state renewable energy mandates across the country. The Electricity Freedom Act, adopted by the council’s board of directors in October, would repeal state standards requiring utilities to get a portion of their electricity from renewable power, calling it ‘essentially a tax on consumers of electricity.'”
Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, 11/24/2012 - ALEC Votes Down Anti-Common-Core Resolution
“The way the American Legislative Exchange Council, the controversial conservative think tank in Washington, has handled the Common Core State Standards has generated an interesting conflict in the education community. Some who have dealings with ALEC believe the common standards could mean progress for K-12 schools, but others involved in the group believe the standards represent the camel’s nose in the tent and a prelude to greater federal intrusion in state and local education policy.”
Andrew Ujifusa, Education Week’s State Ed Watch blog, 11/20/2012
From BillMoyers.com
