Top 10 Ways to Describe ALEC Legislators

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To help justify Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s most recent budget, a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch wrote:
Kasich is following an economic philosophy promoted by economists such as Nobel Prize-winner Milton Friedman and Ohio native Arthur Laffer of the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Labels such as “Nobel Prize-winner” and “Ohio native” might fool some readers, but they tell us nothing about the radical mercenary views of Friedman, Laffer, and ALEC, the organization of corporate special interests that helps write laws in Ohio.

The truth is that the governor doesn’t have the intellect nor the motivation to follow an economic policy promoted by anyone who’s not connected to the American Legislative Exchange Council. Kasich follows whatever his ALEC handlers tell him to follow. So do the many ALEC legislators in the Ohio GOP.

ALEC legislators…

10. look for loopholes in state laws to justify ALEC initiatives.

9. use budget cuts to manufacture a problem and then introduce an ALEC bill to fix the problem.

8. give lobbyists and other special interests preferential treatment.

7. justify ideas with “reports” from fake think-tanks and “ALEC scholars.”

6. use double-talk to spin extreme ideologies.

5. demonize unions and those who belong to unions.

4. use the media to spread untruths about political opponents.

3. “copy & paste” ALEC legislation.

2. talk about less government while promoting laws requiring more government.

1. disregard the will of the majority by supporting the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Contact lawmakers who belong to ALEC, and ask them why they put their campaign donors before their constituents.  http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ohio_ALEC_Politicians

Think.

2 responses »

  1. Any idea if/when Sourcewatch will update the list? I know my former legislator (Pete Beck) is on the list. He is out and Paul Zeltwanger is our new House member. I have no idea how to check to see if he has joined ALEC. There maybe others that are outdated?

    • I wondered that myself, so I messaged CMD for an updated list. I’ll post it if I get one.
      On the SOURCEWATCH site, it does preface the “ALEC Politicians” list with this:
      “This is a partial list of politicians that are known to be involved in, or previously involved in, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Not all dues-paying members of ALEC are included below because ALEC does not post its full list, but the following list includes politicians who have been in a leadership role in ALEC as a member of a task force or other publicly known role. It also includes politicians who have been featured speakers or who have accepted awards at ALEC meetings.”

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