ALEC, the shadowy and arguably corrupt corporate special interst group that used conservative legislators as their stooges to pass their corporate written legislation, succeeded only so long as it was shadowy and secret in their activities. The broad spectrum of people who did not know or understand what they were doing didn't understand how completely the right had sold out the citizens of this country for a lot of special interest money.
A LOT OF MONEY.
A lot of money that was buying our government and the people we elected as our representative to act on our behalf in government.
These would be the same people who protect the wealthiest individuals, and the corporations who make and keep them wealthy, from paying their fair share in taxes. These would be the same people who inaccurately call their wealthy backers and buyers 'job creators', claiming they need more money, just a bit more money to create those jobs, despite having an excessively and obscenely disproportionate amount of the nation's wealth already without creating those jobs.
DEMAND, not concentrating our nation's wealth in the hands of 1%, is what creates jobs. Conservative policies, as expressed in the huge number of pieces of ALEC drafted legislation, does not help our economy, and hurts the individuals who make up the majority of this country, the people of 'we the people', the ones who believe we have - or should have - government government of the people, by the people, for the people; the one's who DON'T believe corporations are people.
If anyone doubts that people are angry, the ordinary every day people in this country, believe it now. And believe that even if SOME of the conservatives and the corporations and othere entities in ALEC didn't get it before, they do now.
Today was another victory for those who would undo the power of special interest and privilege.
Next? Because there will be a 'next', and another and another after that.
And in the 2012 election cycle there will be more of the politicians side of ALEC membership leaving, although they will most likely be getting voted out rather than leaving voluntarily from their corporate owners. Because the corporate money and corruption along with the seductive funding of their right wing agenda is an addiction that is to hard for them to give up voluntarily.
I wonder how long it will take the same players to come up with a new secret entity to do the same things, until they get caught too?
Roll Call reported on it:
Gates Foundation Will Withdraw Support for ALEC Nonprofit
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation today became the latest backer to withdraw financial support for the American Legislative Exchange Council.
A foundation spokesman told Roll Call that it does not plan to make future grants to the conservative nonprofit, which has come under fire from progressive activists for its support of voter identification laws and other contentious measures.
The foundation, run by the co-founder of Microsoft Corp. and his wife, contributed more than $375,000 to ALEC in the past two years and was the target of an online petition launched today by the liberal Progressive Change Campaign Committee that garnered more than 23,000 signatures in a matter of hours.
“We have made a single grant, narrowly and specifically focused on providing information to ALEC-affiliated state legislators on teacher effectiveness and school finance,” said Chris Williams, the spokesman, noting that the foundation was never a dues-paying member. The foundation advocates for global health initiatives and efforts to reduce poverty.
It’s the latest in a string of victories for groups bent on persuading corporations and foundations to cut ties with ALEC, which helps corporations advance their public-policy agenda in state legislatures.
Is there any OTHER reason the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation might have wanted an 'in' with conservative legislators and corporations to influence issues relating to education? They are an entity benefitting many worthy causes........but could there also be a special interest aspect at work in funding ALEC? It is important, always, to follow the money...and there ALWAYS seems to be money where ALEC is concerned.
ALEC has promoted privatizing many public services, especially education. You ever wonder WHY it is that the conservatives have been waging culture war on education? It's because there is money in it, just like the war on the Post Office is a potential source of huge profits for their competition in delivery. Just like the efforts to privatize prisons, and to increase the number of people we incarcerate, because it benefits those companies - there is money in it.
So where could the money trail be for the Gates Foundation? Follow the money to find the conservative agenda and attendant corruption. The World Bank defines corruption simply as the use of public office for private gain.
The Republic Report notes:
Why did the foundation fund ALEC in the first place? It’s likely the group gave funds to ALEC as part of a larger effort by Microsoft-linked groups to promote K-12 virtual schools, a movement that is likely to benefit Microsoft as privatized charters adopt more technology in the classroom.
CORRUPTION IS THE USE OF PUBLIC OFFICE FOR PRIVATE GAIN.
Note the included list of 'related' content from CQ Roll call. Congress is under a lot of pressure to clean up their insider trading legalized corruption, but it appears that AFTER giving it lip service and support, they want to gut it of any effective provisions as much as possible - the House more than the Senate. WHO is in control of the House of Representatives at the moment? Conservatives.
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