Revealing a “bill mill” member list that has numerous corporate influences has proven to be a difficult task. Although no one really appears to want to be associated with this group, the list has been evasive but not insurmountable.
In case you were wandering, TN State Rep 24 District Kevin Brooks and State Senator 9th District Mike Bell are on this list with Julia Hurley, Gerald McCormick and recently RINO hunted and ousted Debra Maggart.
ALEC’s own website misdirected me and left me with no results when I pressed the tab for a complete membership list. This prompted me to request via email to a Mrs K. Jones to reveal that list, which at the time of this posting has not been answered.
The level of influence this semi secretive fascist group has on legislation that hits the State Senate and House floor is phenomenal. ALEC boasts about a thousand successful bills that have ranged from cutting large corporate taxes to defunding public schools and shifting public money to private education.
Largely this group identifies itself as a conservative group with grassroots ties but many of their proposed bills over the years has suggested otherwise.
Scanning over the list of elected and non elected officials I see many RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) tied to NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) and PPPs (Public Private Partnerships)
It does not surprise me that the Gates Foundation recently donated almost a half million dollars to the group to promote educational And other issues but later pulled it’s membership but left it’s donation. Sort of tells me they were in and out with the cash. Sort of like a lobbyist would do to get a bill passed.
The KOCH brothers essentially creating and funding this organization with many corporate membership fees deepens the involvement of the bureaucracy that is influencing our elected officials and getting their bills to the house floor. Being of multi billion dollar oil fortunes, it again doesnt surprise me that around 15 oil companies are on the corporate list of manipulators.
Struggling public schools are meeting heavier challenges as ALEC passes legislation through it’s educational committee that is crippling the local education cash flow. Our very own 24th District Tennessee State Representative Kevin Brooks is on the education board.
I am all about we need to reign in our public schools and the endless flow of taxpayer dollars that get sucked up by huge vacuums of red tape and lucrative paying jobs for top brass. I think it is more important to recognize those that are behind the scenes making this more difficult. Our State Legislator publicly supports public education but the “model legislation” that cones out of ALEC is the opposite. I am preparing a blog about the bills that have been passed through ALEC’s Education committee to support my claim. The info is out there it is just disguised very well and warrants many hours of research to expose it.
Take a look at the people, the companies and the outside organizations, many international, that are working with ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) to influence legislation that affects you.
At first glance you think these bills that are being tossed out of ALEC are the genius of a very productive legislator or Senator, when in fact they are nothing more than a clone of a big corporation with an avenue to destroy the free market through favoritism and manipulation.
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC’s operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy’s ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.
Tennessee legislators and Senators that are members of ALEC. Not surprising locally our very own State Representative Kevin Brooks and State Senator Mike Bell are on board with this fascist group.
http://www.tndp.org/m/blogpost?id=2933001%3ABlogPost%3A53627
A complete list of ALEC politicians past and present that are acting as corporate drones.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Politicians#Task_Force_Politicians
A complete list of corporations that are driving legislation that favors their interests.
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=8078765
Large coporations that have bailed out of ALEC recently because of controversy.
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=8232981
Remember these comments and opinion on this page are conclusions based on fact and hours of research. The pleasing long term result for me is now you get to make up your own mind and come to your own conclusion and we all sleep better at night knowing we are now informed. Have a great day!
Bradley County News Network 