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Loading...ALEC Backs Away From Stand Your Ground, But Is It Enough?
On Wednesday David Frizzell, Indiana State Representative and 2012 National Chairman of the American Legislative Council (ALEC) announced it was eliminating the portion of the group responsible for divisive and destructive voter ID and stand your ground bills.
“Today we are redoubling our efforts on the economic front, a priority that has been the hallmark of our organization for decades. Fostering the exchange of pro-growth, solutions-oriented ideas is precisely why ALEC exists.
“To that end, our legislative board last week unanimously agreed to further our work on policies that will help spur innovation and competitiveness across the country.
“We are refocusing our commitment to free-market, limited government and pro-growth principles, and have made changes internally to reflect this renewed focus.
“We are eliminating the ALEC Public Safety and Elections task force that dealt with non-economic issues, and reinvesting these resources in the task forces that focus on the economy. The remaining budgetary and economic issues will be reassigned.
“While we recognize there are other critical, non-economic issues that are vitally important to millions of Americans, we believe we must concentrate on initiatives that spur competitiveness and innovation and put more Americans back to work.
“Our free-market, limited government, pro-growth policies are the reason ALEC enjoys the support of legislators on both sides of the aisle and in all 50 states. ALEC members are interested in solutions that put the American economy back on track. This is our mission, and it is what distinguishes us.”
It’s good news, but ColorOfChange Executive Director Rashad Robinson cautioned about reading too much into the announcement.
“ALEC’s latest statement is nothing more than a PR stunt aimed at diverting attention from its agenda, which has done serious damage to our communities. To simply say they are stopping non-economic work does not provide justice to the millions of Americas whose lives are impacted by these dangerous and discriminatory laws courtesy of ALEC and its corporate backers. It’s clear that major corporations were in bed with an institution that has worked against basic American values such as the right to vote. Now that these companies are aware of what they’ve supported, what will they do about it?
“If ALEC’s corporate supporters will not hold the institution accountable for the damage it has caused nationwide, then the ColorOfChange community will hold them accountable.”
Like with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, it is important to keep the pressure on those remaining groups affiliating with ALEC. Their economic agenda includes disastrous union busting measures, privatizing public utilities and lands and the creation of anti-democratic emergency managers like in Michigan. Until that agenda is finished there’s no reason to think ALEC won’t still be a force to deal with for a while.
Related Stories:
Read more: alec, koch bros, stand your ground, trayvon martin, voter id
Photo from fibonacciblue via flickr.
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19 comments
+ add your ownPiffle. Tosh. Gammon and spinach. ALEC's economic lobbying is as great a danger to a far vaster segment of the American people. This is just spin.
To much damage has been done. I wouldn't believe a word they say. Keep the pressure on.
No it's no enough ALEC continues to work agaisnt the workers in this country. The damage have already done can not be under estimated.
It is not enough. ALEC is still pushing its voter prohibition antics. TIme to keep the pressure up on Johnson & Johnson and State Farm to leave ALEC. Mars left ALEC becuase Trayvon Martin was eating Skittles when he was shot and Mars support of ALEC helped them to gun down one of their own customers. I suppose supporting ALEC and their "Stand Your Ground' laws makes sense for J&J for it may increase their business because those shot my need Band Aids if they survive.
I will just comment without reading the article and simply answer the question.:
Hell NO! ALEC has pushed for far more stupid and restrictive laws than the "stand your ground" law.
Have you ever noticed how the Cockroaches run for cover when you turn on the lights? Well now that the lights are on maybe we can find a way to get RID of the Cockroaches instead of letting them hide in the dark. ALEC is bad for America and the world.
Come on, who can provide a roster of ALEC members? Sorely needed.
The lights are on so the Kochroaches scurried back under the woodwork, but they're still there ready to come out again and spread their filth and disease some more so remain eternally vigilant.
Keep an eye on ALEC's financial backers, and avoid doing business with them whenever possible. Squash a Kockroach.
I say "kick them when there are down". Don't stop! They are not going away and we need to keep them in the news. Maybe we people will learn what they really are.
I credit the Liberal Press for outing ALEC. They've been on my radar for about 7 yrs. now and I've been railing against them and particularly, their educational agenda for our nation. No one professes to knowing a damn thing I was talking about. It's only been with articles like this and others that Care2, Mother Jones, The Nation, et al, that the American public is finally seeing the curtains parted and we see the REAL powers behind it.
KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT! Together, we may be able to keep some few fences around our Democracy.
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