ALEC cries Uncle (sort of)
By digby
Lookee, lookee here:
David Frizzell, Indiana State Representative and 2012 National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), issued the following statement today on behalf of ALEC’s Legislative Board of Directors:
“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 would appear that unmasking ALEC as a one stop shop for wingnut extremism wasn't all that popular. Losing major institutions every single day due to customer complaints and boycotts was taking its toll.
It's a big deal since ALEC was founded not for the purpose of economic issues at all, but rather to advance an ideological agenda:
ALEC was co-founded in 1973 by Paul Weyrich who also helped found other conservative organizations in the 1970s and 1980s including the Heritage Foundation, the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress, the Moral Majority and the Council for National Policy. Henry Hyde, who later became a U.S. Congressman, and Lou Barnett, who later became National Political Director of Ronald Reagan’s Political Action Committee, also helped to found ALEC. Early members included a number of state and local politicians who went on to statewide or national office such as Bob Kasten and Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin; John Engler of Michigan; Terry Branstad of Iowa, and John Kasich of Ohio.Several members of the U.S. Congress were also involved in the organization during its early years, including Sen. John Buckley and Rep. Jack Kemp of New York, Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina, and Rep. Phil Crane of Illinois
If anyone trusts a group that's founded by those guys, I have some fabulous Riverside condos to sell them.
Clearly, all the people who have been pressuring ALEC over the past couple of years should stay on the case. Even if they do confine themselves to "economic" issues, the right wingers have an interesting way of making everything an economic issue (freedom!) --- its economic philosophy makes Ayn Rand look like Angela Davis.
Obviously, being caught with their little white slip showing was a problem. But that won't stop them from their nefarious mission. How else are all these social conservative robots who populate the state houses all over the country going to know what they're supposed to vote for?
Still, a good day and a big victory for those who've been putting the pressure on. Not that it's any consolation for such a hideous loss, but Travon Martin's tragic, unnecessary death may have saved lives in the long run.
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