Exposing ALEC – Their Board & Getting Rid of ALEC Members
Daily Kos, July 8, 1011
Many of us serve on the board of a nonprofit or have the desire to serve on the board of a nonprofit someday. Serving on the board of a nonprofit is your way of telling the world how important that organization is or what it does.
Your commitment to the mission of the nonprofit – your ability to help guide a nonprofit in meeting its goals, providing it's valuable services, and helping to develop long-term strategies for the survival of the nonprofit is incalculable to the survival of the nonprofit. Being a board member to a nonprofit is an important contribution to our society - sometimes.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a 501(c)3, a nonprofit, and they also have a board of directors. ALEC’s board members are also committed to the mission of ALEC, committed to ALEC meeting its goals and objectives and committed to the long-term survival of the organization.
The people listed below are serving or have served on the board of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). (Source – ALEC 990 adn webpage)
Current Board Officers and Board of Directors
Rep. Noble Ellington, Louisiana - National Chairman
Rep. Dave Frizzell, Indiana - First Vice Chairman
Rep. John Piscopo, Connecticut - Second Vice Chairman
Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Iowa - Treasurer
Rep. Liston Barfield, South Carolina - Secretary
Rep. Tom Craddick, Texas - Immediate Past Chairman
Board Members
Sen. Curt Bramble, Utah
Sen. Michael Lamoureux, Arkansas
Rep. Harold Brubaker, North Carolina
Rep. Steve McDaniel, Tennessee
Sen. Jim Buck, Indiana
Sen. Ray Merrick, Kansas
Sen. Kent Cravens, New Mexico
Sen. Dean Rhoads, Nevada
Rep. Jim Ellington, Mississippi
Sen. Chip Rogers, Georgia
Sen. Billy Hewes III, Mississippi
Sen. William Seitz, Ohio
Spkr. Bill Howell, Virginia
Rep. Curry Todd, Tennessee
Sen. Owen Johnson, New York
Sen. Susan Wagle, Kansas
Rep. Noble Ellington, Louisiana - National Chairman
Rep. Dave Frizzell, Indiana - First Vice Chairman
Rep. John Piscopo, Connecticut - Second Vice Chairman
Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Iowa - Treasurer
Rep. Liston Barfield, South Carolina - Secretary
Rep. Tom Craddick, Texas - Immediate Past Chairman
Board Members
Sen. Curt Bramble, Utah
Sen. Michael Lamoureux, Arkansas
Rep. Harold Brubaker, North Carolina
Rep. Steve McDaniel, Tennessee
Sen. Jim Buck, Indiana
Sen. Ray Merrick, Kansas
Sen. Kent Cravens, New Mexico
Sen. Dean Rhoads, Nevada
Rep. Jim Ellington, Mississippi
Sen. Chip Rogers, Georgia
Sen. Billy Hewes III, Mississippi
Sen. William Seitz, Ohio
Spkr. Bill Howell, Virginia
Rep. Curry Todd, Tennessee
Sen. Owen Johnson, New York
Sen. Susan Wagle, Kansas
2009 List of Current Officers, Directors
Speaker Bill Howell, National Chair
Rep. Tom Craddick, First Vice Chair
Rep. Noble Ellington, Second Vice Chair
Rep Dave Frizzell, Treasurer
Sen. Steve Farris, Immediate Past Chair
Rep. Liston Barfied, Director
Sen. Curt Bramble, Director
Rep. Harold Brubaker, Director
Sen. Bob Burns, Director
Sen. Jane Cunningham, Director
Rep Bill Hamzy, Director
Sen. Billy Hewes III, Director
Sen. Owen H Johnson, Director
Rep. Steve McDaniel, Director
Rep Dolores Mertz, Director
Rep John Piscopo, Director
Sen. Bill Raggio, Director
Sen. Dean A Rhoads, Director
Sen. Val A Stevens, Director
Rep Curry Todd, Director
Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Director
Rep. Susan Wagle, Director
Speaker Bill Howell, National Chair
Rep. Tom Craddick, First Vice Chair
Rep. Noble Ellington, Second Vice Chair
Rep Dave Frizzell, Treasurer
Sen. Steve Farris, Immediate Past Chair
Rep. Liston Barfied, Director
Sen. Curt Bramble, Director
Rep. Harold Brubaker, Director
Sen. Bob Burns, Director
Sen. Jane Cunningham, Director
Rep Bill Hamzy, Director
Sen. Billy Hewes III, Director
Sen. Owen H Johnson, Director
Rep. Steve McDaniel, Director
Rep Dolores Mertz, Director
Rep John Piscopo, Director
Sen. Bill Raggio, Director
Sen. Dean A Rhoads, Director
Sen. Val A Stevens, Director
Rep Curry Todd, Director
Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Director
Rep. Susan Wagle, Director
2008 List of Current, Officers, Directors
Sen. Steve Faris, National Chairman
Sen. L. Patrick Engel, First Vice Chairman
Speaker William Howell, Second Vice Chairman
Rep. Jane Cunningham, Treasurer
Speaker Tom Craddick, Secretary
Rep. Dolores Mertz, Immediate Past Chair
Rep. Liston Barfield, Director
Rep. Harold J. Brubaker, Director
Rep. Earl Ehrhart, Director
Rep Noble Ellington, Director
Sen. Owen H. Johnson, Director
Rep. Steve McDaniel, Director
Rep. Phil Montgomery, Director
Rep John Piscopo, Director
Sen William Raggio , Director
Sen Dean Rhoads, Director
Sen Val A Stevens, Director
Rep. James Van Fossen , Director
Sen Susan Wagle, Director
Rep Hal Wick, Director
Sen. Steve Faris, National Chairman
Sen. L. Patrick Engel, First Vice Chairman
Speaker William Howell, Second Vice Chairman
Rep. Jane Cunningham, Treasurer
Speaker Tom Craddick, Secretary
Rep. Dolores Mertz, Immediate Past Chair
Rep. Liston Barfield, Director
Rep. Harold J. Brubaker, Director
Rep. Earl Ehrhart, Director
Rep Noble Ellington, Director
Sen. Owen H. Johnson, Director
Rep. Steve McDaniel, Director
Rep. Phil Montgomery, Director
Rep John Piscopo, Director
Sen William Raggio , Director
Sen Dean Rhoads, Director
Sen Val A Stevens, Director
Rep. James Van Fossen , Director
Sen Susan Wagle, Director
Rep Hal Wick, Director
2007 List of Current , Officers, Directors, Trustees and Key Employees
Dolores Mertz, National Chairman
Steve Farris, First Vice Chairman
L. Patrick (Pat) Engel, Seco0nd Vice Chairman
William ( Bill Howell, Treasurer
Jane Cunningham, Secretary
Susan Wagle, Immediate Past Chairman
Liston Barfield, Director
Harold J. Brubaker, Director
Tom Craddick., Director
Earl Ehrhart, Director
Noble Ellington, Director
David (Dave) N Frizzell, Director
John Harkins, Director
William (Billy) Hewes III, Director
Owen H Johnson, Director
Donald Ray Kennard, Director
Steve McDaniel, Director
William (Bill) Raggio, Director
Dean A Rhoads, Director
Val A Stevens, Director
Hal Wick, Director
Dolores Mertz, National Chairman
Steve Farris, First Vice Chairman
L. Patrick (Pat) Engel, Seco0nd Vice Chairman
William ( Bill Howell, Treasurer
Jane Cunningham, Secretary
Susan Wagle, Immediate Past Chairman
Liston Barfield, Director
Harold J. Brubaker, Director
Tom Craddick., Director
Earl Ehrhart, Director
Noble Ellington, Director
David (Dave) N Frizzell, Director
John Harkins, Director
William (Billy) Hewes III, Director
Owen H Johnson, Director
Donald Ray Kennard, Director
Steve McDaniel, Director
William (Bill) Raggio, Director
Dean A Rhoads, Director
Val A Stevens, Director
Hal Wick, Director
To ALEC their work on the board is indispensable.
To these ALEC members - ALEC is indispensable.We must make these people dispensable - they must not be re-elected to public office.
If these people are currently in office – please make sure that they are not re-elected.
They are no longer representing you – they are representing the corporate members of ALEC and the extreme ideologies of ALEC.
They are no longer representing you – they are representing the corporate members of ALEC and the extreme ideologies of ALEC.
PLEASE make sure that these ALEC board members are never elected to the US Congress or US Senate or appointed to Federal positions not requiring election – you have to speak out against them loudly and frequently.
Part Deux
Which brings me to the second part of this diary…
How do you stop ALEC Members from getting re-elected.
You can blog about them or talk about them – but you have to do your homework first.
You can blog about them or talk about them – but you have to do your homework first.
Well first of all – give lots of help and money (if you have it) to their opponent.
Secondly – do your research on ALEC and ALEC members.
Have your talking points in order and be ready to go at a moments notice.
Have your talking points in order and be ready to go at a moments notice.
If you were to tell someone that so and so shouldn’t be elected or re-elected because s/he’s an ALEC member most people wouldn’t care, in fact they’ll probably interpret it that you said that person was a member of the Elks – because 99.99999% of the general public don’t know about ALEC.
So you need to have at least two talking points.
1. You need to be able to explain why ALEC is so dangerous. The links at the end of this entry will help you with that.
2. You need to give them an example of why being an ALEC member is bad for your state.
For example, if someone asked me about Steve Drazkowski of Minnesota – I would probably say something similar to this:
Oh boy, let me tell you about Steve Drazkowski. He is basically the ALEC poster boy in Minnesota. His main goals are to privatize all sections of government, laying off tens of thousands of people, deregulation of corporations which could lead to huge environmental issues for Minnesota and he is currently introducing legislation that promotes radical states sovereignty, which is a huge goal of ALEC.He has introduced the ALEC Super Majority Act – which would bring our states legislature to a halt by requiring a 3/5th majority vote on most issues and nothing would get done in our legislature. He was a co-author with another ALEC member, Mary Kiffmeyer on the ALEC Voting ID bill which will disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters in Minnesota, mostly students, the elderly and the disabled.Drazkowski has introduced the ALEC Repeal Act that allows for the repeal ofany federal regulation (EPA, EEOC, NLRB, FTC, and OSHA) by a vote of 2/3rds of the state legislatures – do you want to live in a state where you have no OSHA, NRLB or EPA protection?He also co-authored a bill that would require the commissioner of administration to issue a request for proposals for privately run operation of correctional facilities for state inmates, which is strongly recommended by ALEC and their corporate sector members. This change would not only result in loss of government jobs but would have an affect on the availability of private sector jobs as well. It has been proven in other states that privately run prisons, use prisoners to do work for corporations, jobs you or your kids or your neighbor are currently doing, while laying off Minnesotans who previously held those jobs. AND it has been shown time and again that private run prisons save no money for taxpayers, are run less efficiently, use less experienced and trained personnel and pay them less.Minnesota ALEC member Rep. Steve Drazkowski believes in the ALEC belief of deregulation and privatization of government services.He believes in the ALEC philosophy that government services can be performed more effectively by any means, any means – except by trained government employees – ALEC’s indoctrination of him has made him extreme in this area. He is so hooked into the ALEC belief that state government services can be provided better without government employees that he went so far as to propose eliminating the monitoring of patients at hospitals or healthcare facilities or housing for the disabled with real people and replacing human beings with baby monitors! In addition to the fact that none of the baby monitors, repeat none, are manufactured in the United States - his proposal would affect thousands of health aides who will be laid off. According to AFSCME, this Health and Human Services bill in which his provision is included would lay of 20,000 people. That's 20,000 people filing for unemployment. Do you want your mom or dad or brother or sister or grandma being monitored by a baby monitor from China, instead of by a real human being? I wouldn’t.We have to get him out of office. He’s a danger to the State of Minnesota and to the people of the State of Minnesota.
And here’s a blog entry example that incorporates both points about why ALEC Alumni - US House Representative Marsha Blackburn should not be re-elected. (I did some editing to make it fit Dkos format.)
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)– ALEC AlumniContributions recorded from ONLY 6 of the ALEC corporations PACS over the last three elections cycles totaled $81,111.In 2009 - 2010 alone – Marsha Blackburn accepted PAC money from 4 of ONLY 6 ALEC PAC’s that were researched. IF you want – I will do a full report on her PAC money from ALEC corporations and I am sure you will not want to see the results. She has accepted money from the KOCH PAC every year.There are consequences for every choice we make in life.
Marsha Blackburn has chosen to be a long-term representative for ALEC.Marsha Blackburn has chosen to be “the face” of ALEC – doing presentations at an event sponsored by ALEC and the Heritage Foundation.Marsha Blackburn has been a keynote speaker at the States and Nations Summit which is a three day conference to indoctrinate newly-elected and freshman state legislators to ALEC through the use of intensive educational sessions – aka brainwashing.ALEC has four main goals that promote their corporate driven - “free-market”, limited government philosophy
Privatize government services
Sell-off government property to private companies
Privatize public school systems
Deregulation for corporate sector membersALEC does not care how the private citizen is destroyed due to their actions – their only focus is benefits for the corporate sector including, but not limited to David and Charles Koch.ALEC – through the use of “Model Legislation” has destroyed the very fabric of our country by denigrating the concept of representative government and replaced it with government by the corporations and for the corporations.
Marsha Blackburn knows this.Marsh Blackburn has chosen to be an integral part of the representation of ALEC.Marsha Blackburn must NOT be re-elected.Marsha Blackburn made her choice to belong to and then represent ALEC.
She evidently does not regret that choice, as she continues to be an ALEC talking head.
Choices have consequences.
She made her choice – she has stood proudly by her choice.NOW the people of Tennessee must make the choice
to NOT re-elect Marsha Blackburn to the US House of Representatives.Do not re-elect Marsha Blackburn for US House of Representatives.
And that’s how you try to get rid of an ALEC member. Good research, a decent speech/blog entry and unfailing commitment and energy to make sure that ALL ALEC members are eliminated from your state legislature and the US House and US Senate over the course of the upcoming elections.
For more history on ALEC - please read this, or this, or this.
Protest ALEC – August 5th – New Orleans
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