The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) – is generally the backdrop to most corporations and their legislation. Not that all corporations are inherently evil (they aren’t); there are still those we are rightfully wary of, and particularly those who have a history with ALEC.
What is ALEC exactly, you ask? ALEC is in lay terms, an organization dedicated to capitalism and deregulation. Their free-market agenda is supposedly non-profitable, but when you scratch beneath the surface, their close relationship with congress and new legislations are difficult to misinterpret.
From privatization, to anti-environmental initiatives, the prison industrial complex and health care, ALEC is generally involved in some form or another.
The organizations involved with ALEC and their power over writing business legislation through congress are too many to mention, but a few stand out, and most are common household names. Let’s start with some of the bigger ones.
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal has enjoyed a cozy relationship with ALEC for some time now. Free press of a bygone era, but not surprising with Rupert Murdoch at its helm. Disguised editorial content carrying ALEC propaganda is only the tip of the iceberg.
ExxonMobil
Yes, the oil company everyone loves to hate. And rightly so. In the last decade or so, ExxonMobil has contributed over $1.5 million to the climate-change-doubting agenda propelled by ALEC.
To highlight just how big ALEC’s role is in the oil industry, BP have announced that they are pulling away from ALEC in March, as have Royal Dutch Shell in August, once their contract ends. “We have long recognized both the importance of the climate challenge and the critical role energy has in determining quality of life for people across the world,” a spokesman has said. “As part of an ongoing review of memberships and affiliations, we will be letting our association with ALEC lapse when the current contracted term ends early next year.”
Time Warner Cable and Comcast Corporation
Time Warner Cable and Comcast use ALEC to maintain oligarchical control over Internet and television media utilities. Your slow download speeds on certain websites are also a result of them; and the almost impossible task of switching provider services because there are no other available competitors, is also courtesy of ALEC legislation and reach.
Novartis and Pfizer
Both Novartis and Pfizer reaped in the massive benefits from ALEC’s Data Quality Act. The Act provided a legal pathway for corporations to validate their own research and scientific data. Thanks to ALEC, health care reform has also been stymied, protecting pharmaceutical companies from liability lawsuits.
AT&T and Sprint Nextel
AT&T and Sprint Nextel have pushed through their ALEC-sponsored legislations in Washington. It’s now a matter of convoluted processes demonstrating a private strong hold over supposed public utilities.
These are but a few of the larger corporations that ALEC remain involved with. The politics of the situation, however, can be controlled by our personal spending and at the ballot.
Be a conscientious consumer. Consider your options when shopping around. It’s time to place pressure on the American Legislative Exchange Council.
This Article (Who Is Writing Business Legislation In America? Answer: ALEC) is a free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and AnonHQ.com.
