Independent media outlets have basically owned the ALEC story over the past few years. The American Legislative Exchange Council is a corporate-sponsored “bill mill” that works with state legislatures to pass the kinds of laws corporations want. Thanks to investigations in Mother Jones, the Nation, Extra! and continued attention from the likes of AlterNet and ThinkProgress, a group that prefers to work in the shadows has been exposed to a harsh spotlight. And the group doing much of the hard work to expose ALEC—the Center for Media & Democracy—has pushed many of the group’s corporate backers to bail out.
So that’s the ALEC story in the independent media. What does it look like in the hands of the corporate media? CBS Evening News gave us a look on June 30. And it sure isn’t pretty.
CBS anchor Lee Cowan introduced the piece by noting, “Critics complain that ALEC is a corporate-backed bill mill. ALEC calls itself the defender of free markets and smaller government.”
To help settle that dispute between ALEC and its many critics, correspondent Mark Strassmann talked to only one source: Chip Rogers, who just so happens to be ALEC’s national treasurer and the Georgia State Senate majority leader. So Rogers could, without challenge, tell the group’s story of beleaguered corporations that must “continually look over their shoulders to protect themselves from an onerous government.”
Strassman explained the group’s goals: “Lowering corporate and capital gains taxes, rolling back environmental regulations, and tapping damage lawsuits or torts.” He did note that there had been some controversy:
But 20 ALEC members from Coca-Cola to Procter & Gamble quit ALEC this year, unhappy with the group’s push into controversial noneconomic issues —from Stand Your Ground self-defense laws to strict photo ID laws, which critics say make it harder for minorities and the poor to vote.
Of course, anyone familiar with this story knows this happened because of pressure from activists—not a sudden change of heart. CBS doesn’t speak to those sources, though; instead, Rogers is given time to explain that if you need an ID to buy a beer at Wal-Mart, the same should be true for voting.
So where is the pushback? Strassman only notes in passing that the group Common Cause wants to challenge ALEC’s non-profit status.
The piece closes on this note:
Rogers says that’s just an attack from a liberal critic. And with 25 new companies joining this year, he says ALEC remains a powerful tool of conservative legislators like him.
Independent journalists hope their stories cross over into the corporate media. But in this case, CBS is not so much advancing the story as trying to squash it.
ALEC treasurer Chip Rogers’ argument for voter ID deserves to be quoted in full: “If I were to go to Wal-Mart and I were to attempt to buy a bottle of beer, I would assume that Wal-Mart would ask me for identification. I would hope that most Americans cherish the right to vote a little more than they do the right to buy a bottle of beer.”
So, Jim, according to Rogers’ logic, cherishing the right to vote entails a desire for it to be restricted.
That sort of falls into the category of “Beat me. Whip me. Make me write bad checks.”
Masochism can be fun.
But I really don’t see it as an terribly effective motivation for the preservation of democratic rights.
Why do Progressive’s and Progressive organizations use the “C” word?
What is the opposite of Progressive? Regressive. Use it. Over and over again.
Will Regressive’s like being called Regressive’s? No. Should we care? No.
Voter fraud isn’t the problem! It is rare. Voter supression has disenfranchised millions of elgible citizens. It is undemocratic to do so but that is the only way for Republicans to steal elections. That is why ALEX and Republican governors are pushing these phoney id laws.
Oh mr, Muse ( what a wonderful name!) YES, you are correct; say REGRESSIVE, because that’s what it is. Take it from a vagina…REGRESSIVE, that’s the word! : )
Corporations are comfortable with democracy, but only when they are able to write the rules for everybody else. Anybody see what’s wrong with this?
Shame on CBS. Bad enough that they set up false debates, the ‘he said/she said’ Fox News type of platform, in this case they went further to represent only one point of view–the ALEC spokesman’s; they must be desperate to advance the notion that ALEC represents free-market salvation. But then CBS has a lot invested in ALEC’s success!
I would be willing to bet that beyond all agreeing it looks like the evil eye (sauron)from Lord of the rings- most Libs could not articulate what a corporation actually is.
“Strassman explained the group’s goals: ‘ Lowering corporate and capital gains taxes, rolling back environmental regulations, and tapping damage lawsuits or torts.’ He did note that there had been some controversy.”… Then, he goes on to explain “the group’s push into controversial non-economic issues.”
Isn’t the first part of Strassman’s explanation “controversial” enough ?!! Are people actually at the point where that sounds alright — groups of corporations getting together to write “proposed” legislation, handing it to their heavily-lobbied “representatives”, who do their best to turn it into law. Of course, corporations want lower taxes (and bigger subsidies); of course, they don’t want ANY regulations that tell them what to do — their bottom line does not include clean air, water, etc.; of course, they want to be able to sue people, communities, the “government” for “losses”, but don’t want people to be able to sue them for harm done. Who wouldn’t want all of these advantages???
As long as the people keep handing over their rights to the wealthy and the mega-corporations — and are afraid to stand up for their rights, for fear of being called all the buzz words and phrases that are thrown out — “Communist!”, “Socialist”, “Anti-Capitalist!”, “Get a Job!” —- then we will continue to move in the direction of less “democracy” (government by, of, and for the people) to…….plutocracy (government by the wealthy) and/or corporatism (the control of a state or organization by large interest groups).
I think there’s an aspect of this story that you’re missing: Huffington Post/AOL is an ALEC member. So is Comcast/NBC. As a media watchdog, that you would not be all over the fact that two major media outlets are ALEC members is shocking to me.
michael e – do you think regressive conservatives can explain what a corporation is? The regressives on the Supreme Court thinks they are people! So does Romney. In reality, they have been a legal mechanisms for the people who own and control them to not be held liable for their actions, to reduce risk while still reaping monetary rewards. And now they are also a means for the rich to take power and wealth away from everyone else, turning a democracy with equal rights for all into a plutocracy with very unequal rights – the power of free speech now depending on how much money you can spend.
Jee, Gosh, that sure makes me proud to be in Georgia.
OK so Corporations are people and they adore the free market. Right? So they are also big on CAPITALISM. Right? So, in capitalism, as I understand it, you have an opportunity to begin a business, a start up company, a new and wonderful way to make money. Right? In that system, if I’m right, some people win and some lose. Some businesses make a lot of money; others don’t. Right? So, when one of those businesses does something a bit odd and because of that their bottom line goes really underwater, so to speak, the business fails. Boom. Right? The owners, bosses, CEOs, etc. are left holding the bag, eat crow and get to stand in the food line like a lot of other failures. Right? So, how come we bailed out the banks, Lehman Bros. and the rest of those failures? Where does capitalism end and govt. help, i.e., quasi socialism or something, begin? They really should have asked Rep. Rogers, i.e., Chip baby, how that works. Maybe even better with no regs. Right?
P.S. – Michael, maybe you could enlighten us and explain exactly what Corporations are? I’d like to know what you have to say.
Well Elizabeth “they” are me.”They” are many of my best friends.They are on every street in America.They are Bill Gates.And they are the girl I know(Kathy) who makes hemp soap ,and T shirts with melted cheese sandwiches on them.They use a legal definition to safeguard themselves.Most businesses incorporate today.Maybe you incorporate around green energy companies worth hundreds of millions like Al Gore.Or maybe it is a mom and pop restaurant.Read the legal definition.And tell me what does NOT come from the free enterprise, free market incorporated entrepreneur?Just look at what the percentage is of private businesses in this country.And how many are incorporated.This is what you want your party to attack?Or is it only successful corporations?Or is it only very very successful corporations?Classic liberal ideology to attack success.
The statement “if you need an ID to buy a beer at Wal-Mart, the same should be true for voting” is misleading, because I am never asked for my ID if and when I buy beer simply because I don’t look like I am under 21. So when buying beer one is asked to prove his age and not his Identity.
“Strassman explained the group’s goals: “Lowering corporate and capital gains taxes, rolling back environmental regulations, and tapping damage lawsuits or torts.” He did note that there had been some controversy:
But 20 ALEC members from Coca-Cola to Procter & Gamble quit ALEC this year, unhappy with the group’s push into controversial noneconomic issues — from Stand Your Ground self-defense laws to strict photo ID laws, which critics say make it harder for minorities and the poor to vote.
Of course, anyone familiar with this story knows this happened because of pressure from activists–not a sudden change of heart. CBS doesn’t speak to those sources, though; instead, Rogers is given time to explain that if you need an ID to buy a beer at Wal-Mart, the same should be true for voting.”
As the Citigroup memos told us, the one thing the elite rich are afraid of, are the rest of us organizing against them. Our numbers are our only strength. Since we are only peons to them we know what we’ve always suspected. The look down on us as less than them. Inferiors to rule over. To let us live or die at their whim. ALEC is just one of their mechanisms to do that.
Success isn’t always positive. Was it good when the Bolsheviks were successful against overthrowing the Democratic-Socialists in Russia? The NSDAP in Germany, Fascists in Italy? Phalangists in Spain? Stroessner and the Colorado Party in Paraguay? Need I go on.
While A. Hilal (and others) have pointed out the not being carded fallacy in the “I would hope that most Americans cherish the right to vote a little more than they do the right to buy a bottle of beer” quote, there’s another, more important fallacy.
If the reason we all should get voter ID is being compared to buying beer, then what about those who can legally vote but can’t buy beer (like those 18-20) and those, like me, who don’t buy beer? I don’t personally “cherish…the right to buy a…beer”, so then why should I need ID because I DO cherish the right to vote?
Seems to me that one could read the ALEC comment as that those of us who don’t buy beer shouldn’t need to have ID cards to vote, but those who do buy beer must have them! Is ALEC perhaps planning drive-through voting booths, like the drive-through beer stores they have in Texas (and elsewhere)?
Oh, and I don’t go to Wal-mart, either…
Kirk Muse is right! Progressives need to get past their wimpy squeamishness over appropriate name-calling. Speech is power. Besides “regressive,” we also need to think about the word, “greed.” Yet many of us are careful because we are all a little greedy at times. This is certainly a sin, however, in which one’s subjective depth of guilt can usually be measured in dollars–if not dishonesty and violence.
Is anyone surprised?
Michael e, according to every business course I ever took corporations are legal fictions created for the purpose of limiting liability. That a legal fiction should have all the rights of human citizens without any of the concomitent responsibilities is an outrage of the first order.
John corporations are a legal definition to help limit liability yes….OF HUMAN BEINGS!!!The whole game of the left is to make corporations faceless nameless terminators.If I incorporate my family business that grows trees for reforestation.The corporation is me and my three kids.What responsibility am I ducking?
Imagine if police used this approach with common criminals: “Did you do anything wrong?” “No.” “Carry on, then.”
Tishado
Funny you should say that.Because that is exactly what our attorney general, and our president are doing regarding Fast and Furious.
Showing up at the polls on election day should be the only requirement! The Republicans want to return America to only wealthy landholders are allowed to vote- This would create a majority unrepresented and thereafter, an ungovernable, population.
Jerry where do you get this crap?Because a majority of Americans want produced ID to be able to vote you see some grand conspiracy?Bullbleep