Exclusive Audio: MO legislators conspire with national agents to plot anti-worker attacks

Progress Missouri today released audio of a February 5, 2013 strategy session in the Missouri Capitol that featured speakers from corporate front groups, including Californian Lew Uhler of the National Tax Limitation Committee, Jared Rodriquez of the Western Michigan Policy Forum. Discussion topics included:

Fundraising threats to Republican lawmakers who did not support the organizers’ extreme agenda

“Big money” coming into Missouri from unspecified national sources to finance anti-worker campaigns and candidates

Strategies for conducting public opinion research to help hoodwink Missouri voters into supporting policies designed explicitly to shrink the middle class and increase corporate power.

“What you’re doing here, what you’re part of here, is a national movement, and you’re well positioned to keep this battle alive,” said Lew Uhler of the California-based National Tax Limitation Committee, making it more apparent than ever that bills like ALEC’s so-called “right to work” proposal are being driven by national corporate agents, not Missourians.

Moreover, the message to attendees was clear: pass the extreme bills, or your campaign accounts may dry up. “If you don’t take on the fights, and these guys that are giving money? I mean, this is just all basic 101 -- you’re going to start losing donors,” said Steve Hunter, former state legislator from Joplin.

Listen for yourself: http://www.progressmissouri.org/rtw-strategy-session