NPR exposes another Big Business front organization taking over our country.

Shaping State Laws With Little Scrutiny
by Laura Sullivan

Only 28 people work in ALEC's dark, quiet headquarters in Washington, D.C. And Michael Bowman, senior director of policy, explains that the little-known organization's staff is not the ones writing the bills. The real authors are the group's members — a mix of state legislators and some of the biggest corporations in the country.

"Most of the bills are written by outside sources and companies, attorneys, counsels," Bowman says.

Here's how it works: ALEC is a membership organization. State legislators pay $50 a year to belong. Private corporations can join, too. The tobacco company Reynolds American Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp. and drug-maker Pfizer Inc. are among the members. They pay tens of thousands of dollars a year. Tax records show that corporations collectively pay as much as $6 million a year.

With that money, the 28 people in the ALEC offices throw three annual conferences. The companies get to sit around a table and write "model bills" with the state legislators, who then take them home to their states

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Much about ALEC is private. It does not disclose how it spends it money or who gives it to them. ALEC rarely grants interviews. Bowman won't even say which legislators are members.

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The report goes on to say that ALEC is not registered as a a Lobby because it claims to be "educational". It holds 3 conferences a year. Attendees include representatives from Big Business and state legislators. Legislators have their expenses paid through a "scholarship" grant. They are not required to report these scholarship grants as gifts, so never have to disclose. At sessions during the conferences, the "BB" reps write the legislation for the state legislator to take home.

"So, for example, last December Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce sat in a hotel conference room with representatives from the Corrections Corporation of America and several dozen others. The group voted on model legislation that was introduced into the Arizona legislature two months later, almost word for word."

Do "We The People" on the Left really have any chance of influencing government? And when will "We The People" on the right wake up and realize they are the tools of Big Business.

"We the People" really need to get our act together. Amazing how the average Republican is fine with having the bulk of their money come from corporations where the Democrats can name individuals and corporate donors who donate within the law (most of the time - I'm sure Dems aren't without some issues.)

well just start selling advertising space on the Capitol Building.