The Trojan Horse in state legislatures

The Tennessee legislature--under the control of the right wing of the Republican Party is the agent for the American Legislative Exchange Council.  When one considers the many pieces of legislation moving through all the various state legislatures during the past couple of years, it is obvious there is centralized effort to push many laws that impede progressive causes, and in some cases, they intend to destroy the opposition.

The Legislative Exchange Council is a front group for many of the big corporations, notably Koch Industries, the petroleum industry, PHARMA and tobacco companies, and the legislators from all the states-ironically, all Republican legislators.  From the ALEC website:

"With nearly 2,000 members, ALEC is the nation's largest nonpartisan, individual membership association of state legislators. One-third of all state legislators belong to ALEC. In addition, with more than 250 corporate and private foundation members, ALEC is one of America's most dynamic public private partnerships. ALEC provides its public and private sector members with a unique opportunity to work together to develop policies and programs that effectively promote the organization's mission."

When looking at their list of objectives, the Tennessee legislature has done the bidding of corporate America with the model legislation provided to the states.  The thrust to impose a picture ID as a condition of voting is a way to disenfranchise students, elderly and minority voters--the groups who usually vote Democratic. (Isn't it curious they scream "voter fraud" with little or no objective evidence of such even happening, and then demand the repeal of the law requiring a paper trail for election ballots--the means to prevent vote manipulation and fraud against the citizens?)  They have a close alliance with the State Policy Network, a "nonpartisan" policy think tank that claims as a member, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.  In Tennessee, the TCPR has a major influence on The Tennessean which carries the commentaries of Richard Grant on Sundays, and often quotes its President, Justin Owen as a "non-partisan" source in news articles.  Their causes are a buffet of issues--all intended to draw the fringe right-wing: The Heritage Foundation, The Family Research Council and the National Rifle Association.  

Scanning the ALEC website, their mission is quite clear. One link takes the reader to their plan for the states to force public sector employees to contribute to their retirement.  ".... By allowing public employees to contribute to their own welfare, they will have secure, portable assets for their retirement.  ALEC is providing states the right solutions to address this crisis.”  And the first step in many cases is to repeal collective bargaining.

For greater insight into this force, go to http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/american-legislative-exchange.  Compare the direction this group pushes, and the legislation that has become law in Tennessee.  We are governed by the corporations, and the Republican members are their puppets.