Looks like Az Resists ALEC are on top of actively making it difficult for ALEC to hold their States and Nation meeting in Scottsdale/Phoenix next month. The poster provides those interested with contact information for their protest in November - December.
I urge those interested in attending, funding or otherwise wanting to support our continuing efforts of Anti-ALEC activism, to contact organizers at http://www.AzResistsAlec.wordpress.com.
Many are now aware of the huge amount of money the Koch brothers have pledged to defeat President Obama in 2012 - $140 million is the latest figure. Karl Rove's GPS PAC has openly stated that another $240 million will be used to defeat Democrats and especially Progressive candidates in 2012. That's a hell of a lot of money but promises to be only a part of the investing the Conservative cabal will do over the next year.
Additional funding will flow into ALEC's coffers to the tune of between $6 and $7 million from the same Conservative sources. More will be directed to Koch's efforts through contributions to Heritage Foundation, Reason Foundation, CATO Institute, George Mason University's Law and Economic's Center (LEC), Americans For Prosperity, Tea Party candidates and issues, Mackinac Center and at least twenty more Conservative think tanks, groups and activities. There is little doubt that by the end of the 2012 election cycle, the Koch led cabal will have expended in excess of $500,000,000.00 - a half billion dollar "investment" in America's future.
Today democracy in the U.S. is no longer a joint effort on behalf of the public by the public. It has become pay to play and in that pursuit we, the citizens are seriously short changed. Our homes have been devalued, our retirement accounts depleted through the Wall Street melt down and drawing from them to make ends meet over the past three years. Trouble is, most of our losses have become profits to those who caused this mess; bonuses, bailouts and savings through reduced wages and increased product costs to consumers. All the money is traveling in one direction - up toward the top 1% of which Charles and David Koch, the Scaifes, DeVos', Olin's and others are members. No longer is any financing or currency flowing laterally or downward, it is all going to the same place. And, it is all then being dispersed to the cabal's groups, foundations and organizations such as ALEC to further advance their policies and agendas, resulting in even more money being sucked out of our hands and wallets at an ever-increasing velocity.
In order to compete, Progressives, Liberals and Moderates need a level playing field within the political spectrum. This sucking of money out of the pockets of the middle class upward inhibits our ability to "Pay" for our participation. Hell, we can't even afford a ticket to the big "game" let alone take part as "players". Looking across the field we see the opponent's benches full, their bleachers filled to capacity with each staring intently across the field at us, looks of determination upon each face.
On our side, we've even had to do away with the proverbial "water boy", lacking funds to keep him in place and our benches are nearly bare. Our bleachers are also packed to capacity - but instead of staring back at the opponents, our crowd is busy talking to each other, conversing on cell phones, texting, arguing among themselves and making numerous trips to the concession stand. In other words, our side is simply not paying attention and do not take this "game" seriously. We're so unaware of the importance of what is about to happen, so unprepared, so uncaring and continue to believe that our team is so strong and in the right, the outcome is inevitable so we can't possibly lose. We perceive nothing is needed from us to prevail. How naive.
We need a jumbotron in the center of the field aimed at our side. On it we need to flash a series of pictures to capture the attention of the crowd - maybe one like this:
or this one with Justice Thomas taken at a Heritage Foundation dinner:
or maybe this one showing the ALEC connections:
Maybe this one would wake up our supporters, make them see how our government and future is perceived by ALEC and the Koch led cabal:
or perhaps one like this (that could very easily be nailed across the doors to the entrance to many of our state and federal lawmakers:
In reality, America and democracy is up for sale. Many of our elected officials have taken their place along the opposite side of this imaginary field; lining up as cheerleaders to encourage their "team", hurrying to serve the needs of the cabal, bringing food and refreshments to the players and crowd alike. In front of the opposing coaching staff are the officials in this pseudo game - a huddle of ALEC members hurriedly writing and re-writing the rules and regulations for the contest. They work away, ignoring then shooing our coaches back to our side of the field, refusing to allow them any input on the "rules", much like this picture of ALEC meeting behind closed doors with the Chinese Ministers of Commerce:
Who and/or what are the key players aligned against us? We've just learned that their "roster" is composed of an international mix:
with well known, capable, experienced and knowledgeable players on their side such as Henry Kissinger with Atlantic Bridge:
and former Prime Minister and Atlantic Bridge Patron, Margaret Thatcher:
along with Juliani, an Atlantic Bridge recipient of a Thatcher award:
Then there are the starting team "flavors" affiliated with the rule makers, Perry:
Herman Cain
Bobby Jindal
Newt Gingrich
And of course the team owner;
As with any competitive "sport" - such as politics - each side has to have a coaching staff. We've had Rahm Emanuel and now we've got on of the Daley boys and of course Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Who's on the other side of the contest?
Well, head coach Johnny "Boy" Boehner
Then there's Asst. Coach Erica "Can Do" Cantor:
and perhaps the most important Asst. Coach they have, Victor Schwartz:
I say most important as he works closely with the "Commission", ensuring favorable rules, policies and initiatives beneficial to the team. Here you'll watch Schwartz, ALEC's Director of the Civil Justice Task Force, head of Lobbying Group at Shook, Hardy and Bacon, LLP giving a pro-corporate presentation to a room full of judges (commissioners in my faux game) arguing for a decision favorable to his "team".
Of course if the commission fails to give a favorable ruling, there is always the appellate process, Schwartz can pursue it higher and get a favorable decision from a mostly partisan "Group" who has the final word:
So there stands the opposition, well funded, fed and directed by their owner, the corrupt "rulemakers" in their pockets and highly paid "players" as starters and the commission and commissioners in their pockets. Sure, we have President Obama and some great, dedicated and experienced players on our team as well. We are the mutual owners of our team and each of us has our own opinion on how the team should be run and coached. There are millions of opinions, views and backseat coaching going on on our side. We're less well funded by the day, each of our players running back and forth trying to do the bidding of the random shouts from the stands.
Koch runs a tight ship - one agenda with all working to implement that agenda and win. If his players don't follow his instructions, they're replaced with a ready supply of bench warmers. Those who follow his every command are well paid, revered as "stars" on "his" team and advance rapidly - like ol' Sarah and such as Lindsey Graham.
To make matters worse in the MSM we can't even get our seasonal schedule published, let alone an accurate description of the entire match. I guess that's because ol' Chucky and his bro, Davy Boy have too many friends who own the media. Sheesh, what's a Progressive supporter to do?
Yeah I know this is a childish representation of what's going on in our politics today. But I don't know any other way to grab the attention of the average "Joe" Q. Citizen out there and make them realize how large, efficient, well funded and efficient the Koch owned and led cabal is. They are now drawing upon international resources, exporting their conservative message and initiatives worldwide and then returning to harvest the fruit of their ill seed. This is demonstrated by the Atlantic Bridge Scandal I wrote about a few days ago and mention above. Fortunately for the Brits, they have managed to ferret out those responsible for the corruption on their side of the Atlantic Bridge. We on the other hand are still trying to just get the MSM and most Americans to understand what ALEC is and why they are so damn dangerous to us, our society and democracy. So what is the solution?
- Pursuing public funding of local, state and federal elections -
As soon as the Citizen's United was decided by SCOTUS, the handwriting was on the wall, accompanied by a glum picture of what our nation would look like in the very near future. Well, we're here now and look around - demonstrations in hundreds of states, cities and dozens of nations. Jobs disappearing, labor under attack, teachers disrespected and treated as near-criminals. The Citizens decision has got to be overcome.
One very specific way of doing away with that SCOTUS holding - or at least making it irrelevant - is to do away with private sector and corporate campaign funding and contributions. Let every election cycle campaigning be done with public funding. Do away with the need for politicians to seek out money from the special interest groups, lobbyists and corporations. Let Ol' Chucky and Davy Boy keep their frigging money in their frigging pockets. Make Corrections Corporation of America and Geo Group earn privatization contracts based upon merit, tax savings and non-abusive operation of their facilities - instead of them buying contracts from lawmakers looking to meet their quotas for their campaigns and party demands. Like reported here, this is part and parcel of the problem.
Secondly ALEC must be abolished. We have exposed them, the Brits are quite possibly going to prosecute those on the other side of the pond involved with them. Minister of Defense, Liam Fox has already been forced to resign amid the scandal and quite possibly more politicians will follow. They have to go - and take with them all their damned legislation! Any lawmaker who is known to have been associated with ALEC, enabling them, belonging to them have to go. We've identified most, now they have to be voted from office in each cycle until they're no more.
Just think how evenly matched we Progressives would be if Koch and corporate money were prohibited, if there could be no Legislation written by corporations and passed in every state. How different would our country be without the Cabal? How many laws would not exist, how many fewer people in prison? How many more jobs, immigrants working to support their families? How much of our money would still be in our 401K's? Would the valuation of our homes and property be where they should be? Also of importance, would those who did violate our laws, such as Executives at BOA, Citibank, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and the investment companies still be running around loose, creating faux bonds, mortgages and finding ways to financially rape the rest of us? Or would they be sitting in a CCA or Geo run private prison? How much better would we be as a society and nation if we really and truly still had a "free" press. Free from corporate influence, free from censorship and partisanship?
I say it's time to put an end to all of the games being played by our politicians. They need to quit working from the day elected on raising more and more money to get re-elected and instead work for their constituents. Our judges need to remember they work for the people and not for the corporations and special interests. They are there to dispense the laws - not to bend them for those they favor.
Turn out in Phoenix next month and help all of us make this kind of statement. Support the OWS movement and those standing firm in the face of the Conservative agenda. For now, they are standing strong on the front lines, deflecting the faux criticism disseminated by the Kochies, Fuks News and the MSM wannabe Fuks News and the likes of Breitbart, Limbaugh and Hannity. The least we can do is take up the slack of those in the OWS movement and take it to ALEC - the very face of what all of us oppose.