The Europeans are reporting on the US.
Another DK diary by Democrats Ramshield - is an excellent read and well worth your time - brings our attention to a French article.
This entry - starts with an article published in the UK Guardian.
Even though my obsession is ALEC - there are times that we need to also focus on ALEC affiliated organizations.
Like others, I am convinced that ALEC is just one part of a larger Paul Weyrich picture of coordination of extremist right wing organizations – probably the hub - because it was Weyrich's first venture at organzing conservatives.
It's been a long time since there was a diary written about the organizations affiliated with ALEC - through their affiliation with Paul Weyrich and the Koch brothers. If you have not read the diaries by Bob Sloan - connecting the dots of the extremist wing organzations and people - I would strongly suggest it.
Today the article out of the UK - gives us the opportunity to revisit only one tiny part of the ALEC / Weyrich legacy.
As reported on Common Dreams:
Published on Sunday, May 27, 2012 by The Guardian/UK
Anti-Choice Group Drafting 'Model Legislation' State-by-State to Limit Women's Choice
Behind the raft of bills and regulations is one group with an aggressive approach: a non-profit, anti-abortion group called Americans United for Life.
The Washington-based group drafts "model legislation" including gestational limits on abortions, additional regulation on abortion clinics, and bans on insurance cover for abortion and ultrasound requirements. In addition, it is pursuing efforts at both the federal and state level to defund Planned Parenthood.
Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of AUL, told the Guardian that the group is currently working in 39 states and "actively consulting" with legislators in 26 of them.
The group drafts "model legislation"????
Who else does that?
What does that remind us of?
Oh, yeh – the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
"actively consulting" with legislators in 26 of them.
Wonder how they get access?
Probably at ALEC meetings – at least three times a year in fancy resort locations in private ALEC meetings that are shut off to the media and the public.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) – founded in 1973 by right wing extremist Paul Weyrich.
Americans United for Life (pro-life advocacy group),
Exhibitor at ALEC's 2011 Annual Conference[2]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (02-09-12) – Americans United for Life, the legal arm of the pro-life movement and the oldest national pro-life organization, received a prestigious Weyrich Award for “Grassroots Organization of the Year” for 2011 Wednesday night, during an event leading into the annual CPAC conference.
Then there is this Weyrich "must have" media release from a 2009 catalog of supplies from the Illinois Citizens for LIfe
DEATH OF PRO-LIFE POLITICS, THE
Audio Cassette 45 minutes
HS thru Adult
Paul Weyrich is against the pro-life movement compromising on abortion laws allowing exceptions for pregnancy from rape and incest.
And then there is this disturbing –
snip from 2009 posted on rightwingwatch
they [Family Research Council] and Americans United for Life are sponsoring a pre-ALEC event for state legislators in July just before the annual ALEC Conference in order to inform legislators "about the key life and family issues affecting your state" and "discuss the latest legislative initiatives and state legislative trends."
AUL may be listed as ‘only” an exhibitor in 2011 – but I am sure they are much more than that on a regular basis at ALEC meetings and in distributing literature to ALEC members.
So the dots can pretty much be connected in regards to Weyrich's philosophy and focus in relation to "key life and family issues" and the connection drawn between Weyrich, ALEC and AUL.
But just for a second I want to drag you along the "connect the dots" journey - because of another snip I found on rightwingwatch. What I would consider a revealing – snip from 2009 of the Weyrich extremist philosophy personified by the awards given in his name
- really look at the names in this article:
Well over 230 conservative leaders and guests gathered Thursday evening to celebrate the life and legacy of Paul Weyrich, a colossus in the conservative movement, who perhaps now in death even more than in life reminds conservatives that while they hold a diversity of views, a real bond exists uniting them into one conservative coalition.
Fiscal conservatives, pro-life and pro-family leaders, foreign policy and national security conservatives of many different groups found themselves together in the same room for dinner at Georgetown's Four Seasons Hotel for the first-ever Paul Weyrich Awards Dinner. There they paid tribute the man they knew as "Paul" and recognized those contemporary leaders who share his broad vision of conservatism.
The Paul Weyrich award winners were Media Person of the Year: Glenn Beck; New Media Person of the Year: Andrew Breitbart and Erick Erickson; Courageous Citizen of the Year: ACORN investigators Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe; National Legislator of the Year: Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.); Local Elected Official of the Year: Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio; Business Person of the Year: Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and Solantic Chairman Rick Scott; Faith Community Leader of the Year: pro-family leader Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church; Conservative Hall of Fame - Lifetime Contribution: Phyllis Schlafly; Youth Leader of the Year: Students for Life executive director Kristan Hawkins; and Benefactor of the Year: mutual fund executive Foster Friess.
The Paul Weyrich award winners ...
Conservative Hall of Fame - Lifetime Contribution: Phyllis Schlafly
Then 2009
Hmmmmmmm.... Now 2012
From Think Progress 05 18 2012
Yesterday, the New York Times reported on new census data which showed, for the first time, that non-white births made up over 50 percent of all births in the United States last year.
It marked an important milestone, indicative of a changing United States that has long been considered the world’s melting pot. Or, if you’re the conservative, Phyllis Schlafly-backed Eagle Forum, it’s a clarion call that America is in grave danger of being overrun by uneducated, un-American brown people:
It is not a good thing. The immigrants do not share American values, so it is a good bet that they will not be voting Republican when they start voting in large numbers.
[...]
Instead, the USA is being transformed by immigrants who do not share those values, and who have high rates of illiteracy, illegitimacy, and gang crime, and they will vote Democrat when the Democrats promise them more food stamps
.
Then 2009
Hmmmmmmm.... Now 2012
We don't even have to go into detail with this next "winner"
The Paul Weyrich award winners ...
Local Elected Official of the Year: Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio
The focus of these "Paul Weyrich" award winners in 2009 should be pretty prescriptive of Weyrich's philosophy and focus.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) – founded in 1973 by right wing extremist Paul Weyrich.
ALEC - Wyerich's earliest venture - followed by the co-founding of the Moral Majority.
Weyrich - Father of Conservatism
Like others, I am convinced that ALEC is just one part of a much larger Paul Weyrich picture of coordination of extremist right wing organizations – probably the hub. Organzations that are dedicated to destroying the democratic republic of the United States and replacing it with some kind of religious based fascist government – which seems like an odd juxtaposition of philosophy - but oh, well.... their "god only knows what they are thinking".
A history of Weyrich notes that in 1969, he got his idea of bringing together the conservatism movement.:
“And I’m looking at this... that’s how they do it! I mean, I had watched conservatives getting killed on the floor of the United States Senate. And I didn’t know how it was done. I mean, I saw it happening, but I didn’t know the mechanics.”
Weyrich continued with intensity, “...from that day forward, I was insufferable. Wherever I went I said, we’ve got to do something about this. We’ve got to have our own organizations. We’ve got to have our own meetings.”
It took him four more years to “We’ve got to have our own organizations. We’ve got to have our own meetings “ and to develop ALEC and the rest is history.
And the continuted coordination of the right wing extremists movement probably really coalesced in 1999 with a letter sent to many conservatives by Paul M. Weyrich which included the following statements by Weyrich:
The radicals of the 1960s had three slogans: turn on, tune in, drop out. I suggest that we adopt a modified version. First, turn off. Turn off the television and video games and some of the garbage that,s on the computers. Turn off the means by which you and your family are being infected with cultural decadence.
Tune out. Create a little stillness. I was very struck by the fact that when I traveled in the former Soviet Union, I couldn't go to a restaurant or any place else without hearing this incessant Western rock music pounding away. There was no escape from it. No wonder some Russians are anti-American. When they think of the United States, they think of the culture that we exported to them.
Finally, we need to drop out of this culture, and find places, even if it is where we physically are right now, where we can live godly, righteous and sober lives.
In 1999 - Weyrich would have been only 57 years old - but his tone is that of a very old man
- an old man who is hell bent on going back to some sick perverted version of the "good ol' days"
- an old man that can't fathom the movement of society to another place - a place different from the ingrained ideologies of possibly the 1800's
- an old man that wants the US the way that he imagines that it use to be
- and is hell bent on forcing American to go there with him - through "model" legislation.
A frightened old man - afraid of the possibilities that the future can bring.
A place and time and type of ideology that somone who is a moderate, a progressive or liberal will never truly understand - in our lifetime.
One crazy right wing extremist
– who brought the right wing extremists together
– beloved by other right wing extremists
– who have and are creating radical "model" legislation
– that is written to serve the FEW radical "godly, righteous" extremist right wingers
– at the expense of "we the people".