The American City County Exchange is ALEC's little brother, hoping to do to local communities what it's done for states. No thank you, ALEC got me into elective politics.
So imagine my surprise when I got an email asking me if I wanted a one year membership.
Well, Mozilla Thunderbird (my email program) thinks this may be a scam. It has no idea how big a scam this is.
Yes, I'm a local elected official. So is my wife; she also received her invite from ACCE.
Here's the full email I received:
As a local elected official, you make daily decisions that directly impact your neighborhood roads, schools and property taxes. Wouldn't it be nice to have access to cutting-edge research, the nation's top industry experts and the support of a national network of your peers?
Hey, doesn't sound like a bad idea. Access to cutting-edge research? Experts? A national network of my peers? Kind of like the National Counties Association
NACO?
Welcome to the American City County Exchange.
Oh.
Those experts.
The American City County Exchange (ACCE) brings together local elected officials and private sector members to develop public policy that promotes accountability, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness rooted in limited government and free market principles.
I'm vice-chair of our Human Services Committee. And a member of the Board of Health. We're all about accountability, transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. Also evidence-based practices, which are pretty much in opposition to the Koch brothers' "limited government and free market principles".
I want you to be part of this conversation. Will you accept a complimentary one-year membership in ACCE?
The American City County Exchange is America's only free market forum for local policymakers. In municipalities across America, people debate to find the best policy solutions, but the free market perspective is often left by the wayside. Working together, ACCE members learn from others' challenges and evaluate how free market policies work when applied to local governments.
ACCE members receive academic research and analysis from policy experts who work with issues, processes and problem-solving strategies upon which local officials vote. Provided with important policy education, lawmakers become more informed and better equipped to serve the needs of their communities.
We value your experience and ideas in public policy development, so I invite you to please accept a complimentary one-year membership by filling out our membership form.
The process is simple:
Free One-Year Membership
1. Send this link to interested colleagues: https://alec.secure.force.com/...
Freeze right there. Catch that URL? alec.secure.force.com. Wonder what I get when I strip off the bit off the end.
Oh yeah. This.
2. Enter contact information and click "Save & Continue"
3. Click "ACCE Public Sector Member - 1 Year" for $50.00, then "Save & Continue"
4. Enter 2015ACCE-1 in the Discount Code section, then click "Apply"
5. Click "Submit Order"
I just want to say that this special offer was directed towards me. I would heartily disapprove if anyone here sent this link to "interested colleagues" and joined up. (/snark)
As a member, you are invited to participate in our upcoming ACCE conference in San Diego, California, July 22-24.
Nice idea. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be going. I couldn't in good conscience ask for county funding for this conference, and my county doesn't have the money to send me.
Wait - maybe I have it in my campaign account? (Oh, wait. I've neither raised nor spent a penny on my campaigns. Never had an opponent either. Snap.)
Sincerely,
Charles Tassell
City Councilman, Deer Park, OH
Midwest Chairman, American City County Exchange
Well, Charles, thank you very much for your generosity. But if I were you, I wouldn't bother coming 'round here. We're not quite Deer Park here, we're a little more rural and a lot less wealthy. And you see, Charles, we've been working really hard the past four years running progressives for local office. And winning. Because we're playing the long game.
Oh yeah, and the old-time Republicans I sit next to on my County Board? They don't trust you either.
So don't bother coming by.