This speech, which will be delivered by Dillon Culbreth on behalf of the Voters Legislative Transparency Project on the night of 10/29 at the Coffee Party's "Enough is Enough" rally. It is loosely based on an article published here on the Kos by MNdem999
Welcome to ALEC World
A lot of what we’ve been finding out about ALEC is just down right scary. Ron has posted an introductory blog about ALEC’s history both here on the DK and on the Coffee Party web page. There are being written at the request of the Coffee Party leaders so that their members can understand what ALEC is and how they have increasingly manipulated our politics for the last 30-plus years.
We’ve all heard about the banksters and know what they have done to the American economy and indeed to the world’s economy. Most of us here tonight have suffered, some very badly at the hand of the big banks—I (Dillon Culbreth) am living day to day wondering how long the bank will let me stay in my house.
But a lot of you have recognized that it’s not just the banks that continue to kill our economy. There is a lot of speculation about “corporations” and the role that they play in all of this.
Well, I’m here tonight to tell you that when it comes to what Hillary Clinton once called the vast right wing conspiracy, President Obama is in “Occupy Fairyland”
That’s NOT to pick on President Obama. Almost the entire Democratic Party is in a state of ignorant denial. Ron, who like me lives in North Carolina, sent the names of all ALEC members in the North Carolina State Legislature to our democratic governor, Bev Perdue—who is, incidentally, a good governor trying to work with a solidly opposition legislature. He got a standard and irrelevant form letter back in return.
Ron has sent the names of all 100 ALEC alumni in the U.S. Congress to President Obama. Got back a 'please donate to my campaign' letter in return.
Brothers and Sisters, these overwhelmingly democratic politicians are so busy fighting with the obstructionists while filling their campaign coffers that they are at best treating the symptoms of ALEC activities, rather than treating the ALEC “disease”.
Their ignorance and their refusal to ACT against ALEC will be the end of the United States of America.
OUR ignorance and OUR neglecting to act against ALEC will destroy the United States of America.
WHO is going to step forward to save our country? If we do not stop ALEC and the other members of the Koch Brothers’ Cabal, we are headed for a total corporatocracy –a completely fascist state, because that's what ALEC and the cabal have been planning and executing for more that 30 years now. There are many among us who think that ALEC and the cabal can already see the light at the end of their tunnel while we are still looking for our damned tunnel!
Control of the mainstream media by corporate members of ALEC in turn controls the message that you get from your TV or newspaper. In many cases they own the medium--like Gannett Publications or Comcast. In other instances can’t you just imagine hearing-- “gee, there are just so many places we could spend our advertising dollars this season” and imagine the clenched sphincters of the media buyers.
Those of us who see the word ALEC, and pull the cover over our heads are merely denying the truth about what is REALLY happening and are effectively supporting them. We are giving them exactly what they want and need– our complacency— which is their mandate.
Those of us who are too busy to care about our democracy - too busy with soccer games, working late, going out to dinner, getting drunk, watching TV or any other lame excuse you can come up with, are avoiding the fight for the democracy in America .
Please, go to ALEC Exposed or Resist the Privatization of America on Facebook and do some reading about ALEC, then go to your kids soccer game tonight, pull the covers back over your head and go back to sleep. Your conscience will keep you awake.
In President Obama’s jobs speech, he talked about the election being 14 months away, and about the people who sent “us” here, the people who hired “us”, not having the luxury of waiting 14 months, “living week to week, paycheck to paycheck, even day to day. They need help, and they need it now.”
Sadly, the President is missing the point and not being transparent with us by not telling us WHY so many Americans are so down and out. We human citizens are just no longer represented by those we elect. We're just the silent 99% who pay our taxes, which pay for our US Congresspersons and state legislators who are busy filling their campaign coffers by giving priority representation to ALEC’s Corporate members.
The ALEC “Federal Forum” in the Congress doesn’t care about you or me or any citizens of the United States. As far as ALEC is concerned we should be willing to work for the privatized prison labor rates of 20 cents an hour and be damn glad for it.
President Obama also stated that we don’t care about politics because we have real life concerns, that we grew up in an America where hard work and responsibility paid off, and that we believed we’ll get a fair shake if we do our fair share and do the right thing. That is the Dream that has led millions of immigrants to our shores since our founding.
Well, unfortunately, life isn’t always fair. The entire concept of the “American Dream” has become a concept which, while still believed in by many, falls apart because of the influence of ALEC and the Koch cabal.
What made our country great was that anyone “could make it” in the United States. Sadly, the use of the past tense is now appropriate in the new world of ALEC. Now very few other than those born with a platinum spoon in their mouths can make it in the United States. Just two years ago a new majority emerged in congress under the guise of jobs, jobs, jobs. Who has seen a jobs bill by any of these new members of Congress? What does banning Sharia law have to do with creating jobs? With the Hyde Amendment in place, what is so urgent about supposed federal funding of abortion? What does demanding voter ID at the polls at a tremendous cost to each cash-strapped state really accomplish in a land with virtually no reports of voter fraud? How does fighting “don’t ask don’t tell” create jobs? Or the defense of marriage bill? Can we all say…..ALEC?
President Obama promises us more tax CUTS with passage of his jobs bill—why? We have a revenue problem inherited from the unfunded tax cuts and wars of George W. Bush and many still serving in the Congress. Throwing in tax cuts to try for bi-partisan approval is a fantasy. So, it is not nearly that simple. This just makes another year of conveniently underfunding Social Security - stealing from the Social Security Trust Fund to give more tax cuts to the 1% and to corporations at the expense of our own retirements. Legislated, authorized, STEALING.
And just what is this no new taxes “oath” given to Grover Norquist? Who elected Grover Norquist to represent anyone’s interests? Why should he and his disciples be able to exercise this much control over fiscal policy? People need jobs. We have an insufficient revenue problem which must be dealt with, which means raising revenues not cutting taxes. And let us not forget for a moment the oath every elected official takes to support the constitution—not Grover Norquist.
Lobbyists don’t really matter anymore. When you have ALEC’s corporate members dealing directly with its Legislative members and voting for “model legislation” to benefit the corporate members—and then introducing these bills at the next sessions of their legislatures or Congress – who needs lobbyists? Lobbyists are now just old window dressing - which people who don’t know better can point to as the problem. Well, ALEC is now the pusher of legislation – and we are letting them sow the destruction of the United States of America.
I need someone to explain to me the differences between President Obama’s “Jobs Council”, leaders of different industries charged to develop ideas to help companies grow and create jobs. Just how does this differ from ALEC’s task forces and “Council on Efficient Government Act“ model legislation?
It’s not bad enough that corporations can pay to get one-on-one meetings three times a year at luxury resorts with our state legislators “as equals” at ALEC meetings – now we need to bring them into the Federal government as well?
Finally, in presenting his jobs bill, Obama orders a regulation review, identifying some 500 reforms, saving billions over a “few” years. That we should have no more regulation than the minimum amount it takes to protect the American people requires. And a COMMON SENSE TEST?
Because of the way Congress has worked, I’m willing to bet that we have some contradictory regulations, and perhaps some that are extraneous while others are non-existent. But wouldn’t we be better off with a waste test—as used by private financial institutions to identify wasted spending. Computer algorithms have been developed to identify this waste, so why are we not using them?
Common sense test? Washington and our state legislatures have long since stopped concerning themselves with common sense. The only thing they know is what’s good for ALEC is good for the USA. This wasn’t right when it was said about General Motors, and it’s even more ludicrous now.
As for reducing the size of government, history shows that conservatives always increase the size of government as they intrude deeper and deeper into our private lives. And this is going to change?---why?
Mr. President, you can go back to sleep now. The fairytale is over. Because of the inability to get liberal policies discussed in the main stream media, the people here cannot be faulted for not knowing about ALEC. But if we don’t let the voting public know WHY our politics and HOW our economy are straitjacketed the way they are, we need to get around the mainstream media and get our message directly to the voters.
To this end, we at the American Legislative Transparency Project are trying to organize a bus tour of the country, to bring teach-ins to people in as many locations as time and money permit. If you will please see me I’ll be glad to give you a flyer about our tour, and hopefully you will find a way to make a donation.
Thank y’all very much for your time.