This dog is not quite as sad and lonely as we want ALEC to be.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has been having a rough time lately, and it doesn't seem to be getting better for the organization, which specializes in making corporations' desires into law. What with public attention to its role in passing the Florida "stand your ground" law cited in the killing of Trayvon Martin, ALEC has
lost a lot of members lately, and losing its corporate members means losing money. Well,
add one more to the toll:
Financial services company Visa has dropped its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), providing further evidence of ALEC's dwindling membership in the wake of a major expose by The Guardian. Visa (whose slogan is "everywhere you want to be") made the announcement to Boston Common Asset Management, which had been engaging with Visa over the past year on lobbying disclosure. [...]
Visa's departure won't help close up those budgetary gaps. In addition to supporting ALEC through its membership dues and participation in the Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task Force, Visa was a "Chairman" level sponsor of 2011 ALEC Annual Conference, which cost $50,000 the previous year. It also sponsored a Plenary Session at the 2011 meeting featuring FreedomWorks founder Dick Armey.
So sad. What's sadder, though, is that ALEC is still better funded and more influential in state policy than most progressive organizations.