Articles

July 27, 2011

ALEC, American Legislative Exchange Council, is a corporate funded group which enables corporate written legislation to be given to state legislators to then try to pass in their respective state legislatures. The state legislators who are involved with ALEC are primarily Republican and the legislation consistently promotes corporate interests at the expense of the general public. Much, if not all, of the language found in many of the final bills that pass state legislatures, mirrors that of the ALEC model legislation. Recently over 800 pieces of model legislation were leaked to the Center for Media and Democracy.

ALEC's model legislation are ready made blueprints for legislators to take back to their states and introduce in their respective assemblies. Prior to this leak, ALEC, it's corporate members and participating state lawmakers, have operated with little or no scrutiny, simply because hard proof of a coordinated effort was very difficult to come by as the model bills were available only to members of ALEC and because the lawmakers who belong to ALEC didn't seem too eager to advertise their membership in ALEC. This lack of transparency enables Corporate America to work quietly on their goals at the state level, thus ensuring low or nonexistent opposition from citizens who just might object to the wholesale, unopposed passage of their legislative wish list had it been attempted at at the national level. As per the Center for Media and Democracy:

These bills and resolutions reach into almost every area of American life: worker and consumer rights, education, the rights of Americans injured or killed by corporations, taxes, health care, immigration, and the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink. Only by seeing the depth and breadth and language of the bills can one fully understand the power and sweep of corporate influence behind the scenes on bills affecting the rights and future of every American in every single state.

Voter ID Laws
One example of the ALEC blueprint can be found in the push for Voter ID laws. Voter ID laws are rationalized, primarily by Republicans, to the public as a way to protect the integrity of the electoral process and to prevent voter fraud, which is actually rare, according to the Brennan Center For Justice:

There is no question that election misconduct exists, including improper purges of eligible voters, distributing false information about when and where to vote, stuffing of ballot boxes, and tampering with registration forms. But there is no evidence that the type of fraud addressed by stricter voter ID - individual voters who misrepresent their identities at the polls - is anything but an anomaly.

In reality, Voter ID laws are effective tools for disenfranchising primarily Democratic voters, as that voting pool tends to include larger numbers of the elderly, minorities, students and the poor - the groups that tend to be most affected by such laws. Once these voters and their votes are sidelined, the political opposition mainly in the form of Democrats, can be minimized as, theoretically, less Democrats are able to be elected if the size of their voting pools diminish. Less Democrats mean less opposition to the corporate agenda, although some Democrats are very good at furthering the corporate agenda as well. By disenfranchising voters this way, Republicans hope to increase their numbers in the state and national legislatures, effectively providing the closest thing to a rubber stamp corporations could hope for, making the goal of a neo-liberal, corporate agenda much easier to implement. Readers further interested may wish to read Naomi Klein's book, The Shock Doctrine, to gain a clearer understanding of the underlying philosophy and history behind such strategies.

A current example of Voter ID law and the first stages of its effects, can be found in Wisconsin, which has recently gained the most attention as a laboratory for implementation of the neo-liberal agenda, based on the free-market ideas of Milton Friedman and as explained by Klein. Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker, gained the most attention in early 2011, for his attack on state workers unions, long a bastion of support for his Democratic opponents and most recently for enacting AB 7, a voter ID law, requiring voters to present a picture ID. Wisconsin's AB 7, like other state based Voter ID laws, is based on this ALEC Model Voter ID bill. The Wisconsin voter ID bill requires voters to obtain a state issued ID from a Wisconsin state DMV office; however Walker has made it harder to do so, by planning the closure of up to 16 DMV offices, many in districts that tend to vote for Democrats. This is how the new game is played; require adherence to a law and then make it difficult for people to actually adhere to the law or arcane aspects of the law, resulting in their loss of rights. A recent video, taken by a mother trying to help her son obtain the required ID at a branch of the Wisconsin DMV, shows that the son required to provide proof of activity on his checking account in order to move forward with the process of obtaining an I.D. I would think, at the very least, a requirement to prove you have an active checking account amounts to an unconstitutional poll tax. The mother and her son also discovered that a person seeking an ID must request the free ID required for eligibility to vote or otherwise pay a $28 fee; although there were apparently no postings of this distinction at this particular office:

Source

California
A map found at the National Conference of State Legislatures site, shows which states have attempted to implement similar legislation. In California, AB 663, introduced by state assemblyman, Mike Morrell, representing the 63rd district in Rancho Cucamonga, failed to pass the state legislature during the 2011 cycle. AB 663 matches the spirit and the letter of the ALEC model bill; the language and format used are too similar to be attributable to mere coincidence.

Language from California AB 663 Section 14215.5.(b):

(1)  The document shows the name of the individual to whom
the document was issued and the name conforms to the name on
the individual’s voter registration record.
(2)  The document shows a photograph of the individual to whom
the document was issued.
(3)  The document includes an expiration date, and the document
is either not expired, or expired after the date of the most recent
general election.
(4)  The document was issued by the United States or the State
of California.

Language from the ALEC model bill, in this case, utilized by Arkansas:

(a) "Proof of identity" means a document or identification card that:
(1) Shows the name of the person to whom the document was issued;
(2) Shows a photograph of the person to whom the document was issued;
(3) Contains an expiration date, and is not expired.
(4) Is issued by the United States or the State of Arkansas.

Similarities in the casting and counting of provisional ballots from the California Bill, Section 14215.5.(c)(d):

(c)  If the voter is unable or declines to present proof of
identification, or if a member of the precinct board determines that
the proof of identification presented does not meet the requirements
of subdivision (b), the voter may request and be issued a
provisional ballot and be permitted to vote that ballot.
(d)  A provisional ballot cast under subdivision (c) shall only be
counted if, within 10 days following the election, the voter provides
proof of identification that meets the requirements of subdivision
(b) to the county voter registration office or establishes that one
of the exemptions in subdivisions (e), (f), and (g) applies to the
voter.

Language from the ALEC Model, Section 2 (c)(2), used in Arkansas:

(2) If a voter executes an affidavit under subsection (c)(1)(B) of this
section, the election official shall permit the voter to cast a provisional
ballot.
(d) A provisional ballot cast by a voter who did not provide proof of identity
shall be counted if:
(1)(A) The voter returns to the county board of election
commissioners by 12:00 p.m. on the Monday following the election
and provides proof of identity.

Similarities exist in respect to exemptions from the requirement to have a Voter ID, given to those who reside in nursing homes or other long term care institutions or those who have "a religious objection to being photographed". In fact, this exact sentence is found in the Alec model, Section 2(c)(B)(ii)(c) and in the California bill, Section 14215.5 (g).

In the ALEC model bill, a helpful footnote has been included to remind legislators they must avoid the imposition of what can be seen as a poll tax by requiring mandatory ID as a condition to vote:

Because numerous United States Supreme Court decisions have been interpreted to hold that government may not require citizens to pay any fee in exchange for the right to vote, bill drafters may wish to include a section that mandates the provision of publicly funded ID cards without cost to those citizens who request them.

At this point you can be forgiven for thinking that if a voter is being provided with a free state ID in order to vote, there should be no problem with compliance. Well, let's go back to Wiconsin Governor, Scott Walker's, attempt to close up to 16 DMV locations, targeting districts that tend to vote Democratic, while expanding hours in primarily Republican districts. Closing these offices would add to the burden on finding another location to go to, conceivably making it harder for some voters to come into compliance with the law, thus jeopardizing their opportunity and right to vote.

When we have allowed a non-transparent process to exist in which Corporations can literally write the laws that govern citizens, then we have truly sacrificed our democracy. For a democracy to flourish, there must be present the consent of the people who understand and are aware of the laws being passed which govern them. Those laws, it can be expected, should benefit them as well, rather than enslave them to an agenda which benefits and is based on the unfettered pursuit of corporate profit and political objectives. This state of affairs is not to be found in the distant future, it is here, now. This democracy is truly in danger.

The Brennan Center for Justice has an excellent resource of Voter ID progress in the states here.

Side Note
For Californian's, a list of ALEC-Right Wing favored legislation in California, is conveniently & ironically provided by the Modesto, California Tea Party. It is literally identical to the ALEC bills leaked by the Center for Media and Democracy's ALEC Exposed site. It think it quite clearly provides one more link illustrating the corporate nexus of the Tea Party.

Debt ceiling default is a political ploy. I don't believe there will be a default; however, I do think that Republicans are trying to box Obama in with the ultimate goal of impeachment and/or weakening his chances at reelection heading into the 2012 cycle. In addition to possible impeachment, intransigence on the debt ceiling and the inclusion of budgetary items is an attempt to accomplish the long term Republican goal of undermining Social Security, Medicare and other social safety net programs enacted during the 30's and 60's, without giving an inch on letting taxes return to pre-Bush tax cut era levels. House Republican, Steve King, from Iowa, tweeted "Obama would be impeached if he blocked debt payments" Tada! Impeachment! He's not the only one talking impeachment: Rep. Pete Olson Republican from Texas & Rep. Tim Scott Republican from South Carolina have expressed interest in attempting impeachment of the President if he were to rely on section 4 of the 14th Amendment to avoid default. It seems that by not agreeing to ANY deal, the Republicans are forcing Obama to resort to the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling.

Pete Olson's remarks

Tim Scott's remarks caught on video

Steve King's tweet

The form letter stated that, as an American I preferred a "balanced approach" to ending the debt ceiling nightmare. I erased the form letter, because I do not favor a "balanced approach". Just raise the debt ceiling and stop playing politics with the financial health of this country.

This is directed to the entirety of the House and Senate Republicans, whose twin goals of destroying the President and ensuring the rich are protected from the financial calamity that befell the rest of the American public, are putting this country at risk. Unlike many of my fellow citizens, I do NOT buy into the line that both "sides" have equally valid points on this, or any other subject, especially not when there is an insurmountable mountain of FACTS that prove such assertions wrong.

Get with it. Raise the damned debt ceiling. After all, you helped make the debt what it is now. Nobody I know can buy a warship or start an illegal war or mortgage our nation into debt just to give our rich buddies a tax holiday.

Sincerely, Me

You can locate & write to your Representative and Senators here

There is an underlying fallacy that has been used for many years to promote the 'superiority' of charter schools at the expense of public schools and funding for them. Charter schools can pick and choose their students, unlike public schools which receive federal funding. In effect there is a leaching of the best students out of the public school system and into the private or charter systems. That cherry picking of not only white students, but also students who do not suffer from developmental disabilities or behavioral problems or who do not lack economic benefits at home, in effect, gives the appearance that charter schools do a better job successfully educating students. The truth is, after all things considered, they don't.

The Myth Of Charter Schools

Charter Schools Performance in 16 States

July 23, 2011

The debt ceiling "negotiations" between Boehner & Obama appears as so much Kabuki theater. John Boehner is an alumni of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) responsible for the dissemination of corporate written legislation, pushed at the state level with predominately Republican legislators doing the pushing. The 'model legislation' is literally written by corporate members of ALEC, and exemplify the implementation of economic ideals espoused by Milton Friedman. The results can be seen, within the U.S., more clearly since Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker's, heavy handed attempts to decimate the public sector unions combined with the attempt to sell off numerous publicly owned interests; however it was / is not limited to Wisconsin, it is nationwide.

There are two useful tools for understanding and education on these efforts. Recently 800 pieces of model legislation were obtained by activist Aliya Rahman and leaked to The Nation magazine. The leak is an important turning point in the ability to learn more about this secretive organization as prior to the leak the actual text of the bills was unavailable for public scrutiny. The full treasure trove can be found at ALEC Exposed

In addition to the abundance of information at ALEC Exposed, is what I think one of the most important books to be published on the underlying strategies used by the corporate elite, often in tandem with politicians, the military and other powerful people, to implement such disastrous economic policies on people and societies worldwide: Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine". For those without access to the book, I have included the 2009 movie based on the book. The Shock Doctrine The Movie:

Video Source via You Tube: The Shock Doctrine (2009)

March 24, 2011

On the 100 Year Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, at the Triangle Waist Company, workplace safety continues to be an unresolved issue in the United States.

The Triangle Shirtwaist fire occurred on March 25, 1911 in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York, possibly set by a match or cigarette in the scrap bin where leftover material was kept. The death toll rose to 146 as workers died while trapped inside the factory because the doors not blocked by the fire had been locked by management to prevent theft, unsupervised smoke breaks and attempts by outside unions to organize the factory workers. Workers not able to make their way out of the building died as a result of too few available exits that were not visible because of smoke or un-passable due to the number of people trying to get out at the same time. 62 died by jumping to their deaths from the factory located in the 8th through 10th floors of the building.

As a result of the fire, several changes to workplace safety were acheived that most people take for granted today. Changes include direct paths of specific width to fire escapes, clearly visible exit signs, doors that open outward in the direction of escape, maximum occupancy restrictions, fire extinguishing sprinkler systems and the state-based workers compensation system.

Given this modern life and the trappings of a 24 hour infotainment cycle, it seems society suffers from a self-inflicted sense of cultural amnesia, enabling us to forget or remain ignorant of the dangers workers continue to encounter that affect their health and lives on a daily basis. When news of a mine disaster or a fire at a refinery or workplace violence occurs, we are riveted until another workplace tragedy arises, but seem quickly to forget as they remain disconnected events rather than placed within an historical context. Workplace accidents due to corporate negligence or malfeasance, especially when coupled with an assault on unionized workers, are a reminder that in a democratic society we still fail at achieving a democratic workplace.

An excellent short documentary, Triangle's Echoes: The Unfinished Struggle for Worker Protection, Safety and Health, explains some of these issues:

For me, one of the more shocking facts in this video is that an employer who runs an unsafe workplace in which a worker's death results is only fined $7000, which pales in comparison to higher fines if a business were to violate other laws that have kept pace with modern realities and inflationary trends. What isn't shocking about that fact are the players behind the scenes who benefit from the status quo. Somehow, the Koch brothers keep popping up everywhere these days.

Video Source: Triangle's Echoes: The Unfinished Struggle for Worker Protection, Safety and Health

March 22, 2011

Truthout, in an exclusive with retired Air Force Capt. Michael Kearns, further reveals the role played by Dr. Bruce Jessen, in the creation of the torture program used in U.S. interrogations of detainees. Bruce Jessen and his colleague, James Mitchell, were hired by the CIA in 2002 to train interrogators in the torture program used in CIA black site prisons.

According to Kearns, Jessen's decades old notes provide the link proving that SERE training (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) techniques were reverse engineered with the intention to exploit prisoners, not primarily for interrogation as the Bush Administration had asserted, but with the aim of producing informants and double agents.

Kearns, described as a "master SERE instructor", was in charge of operations at the Air Force Intelligence's Special Survial Training Program (SSTP) at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. Kearns ran the SV-91: Department of Defense High Risk Survival Training program; a course designed by Kearns, to prepare defense personnel in the event of capture and detainment by an hostile enemy. Kearns brought in Jessen in 1989 to help provide psychological expertise in the development of a particular part of SV-91; "Psychological Aspects of Detention." The goal of the program, according to documents received by Truthout, was:

"to provide special training for selected individuals that will enable them to withstand exploitation methods in the event of capture during peacetime operations.... to cope with such exploitation and deny their detainers useable information or propaganda."

Jessen's notes formed the basis of this program. According to Kearns:

"The Jessen notes clearly state the totality of what was being reverse-engineered - not just 'enhanced interrogation techniques,' but an entire program of exploitation of prisoners using torture as a central pillar,"

Kearns went on to state that the focus of Jessen's instruction was to exploit prisoners rather than interrogate them.

"The CIA/DoD torture program appears to have the same goals as the terrorist organizations or enemy governments for which SV-91 and other SERE courses were created to defend against: the full exploitation of the prisoner in his intelligence, propaganda, or other needs held by the detaining power, such as the recruitment of informers and double agents."

Kearns also states that he offered to share information about Jessen with Michigan Senator Carl Levin during Levin's investigation into the treatment of detainees, but Levin never called upon Kearns to testify or provide further information.

March 11, 2011

A lot of things have been happening across the U.S. within the last several weeks pertaining to neo-liberalism and privatization occuring at the state level, with the most attention being paid to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's attempt to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights under the guise of fiscal emergency. Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism, explains this push on Democracy Now on 3/9/2011.

Watch:

The Rachel Maddow Show aired a Special Report on March 10, 2011 that clarified how the Republican push toward fiscal austerity actually masks egregious attempts to shift major amounts of money from public services and people in the lower economic classes upward to corporations and the already filthy rich. As Rachel says "A lot of people get hurt so a few people can benefit.":

In this segment, Rachel explains the Republican plan to disenfranchise people who primarily vote for Democrats:

In this segment Rachel talks about ALEC; The American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization that is dangerous for a democracy:

And here Rachel shows a scene from the documentary, "Gasland" where a man sets his tap water on fire. Thank you fracking:

For more information on who may be behind the push toward corporatist driven privatization, read:

Corporate America's Trojan Horse in the States: The Untold Story Behind the American Legislative Exchange Council

And: ALEC: Ghostwriting the Law for Corporate America