While reading an excellent piece of investigative journalism
written by Bob Sloan – Voters Legislative Transparency Project entitled:
I was horrified with the implications of “ALEC state
legislators” interfering in international affairs.
I guess in a way – this whole ALEC “International Task
Force” sham should be a warning to citizens around the globe of the
inflated image that the American Legislative Exchange Council has of itself.
In 1985 the Wall Street Journal made this statement in an
article about ALEC:
Yet ALEC remains focused on the least
glamorous of political figures, the lowly state legislator.
In 1985 in an article in “The Conservative’, then ALEC
president, Kathy Teague noted:
The turnover rate among state
legislators is very high … These are men and women through the United
States who are making laws for the first time in their lives. … For
the great majority of state legislators, being a lawmaker is their second
career. They are businessmen and women,
lawyers or doctors or architects or homemakers.
They have decided to spend three month or six month of the year passing
laws, making the laws of their state.
And these people are screwing around with international
policy?
These people are making believe they are “foreign diplomats”?
These people are focusing their attention on international
issues – when in fact they should be focusing on representing the people of their state –
as they were elected to do so.
These “lowly” “ALEC state legislators” are NOT foreign
diplomats and they should not pretend to be one.
These “ALEC state legislators” ARE NOT governors of the state.
These “ALEC state legislators” ARE NOT designated trade
representatives for the state.
These “ALEC state legislators” ARE NOT members of the US
Congress
– they are STATE legislators.
What in the hell do they think they are doing?
Which one of their state constituents told them they wanted
them interfering with international relations?
I want to bring to the reader’s attention some of the
legislation/resolutions that have come out of the ALEC International and
Federalism Task Force in the last couple of years.
Senator Val Stevens (WA) introduced
the Resolution on Open and Reciprocal Trade with Canada.
“Resolution in Support of the Keystone
XL Pipeline” Ms. Brandie Davis (Philip Morris International)
Ms. Brandie Davis (Philip Morris
International) introduced a Hard Science Resolution
Ms. Davis is a lobbyist.
The Honorable Michal Kaminski (Member,
European Parliament and ALEC International Legislator) introduced a Resolution
in Support of Deepening EuroAtlantic Integration of the Republic of Moldova.
The Honorable Roger Helmer (Member,
European Parliament and ALEC International Legislator) presented a Resolution
against EU Funding of NGOs.
Representative Tim Moffitt (NC)
introduced a Resolution Opposing World Bank Lending to Argentina.
Mr. Yeong-jainn “Jeff” Liu (Taipei
Economic & Cultural Representative Office) made a presentation about the
fairness and importance of Taiwan
being added to the US Visa Waiver Program.
Final ratification of US-Korea FTA
introduced by Mr. Bob Filippone (PhRMA).
Resolution passes unanimously.
Resolution Supporting Review of
Argentina’s GSP Status introduced by Representative Penny Bacchiochi of CT.
Resolution passes unanimously.
“Establishment of Reconstruction
Opportunity Zones in Pakistan”
Assemblywoman Ayesha Javed (Punjab Provincial Assembly-Pakistan)
“Resolution on Plain Packaging
Legislation” Brandie Davis (Philip Morris International)
Mr. David Powers (Reynolds American,
Inc.) introduced a Resolution Urging the European Union
to Remove Its Ban on the Sale of Smokeless Tobacco
Representative John E. Piscopo (CT)
introduced a Resolution Against U.S. Participation in International Agreement
in Copenhagen
Who gave “ALEC state legislators” permission to meet with
foreign nationals to discuss policy?
WHO ARE THESE FOREIGN NATIONALS?
WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL BELIEFS OF THESE FOREIGN
NATIONALS?
WHY ARE THESE FOREIGN NATIONALS ATTENDING ALEC MEETINGS?
WHY are “ALEC state legislators” meeting with these people?
ALL OF THIS DONE
OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW AND SUPERVISION OF THE US
STATE DEPARTMENT!!!
WHO IN THE HELL DOES ALEC THINK THEY ARE?????
All of this is very disturbing – but it goes to a new whole
level when you take into consider that ALEC’s International Task Force
members – were messing around in IRAQ. DURING THE WAR!!!!
In his presentation on Good Governance
Promotion in Iraq, Senator Curt Bramble (UT) explained various reasons why and
how the U.S. ought to be instrumental in educating newly elected Iraqi state
legislators by training them in principles and good practices of governance,
how to draft legislation and work effectively with the executive branch of
their governments. He illustrated his points by describing his experiences
working with the Baghdad Provincial Council in Iraq.
Representative Gene Ward introduced a
Resolution Establishing an ALEC Democracy and Governance Program.
Representative Ward added that the five major legislative issues of the Iraqi
government should also be addressed, namely unemployment, education,
corruption, infrastructure and health care, respectively. He also suggested
conducting this training of newly elected legislators partly in the U.S.
and thus providing an example of good government practice.
Representative Gene Whisnant
(R-Sunriver) recently met with Georgia Ambassador Batu Kutelia and members of
his staff at an ALEC reception in Washington,
DC as part of the 2009 ALEC
States & Nation Policy Summit.
Rep. Whisnant is a member of the
recently reorganized ALEC International Relations Task Force. Gene and his wife
Josie introduced the Ambassador and his staff to other Legislative and private
industry ALEC members.
During the summit, the ALEC
International Task Force members passed resolutions related to international
trade policies and practices. One Legislative member reported on his recent
trip to Iraq.
He went and discussed ALEC concepts of free markets, less government, and
individual freedoms with Iraqi leaders.
You have to ask
Who did they talk to?
What did they tell them?
How did these “ALEC state legislators” represent themselves
to Iraqi officials?
Who did the Iraqi officials think they were talking with?
ALL OF THIS DONE
OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW AND SUPERVISION OF THE US
STATE DEPARTMENT!!!
WHO IN THE HELL DOES ALEC THINK THEY ARE?????
We are talking ALEC STATE legislators here – NOT foreign
diplomats.
the lowly state legislator
These are men and women through
the United States
who are making laws for the first time in their lives.
For the great majority of state
legislators, being a lawmaker is their second career. They are businessmen and women, lawyers or
doctors or architects or homemakers.
Are you kidding me – state legislators from ho-bunk towns in
the United States
making “international” resolutions and traveling to war zones.
You have got to be kidding me!
Most of them haven’t even been out of state – except to go
to an ALEC meeting – for free – on a corporate ALEC scholarship.
As I noted in a previous blog entry – it is very important
for people to understand that 99% of the legislative members of ALEC have virtually NO
foreign affairs experience – none, nada, zip - .
This whole ALEC “International Task Force” sham should be a
warning to the citizens around the globe of the inflated image that the
American Legislative Exchange Council has of itself.
Every citizen across the globe should be questioning why
ALEC state legislators are participating in an ALEC task force that deals with
international issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment