Opinion

Role of ALEC soft-pedaled in editorial

Posted August 31, 2013 4:36 am

Your Aug. 25 editorial objects to Senator Durbin’s attempt to clarify and publicize the American Legislative Exchange Council’s role and position on the stand-your-ground laws. While I agree it is not important what percentage of ALEC supporters endorse this law, I could not disagree with you more on the rest of the article. By soft peddling what ALEC does, I question your judgment as much as you question Sen. Durbin’s.

ALEC is an insidious group with the following modus operandi. Large corporations write state legislation that benefits themselves, and costs us. Certain of our elected officials, who choose to join this group, are bribed into trying to pass the legislation onto law. If you do not believe this, search Channel 11 WTTW or billmoyers.com for the episode, “The United States of ALEC.” While at the website you can see if your legislator is an ALEC member.

While this should be a state matter, our laws and legislators have been co-opted by corporate interests. Any person willing to help, by drawing attention to this situation, is welcome. Think of it this way. If you are being robbed, do you care whether it is the FBI, state police, or local authorities who show up to help? I welcome Senator Durbin’s effort to shed light on this problem. We should be investigating all ALEC sponsored legislation and laws.

We could handle this at the local/state level if only we had some sort of agency that could educate and rally us with solid investigative journalism, but sadly, it appears we don’t.

Walter Naaf

Pingree Grove

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