Tampa Tribune: Conservative groups (including ALEC) score big this year in state legislatures

[highplainsdem]

http://www2.tbo.com/news/politics/2011/may/31/conservative-groups-score-big-this-year-in-state-l-ar-233183/

Conservative groups score big this year in state legislatures
By CATHERINE WHITTENBURG | The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 31, 2011

-snipping first three paragraphs-

National organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Bioethics Defense Fund, the National Rifle Association and Americans for Taxpayer Reform have been reaping the rewards from last fall's tidal wave of Republican election wins in state governments around the country that brought new conservative leaders.

-snip-

"I think one of the real unsung leaders of the conservative agenda is ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council," said Daniel Smith, a political science professor at the University of Florida.

"They have been waiting in the wings for Republicans to take over the state legislatures and governorships, and have pre-packaged, off-the-rack public policies with a conservative bent, ready for introduction. You see these cookie-cutter policies popping up across the country."

Founded in 1973 and financed by corporations and other conservative interests, ALEC, which claims not to lobby, supplies state leaders with model legislation on a range of GOP-friendly issues.

-snip-

Much more information about this group can be found in the long compilation topic on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).