Kraft abandons conservative group

[DippyDem]

Source: Politico.com

Kraft Foods, Inc. has become the third corporate titan to abandon a conservative group that supports the type of “Stand Your Ground” gun law at the center of the Trayvon Martin controversy in Florida.
Kraft — one of many corporation members of the American Legislative Exchange Council — won’t renew its membership when it expires this spring, Kraft Corporate Affairs Director Susan Davison told POLITICO.

The company’s decision comes after Coca-Cola on Wednesday announced plans to end its membership in the free-market group. PepsiCo has also said it would not renew its membership, NPR reported Thursday.
The companies began dropping their memberships after the black advocacy group Color of Change launched an online campaign calling on Coca-Cola to end its support.

(on edit... American Legislative Exchange Council = ALEC
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74893.html

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74893.html

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The avalanche is starting!! It's going to be big news!

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Van Jones was just on with Big Ed talking about this.

Awesome stuff.

[lunasun]

2. In case anyone would like to join the campaign

http://colorofchange.org/

or sign the petitions

[Grassy Knoll]

5. Done, Thanks. n/t

[fightthegoodfightnow]

3. DU GUN SUPPORTERS SHOULD TAKE NOTE

ALEC is NOT a friend of the progressive Democratic agenda.

Political pressure is mounting.

Stand Your Ground Laws are bad for America.

DU gun apologists take note: There are many DU members who disagree with you, along with companies like Kraft Foods.

[salin]

4. heard and NPR story this am - talking the 2 soft drink co.s dropping ALEC - with Kraft still onboard

Though - have to start attending to which are Kraft products and avoiding them. Glad to hear that in the past 12 hours, Kraft has reconsidered its position.

May others follow.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. Great news. Hope they get WalMart soon.

[starfox172]

7. *stands up and applauds*

methinks i'm going to use that kraft cheese in the sandwich i'm about to make ^_^

[Ruby the Liberal]

8. Heads up - the Van Jones interview is on the Ed repeat now for anyone interested.

[shagnasty]

9. Now Go Get The Big Sponsor

It was Walmart whp sponsored the ALEC conference which introduced the "Stand Your Ground" template. Walmart profits from selling guns and ammunition which kill our kids. Wonder if they a made a profit on the bullet
that killed Trayvon?

[qb]

10. I can't believe these corporate fuckers were funding ALEC to begin with.

You'd think they'd do a little research into how many of their customers are getting fucked over by this anti-American group.

[drm604]

11. I'm amazed at how much the people have been able to have an affect on corporate behavior lately.

The internet, social networking in particular, is turning out to be a powerful thing for true grass roots.

Look for renewed efforts to control the net, as well as all kinds of new corporate and right-wing astroturf trying to take advantage of this.

[april]

12. I went to the ALEC page what a list never knew all of this

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/What_is_ALEC%3
More than 98% of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift bans.

[lonestarnot]

14. Behind nearly every US evil, you will see ALEC hiding when you open the curtain.

[nanabugg]

15. Evil doers all! Link no longer working.

The power of the $$$$. We need to hit them where it hurts. Minorities are a significant economic block in this country, billions spent from blacks alone. A?n education movement about ALEC and the processes and groups that conservatives use to control out government and corporations. Jesse Jackson has and had his detractors, I know, but he was an effective leader for economic and boycott movements back in the day. What we needs now is to educate the young people of minority groups to pick up the mantle of social justice economics...link it to voting and educating about the candidates running for state, local, and Federal office. A major social economic justice education movement is what is needed.

Where to start?

[lunasun]

16. This link works

http://colorofchange.org/press/releases/2012/4/4/colorofchangeorg-applauds-coca-colas-decision-pull/
add to the petition mentioned with a link on the page

The site's home page article and blog on this subject

is being heavy hit by trolls and positive comments would help too( unless u r a troll)

http://www.colorofchange.org/blog/2012/apr/4/colorofchangeorg-applauds-coca-colas-decision-pull/

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. My god, dare we hope the tide is turning???

[quakerboy]

17. Call me a pessimist

But I think its time to start looking for a new behind the scenes group that all these corporate groups start funding. ALEC has been exposed, its now a known player, taking heat and maybe too well known now.

Cockroaches always scurry for the dark. Much as I would love to believe coke and Pepsi and kraft have seen the light, I just don't.