John Nichols: How ALEC Is Creating Florida-Style Messes In Other States

[marmar]

from The Nation:



How ALEC Is Creating Florida-Style Messes In Other States
John Nichols on March 26, 2012 - 12:18 PM ET


Wisconsin is a rod-and-gun state, with a hunting history that has fostered traditions of broad gun ownership and respect for the right to bear arms.

So how did Wisconsin get saddled with a “Castle Doctrine” law that mirrors some of the worst aspects of the Florida legislation that's now at the center of the controversy over the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Not because sportsmen and women, law enforcement officers, legal scholars or grassroots citizens decided Wisconsin should borrow bad ideas from distant states.

Wisconsin has a "Castle Doctrine" law because the American Legislative Exchange Council, the corporate-funded group that aligns special-interest organizations and corporate donors with pliable legislators, made the Florida law "model legislation." Then ALEC-aligned political insiders such as Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder, a national ALEC task-force member, and Governor Scott Walker, an ALEC alumnus, introduced, passed and signed “Castle Doctrine” legislation -- despite warnings from Wisconsin law enforcement leaders and responsible gun owners that it was a poor fit for the state. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/167041/how-alec-creating-florida-style-messes-other-states

[pscot]

1. The goddammed Birchers are running the country.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, marmar.

[SamG]

6. Times two! n/t

[Major Hogwash]

3. How much money does ALEC have? And where is it coming from?

And why isn't it being investigated by Congress?

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Largely funded by the Koch Brothers.

They will not be investigated because they own half the Republicans in Congress & lease the other half, along with maybe a couple of Blue Dogs.

[freshwest]

5. And the media with its false duality, tossing a few leftie bones at us.