The Big Money Behind State Laws

Voter Education

By: Clyde “Jocco” Baccus, President

The Learning Tree, Inc.

Trying to make sense of the bitter divide in our political process and its complexaties is enough to have voters turn away from the very thing that can move us forward is all by design. At the end of the day the power structure does not want a majority of the masses voting because it would diminish their ability to control what legislation gets passed.

The editorial below was published in the New York Times and sums up the power of money in the political process.

Editorial

The Big Money Behind State Laws

Published: February 12, 2012

It is no coincidence that so many state legislatures have spent the last year taking the same destructive actions: making it harder for minorities and other groups that support Democrats to vote, obstructing health care reform, weakening environmental regulations and breaking the spines of public- and private-sector unions. All of these efforts are being backed — in some cases, orchestrated — by a little-known conservative organization financed by millions of corporate dollars.

The American Legislative Exchange Council was founded in 1973 by the right-wing activist Paul Weyrich; its big funders include Exxon Mobil, the Olin and Scaife families and foundations tied to Koch Industries. Many of the largest corporations are represented on its board.

ALEC has written model legislation on a host of subjects dear to corporate and conservative interests, and supporting lawmakers have introduced these bills in dozens of states. A recent study of the group’s impact in Virginia showed that more than 50 of its bills were introduced there, many practically word for word. The study, by the liberal group ProgressVA, found that ALEC had been involved in writing bills that would:

¶Prohibit penalizing residents for failing to obtain health insurance, undermining the individual mandate in the reform law. The bill, which ALEC says has been introduced in 38 states, was signed into law and became the basis for Virginia’s legal challenge to heath care reform.

¶Require voters to show a form of identification. Versions of this bill passed both chambers this month.

¶Encourage school districts to contract with private virtual-education companies. (One such company was the corporate co-chair of ALEC’s education committee.) The bill was signed into law.

¶Call for a federal constitutional amendment to permit the repeal of any federal law on a two-thirds vote of state legislatures. The bill failed.

¶Legalize use of deadly force in defending one’s home. Bills to this effect, which recently passed both houses, have been backed by the National Rifle Association, a longtime member of ALEC.

ALEC’s influence in the Virginia statehouse is pervasive, the study showed. The House of Delegates speaker, William Howell, has been on the board since 2003 and was national chairman in 2009. He has sponsored or pushed many of the group’s bills, including several benefiting specific companies that support ALEC financially, like one that would reduce a single company’s asbestos liability. At least 115 other state legislators have ties to the group, including paying membership dues, attending meetings and sponsoring bills. The state has spent more than $230,000 sending lawmakers to ALEC conferences since 2001.

Similar efforts have gone on in many other states. The group has been particularly active in weakening environmental regulations and fighting the Environmental Protection Agency. ALEC’s publication, “E.P.A.’s Regulatory Train Wreck,” outlines steps lawmakers can take, including curtailing the power of state regulators.

There is nothing illegal or unethical about ALEC’s work, except that it further demonstrates the pervasive influence of corporate money and right-wing groups on the state legislative process. There is no group with any comparable influence on the left. Lawmakers who eagerly do ALEC’s bidding have much to answer for. Voters have a right to know whether the representatives they elect are actually writing the laws, or whether the job has been outsourced to big corporate interests.

###

Background info for ALEC: http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Georgia connection to ALEC: http://becauseican-2old2care.blogspot.com/2011/08/georgia-home-of-embarassed-alec-members.html

Political Boll Weevils 2012

Voter Education

By: Clyde “Jocco” Baccus, President

The Learning Tree, Inc.

A new strain of political boll weevils has emerged. They are stronger, faster, and better equipped. Some of their armament includes polling data, targeted marketing methods and trends reinforced with slicker talk. Spotting a modern day weevil requires a heightened sense of crap when you hear it. As the weevil circles its prey be sure you have a large portion of commonsense, an equal amount of scholarly awareness sprinkled with a youthful approach to life. These ingredients create a compound of social consciousness that will stun the weevils long enough to administer a final blow. Your Vote on Election Day!

Soon as you think you’ve taken care of the infestation another wave comes out of hibernation in all shapes, sizes, and hues. You brace yourself for the onslaught and access how much pride you have left. The power to reason with a carnivore eludes you. So you hunker down and prepare to launch an offensive to interrupt their scheme. The weevil thinks you will keep bowing down, not speaking out, listening to half truths and waiting on a savior to fight your battle is enough to blind you while they carve up the landscape with political boundaries drawn to exclude and deny equal representation.

That boll weevil is a smart adversary. He has incorporated bickering over their droppings as a distraction. But, unknowing to this creature of greed, we have a sword of knowledge sharpened with the Rule of Law (http://www.aclu.org/voting-rights) in our arsenal. Just when you think you have shored up your defenses you discover someone in your mist is feeding the weevils information. Who could it be? Is it the woman or man over there in the fine clothes driving the fine car always wanting to be in charge, it can’t be one of them, could it? The weevils wouldn’t use my people against me...would he? It’s got to be one of the trickster’s ploys to keep spreading distrust among the field hands.

Time to naturalize these snakes in the grass, feed them a big helping of misinformation and let them run and tell that. Sticking to the basics is a sure way of counteracting the weapons of mass deception. The methodology of division is laid out in your local comprehensive plan/community assessment and technical addendum to the community assessment documents. Pay close attention to the evaluation of current community policies, actions, and development patterns. This evaluation is one of the tools used to draw a line (redistricting) of isolation. How many times have you heard an elected official say, “that’s not my district.” Every time I hear those words they reinforce the alienation of a representative government and promote the idea of “It’s not my problem.”  That kind of thinking keeps the notion of working together on a straight path to hell.

If you really want to keep “YOUR” elected officials accountable become ghostly and make sure their words and vote come back to haunt them. In the body of politics operating in the grey area has become the norm not the exception. We can shine the light on their backhanded practices of diverting our tax dollars away from social issues that keep our communities divided.

We The People are being duped by republicans and democrats alike when they say to us we’re gonna change things while they fight for control of who gets to stick their hand into our pockets first. The controlling body has its hand in the front pocket and the other body has its hand in our back pocket. Once the crime of extorting citizens out of their money (taxation) is complete we get to hear that same old song from the scavengers, “the people want change.” Well, that’s all we have left at the end of each legislative session. Taxpaying citizens, property owners now have to dip into their emergency fund just to get by. We have an allocation for you, kicking your can and calling NAMES literally!

We see you, but you don’t see us. Who are we? We are those census blocks in the 2012 redistricting map you gerrymandered as a means to eliminate any court challenge under section 2 & 5 of the Voting Rights Act. 

Just like the National Clandestine Service (https://www.cia.gov/offices-of-cia/clandestine-service/index.html) we’ve been in plain view observing and accessing that elusive “POLITICAL BOLL WEEVIL.” Some are elected, some are appointed, and some disguise themselves as community leaders, political consultants and other organizations you have never heard of. This pack of bottom feeder’s sole purpose is keeping the electoral process dazed and confused. Once you open your eyes and get up off your knees and discover you are being led astray and voting against your own interest.

Having a PhD, Masters, BS or BA doesn’t imply one is all knowing and has all the answers. Genuine enlightenment comes when you acquire a doctorate in commonsense with a major in reading, writing and arithmetic.  Don’t google it, think it through first. When your give-a-damn, don't give-a-damn any more we can start the process for final eradication of that pesky boll weevil.

Quote of the week: “Don’t take it personal it’s just politics, I always tell the truth even when I lie.” (Boll Weevil)

“How are you gonna do battle with cannibals if you’re a vegetarian.”

VOTER EDUCATION 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTER EDUCATION

By Clyde “Jocco” Baccus, President

The Learning Tree, Inc.

http://joccoraps.blogspot.com/

Voter education is not about what party you belong to or what candidate to vote for. Voter Education should be the barometer by which we measure who supports our issues.

That vote you cast has a far reaching meaning. That vote you cast determines who your advocate is for, HEALTH CARE, AFORDABLE HOUSING, EDUCATION, PROPERTY TAXES, JOB DEVELOPMENT, RECREATION FACILITIES, HOW YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE DISTRIBUTES FOR THE SERVICES YOU PAY FOR. There are a host of other issues that are determines by your vote.

But wait, the sad truth is on Election Day the number of registered voters that cast a ballot is not a reflection of the entire communities concerns, it’s only a small percentage of those that choose to be involved with the electoral process.

If 20% of the registered voters in an area turn out…That’s considered a good turnout…but wait…what about the other  80%... What’s wrong with this picture?

What you have is that 20% of the voters are choosing who makes public policy for the entire community and that public policy decision determines your quality of life for generations to come.

This is why voter education is so important. When an election cycle comes around you’ll already know what the issues are that you’re concerned about.

There are forces around us trying to sway our opinions. The tools used to focus your attention away from the issues are distractions, discouragement, distrust, doubt, indecision, procrastination, apathy, arrogance, isolation, and low self-esteem.

These distracters are neutralized by constantly focusing your attention, your actions, your goals and vision on the future of your community and giving our young people the type of political environment they can grow and flourish in.

Get involved in your local community. Local zoning boards, planning commissions, recreation commissions, board of elections and a host of other appointments of citizens by your elected officials. Volunteer to make a difference.

Don’t just depend on the media as your source of information. You need to keep your eyes on your tax dollars so you’ll know where and how it is being allocated.

Voter Education should be a priority in every household.

Take the young people with you when you go vote, take them with you to the city council, county commission and school board meetings.

Give them the opportunity to see firsthand the power of politics, because in their hands lies the future.

No matter whom you vote for the important thing to remember is: After the election it will be up to us the voting constituency to track the progress of our elected officials.

The time has come to exercise the true meaning of accountability. We can no longer allow the people we elect to cut back room deals that only benefit their own selfish interest. You can tell a lot about a person, when they think you aren’t watching. We see you, [they have money for you if you are for the issue/they have money for you if you are against the issue] and you’ll hear from us.

Make sure everyone in your circle is registered to vote by July 2^nd in order to be qualified for the July 31^st primary election. Don’t forget about the 17.5 year old young people, now is their time to join the discussion.

“The Future Started Yesterday, and We’re Already Late” (John Legend)

Registered voters sound off.  “If You Don’t Vote, You Don’t Count”

2012 Georgia Election Dates: http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/election_dates.htm

The Learning Tree, Inc. is a Georgia registered 501(c) 4 nonprofit. Contributions are not tax deductible.