Reporter Stumbles Across ALEC meeting, gets kicked out of hotel

Backrooms and corruption, with armed guards.
A reporter was staying at the hotel, and stumbled across the meeting happening. When he tried to investigate, he got kicked out of the hotel.

"There are votes taken, that have the corporate votes at the same table voting with the legislators on what bills to pick."

Alec bills come complete with blanks where legislators only have to fill in their names.

This is just wrong, and they know it is wrong, or they wouldn't have armed guards and they wouldn't feel the need to slink around and strong-arm reporters.

There's a great video on the page by 11 Alive News.

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place. I don't post often.

crooksandliars.com...

a reply to: hadriana

It's how its done (See TPP and it's Atlantic couterpart).

There is no, well hardly any, legislative integrity in the USA. Business interests (and I mean Big Business as defined for this purpose as those grossing at minimum $1B a year - anything under that isn't considered a 'person') are writting the legislation.

Budget cuts to congressional offices (both individual & collectively used ones) don't allow the time or expertise anylonger to do research and practical projections (economic and social) on legislative outcomes. The executive branch is even worse off to actually 'enforce' those laws and regulations. The courts have been packed with Big Business stooges for decades.

And this is what we the people get. Good for the 1% (with the help of greedy sycophants) and the end of the world for the rest of us.

Doesn't surprise me at all.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Sadly, it doesn't surprise me either.
But it's a great piece by 11 ALive I think.

A lot of people would not want to believe it, unless they saw it 'on TV.'
11 Alive is very trusted in Georgia as a news source. I hope they stay on it.
Georgia is corrupt as all get out, and the crooks need to be held accountable.

a reply to: hadriana

A tax exempt group that funds education for legislators? Why would anyone be angry about that? /end sarcasm

Would love to see the IRS drop their political head hunts and go after these dirt bags!

I can dream can't I?

Thanks for the post OP! I was aware of ALEC, but you filled in some holes I was unaware of!

a reply to: hadriana

So the corporations write the bills for the legislators? I am not surprised. The "authors" might not even read them over.

a reply to: hadriana
Find out where the next one is and give ISIS the address.

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: hadriana

A tax exempt group that funds education for legislators? Why would anyone be angry about that? /end sarcasm

Would love to see the IRS drop their political head hunts and go after these dirt bags!

I can dream can't I?

Thanks for the post OP! I was aware of ALEC, but you filled in some holes I was unaware of!

Well I'm not so I'd like it if the OP can say what Alec is, what hotel this was who was the reporter and most importantly why I should care about this. So please OP or anyone else???¿¿¿

originally posted by: AutumnWitch657
Well I'm not so I'd like it if the OP can say what Alec is, what hotel this was who was the reporter and most importantly why I should care about this. So please OP or anyone else???¿¿¿

Did you read the linked article at all? The reporters were Brendan Keefe and Michael King, the hotel was the Hyatt Regency in Savannah, you should care about this because elected officials are not writing the laws that affect you, business owners and corporations are writing them.

a reply to: links234

I think a lot of these type meetings go down in Savannah, or in that general area.
Jekyll, Tybee, Sea Island St. Simon's - Years back Jekyll Island - that's a bit south and over a bridge- was where the Rockefeller and all the big railroad tycoons would meet, and where the Federal Reserve was born.

There's really luxe hotels that are fairly private, and to get to the islands, you have to cross a bridge. Love it there, but a lot of tourists head on to Florida instead, as it is close. When I've been down there, I've seen signal corp set up on the beaches - one island over was a G8.

The way I understand it, from tours in the area, the super rich banksters and robber barons would vacation in the south over the winters on Jekyll, they bought it up, for privacy- other rich folks would go to Savannah. I think the area has drawn stuff like this for a LONG time.

ETA - Here's a article on this written by 11ALIVE. I hope they stay on this.

Link to 11 ALIVE story

a reply to: hadriana

This is really unbelievable and criminal! Here's a video of legislatures caught with their hands in the cookie jar, yet the national media nor anyone in government will expose or impeach these legislatures! I've said this before, our legislatures are self-serving individuals who should be thrown out of office and jailed for being controlled by outside influences. It's deplorable to see representatives vote for bills that directly hurt their own constituents! How do they get away with this crap? This makes my blood boil!!!

a reply to: FyreByrd

I tend to disagree.

Under TPP and TTIP in particular, the local state legislation would not be able to pull this sort of law (telecom related) without consolidation through FEDs with the international counterparts.

So, in this case TPP and TTIP would actually work in favor of the democracy.

Anything which affects trade and free movement of goods, and their associated regulations, from state to Feds would be in TPP and TTIP under international agreement.

So, for example the pesticide bill in the news cast there, even that would be illegal under the TPP/TTIP framework. And most defenetively the whole ALEC procedure would be flushed off as it is. It has no place in the proposed system.

You got to remember, US of A pours 2 TRILLION dollars in those fed and state legislations and regulations !!! Cost of regulation

a reply to: deckdel

I didn't think anyone knew what was in TPP.
I haven't really kept up with it to a deep extent.
RAWSTORY has picked up the story now.
RawStory Link about this

Their site had the agenda listed

originally posted by: darkbake
a reply to: hadriana

So the corporations write the bills for the legislators? I am not surprised. The "authors" might not even read them over.

I'm not surprised either, that is how things are done. I've had the opportunity to do the same on a local level. Something I've learned about people is that if you speak as if you have authority on a subject, answer the questions, and then write up a viable sounding plan, 95% of people will go along with it. The remaining 5% usually fold to peer pressure.

If you're a high level exec in a large successful corporation you've got the resume to say you know how the industry runs. How does the government counter this? Should a group who has little business experience or knowledge be dictating to an industry how they need to run? I remember the Soviets did that and famines ensued. It makes sense that the people who are in a position to offer up advice are doing so. That's not to say I support the clear conflict of interest here but I see why it's done. Like I said, I've done this on a local level with a few projects, come in with a good idea, write up a bill, and it goes to a vote.

Want to know why things are this way? It's because we've elected a bunch of people of similar skillset to be legislators. Diverse skillsets mean Congress has a diverse internal pool of members to give advice on running a business sector. If we had that, lobbyists would lose importance.

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: hadriana
Find out where the next one is and give ISIS the address.

oops they said their bosses would be there so
attacking would be a no no .

a reply to: links234

Groovy but I asked what Alec was and you didn't answer that but hey thanks for polishing my stupid badge for me.
BTW No I don't just go clicking on any links presented here. I'll search for the subject and choose the source from a list.
And a site called crooks and liars? No thanks.
If the issue is say the business of farming, do we want congress alone issuing mandates and laws? Wouldn't we want a farmer or two on that committee to offer a little insider knowledge?

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

The organization (ALEC) writes bills during secret meetings and then distributes those bills to various state lawmakers across the country so that they can be introduced in state legislatures.

What this particular article is pointing out is that during these secret meetings the proposed bills are voted on by both legislators and business owners. The bills are then copied and sent to the states to be introduced so they can become laws. It's the reason you'll see a bill in Wisconsin looking nearly identical to a bill in Oklahoma, it's not a coincidence.

Now, why should this matter? Rather than writing a bill that should be best for one state or another, these bills are written for all states. As if it's a pseudo-federal unelected legislature that only the wealthy and powerful are members of.

You think voter ID laws being introduced across the country are because all these states want them? No. It's because these laws were written in one secret meeting and then copied and handed out to state legislators that attended the meeting. Read some of these bills and they're the exact same wording, there was one case where a legislator didn't even bother editing the bill before he introduced it;

Oops: Florida Republican Forgets to Remove ALEC Mission Statement from Boilerplate Anti-tax Bill

ALEC Politicians Caught Plagiarizing ALEC Bill, Drafting Error and All

Wisconsin Introduces Word-for-Word ALEC Right to Work Bill

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: hadriana
Find out where the next one is and give ISIS the address.

how is this not corruption?

originally posted by: deckdel
a reply to: FyreByrd

I tend to disagree.

Under TPP and TTIP in particular, the local state legislation would not be able to pull this sort of law (telecom related) without consolidation through FEDs with the international counterparts.

So, in this case TPP and TTIP would actually work in favor of the democracy.

Anything which affects trade and free movement of goods, and their associated regulations, from state to Feds would be in TPP and TTIP under international agreement.

So, for example the pesticide bill in the news cast there, even that would be illegal under the TPP/TTIP framework. And most defenetively the whole ALEC procedure would be flushed off as it is. It has no place in the proposed system.

You got to remember, US of A pours 2 TRILLION dollars in those fed and state legislations and regulations !!! Cost of regulation

a reply to: hadriana

I heard that bilderbergers have a new security team to guard their hotel.

THE COBRA TEAM


Not a joke !

If there is a positive in this situation, it is that the media is still allowed to report on it. Great story, I hope it grows legs, and I am totally amused to see the apologists emerge from the ATS woodwork.