We are currently watching what might be described as the implosion of the GOP at a national level as the Tea Party factions tears the GOP apart.
One thing any group needs is cohesion and cooperation among its members based on a shared purpose and mission - - a purpose and mission that is coherent and consistent.
Not only is there a mission/purpose backlash happening at the national level with the GOP, there may be the start of a mission / purpose backlash within ALEC by its own members. Why – who knows.
Maybe because ALEC members are not getting consistent messages from ALEC.
Or maybe it is due to media exposure that has caused ALEC to move some of its nastiness to other right wing groups and with that move, ALEC members also move to that group to continue whatever evil ALEC had originally, historically, privately professed.
My life is spent on ALEC. I found this information when researching ALEC and I tie it to ALEC. I probably won't do anything else on this unless ALEC involvement becomes more evident - but I thought the DK community should know what I found.
Today’s example
The Article V Constitution Convention
The Article V Constitution Convention
Unfortunately to the US – most people aren’t paying attention to this – because they don’t understand it. And because of that I don't expect much traffic on this diary.
The RWers are paying attention to it and they don't all agree on it. Not paying attention to this, is not a good thing. Ignorance is not bliss in this case.
Each of us will have their own opinion on the issue of a con-con, but opinions need to be replaced with planned action - cause this thing is becoming a reality.
RWers are using the current dissatisfaction with Congress as their impetus for the con-con movement.
DKer Feltznook when writing for the Abolish ALEC DK group did a series on ALEC’s push for a con-con and is well worth your time to review the writings on that history page.
And we should pay attention
in the last week
Article V Convention resolutions have been intro’d in GA and WI
And will intro’d in AZ next week.
First of all – it’s important to bring to light a couple of important issues.
In 2011 ALEC issued the following report to all of its members
Proposing Constitutional Amendments by a Convention of the States: A Handbook for State Lawmakers
At the end of the “Acknowledgements” it is noted
Finally, we thank Indiana Senator Jim Buck, Arizona, Senator Don Shooter, …
ALECers Buck and Shooter – this is important – cause these are the ALEC legislators that must have been vital to the input.
That report includes
Application under Article V of the U.S. Constitution
For a Convention to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment and Further Fiscal Restraints
Declaratory and Recommendatory Resolution to Accompany Application for a Convention to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment
Sample Form: Resolution Electing Delegates
This past August – the day before the ALEC Annual Conference - there was a federalism pre-conference event
Federalism in Action is a project of the State Policy Network and State Budget Solutions
Sponsored:
Federalism in Action Legislator Summit,
one-day workshop prior to ALEC's
Annual Meeting Palmer Hotel
The
ALEC / State Policy Network connection - that is of important note
I remember being in Chicago and seeing ALEC members with their 3 inch white binders with the word Constitution emblazoned across the front.
THEN
In December ALEC had it’s Summit meeting in Washington DC.
At that meeting they had an agenda item about the initial ALEC evisceration of the 17th Amendment, which has been written about here and here.
ALEC backed away from the 17th amendment agenda item as fast as they could when it hit the light of media exposure – telling the media
“we don't do elections."
"ALEC does not work on issues related to campaigns or elections,
This type of vacillating by ALEC is not going to be a good thing for them in the long run.
Why?
Right after the December ALEC meeting In Washington DC – a group of ALEC members joined others (97 people total) for a constitutional convention meeting at Mount Vernon. It was called the Mount Vernon Assembly. A chance for a group of less than 100 people to get together and complain about how they hate the federal government and plan a constitutional convention (con-con)– which they are calling a convention of states (COS).
Just like an ALEC meeting – this meeting was only open to RW press, here & here.
Just like an ALEC meeting – it was limited to states legislators – no public.
Just like an ALEC meeting – documents weren’t available to the public.
Just like an ALEC meeting – they are claiming Dems were in attendance.
Just like an ALEC meeting – they claimed it was legislators only – but the RW stink tanks had reps attending the meeting.
Just like an ALEC meeting – they throw around the word "transparency" without knowing what it means.
DKer
RenMin wrote about the Mount Vernon Assembly
Alert: Art. V Convention Threat Grows: Dec 7, 2013 Assembly
Research on the event in Mount Vernon is like the early research on ALEC – you have to dig through a huge pile of crap to try and find tiny bits of information to report. Hours of research to only find bits and pieces of information hidden among massive amounts of disinformation.
The first and main question is who called this - who sponsored this - the State Policy Network? Who? I doubt if state legislators did this on their own. But it seems to be clear - it wasn't ALEC.
Here’s what I found:
The attendees claim they personally paid to attend the meeting. Based on my past research they probably used money from their campaign funds – money that comes from almost anyone or anywhere.
The heroes at the meeting were
David Long and Gov Mike Pence of Indiana
because of their initial work toward the con-con.
NOT ALECers Buck and Shooter – as noted above
According to RW nut job Vicki McKenna from WI the Mt Vernon Assembly meeting:
The effort to organize the Mt. Vernon Assembly was led by: State Rep. Chris Kapenga of Wisconsin, State Sen. David Long of Indiana, State Rep. Matt Huffman of Ohio, State Rep. Gary Banz of Oklahoma, and State Sen. Caryn Tyson of Kansas
Kapenga, Banz, Huffman all ALEC members
Other ALECers that I could find that were at the Mt Vernon Assembly included -
Rapert, AR
Bell, AR
Lundberg, CO
Brockway, GA
Rubin, KS
PilcherCook, KS
Lederman, ND
Huffman, OH
Banz, OK
Neiderhauser, UT
Ivory, UT
LeMunyon, VA
Kapenga, WI
As has been reported, Rapert doesn't want to talk about it.
I’m sure there were more ALECers there – that is probably just a partial list of ALECers in attendance.
Like ALEC – the Mt Vernon Assembly is keeping their members secret – although you can find pictures in the RW articles.
Neiderhauser wrote an informative entry on it – including the Mt Vernon Assembly agenda
The interesting thing is the Mount Vernon Assembly isn't using the ALEC model.
The resolution isn't ALECs
The handbook they are using isn't ALEC
So we have to ask - who is behind this new movement - stealing ALECers and moving forward without ALEC?
And of most interest – if what I read is true
The next Mount Vernon Assembly meeting is 5/1 in Indianapolis
This meeting is in direct conflict with the ALEC meeting in Kansas City MO May 1 & 2.
Attendees at the December Mt Vernon Assembly meeting won't be at the ALEC meeting and were asked to bring three (3) additional legislators to the next Mt Vernon Assembly meeting - which could be more ALECers.
When ALEC decided to back away from their policies that bring them bad press – they handed those items off to other RW extremist groups. Those groups are evidently moving ahead, stealing ALEC members and leaving ALEC behind. This could fracture the American Legislative Exchange in the long-run, but also gives us so many whack-a-moles to chase, we may not be able to keep track of it all.