Recently, there have been several articles regarding intimidating tactics brought to bear by a group called Color of Change, on name brand companies who are members, to disassociate themselves from an organization known as ALEC. Why is this cause for alarm? Well, let me give you some background on both Color of Change and ALEC.
ALEC is the acronym for American Legislative Exchange Council. Briefly, the stated 'mission' of this group, is "to advance the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism and individual liberty.....to promote these principles by developing policies that ensure the powers of government are derived from, and assigned to, first the People, then the States, and finally, the Federal Government.....enlist legislators from all parties.....members of the private sector who share ALEC's mission.....".
ALEC recently released a study entitled Rich States, Poor States that revealed some states are making right policy choices for creating jobs whereas others cling to ideas that will only create economic malaise. States doing the best, it notes, are those that focus on lower taxes, capital formation and policies that encourage risk-taking; those states doing poorly, it goes on, are those that have confiscatory tax rates, stifling regulations, too many bureaucrats and favoring re-distribution policies. These ideals do not sit well with those who want to 'grow' government at every level.
Color of Change (COC) was founded in 2005 by Van Jones (a former "Green Jobs" czar for President Obama) and James Rucker (former director of MoveOn.org). COC's current director is Rashad Robinson, affiliated with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Right to Vote Campaign. The website states they exist to "strengthen Black America's political voice, .....empower our members.....and our allies, to make government more responsive to the concerns of Black Americans and to bring about positive political and social change for everyone." Sounds very innocent, forthright and 'fair', doesn't it? That would be nice! However.......
COC generally supports race and gender-based preferences in government contracting, admissions to college and hiring and promoting polices; expansion of the welfare state and opposes any initiative that would restore limited government and reduced government spending. Their actions indicate they believe that America is generally racist and conservatism is a no-no as it upsets the theory of re-distribution of wealth. Since their inception, their criticisms and actions have pretty much targeted prominent conservative and Republican figures.
So what is the connection? This - COC believes that ALEC is the moving force behind the voter ID laws and is bringing pressure to bear (by intimidation) for those companies who are members of ALEC to disassociate themselves. So far, they have succeeded in bullying Wendy's, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and Intuit. So far, Walmart and Johnson & Johnson have not succumbed. We can only pray that they continue to resist. Fortunately, I don't drink soda, seldom if ever visit Wendy's or McDonald's, don't do Intuit and will give up Oreo cookies and whatever else Kraft makes.
For more info on ALEC, you can visit www.alec.org
For more info on Color of Change, go to www.colorofchange.org
ALEC recently released a study entitled Rich States, Poor States that revealed some states are making right policy choices for creating jobs whereas others cling to ideas that will only create economic malaise. States doing the best, it notes, are those that focus on lower taxes, capital formation and policies that encourage risk-taking; those states doing poorly, it goes on, are those that have confiscatory tax rates, stifling regulations, too many bureaucrats and favoring re-distribution policies. These ideals do not sit well with those who want to 'grow' government at every level.
Color of Change (COC) was founded in 2005 by Van Jones (a former "Green Jobs" czar for President Obama) and James Rucker (former director of MoveOn.org). COC's current director is Rashad Robinson, affiliated with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Right to Vote Campaign. The website states they exist to "strengthen Black America's political voice, .....empower our members.....and our allies, to make government more responsive to the concerns of Black Americans and to bring about positive political and social change for everyone." Sounds very innocent, forthright and 'fair', doesn't it? That would be nice! However.......
COC generally supports race and gender-based preferences in government contracting, admissions to college and hiring and promoting polices; expansion of the welfare state and opposes any initiative that would restore limited government and reduced government spending. Their actions indicate they believe that America is generally racist and conservatism is a no-no as it upsets the theory of re-distribution of wealth. Since their inception, their criticisms and actions have pretty much targeted prominent conservative and Republican figures.
So what is the connection? This - COC believes that ALEC is the moving force behind the voter ID laws and is bringing pressure to bear (by intimidation) for those companies who are members of ALEC to disassociate themselves. So far, they have succeeded in bullying Wendy's, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and Intuit. So far, Walmart and Johnson & Johnson have not succumbed. We can only pray that they continue to resist. Fortunately, I don't drink soda, seldom if ever visit Wendy's or McDonald's, don't do Intuit and will give up Oreo cookies and whatever else Kraft makes.
For more info on ALEC, you can visit www.alec.org
For more info on Color of Change, go to www.colorofchange.org
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