Here and there for January 2, 2007

While writing the post last week that concerned early bill submittals for the coming session of the AZ lege, I thought there was something familiar about Rep. Michele Reagan's SCR1002. I didn't have time to look into it at that time though.

Well, I had the time today, and I was right. Perusing the website of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), I found something very similar.

Note: ALEC purports to be a bipartisan organization of state legislators dedicated to advancing "the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism and individual liberty."

People for the American Way (PAW) has a slightly different idea of ALEC and its purpose:

Founded in the early 1970s to promote right-wing policies at the state level, the American Legislative Exchange Council’s focus has shifted to favor the promotion of state legislation and regulation that benefits its corporate sponsors. A fact that should come as no surprise given its funding by right-wing foundations and corporate membership fees ranging from $5000 to $50,000.

ALEC offers its members "model legislation", but since I'm not a member, I don't have access to that part of their website. However, they do offer summary statements of their positions on different topics.

From the ALEC website:

Quality Education and Teacher and Principal Protection Act. This legislation discourages baseless lawsuits against school districts, principals, teachers, and administrators and other school personnel when those officials try to enforce discipline in schools...

From SCR1002 (proposed additions in blue):

Section 31. No law shall be enacted in this state limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the death or injury of any person, except that:
1. Public school teachers are not subject to punitive damages for any act or failure to
act related to classroom discipline.
2. Public schools are not subject to punitive damages but are subject to compensatory damages in an amount that does not exceed the economic injuries sustained.

The membership list of ALEC is not publicized, but the similarities between their position and Rep. Reagan's bill certainly supports the idea that she is a member. Well, that and her strongly pro-business/corporate stances.

Note: while the membership list isn't public, it's open knowledge that Sen. Bob Burns is the state chair of ALEC. It's noted early on in this speech by U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, given at the ALEC meeting in Phoenix on December 9, 2006.

Anyway, I'm sure that this won't be the only example of ALEC and its corporate lobbyists submitting legislation with elected legislators fronting for them; this is only an early example.

Keep your eyes open. Maybe we can start an AZ blogosphere game of "ALEC Bingo" or something. :))

...The report on Scottsdale's "experiment" with photo radar on Loop 101 should become available on Wednesday, to be reviewed by the City Council on January 16. (EV Trib)

Interesting note about that January 16 meeting: While the consideration of the report is the only item on the Regular Agenda of the meeting, there are 37 items tentatively scheduled for the Consent Agenda, 2 presentations, and some board and commission appointments to go through before the photo radar report comes up.

Now, the cynical among you might believe that the agenda has been manipulated to suppress dissent; after all, a meeting that's this busy could last five hours or more, longer than most people who have families and jobs could give to the discussion of this issue.

Fear not, though, I'm sure the Council is just trying to have a productive meeting to kick off the new year. There's never any disagreement over millions of dollars in contract awards, easement abandonments, pay raises for city officials, and General Plan Amendments (zoning changes.) The Consent Agenda will go quickly.

Really. Trust me.

...Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), poster boy for the bigot wing of the Republican Party, continued his attack on Muslim Congressman-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN). In an op-ed piece in USA Today, he blamed illegal immigration for, well, everything. Including, I think, the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Let us remember that we were not attacked by a nation on 9/11; we were attacked by extremists who acted in the name of the Islamic religion. I believe that if we do not stop illegal immigration totally, reduce legal immigration and end diversity visas, we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to infiltration by those who want to mold the United States into the image of their religion, rather than working within the Judeo-Christian principles that have made us a beacon for freedom-loving persons around the world.

Umm, Congressman? The 9/11 hijackers entered the country legally.

Umm2, Congressman? Fundamentalist Muslims are no more extreme or less "freedom-loving" than fundamentalist Christians. Or "fundamentalists" of any religion, for that matter.

...Rep. Goode isn't alone on the far right edge of the lunatic fringe, though. Appropriately timed for the arrival of the first full moon of the new year, Pat Robertson released his predictions for the coming year.

He's gone out on a limb and predicted a terrorist attack on the United States sometime this year.

X4MR at Sustainability, Equity, Development has a good take on this story.

U.S. Representatives-elect Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords are scheduled to be sworn in on Thursday. As soon as their member pages go up, I'll provide links to them. Also, as soon as I know the official location of the Mitchell field office, I'll list it.

Stacy at AZ Congresswatch has the details on Giffords' field offices here.

Later!