FYI Department : The ALEC Rock . . .

1. 59

   Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

   
   America is run by the rich for the rich and here is the scam in a brief cartoon.
   
   http://youtu.be/NXUPDAMc_6o
   
   I would love to hear from anyone about how this organization is good for the American people—but not if you think corporations are "people!"

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   1. 78

      Credence2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You preach to the choir, WOW!

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      1. 59

         Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         America needs a bigger choir, Credence, and lots more songs of truth for people who are desperate and in need of hope.
         
         

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2. 59

   Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

   

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3. 0

   rickyliceaposted 11 years ago

   It's not just corporations but unions and various lobbies e.g. AIPAC,AARP.
   Unions at the local and state levels are worst than the corporations, although liberals would never admit this.
   If the government was smaller and more constrained it couldn't redistribute goodies, and thus there would be less incentive for corruption.

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   1. 59

      Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      But Ricky, if it's all corrupt isn't that an indictment on our entire system and an obvious need to reform capitalism and its effects on corrupting our democracy?

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         rickyliceaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         what do you mean by capitalism?

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         1. 59

            Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Don't you have a dictionary? You should make yourself familiar with these terms if you're going to debate the issues.
            
            capitalism |ˈkapətlˌizəm|
            noun
            an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.
            
            plutocracy |ploōˈtäkrəsē|
            noun ( pl. -cies)
            government by the wealthy.
            • a country or society governed in this way.
            • an elite or ruling class of people whose power derives from their wealth.
            
            
            oligarchy |ˈäliˌgärkē; ˈōli-|
            noun ( pl. -chies)
            a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution : the ruling oligarchy of military men around the president.
            • a state governed by such a group : the English aristocratic oligarchy of the 19th century.
            • government by such a group.

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            1. 0

               rickyliceaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               I'm sorry but my 3rd grade education prevents me from knowing such, um big words. I clearly wasn't checking for differing interpretations of an overused buzzword.

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         2. 60

            JSChamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            People making money. All this is supposed to be nonprofit you know.

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               rickyliceaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               If people made a profit, then they might use that money to buy food and clothes.
               The very thought disgusts me.

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            2. 60

               Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Which as you know is completely not the case. I haven't heard a single system suggested on hub pages that does not allow personal profit.

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            3. 59

               Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Notice how JSChams doesn't even acknowledge ALEC's subversion of the Congressional process while he evades the question about how this perversion is beneficial for the American people.
               
               The real issues are never addressed because they want to distract you with lies that appeal to "liberty,  God,  our Republic, The Constitution, patriotism and the free market"—while they pick our pockets and the future of this country with they're slew of shakedown rackets!
               
               

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      2. 60

         JSChamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         We don't have a Democracy. We never have.
         It's a Constitutional Republic.

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   2. 60

      Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Have you ever been part of or involved with a union? For myself I work with them and volunteer for them all the time especially the UMWA the reason is because some years ago I was seriously injured in an accident caused by illegal penny pinching on the part of the mining company I worked for, I had massive health care bills and no money to hire a lawyer, the union found witnesses, got signed statements, got me an excellent lawyer at no cost and essentially saved my home and my family from being on the street, I know my story is a common one. The next time a corporation does something to help others like that get back to me, until then you would do well to remember the position of the working man before we unionized.
      
      Some unions have corruption, the vast majority don't and they are certainly not part of "the problem".

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         rickyliceaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I wasn't  talking about those types of unions I was talking about the civil "service" unions.  Bureaucrats.
         Who do things like, get a pension of $272,000 a year — for life.
         http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/03 … s-20120303

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         1. 60

            Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            So you are blaming a union for doing it's job? It's the unions job to get it's members the best pension, benefits etc. would you blame a company for making too much money? The problem there is big hole in the pension laws allowing pay spiking it has nothing to do with the union doing something wrong and a lot to do with legislators not doing their jobs. besides the case listed is a rare one and as made clear int he same article most of the civil servants even in the areas with the pay spike loophole retire with modest pensions. As the same article also makes clear the pensions are compensating for low pay overall, as a way to attract people to the jobs that were not getting filled.

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            1. 0

               rickyliceaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               So then Josak you wouldn't blame a Corporation for doing it's job of obtaining the greatest possible profit for it's shareholders?
               
               Since they are doing the same thing, getting taxpayer money, you would agree that it's o.k. for both of them to do it?
               If not please explain to me why it's o.k. for a union to steal and not a corporation.

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               1. 60

                  Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Well of course I cannot blame a corporation for making money so long as they do not break the law, it's their function, if they are exploiting a loophole the fault lies with the people for not closing it and they should endeavor to do so. If a corporation directly hurts people for profit that is another matter but exploiting the system is expected.
                  
                  I don't think either is staling, both are performing their functions, many corporations do illegal things but those who don't cannot be blamed for making the best of regulation, it's expected, just as it is expected that we will fix the issue.
                  
                  Lastly as I explained and as the source article you quoted explained the reason those pensions are so high is because wages are in general so low, one of the examples given was a fireman earning around 25 000 yearly...
                  
                  Neither the corporation nor the union is evil they are just playing the game, it's up to us the public to fix the issues there may be.

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4. 59

   Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

   This is a fact; it's not an exaggeration!
   
   
   

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5. 59

   Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

   

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6. 59

   Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

   

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7. 59

   Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

   FYI ALEC Department:
   
   Loophole lets thousands in lobbyist expenses go unreported
   
   Ethics » Money spent feeding and entertaining lawmakers doesn’t have to be reported.
   
   http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/5 … s.html.csp

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