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ALEC v The Poor
Guilty Of Poverty?
- ALEC Exposed - Alec Exposed
The Center for Media and Democracy has EXPOSED over 800 "model" bills and resolutions secretly voted on by corporations and politicians through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). - Turning Poverty Into an American Crime--The Nation
". . . The most shocking thing I learned from my research on the fate of the working poor in the recession was the extent to which poverty has indeed been criminalized in America. . . ."
A Missed Model?
It doesn't take much to get me to thinking. When the Trayvon Martin shooting brought the right-wing lobbying group ALEC into focus, I started wondering what other legislation may have come from the group.
When Georgia decided to follow Florida's lead in requiring applicants for public assistance submit to drug tests, I saw it as many things. An attempt to criminalize poverty, a way to advance the stereotype of the welfare recipient and divide the %99, but also a way to have some industries make money. The laws require that the applicant pay the fees; in Florida the cost of the test is added to the first weeks benefits, and in Georgia it is capped at $17. If an applicant fails the test, they are directed to treatment, that they have to pay for. I have taken drug screens for jobs, but they were in all but one case paid for by the employer.
It was in reviewing the two state's laws that I noticed some similarities in the wording. For example, Florida's Law states:
(2) The department shall
(a) Provide notice of drug testing to each individual at the time of application.
Georgia's language:
(e) The department shall
(1) Provide notice of drug testing to each individual at the time of application. The notice must advise the individual that drug testing will be conducted as a condition for receiving TANF benefits and that the individual shall bear the cost of testing.
Should an applicant fail, and find either free treatment or absorb the cost of treatment, they can reapply and retest after six months. Both Florida's and Georgia's laws have "Three Strikes" provisions.
With many applicants having children, some provision needed to be to made to keep them from paying for their parent's mistakes. The two States' language on this could have come from the same author.
Florida
(b) An appropriate protective payee shall be designated to receive benefits for a minor child.
(c) The parent may choose to designate another individual to receive benefits for a minor child. . . .
Georgia
(2) An appropriate protective payee shall be designated to receive benefits on behalf of a minor child, and;
(3) The parent may chose to designate another individual to receive benefits for this parent's minor child. . . .
I can understand Georgia taking cues from Florida's law. But where did Florida get their notes from? Knowing what we do about ALEC's legislative activities, and their agenda, we may have our answer.
Comments
Excellent Hub. All of the new right wing legislation has been developed through ALEC, who are financed by the Koch Brothers. They are also behind all of the voting restriction laws being passed in newly Republican states. They are afraid of the majorities of 2006 and 2008 that went Democratic. Therefore they are cheating their way to power.
Newly Republican States? Sounds like their winning without cheating. You also forgot mentioning 2010 That went overwhelming to the Republicans. And speaking of cheating, How many votes did they steal using acorn? OOPS that was the DemocRATS.
The Republicans won in 2010 because the economy was still poor and because of the Citizens United decision. Now that the GOP is espousing policies that will bankrupt the middle class and poor, the Democrats should do very well in 2012. especially with Governor Etch - a - Sketch at the top of the ticket. Unless of course the GOP are able to rig the votes as they are trying to. The GOP knows they cannot count on those 2010 victories without locking them in by restricting voting. Also ACORN did not cheat as the Right Wing so easily lie about.
ALEC has pushed a lot of legislation, such as Voter-ID law,s concealed carry, racist immigration law, and the "stand your ground" laws. I'm glad the Trayvon Martin shooting brought this group to light!
Voter ID is now required in PA--Bye Bye Obie.
It's nice you revealed the true aim of Voter ID Gusser :P. Quite telling.
I support neither major party, but voter fraud MUST GO. Which party crys about ID the most? That is the one with the most to loose.
Yes, the party voters who the GOP is trying to disenfranchise...
NO ID ---NO VOTE---Try cashing a check without ID. Try cashing your welfare check without ID.
- Author
Keep up Sooner, you too, H, Nice to know I have "Crashers" to back me up.
That White Hood is peeking out from under that hat Gusser. . .
Illegal voters can NOT be disenfranchised. They by law can't vote. Try using another worthless leftist phrase to defend the undefendable.
Legal voters can be though :P.
legal voters will have ID --You lose.
Too bad a judge in Wisconsin found a case where a Marine was denied the right to vote because a bureaucrat lost his birth certificate. Provide some evidence that there is some sort of voter fraud going on and I may be more receptive.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/07/439348...
And here is part of the Judge's opinion: "Mr. Ricky Tyrone Lewis is 58 years old, a Marine Corps Veteran and a lifelong Milwaukee resident. He was able to offer proof of his honorable discharge but Milwaukee County has been unable to find the record of his birth so he cannot obtain a voter ID card. Ms. Ruthelle Frank, now 84, is a lifelong resident of Brokaw, Wisconsin and a member of her town board since 1996. She has voted in every election over the past 64 years but she does not have a voter ID card. She located her birth certificate but found that her name was misspelled. She was advised to obtain a certified copy of the incorrect birth certificate and try to use that to obtain a voter ID card. . . ." Two examples of disenfranchised voters.
It would be better to provide evidence instead of mindlessly repeating what you hear on talk radio or Fixed News.
Neither were denied voting. CNN is not news. There are 7 months to fix these errors BEFORE the election. Nobody is voting this early. Since it's April now, try using critical thinking. The vote is months from now.
- Author
I would trust CNN over KOCH News.
And NPR over both.
Keep it up Sooner28, eventually Gusser won't be able to hide that sheet!
You refute nothing. You post totally false info, & I have a sheet. At least I don't give honest people the Sheets, like you do.
- Author
I'm not surprised.
Thankfully, your kind are fading away--mostly. That's for next week though.
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