Think Tanks: Why Kansas Has Bad Laws
Think tanks are a body of experts assembled to provide ideas and advice on specific political or economic problems. The think tanks in the illustration have much in common. They are ideologically driven, funded by dark money, and they wish to reduce taxes and regulations on wealthy individuals and corporations. Combined, they spend over $1 billion a year to influence legislation and public policies.
One of their creations was the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wish lists to benefit their bottom line. At ALEC meetings, corporate lobbyists and state Representatives* meet to approve “model” bills written by corporate lawyers. The model bills usually have great sounding titles and may address a real problem, but they always grant something on the think tanks’ wish list.
The model bills are not useful unless they are passed into state laws. To do that, it is necessary to elect legislators who will favor corporate interests over those of the average citizen. In Kansas, Americans for Prosperity and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce have taken on that task. If legislators do not vote for bills in the interest of corporations and the wealthy, then these organizations try to make sure they are not reelected. They do this by dirty campaigning, with misleading ads, and postcards that distort the truth. They misquote targeted legislators, assigned them to positions they do not hold, photoshop unflattering pictures of them, and accused them of things they have never done. You may have received some of the postcards or seen some of the ads.
It has been ruled that telling political lies is protected speech, and there is little the attacked candidate can do about it. However, you can. VOTE for the candidate who will put your interests above those of the special interest groups.
*KS ALEC members: There are 47 ALEC members in the Kansas Legislature and some travel to ALEC meetings at state expense.They are listed below:
KS House of Representatives
- Rep. Tory Marie Arnberger (R-112), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1], registered member
- Rep. John Barker (R-70), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]; State Chair,[2]Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[3], and attended 2015 ALEC Annual Meeting with taxpayers covering registration fee[4]
- Rep. Emil Bergquist (R-91), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. Jesse Burris (R-82), registered member
- Rep. Michael Capps (R-85), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. Blake Carpenter (R-81)registered member
- Rep. Will Carpenter (R-75), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. Chris Croft (R-8), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. J.R. Claeys (R-69)[5][6]
- Rep. Susan Concannon (R-107), Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[7]
- Rep. Leo Delperdang (R-94), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], registered member
- Rep. Willie Dove (R-38), Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[8][6]
- Rep. Renee Erickson (R-87), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1],[9][10]
- Rep. Charlotte Esau (R-14), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. Randy Garber (R-62)[11]
- Rep. Dan Hawkins (R-100), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1],[12] Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[13]Attended 2015 ALEC Annual Meeting with taxpayers covering registration fee[4]
- Rep. Ron Highland (R-51), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], Highland’s staffer Mary Sabatini attended ALEC’s 2017 Annual Meeting
- Rep. Kyle Hoffman (R-116), paid ALEC membership February 2012[14] Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[15]
- Rep. Nick Hoheisel (R-97), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. Steve Huebert (R-90)[16]; Education Task Force[17]
- Rep. Susan Humphries (R-99), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], registered member
- Rep. Megan Lynn (R-49), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1]
- Rep. Stephen Owens (R-74), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1][9] [18]
- Rep. John Resman (R-121), registered member
- Rep. Ronald Ryckman Sr. (R-78), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], attended 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting[19]. Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[20]
- Rep. Alicia Straub (R-113), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1],
- Rep. Joe Seiwert (R-101), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], Communications and Technology Task Force[21]attended 2015 ALEC Annual Meeting with taxpayers covering registration fee[4]
- Rep. William (Bill) Sutton (R-43), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1], registered member
- Rep. Paul Waggoner (R-104), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1]
- Rep. Troy Waymaster (R-109), Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense[22]
- Rep. Barbara Wasinger (R-11), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1],
- Rep. Jene Vickrey (R-06), registered member
KS Senate
- Sen. Larry Alley (R-32), registered member, Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1][6][10]
- Sen. Richard Billinger (R-40), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], registered member[6][10]
- Sen. Kevin Braun (R-5), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1][10]
- Sen. Elaine Bowers (R-36), disclosed a $500+ gift from ALEC on her 2008 Statement of Substantial Interests[23]
- Sen. Jim Denning (R-8)[24][6]
- Sen. Bud Estes (R-38), registered member[10]
- Sen. Richard Hilderbrand (R-13)[25]
- Sen. Daniel J. Kerschen (R-26); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[26]
- Sen. Julia Lynn (R-Olathe), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[1], attended 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting[19][6][10]
- Sen. Ty Masterson (R-16), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting[10][1]; State Chair,[16][27]; Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[28]
- Sen. Mike Petersen (R-28), Communications and Technology Task Force[29]
- Sen. Dennis Pyle (R-1)[30]; Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[31]
- Rep. Gene Suellentrop (R-27), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [10][1], Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[32]
- Sen. Susan Wagle (R-30), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1], former National Chairman, member of Board of Directors as of 2011,[27]Attended December 2014 Policy Summit at taxpayer expense and is a member of ALEC’s executive committee [33], attended 2015 ALEC Annual Meeting[4]
- Sen. Rick Wilborn (R-35), Attended 2019 ALEC Annual Meeting [1], registered member
Tags: ALEC, Americans for Prosperity, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Laws, Negative Campaigning, think tanks, VOTE
Leave a Comment