Reader addresses lawmaking

ALEC - American Legislative Exchange Council Alec is a group that says it enables state law-makes and business people to work together to solve problems. Alec writes boilerplate legislation - which state legislators can then if they wish modify then sponsor in their legislatures.

Apparently ALEC is the source of voter ID laws sponsored and passed in many states, as well as immigration legislation, public union decertification, abortion and environmental issues to name a few. It's estimated that about 2,000 State Legislators belong to ALEC, which has been around for about 30 years. About 1,000 members have been identified.

In 2011 - 41 states put in 180 new suppression voting laws; 14 states have new voting laws blocked or weaken which Federal courts have restricted; and 13 states have restrictive laws still in effect

Washington State has enacted some of these boilerplate issues.

Rob McKenna has some ties with ALEC. Last year an invitation - only dinner allowed McKenna to speak with a small gathering of corporate and political leaders. He focused his remark on efforts to combat President Obama's health care law. After the event at an Olympia restaurant, McKenna sent a note to an organizer for ALEC. "Thanks again for the opportunity," McKenna wrote to Dann Mead Smith, according to records obtained by the Associated Press under public records laws. "Congratulations on the success you're seeing with ALEC in Washington."

What are we paying our lawmakers to do? Take pre-written legislation and place them in each of the states. So much for each state having their own agenda's running their own business. Don't Republicans claim this to be wrong when the government tries to help people like with ACA or is it OK as long as it's the Republican's doing the deed?

Become informed, from several sources, before you vote! Make your vote count.

Carolyn DuVall

Moses Lake