ALEC-Process Thoroughly Exposed By State-Level Con-Game as 'Models'

Legislators Must Accept Reality, Refuse Further ALEC- Reliance: Continued Usage By Some Members Is Implied Insult to all.

(SEASIDE, Ore.) - Britain's famed economist John Maynard Keynes once routed an opponent on the Parliament floor by stating:

Keynes' own record of exemplary leadership linked tightly to his own well-stated principles was appreciated; but so also was his sensitive, sensible and solid willingness to learn and change "when the facts change".

Interpretation at the time tells us Keynes considered the opponent's question to bear not only on his judgment of events, but also to constitute a considerable insult in itself, by its implication he would allow known negatives to be purposely disregarded for a political gain.

That's the major reason the ALEC-process has been so scathingly exposed and disastrously delimited as the basic source --as "model" no less !-- for current legislation in many states. Its approach and usage denies and defies the intended basic process and wholesome protocol set into place by extended, protracted study, dialog and debate by our Founders.

After investigation of times-prior, back through the centuries, the Founders determined by discovery and invention their world-famed principle of representative government, built on consent of the governed and dialog, discussion, debate and final decision by those representative citizens chosen by open democratic vote.

The time has come to ask some of the Oregon legislators linked to reliance on the furiously failed and now widely disowned and distrusted ALEC "models" and legislative-shaping process just why it is they continue to waste limited-session time, money and legislative endurance by use of discredited guiding ALEC-"models".

For those continuing to support ALEC -- despite its disastrous disrobing right in the national eye by trusted and proven non-partisan investigative units and remedial work by other state government-- that action itself flies in the face of any ostensible value they seemingly place on colleague judgment, and becomes a kind of back-handed professional insult.

In effect they are telling their colleagues that "the dirtiest set of political linens ever laundered in the public eye" means little or nothing; and that colleague judgment is therefore so far off the mark that it is self-destructive of reputation and record.

We must therefore ask them precisely what John Maynard Keynes did to his opponent in the Parliament: "I change my mind when the facts change, sir. What do you do ?

They knowingly, openly, individually and collectively continue to insist on coming forward with new proposals for Oregon problems based on the now-discredited ALEC-process "models" --so the Keynes-question surely applies.

That fact-of-ALEC-source for any new Oregon-law proposal immediately and inevitably raises a whole list of questions they must responsibly answer before each and every such ALEC-shaped proposal is worth any attention at this limited session.

What corporate-concern, concentrated via common dialog and debate at that session, was built-in to the "model" ?

Those question-issues must by necessity surround any ALEC-based proposal now that we know for sure --by dint of investigation and statements from some of the leading groups, associations and publications in our nation !!-- how foundation-essential they are for any ALEC-"model".

From reports of Legislature-in-action by astute observers, the fact is that this is among the most vituperative and quarrelsome Oregon Legislative sessions summoned so far.

The ALEC-approach and the open infusion of corporate interests concentrated and effectively shaping ALEC-connected new draft legislation is infuriatingly forcing still further time-and-attention among those who should surely be cooperating and conciliating on other major Oregon problems.

Every legislator should be concentrating on very serious problems for Oregon now demanding the very best in home-brewed remediation --without con/man collaboration to bring about hidden dependence on the corporate interest, clearly evident in every tested and analyzed ALEC-"model". (For such analysis see continuing series of examinations for new proposals by Richard Reid of Salem, now being supplied to each legislator.)

The entire ALEC-process, ostensibly so set up as to support honest, open and democratic dialog leading to detailed discussion and thus to discovery of prevailing wisdom by group process, has been exposed in depth and excruciating detail.

Start with a project of the Center for Media and Democracy at www.ALEC Exposed; visit the key-factor discussion in The Nation special series (Double Issue Aug. 1-8,20ll) read some of the 90 press-and-magazine articles listed in materials sent to every legislator; and check constantly for new reports.

See, for instance, last two current issues of The New York Review of Books, for reports from distinguished journalists.

Full information is surely easily found now, concerning concentrated corporate influence and direction, as conducted (since 1973 !) from their lavishly-paid Private Member seats and via lush entertainment and plush-pattern accommodations as additions to life for susceptible legislative members attending cunningly-contrived "group process" injection-stations, disguised as open, "democratic" forums for dialog ---but always subject to Private Member unquestionable veto.

In a number of other states, the ALEC-process and all its descendant parts and erroneous principles --as well as its erroneously-pointing "models"-- is already in the discard and ventilation underway for any legislative work involved with it.

Most-current continuing state action can be sampled, any day, any hour, from the CMD website at www. ALEC Exposed --open and convenient to the very-least in fully responsible homework by any legislator.

In all distressing reality, the continued usage of ALEC-process materials --especially the "models" now known to be so distorted and perverted, not to say poisoned by fullscale corporate shaping and direction-- is a kind of back-handed insult to those members of our Oregon Legislature who recognize fact when confronted dead-on, and understand the implications and consequences of failure to do just that.

That is undoubtedly what John Maynard Keynes had in mind when he responded as he did to that other Lord astride his comfortable seat in Britain's Parliament.

He meant to make that Member duly and very uncomfortable. He meant to bring that member into alert attention to a deadly circumstance (denial of reality) threatening every possible action in any legislature.

Can any less now be allowed to take place and precedence in our own legislative chambers

Is love of the truth, and dismay when it is distorted and perverted, at any lower level here than in Keynes' time in Parliament ?

What this session allows for continuance of ALEC-process-connected new-law proposals will tell us all the precise level at which this special session operates.

At age 94, Hank continues to define, dissect and delineate the most serious issues of our time, and then summarize some of the solutions, seen from that long-perspective and sources discovered over those decades. At 21, Henry was Aroostook Editor for the Bangor, Maine DAILY NEWS, covering the upper 1/4 of the state. In the ‘40s, he was Staff Correspondent, then New England Wires Editor at United Press-Boston; later Editor for the Burlington, Vermont 3-daily group owned by Wm. Loeb, later notorious at Manchester, New Hampshire UNION LEADER for attacks on Democratic Presidential candidates.

Hank returned to Oregon to complete M. Ed. degree at OSU, went on to Indiana University for Ed.D. (abd) and special other course-work; was selected as first Information Director for NAVA in Washington, D.C.; helped write sections of NDEA, first Act to supply math, science, foreign language consultants to state depts. of education; joined Oregon Dept. of Education, where he served as NDEA administrator/Learning Media Consultant for ten years.

He joined Dr. Amo DeBernardis at PCC, helping establish, extend programs, facilities, Oregon/national public relations; moved to Chicago as Editor/Publisher of oldest educational-AV journal, reformed as AV GUIDE Magazine; then established and operated Learning Media Associates as general communications consultant group. Due to wife’s illness, he returned to Oregon in 1981, semi-retired, and has continued writing intermittently ever since, joining S-N in 2004. His Op Eds now total over 650 written since then.