Take Action | Help Blow the Whistle on ALEC

Take Action|
Help Blow the Whistle on ALEC
Nation Action on April 25, 2012 - 3:04 PM ET

As The Nation notes this week, after successfully pressuring ALEC to
pull back its involvement in social issues, liberal groups are
launching the next iteration of their fight against the influential
conservative legislative outfit. The good government group Common
Cause is alleging that ALEC is running what amounts to a tax scam for
some of America's largest and most well-known companies. In a
whistleblower complaint filed with the IRS, Common Cause charges that
ALEC's lobbying for "model" legislation is designed to boost the
profits of its corporate members and is thus a violation of its
tax-exempt status.

TO DO
Common Cause's tax filing focuses on ALEC's undermining of basic
democratic practices: ALEC practices stealth advocacy; it writes bills
for legislators, refines that legislation through task forces where
its business members wield veto power, then quietly shepherds the
finished "model" bills to passage. Their mission accomplished, ALEC's
business members reward the group with massive contributions – nearly
$400 million from 2000-10, according to Common Cause. Help Common
Cause expand its work on ALEC and contact the IRS on your own using
this form which the Service set up for the public to register
suspicions of organizations not complying with the tax laws. After
you've weighed in, share this post with family, Facebook friends,
Twitter followers and your local media outfits.

TO READ
This report from Accounting Today explains the legal basis for Common
Cause's complaint to the IRS.

TO WATCH
This episode of The Young Turks shows how extensive and influential
ALEC's lobbying has been.


A weekly guide to meaningful action, this blog connects readers with
resources to channel the outrage so many feel after reading about
abuses of power and privilege. Far from a comprehensive digest of all
worthy groups working on behalf of the social good, Take Action seeks
to shine a bright light on one concrete step that Nation readers can
take each week. To broaden the conversation, we'll publish a weekly
follow-up post detailing the response and featuring additional
campaigns and initiatives that we hope readers will check out. Toward
that end, please use the comments field to give us ideas. With your
help we can make real change.

Take Action Here:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/167542/help-blow-whistle-alec

--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy



--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

--
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