May 20, 2012 "ALEC vs. Public Education...In Tennessee and the Progressive Southern US Today

Recently, The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) held its Spring Meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina (May 10-11, 2012). For a few weeks, I have been stating on-air that I was going to begin calling out publicly those members of the Tennessee delegation to ALEC, who are current or immediate past members of ALEC. I have spoken with some of this delegation, advising them of my intent to publish the delegation names, and those task forces of which they are a member, as well as those Tennessee State Legislators who serve as members of ALEC leadership.

Today, I have decided to, based upon the importance of the discussion we will be having on the war against public education that ALEC is waging, and the shifting tides of the electoral politics of the Progressive South in the 2012 federal election, publish the names of that delegation here.

The following Tennessee elected Representatives have been identified as being active, or immediate past members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC):

ALEC Tennessee State Legislative Members:

House of Representatives

• Rep. Curry Todd (R-95), State Chairman,[22] Member of ALEC Board of Directors[175] and Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member
• Former Rep. Susan Lynn (R-57)[20][23]
• Former Rep. Joe McCard (R-Maryville; chief clerk of the state House as of 2011)[176]
• Rep. John D. Ragan (R-33), ALEC Education Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Kevin D. Brooks (R-24), ALEC Education Task Force Alternate
• Rep. David Hawk (R-5), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Bob Ramsey, (R-20) ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force and Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Tony Shipley (R-2), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Vince Dean (R-30), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Curtis G. Johnson (R-68), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Gerald McCormick (R-26), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate
• Rep. Charles Michael Sargent, Jr. (R-61), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
• Rep. Debra Young Maggart (R-45), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
• Rep. Stephen McManus (R-96), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
• Rep. Harry R. Brooks, Jr. (R-19), ALEC Education Task Force Member
• Rep. Frank Niceley (R-17), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
• Rep. Joe McCord (R-8), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
• Rep. David Shepard (D-69), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
• Rep. Jimmy Eldridge (R-73)[20], ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
• Rep. Joseph Armstrong (D-15), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
• Rep. Julia Hurley (R-32), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
• Rep. Mark White (R-83), ALEC International Relations Task Force Member
• Rep. Phillip Max Johnson (R-78), ALEC International Relations Task Force Member
• Rep. Ryan A. Haynes (R-14), ALEC International Relations Task Force Member
• Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
• Rep. Jon C. Lundberg (R-1), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
• Rep. Joshua G. Evans (R-66)[20], ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
• Rep. Mike T. Harrison (R-9), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
• Rep. Johnny Richard Montgomery (R-12), ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member
• Rep. Steve K. McDaniel (R-72), ALEC [[Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force ]] Member
• Rep. Barrett W. Rich (R-94), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
• Rep. Kelly Keisling (R-38), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
• Rep. Vance Dennis (R-71), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
• Rep. Dale Ford (R-6)[20]

Senate

• Sen. Reginald Tate (D-33)[176], ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
• Sen. Ken Yager (R-12), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Alternate
• Sen. Dolores R. Gresham (R-26), ALEC Education Task Force Alternate
• Sen. Steve Southerland (R-1), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate
• Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16), ALEC Education Task Force Member
• Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force and Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member, attended 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting[177]
• Sen. Mike Bell (R-9), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
• Sen. Brian K. Kelsey (R-31), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
• Sen. Mark S. Norris (R-32), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
• Sen. Ophelia Ford (D-29[20]

ALEC Board of Directors:

Rep. Steve McDaniel (R-Tennessee)

Rep. Curry Todd (R-Tennessee)

Tennessee State Chairs:

• Rep. Curry Todd (R)[2]
• Patricia Cannon, Allergan, Inc.[3]

Source: www.alecexposed.com; www.downwithtyranny.com (April 22^nd, 2012)

Members whose names are bolded in this list are Democratic members of ALEC.  Members whose names are in red are members of the ALEC Public Education Task Force. Members whose names are bolded and underlined are members who represent me. The numeric references are the source information from the ALECExposed documents.

You must understand that the intent and purpose of the ALEC Public Education Task Force is NOT to preserve, enhance, or improve public education in Tennessee. The sole purpose of this task force is to eliminate public education, nationally. Privatization of education is the single goal, and Tennessee is one of the laboratories which ALEC is using to actively create their intent. It is also terribly important to note that the same action is taking place, not only across State Houses across the Progressive South, but in our federal legislature, as well. Looking at the agenda, resolutions, and proposed model bills discussed by the Education Task Force in Charlotte will be a real “eye opening” event in your life. I do highly recommend your attention to it, especially in light of today’s show.

This blog entry is quite rare. It is a first, in fact. Usually, we write entries to “wrap up” our episodes. This one, however, is a “preparation” entry that we hope will educate and inform you. We’ll see you live, on air at 2:30 PM on Sunday, May 20th, 2012.