Topeka — A number of Kansas legislators — all Republicans — are registered to attend the American Legislative Exchange Council annual conference that is under way in Salt Lake City.
ALEC has been under fire for writing and pushing for passage in state Legislatures across the nation corporate-sponsored bills opposed by environmentalists and health care advocates. More recently, ALEC has been criticized by civil rights organizations for its push for voter ID and "stand your ground" laws.
At least eight Kansas legislators, including two who are not seeking re-election, registered through Kansas Legislative Administrative Services to go to the Salt Lake City meeting.
Those registered to attend are state Sens. Julia Lynn of Olathe and Garrett Love of Montezuma; state Reps. Mike Burgess of Topeka, Terry Calloway of Pittsburg, Amanda Grosserode of Lenexa, Gary Hayzlett of Lakin, Joe Seiwert of Pretty Prairie, and Gene Suellentrop of Wichita.
Calloway and Hayzlett are not seeking re-election and their terms will expire in January.
Kansas taxpayers will be paying the registration fees of the legislators, according to the Kansas Legislative Administrative Services office. The fees are $475 each, except for Lynn and Suellentrop whose were $575 each due to late registration, according to the office.
There may be other Kansas legislators at the meeting but they did not register through the state office.
Comments
Dave Trabert 9 months, 4 weeks ago
I must have missed the LJW story listing the legislators who attend the National Council of State Legislatures at taxpayer expense. While individual legislators pay their own dues to belong to ALEC, state taxpayers pay $120,000 in dues to NCSL in addition to travel-related costs. Interestingly, the House passed a measure that would ban the spending of all state funds on memberships and travel to these organizations but the Senate killed the measure.
ALEC legislative members go to the meetings to learn what other like-minded (limited government, individual liberty and federalism) are doing in their states and get new ideas. NCSL legislative attendees learn about ways to expand government, cooperate with the federal government and raise taxes.
Sure, there are private sector members of ALEC but NCSL attendees also listen to their own interest groups. There is nothing wrong with a legislator getting information from outside groups, regardless of whether they believe in limited or expanding government.
BigDog 9 months, 4 weeks ago
I agree with observant .... legislators aren't paying their own way, their campaign contributions are used. I wonder how many people who contribute to their campaign know these contributions are used to fund trips to events.
Also, Dave, you don't learn a lot but just meeting with people who think exactly like yourself. The problem with politics today is the mindset that only good ideas can come from people who think exactly like you ... and not the other party or others in your same party (at times).
BigDog 9 months, 4 weeks ago
We need more statesmen in office and less politicians.
Agnostick 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Do your arms ever get tired from carrying all that water?
ALEC is a shill organization for private prisons. The more laws passed against things, the easier it is to raise the prison population.
bad_dog 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Hard to believe 'ol Lonesome Dave gave up after just one comment. He's usually much more adamant in his shilling.
jhawkinsf 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Lonesome Dave, of Foghat fame?
bad_dog 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Well you could easily adapt the lyrics to "Fool for the City"...
Rock on Dave!
chootspa 9 months, 4 weeks ago
False equivalency argument with NCSL by none other than ALEC member Dave Trabert.
yourworstnightmare 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Mr. Trabert attempts the dodge of false equivalency.
The NCLS is a body that represents all state legislatures and state powers regardless of political party or stripe.
http://www.ncsl.org/
ALEC, not so much:
http://www.alec.org/
read for yourselves, but don't buy the false equivalency argument of Mr. Trabert.
cowboy 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Bought and paid for Koch Troll !
Agnostick 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Correction: We are paying for eight idiots to go get brainwashed by corporate right wing bigger idiots... interested only in fattening their offshore accounts!
laredo 9 months, 4 weeks ago
No seated legislators should be able to belong or go to these organisations . They are supposed to be working for the people of Kansas.
somedude20 9 months, 4 weeks ago
These cats are truly evil and are able to swindle the truly stupid and it is showing, big time. This country is far far far from being great.
by somedude20
Agnostick 9 months, 4 weeks ago
"The Hidden History of ALEC and Prison Labor"
http://www.thenation.com/article/162478/hidden-history-alec-and-prison-labor?page=full
snap_pop_no_crackle 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Yeah, this thread is about what I expected with the notable absence of one poster. Haters gonna hate.
Agnostick 9 months, 4 weeks ago
... which explains why you chimed in with your little thimble...
yourworstnightmare 9 months, 4 weeks ago
How else would they know what to think?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 9 months, 4 weeks ago
It's more like get it stuffed down their throats so they can regurgitate it-- little or no thought is involved (see Trabert's post above for an example of how it's done.)
Munsoned 9 months, 4 weeks ago
And, why are we paying for two members to go when they are not running for re-election?
bad_dog 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Ding, ding, ding! I was wondering when someone would take note of that.
Could it be they have lobbying plans for the future?
verity 9 months, 4 weeks ago
I had wondered that too---and you are probably right.
verity 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Why are we paying for any of them? From what I've read about ALEC, they are funded big time by the corporations that write the laws that these legislators bring back home and try to get passed without crediting the actual writers.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 9 months, 4 weeks ago
They have to pick up their marching orders for the Great March to Semi-Theocratic Plutocracy (adherents to the Cult of Kochs, all.)
merrill 9 months, 4 weeks ago
What about our beltway repubs? How many are going?
How about Sam Brownback?
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