National Conservative Policy Group Relying On WHO To Right The Ship?

Bloomberg Politics is giving some attention to the internal struggles at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), stemming from the supposedly conservative organization succumbing to politically correct ‘climate change’ positions.

“A business-backed group that rose to prominence by prodding state legislatures to cut taxes, environmental regulations and gun restrictions, now finds itself at a crossroads amid declining membership and a bitter dispute over climate change.

The battle at the American Legislative Exchange Council erupted at the group’s winter meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, this week as members scrapped a measure declaring that climate change is not a risk after opposition from Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp.

“It was corporate blackmail,” said Steve Milloy, a policy adviser for the Heartland Institute, a group critical of climate science. “They basically said, ‘We’re going to leave.’ “

The dispute over the climate provisions highlights the internal discord for the Arlington, Virginia-based group, which gained fame fighting President Barack Obama’s regulatory agenda. Over the past five years, more than 100 businesses left the organization, illustrating corporate concerns that the group may be going too far.”

Is maintaining loyalty to conservative positions going too far? Or are these departing organizations a little too squeamish at the thought of supporting politically incorrect viewpoints, no matter their merit?

How can ALEC acquiesce to Climate Change Zombies when the crux of that debate is Liberty vs Statism, or Capitalism vs Socialism?

But don’t worry, because ALEC has a new incoming chairman from North Carolina that will surely help bring the council back in line with its conservative mission – NOT.

Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln) is set to take the helm of ALEC in 2018.

You know, the N.C. House member and House Finance chairman that gained notoriety for spending thousands in campaign funds on custom suits? Saine also has a history of getting tens of thousands in campaign donations from solar goon and billionaire Jay Faison and then promptly voting to support continued solar subsidies.

Actually the Committee on Finance chairman raised, and spent, over $100,000 in 2015 – an off-election year. Saine wasn’t even opposed in that election, and still managed to spend all of those donations on a ‘campaign’, a.k.a. goodies for himself.

Seems like ALEC board members were so scared of loosing funding from corporate donors that they selected Saine to assuage their concerns. In other words, they sold out.

So what does Saine have to say about ALEC’s prospects, considering the recent tug-o-war between loyal conservatives and Establishment corporations?

“”Companies will come and go, and we’ve added companies too,” Jason Saine, a North Carolina House member who is ALEC’s incoming chairman, said in an interview. “We’re healthy and the organization is growing. ALEC has matured over the years and learned how to have these discussions in a mature way, so we can talk about them.””

Here, the term ‘matured’ must be a euphemism for abandoning conservative principles to appease corporate cronies.

Leftist groups are actually worried that the void left by some corporations’ departure will make the organization even more “extreme.”

“Nick Surgey, director of Documented, a watchdog group that investigates the link between corporations and public policy, says the corporate defections have led to free-market activist groups with harder-edged views moving in to fill the void at ALEC.

“That vacuum is being filled by a radical agenda and these really extreme ideas are coming to the forefront,” Surgey said.”

We take it that Surgey is not very familiar with Jason Saine. If his legislative record is any indication, Saine’s leadership at ALEC will pull the organization even more to the Left, especially on issues of energy and the environment.

And just like that, another effective movement to implement conservative policies across the nation will be corrupted beyond repair.

Read more about ALEC’s submission to Climate Crazies here.