Did @RepVos Go on an Interesting “Field Trip” to Scottsdale, AZ?

State legislators from all 50 states who received “scholarships” from the American Legislative Exchange Council (A.L.E.C.), traveled to the swanky Westin Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ to confer November 29 – December 3, 2011 with lobbyists from some of the nation’s largest corporations. As you know, the public is not allowed to view these meetings, which occur behind closed doors. Lots of hush-hush discussions. Top secret agendas. So much for transparency in the GOP legislative arena. We do know, that like previous meetings, our Wisconsin’s GOP legislators will most likely come back to Wisconsin with an armful of new bills that favor corporations over the working middle-class and poor families.


Of course, Rep. Vos has denied that he has delivered textbook bills to the legislative floor, claiming: “This is a made up issue.” (see Robin's denial here) Ah, but dear reader, the facts prove otherwise. The website http://demaa.org/smartALEC/legislators/robin-vos lists a total of 13 A.L.E.C. template bills that Vos either sponsored, co-sponsored or voted for in 2011. So, it isn’t that he “might have missed one”, but, rather, that there were thirteen, count ‘em…THIRTEEN A.L.E.C. bills Vos was involved with (so far) in 2011. Kind of hard to “miss” THIRTEEN bills, Robin, unless you are incompetent or asleep at the wheel.

Which brings us to the protest today, outside the Westin Resort & Spa in sunny, warm Scottsdale, AZ. Several hundred people marched a mile from a local park to the Westin. The media showed up in force. So did police fully clothed in riot gear, helmuts, batons, shields and pepper-spray. Several protesters were pepper-sprayed and/or arrested as helicopters hovered overhead. The police response was certainly overboard from what I could see from my vantage point, considering the peacefulness of the protesters with their rag-tag band of horns and drums, water-pitchers and home-made PBJ sandwiches.

And what of our legislators? Well, certainly, no Motel 6, 7 or even 8 for these folks. Nosireebob. Nothing but the very, VERY best for these fat cats. With temps in the mid-70s, under a cloudless sky, you can’t help but wonder if the Wisconsin legislators made good use of the onsite spa facilities. Nothing like a good massage and pedi in the Agave Spa. Or, perhaps 27 holes of golf. Maybe a little shopping at the nearby Biltmore Shopping Center. Topped off with a $$$$-rated dinner at the Westin, followed by the trademarked Westin "unwind" service. After all, it’s HARD WORK to take a pledge to introduce these bills, later claiming corporatized bills are a figment of the voters imagination, or, if not a mirage in the desert, then heat-stress causing legislators to conveniently “forget” the baker’s dozen “corporate” bills they voted for.

Not all was in vain, though, #WIunion readers! Protesters were introduced to Rep. Robin Vos (despite his ignoring the crowd outside the Westin). A copy of the #democracyaddicts "SmartALEC" project bills and corporate donations associated with Vos was shared with an East Coast magazine covering the #OccupyALEC protest. And, we briefed the state AFLCIO on resources to be found in the four-part series “All About A.L.E.C.”. The word on A.L.E.C. is finally getting out.