ALEC eliminates task force on social issues

The conservative group American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) announced Tuesday that they would get rid of its public task force focusing on non-economic issues.

The decision comes after progressive groups such as Color of Change pressured corporations to withdraw their support from ALEC based on their influence in crafting "voter ID" and "stand your ground" gun laws for state legislators across the country. Ten companies, including McDonald's, Wendy's, Pepsi and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have left ALEC.

ALEC's 2012 National Chairman and Indiana State Representative David Frizzell released a statement indicating that the group would go back to focusing on economic issues only.

"We are eliminating the ALEC Public Safety and Elections task force that dealt with non-economic issues, and reinvesting these resources in the task forces that focus on the economy," Frizzell said. "The remaining budgetary and economic issues will be reassigned."

"While we recognize there are other critical, non-economic issues that are vitally important to millions of Americans, we believe we must concentrate on initiatives that spur competitiveness and innovation and put more Americans back to work."

ALEC's economic focus will continue to be on repealing the minimum wage, paid sick days laws, the estate tax, and capital gains taxes along with privatizing public lands and pushing state union-busting measures.

[Image caption: Flickr user Fibonacci Blue]