Investigating Power
Expedia is just the latest of a series of large corporations to end its ties with AEC [sic]. Last February Ford terminated its relationship with the conservative lobby group. Other corporations that have cut off their connections include eBay, Facebook and Google as well as BP and Shell, mostly because of ALEC’s continued denial of climate change.
AARP announced its decision to cut ties with ALEC last Thursday, shortly after the progressive watchdog group Center for Media and Democracy reported that AARP had recently become an ALEC member and was among the sponsors of its annual meeting last month.
“We hear you” is the theme of the new marketing campaign rolled out by AARP this year.
AARP, which reps 37 million seniors, quit the American Legislative Exchange Council under pressure from Center for Media & Democracy, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, and other groups.
Arn Pearson from the Center for Media and Democracy called in to talk about Governor Paul LePage’s ties to ALEC.
AARP, the retirees organization, responded Thursday to a torrent of protests from members and advocacy groups by announcing that it would drop its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council, the right-wing organization known as ALEC.
Progressives dedicated to protecting safety nets for seniors have pressured AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired People, to drop its dues-paying membership at ALEC, the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council, whose work includes drafting and promoting bills that would undermine and privatize Social Security and Medicare.
Amidst coverage of its involvement with American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and pressure from advocacy groups, AARP on Thursday told Politico that it will not renew its membership with the conservative group.
It only took a week.
The right-wing legislative lobbying group ALEC has been losing corporate members at a remarkable pace since 2012, making the appearance of AARP on the list of sponsors of ALEC’s 2016 annual meeting last month all the more curious.