Low Information Voters: ALEC

Educate, Organize and Mobilize: Over the past several months I’ve been writing about various aspects of voter suppression with the purpose of explaining its concepts, strategies and objectives to move voters to action against voter suppression.  Last week we published a quote from a reader that pointed out that our efforts are falling short of their intended results.  My article two weeks ago on the African American Caucus, which as all articles are, was posted on Facebook, drew a comment from Vivian Brenner who said “Good read! You’re organizing and getting momentum, and the word is getting out.

I’m still very concerned that so many people of color in my office are uninformed and unaware of the laws passed in NC last year. People around me in Charlotte are just not interested. Can we reach folks through their churches?  It’s frustrating for me.”  She added that she’d thought about this a bit over the last six months and that she’d love to volunteer to speak at churches in the Charlotte area.  Of course, I agree with her every word and in this week’s article we address “low information voters” and the danger they represent to our communities.

The people of color in Vivian Brenner’s office fit the definition of low information voters.  Low information voters are voters that for any number of reasons are not well informed about politics, parties or pressure groups.  They’re not well informed about the give and take between corporate priorities and the priorities of low information voters.

Some of the information herein has been referenced in past articles but I will go into a bit more detail to give it a better context.  The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) represents a clear and present danger to Black people and those who work in coalition with Blacks.  It is my considered opinion, and that of many others, that (ALEC) is being run for the benefit of right wing, white supremacist. If information on ALEC doesn’t spur voters to action, maybe nothing will.

Generally speaking, ALEC is the organization where corporations and right wing elected officials come together to design legislation that Republican controlled state legislatures pass or attempt to pass nationwide.  To better understand this, consider some of the better known and supported legislation of ALEC.  Some of the legislation was originated by ALEC and some was originated in right wing state legislatures and adopted by ALEC.

“Stand Your Ground” legislation, though not started by ALEC was adopted and promoted by it and the National Rifle Association nationwide.  It will take informed voters to address this war on Blacks and on common sense.

“Voter Identification” legislation modelled by ALEC is being or has been introduced by Republican controlled legislatures around the country and of course, here in North Carolina.  Voter ID, legislation is the most serious threat to American democracy and the Civil Rights of Blacks in over fifty years.  This is because voter rights are the only rights that allow us to protect all other civil rights.  Informed voters know that voter fraud, the given reason for widespread attacks on voting rights, is the biggest lie being promoted in America today.

“Criminal Justice” legislation promoted and supported by ALEC is a major factor behind both privatizing state prison space and keeping prisons filled with Black prisoners.  Even low information Black voters know much of the history of Blacks and America’s criminal justice system.  It’s criminal.  You may not know that private prison labor is used to depress labor cost in the free market because corporations are hiring prisoners as a non-competitive, lower compensation labor force that competes with the free market and saves corporations money.  This is one of the reasons for corporations supporting ALEC.

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Peter Grear, Esq. writes for Greater Diversity News with a primary focus on voter suppression.  To join the campaign to defeat voter suppression please “Like” and follow us at www.facebook.com/votersuppression, “Share” our articles, and your ideas and comments on Facebook or at our website www.GreaterDiversity.com.  Also, to promote the campaign to defeat voter suppression, please ask all of your Facebook “Friends” to follow the above-referenced recommendations. Additionally, please follow us on Twitter at @yourrighttovote: (https://twitter.com/yourrighttovote)