Conservative Consumers Must Get Informed, Stand Ground

IBD Editorials ^ | April 24, 2012 | Michelle Malkin

[Kaslin]

Who is Rashad Robinson? And why has his fringe, race-baiting organization been able to pressure several major corporations into abandoning a pro-limited-government legislative association -- all for a few cheap social-justice brownie points?

Conservative consumers need to get informed, get active and stand their ground against free speech-squelching progressive activists who have demonized the American Legislative Exchange Council. This isn't just a battle over ALEC. It's a war against the left's shakedown artists taking aim at our freedoms of speech and association.

ALEC, as I reported last week, is the four-decade-old policy organization of state legislators and like-minded business people who believe in "the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty." It is under fire from a longstanding network of liberal groups -- tied to the Democratic Party -- that are unhappy with effective conservative opposition at the state and federal legislative levels.

Anti-ALEC hypocrites seized on the Trayvon Martin shooting case in Florida to blame ALEC and Republican lawmakers for their advocacy of Stand Your Ground self-defense legislation - even though the case does not implicate the policy and ALEC followed Florida's lead on the legislation. Moreover, eight of the 15 states that have adopted such polices were helmed by Democratic governors at the time of passage.

Robinson is spearheading the anti-ALEC campaign, along with Soros-backed Progress Now and a MoveOn.org/Big Labor political action committee, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC). While they claim to oppose black "voter suppression" by working to undermine anti-voter fraud bills backed by ALEC, Color of Change's true agenda is to chill and suppress pro-capitalist, pro-Second Amendment, pro-low taxes and pro-law enforcement lobbying and legislating in the political marketplace.

[CivilWarguy]

The problem isn’t so much Robinson et al. (their so-called boycotss never go beyond a press release) but rather their Leftmedia enablers.

[Cinnamontea]

The best line comes at the end: "I'll say it again: Silence is complicity. Speak now or surrender your ground."

Amen, Michelle.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Unfortunately the left is far more intelligent, imaginative,persistent and aggressive than the right. The left has correctly judged that a business is far more concerned about its public image than it is over conservative principles. After all one effects profits the other does not. Having grasped that fact the left will start its campaigns and persist until their goal is reached.

[Fred Hayek]

Corporations who have folded in face of the strong arming by the Marxist thugs:

McDonalds
Wendy’s
Mars
Coca Cola
Pepsi
Kraft Foods
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Yum Brands
Procter and Gamble

[montag813]

Hey Michelle - why did ALEC back down and say they were abandoning gun issues AND voter ID laws? If we are to stand with someone, they need to be NOT bending over.