Letter to the Editor: ALEC Legislation and the Non-status of Constituents

As ideological legislation, written by the American Legislative Exchange Council, passes through state legislatures like a whore through a brothel, our local legislators have distinguished themselves as the worst of the worst legislators through their lack of transparency, lack of accountability and failure to respond to their constituents. In fact, the constituents of State Senator John Rafferty and Representative Mike Vereb have no status with them whatsoever.

Let me clarify. Pennsylvania boasts the largest contingent of state legislators who have abandoned the ALEC agenda and membership, fourteen legislators in all. Neither Senator Rafferty nor Representative Vereb’s name are among those who have abandoned the ALEC agenda. Worse yet, 51 Pennsylvania legislators list their names as members of ALEC and neither Senator Rafferty nor Representative Vereb’s name appears as members.

Yet, both Senator Rafferty and Representative Vereb have rubber stamped each piece of ALEC sponsored legislation including Hold Your Ground, voter suppression, privatization of public education (to their Republican party boss “friend’), bashing of public unions, and women’s medical rights suppression legislation. Further yet, neither has acknowledged this 100% pro-ALEC legislation record nor responded to constituents’ concerns. This makes them both closet ALEC’s.

Since both representatives are committed to the ALEC agenda, their closet status, and their failure to either take account or respond, which means their constituents have no status with them. That’s what happens when your vote is committed to an ideology rather than to the people you represent.

Let’s see them deny their public voting record.

Jeff Sweeney 
Eagleville, Pa.