A New Look at the Sausage Factory Where Laws Are Made

The Trayvon Martin killing has sparked a national firestorm over Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. Now it turns out that 24 other states have similar laws because of a little known group called the American Legislative Exchange Council. "ALEC" brought state legislators from around the country together with lobbyists for the NRA to agree that Florida's law would become a model for other states. What other measures has ALEC originated? Is it democracy in action, or a way to enact special interest legislation without public scrutiny?

Note: ALEC declined our invitation to participate in this program.