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Created page with "{{CSStub}} {{#badges: tobaccowiki}} '''Lee Alson''', was an economics professor at Williams College, Williamstown, MA (later at the University of Colorado at Boulder). He w..."
{{CSStub}}
{{#badges: tobaccowiki}}
'''Lee Alson''', was an economics professor at Williams College, Williamstown, MA (later at the University of Colorado at Boulder). He was recruited to help the tobacco industry survive and thrive by [[Robert Tollison]] an economist at [[George Mason University]] and [[James Savarese]], a lobbyist with [[Ogilvy and Mather]] in the early 1990s (later with his own lobbying company).
Overall, this pair recruited (in total) between 120 and 130 professors of economics (usually Libertarian - Public Choice zealots at State Universities) - with some staying for the duration, and others washing temporarily through this lobbying scam. Most of the recruits were members of Tollison's [[Public Choice Society]] which had the public-choice libertarian economics guru [[James Buchanan]] at its head. [[Anna Tollison]] (wife) also appears to have handled the Society and some network operations, while Savarese had [[Leslie Dawson]] (wife of Sam Dawson from United Steel Worker's Assoc/union) and [[Kelleigh Varnum]] (aka Kelleigh Varnum-Roffman) as his key assistants.
The recruited professors would be instructed on occasions to write a 1200-1400 word opinion article (known as 'op-eds') for their local newspaper. The subject to be discussed or the claim to be challenged, and any important statistical information and possibly a broad outline, would be sent to them along with the names of (usually two) selected newspapers. They would also be given the name of two local Federal or State politicians to lobby by sending a copy of their article, along with a personal note.
They were paid on the basis of work performed -- at rates which varied between $600 and $3,000 for each article. This was good money for a second-rate State university professor of economics at the time. See longer explanations: [[Economists' network]] and the full-blown [[Cash for Comments Economists Network]].
{{C4C Explanation}}
==Documents & Timeline==
<b>1973</b> BA at Indiana University
<hr>
<b>1975</b> MA and PhD (1978) at the University of Washington.
<hr>
<b>1978-89</b> He was an Assistant and Associate Professor of Economics at Williams College
<hr>
<b>1984 Jul</b> The Tobacco Institute's <B> Cigarette Excise Tax Plan</B>. <BLOCKQUOTE><I> The plan augments our basic lobbying efforts by relying on groups outside the industry -- some not regularly associated with the industry -- to argue against excise taxes for us. It is an ambitious program, based on the notion that many of the most effective protests against tobacco taxes will come from groups philosophically distant from The Institute. Many such groups agree with us on the excise issue, even though they disagree with us on other matters.
At the federal level, supporting Congressional members from the tobacco states is essential to our lobbyists. The tobacco members consistently vote as a unified group -- something that is rarely seen in Congress today. They are our lobbyists' most important resource. The program recommends that economic and other consultants assist us in developing, "packaging," and presenting our anti-excise arguments in legislative testimony or meetings with coalition members.
<B> Resources:</B> <BR> Economic consultants with different areas of expertise will conduct research and act as spokespersons for The Institute and organizations supported by The Institute. Specific activities with economists are discussed throughout the tactics.
<B> Tactics:</B> <UL><li> Stimulate reputable public finance economists at key state universities to determine the validity of state revenue forecasts, perhaps on behalf of state business organizations and present arguments against excise taxes in various forums; e.g., meetings with potential coalition members or budget officials.
<li> Encourage economists to make the case against regressive taxation in meetings with potential coalition members and legislators.
<li> Retain public finance economists affiliated with non-profit organizations to research the subject and use their findings in forums such as:
<UL> <li> Private meetings with state legislators or staff ;
<li> formal testimony before government bodies ;
<li> targeted media appearances;
<li> speeches before business, civic, labor, and other groups ;
<li> tax symposia in key states where the proceedings could be published for use in other states ; and
<li> articles which raise the visibility of key arguments in the business, academic, and popular press. </UL> </UL> <B> Strategies:</B> <UL> <li> Presenting specific members of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees with arguments prepared by economists with whom they share some common interest; e.g college affiliation, service on the same commission.
<li> Gaining the support of Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), the most influential labor/liberal tax reform group in the country, in opposition to excise taxes.
<li> Relying on the AFL-CIO -- via The Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers Union -- to ensure that the labor/liberal tax package that emerges in the next session of Congress does not include tobacco. </UL>
<B> Appendix:</B> A list of economists in key states who may be willing to act as industry and third-party spokespersons on the tax issue <u>Following is a list of economists in key states who might assist us as experts receiving honoraria. We have begun contacting them to ensure their willingness and expertise. We are asking each about past experience; work with similar issues; previous work with the industry; published articles or research; and availability. </u>
Our intent is to have a group of individuals whom we can call upon as needed to testify, conduct special research and discuss their research projects and/or views on excise taxes with budget officials, potential coalition members, legislators and the media.</I> [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/mnx23f00/pdf] </BLOCKQUOTE>
<hr>
<b>1985 Jan 31 </B> [[Hurst Marshall]] has distributed this Tobacco Institute list of economists from the cash-for-comments network. It has been organise by State, and includes the names of Congressmen they wish to influence. <BLOCKQUOTE><I> Attached for your information are the names of economists who have been identified by PR to assist TI on the federal cigarette excise tax issue. These people are also available to testify at the state level. If you feel that this type of witness can be of assistance to you on state cigarette tax issues, please contact Fred Panzer for details and arrangements.
Please notify your lobbyists as to the availability of these people. At the same time, you may wish to ask them for their ideas or suggestions for other economists within their states. </i></BLOCKQUOTE> This economist will be detailed to make the contact with Congressmen by sending him/them the published op-ed. <BLOCKQUOTE> <B> MASSACHUSETTS</B> (Rep. Donnelly)<br> • <B> Professor Lee Alston</B> William College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/fey91f00/pdf]
</BLOCKQUOTE>
{{1985-96PackwoodC4C}}
<hr>
==References==
{{#badges: tobaccowiki}}
'''Lee Alson''', was an economics professor at Williams College, Williamstown, MA (later at the University of Colorado at Boulder). He was recruited to help the tobacco industry survive and thrive by [[Robert Tollison]] an economist at [[George Mason University]] and [[James Savarese]], a lobbyist with [[Ogilvy and Mather]] in the early 1990s (later with his own lobbying company).
Overall, this pair recruited (in total) between 120 and 130 professors of economics (usually Libertarian - Public Choice zealots at State Universities) - with some staying for the duration, and others washing temporarily through this lobbying scam. Most of the recruits were members of Tollison's [[Public Choice Society]] which had the public-choice libertarian economics guru [[James Buchanan]] at its head. [[Anna Tollison]] (wife) also appears to have handled the Society and some network operations, while Savarese had [[Leslie Dawson]] (wife of Sam Dawson from United Steel Worker's Assoc/union) and [[Kelleigh Varnum]] (aka Kelleigh Varnum-Roffman) as his key assistants.
The recruited professors would be instructed on occasions to write a 1200-1400 word opinion article (known as 'op-eds') for their local newspaper. The subject to be discussed or the claim to be challenged, and any important statistical information and possibly a broad outline, would be sent to them along with the names of (usually two) selected newspapers. They would also be given the name of two local Federal or State politicians to lobby by sending a copy of their article, along with a personal note.
They were paid on the basis of work performed -- at rates which varied between $600 and $3,000 for each article. This was good money for a second-rate State university professor of economics at the time. See longer explanations: [[Economists' network]] and the full-blown [[Cash for Comments Economists Network]].
{{C4C Explanation}}
==Documents & Timeline==
<b>1973</b> BA at Indiana University
<hr>
<b>1975</b> MA and PhD (1978) at the University of Washington.
<hr>
<b>1978-89</b> He was an Assistant and Associate Professor of Economics at Williams College
<hr>
<b>1984 Jul</b> The Tobacco Institute's <B> Cigarette Excise Tax Plan</B>. <BLOCKQUOTE><I> The plan augments our basic lobbying efforts by relying on groups outside the industry -- some not regularly associated with the industry -- to argue against excise taxes for us. It is an ambitious program, based on the notion that many of the most effective protests against tobacco taxes will come from groups philosophically distant from The Institute. Many such groups agree with us on the excise issue, even though they disagree with us on other matters.
At the federal level, supporting Congressional members from the tobacco states is essential to our lobbyists. The tobacco members consistently vote as a unified group -- something that is rarely seen in Congress today. They are our lobbyists' most important resource. The program recommends that economic and other consultants assist us in developing, "packaging," and presenting our anti-excise arguments in legislative testimony or meetings with coalition members.
<B> Resources:</B> <BR> Economic consultants with different areas of expertise will conduct research and act as spokespersons for The Institute and organizations supported by The Institute. Specific activities with economists are discussed throughout the tactics.
<B> Tactics:</B> <UL><li> Stimulate reputable public finance economists at key state universities to determine the validity of state revenue forecasts, perhaps on behalf of state business organizations and present arguments against excise taxes in various forums; e.g., meetings with potential coalition members or budget officials.
<li> Encourage economists to make the case against regressive taxation in meetings with potential coalition members and legislators.
<li> Retain public finance economists affiliated with non-profit organizations to research the subject and use their findings in forums such as:
<UL> <li> Private meetings with state legislators or staff ;
<li> formal testimony before government bodies ;
<li> targeted media appearances;
<li> speeches before business, civic, labor, and other groups ;
<li> tax symposia in key states where the proceedings could be published for use in other states ; and
<li> articles which raise the visibility of key arguments in the business, academic, and popular press. </UL> </UL> <B> Strategies:</B> <UL> <li> Presenting specific members of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees with arguments prepared by economists with whom they share some common interest; e.g college affiliation, service on the same commission.
<li> Gaining the support of Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), the most influential labor/liberal tax reform group in the country, in opposition to excise taxes.
<li> Relying on the AFL-CIO -- via The Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers Union -- to ensure that the labor/liberal tax package that emerges in the next session of Congress does not include tobacco. </UL>
<B> Appendix:</B> A list of economists in key states who may be willing to act as industry and third-party spokespersons on the tax issue <u>Following is a list of economists in key states who might assist us as experts receiving honoraria. We have begun contacting them to ensure their willingness and expertise. We are asking each about past experience; work with similar issues; previous work with the industry; published articles or research; and availability. </u>
Our intent is to have a group of individuals whom we can call upon as needed to testify, conduct special research and discuss their research projects and/or views on excise taxes with budget officials, potential coalition members, legislators and the media.</I> [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/mnx23f00/pdf] </BLOCKQUOTE>
<hr>
<b>1985 Jan 31 </B> [[Hurst Marshall]] has distributed this Tobacco Institute list of economists from the cash-for-comments network. It has been organise by State, and includes the names of Congressmen they wish to influence. <BLOCKQUOTE><I> Attached for your information are the names of economists who have been identified by PR to assist TI on the federal cigarette excise tax issue. These people are also available to testify at the state level. If you feel that this type of witness can be of assistance to you on state cigarette tax issues, please contact Fred Panzer for details and arrangements.
Please notify your lobbyists as to the availability of these people. At the same time, you may wish to ask them for their ideas or suggestions for other economists within their states. </i></BLOCKQUOTE> This economist will be detailed to make the contact with Congressmen by sending him/them the published op-ed. <BLOCKQUOTE> <B> MASSACHUSETTS</B> (Rep. Donnelly)<br> • <B> Professor Lee Alston</B> William College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/fey91f00/pdf]
</BLOCKQUOTE>
{{1985-96PackwoodC4C}}
<hr>
==References==
