Reengaging Americans With Their History & Principles: Jonathan Williams on The Hugh Hewitt Show
At ALEC, we're busier than ever now.
Guest host Alex Marlow filling in on The Hugh Hewitt Show spoke with ALEC President and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams last week about the organization’s work with state legislators and the priorities it is pursuing with its States 250 campaign, including civics education, federalism, and affordability issues.
The conversation began with Marlow asking Williams to outline ALEC’s mission.
“At ALEC, we’re busier than ever now. We’re over 50 years old, and [we are] working with America’s state legislators to pursue common sense ideas,” Williams said. “Not all good decisions happen in Washington…over time, we want more decisions to happen at the state level and closer to the people.”
The discussion shifted to civic education and ALEC’s States’ 250 campaign, which aims to reengage Americans about the founding documents and principles.
“It’s really an incredible moment for us to really correct what public education has failed us for so many decades now…teaching our children real American history, the founding documents…what is in the Declaration of Independence, and what are those 1,300 magic words talking about the need for freedom and decentralized control,” Williams explained.
Marlow asked why decentralized power is so critical in the U.S. system.
“Having that come full circle and teaching decentralized control…not Washington running our lives but actually states having much more authority…individual self-government…that was the idea of the founders,” Williams said.
Finally, Williams highlighted ALEC’s current policy initiatives at the state level.
“Looking at ways to cap the growth of property taxes…[and] reducing regulation and the cost of building new housing…[are] key elements,” he noted.
On energy policy, he added, “Whether this woke ESG-style ideology…from the left, whether it was the Obama or Biden administrations in the war on American energy dominance…thank God that we have President Trump and people like leader, Secretary Chris Wright and others fighting back.”
Williams concluded with ways for interested Americans to get involved.
“Check us out and join our cause with the States 250 campaign.”