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These policies use taxpayer dollars to funnel money "up to corporate ladder" and into ALEC, where the ''exchange'' may as well mean "exchange your local grass-roots democracy for crony-capitalism" according to the Madville Times.<ref name="Spending Your Tax Dollars on Partisan ALEC Meetings"></ref> Two days after these policies were adopted, Democratic Legislators spoke out in local media against using taxpayer money for membership and travel associated with ALEC, posting petitions with over 160 South Dakota Residents opposing the policies. <ref>[http://madvilletimes.com/2013/05/citizens-protest-legislatures-use-of-tax-dollars-for-alec-dues/ Citizens Protest use of Tax Dollars for ALEC Dues ], South Dakota, ''Madville Times'', May 23, 2013.</ref> In addition, Moveon.org is circulating a petition that has gathered over 800 signatures in opposition to the policies. <ref>[http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/south-dakotans-oppose Moveon.org petition Opposing Support of ALEC with Taxpayer Money], accessed July 9, 2013.</ref>
Bernie Hunhoff (D-Yankton), the House Democrat Leader, and Jason Frerichs (D-Wilmot), Senate Democrat Leader, demanded that the Legislature not pay any money on behalf of any Democratic Legislators for membership to the "biased, extremist lobbying organization." <ref name="GOP Spends Tax Dollars on ALEC Dues, Trips; Dems Reject Koch Brothers Influence"> Also, Representative Nelson(R-Fulton) and former representative Schoenbeck (R-Watertown) voiced their opposition to the policies, characterizing ALEC meetings as "crony-capitalist machinations" and "brainwashing conventions."<ref>[http://madvilletimes.com/2013/04/nelson-schoenbeck-say-no-to-taxpayer-funding-of-alec-dues/ Nelson and Schoenbeck Say No to Taxpayer Funding of ALEC Dues], South Dakota, ''Madville Times'', April 24, 2013.</ref>
In defense of the new policies, Republican legislators compare the ALEC to other nonpartisan legislative groups such as National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Council of State Government (CSG). The fundamental difference between ALEC and these organizations, however, are that NCSL and CSG are organizations solely comprised of legislators and annually rotate leadership between
For a list of politicians with known ALEC ties, please see [[ALEC Politicians]].
