Must READ and Must WATCH: John Dorschner in Biscayne Times on: "Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company Created The New Urbanism, Which Is Transforming The World - Miami Included" and Media Matters, on ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council ... by gimleteye

In Biscayne Times, former Herald writer John Dorschner captures the magic realism within the fact that Miami-Dade -- one of the most poorly planned large metropolitan areas in the nation -- is home to two of the nation's foremost urban planners; Lizz Plater-Zyberk and Andres Duany. The BT story is a must read. Congratulations to Dorschner and BT for capturing the nuances of a great American story.

On the other hand, there is the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, the right-wing, conservative effort to circumvent democracy using Trojan Horses to slip into state and county legislatures and take over the process of writing legislation. It is difficult to explain to people who don't care about the fine details of democracy, just how damaging ALEC has been. Its fingerprints are all over Florida and Miami-Dade rules and regulations.

A Georgia television station captured ALEC in action. Eye on Miami offers anonymity to any Miami-Dade or Florida whistleblowers who would like to come forward and detail their ALEC experiences. There is a not-so-subtle connection between New Urbanism and ALEC: what the one seeks to encourage, the other is determined to suppress. Watch the video, here.

The United States of ALEC ... The American Legislative Exchange Council ... by gimleteye

I don't know a journalist or writer capable of filling the shoes of Bill Moyers when it is time for him to rest. These days, Moyers may have conceded a few steps to age and depend on scripts, but his voice, intelligence, insight and compassion for America is unmatched.

Moyers came up through experience as a Washington insider during the Lyndon Johnson era. He was shaped before the age of celebrity and remains untouched by it.

His recent work disclosing the role of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) deserves wide distribution. You can watch the entire episode by clicking here.

At Eye On Miami, we are very interested to know if ALEC sponsored legislation is making its way down to county commissions in Florida. Along this line, please send us any information you may have ...