It’s going to be interesting to see how Google explains this if and when they make a public statement.
While it’s true that lobbying and joining lobbying groups is business as usual for the modern corporation for a company such as Google that purportedly prides itself on progressive social policies and doing their best to minimize their contributions to climate change to support the right wing groups that they’ve begun to support, including joining ALEC, seems contradictory to many and outright evil to some. Remember that motto of Google’s? Do no evil?
ALEC is an enthusiastic opponent of pretty much all environmental regulations. They have a history of opposing gay rights. This organization deserves funds from Google? But of course it isn’t just ALEC that Google is spending money on. They contribute to Ted Cruz’s political campaigns. They support Grover Norquist and his Americans for Tax Reform, which might seem logical for a corporation working hard to avoid taxes.
It will be interesting to see what kind of blowback there might be from this information coming to the attention of more people who detest ALEC but have liked Google. I’m one of them and I’m not sure yet if I’ll turn my back on Google but it’s tempting.