These articles help us to dissect how the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) involves themselves in issue specific initiatives in an effort of promoting their "free market," pro-corporate agenda. Not to assist the public in overcoming a health or other issue, not to alleviate the false claims or misunderstandings causing members of our society fear - but rather to capitalize off of that fear and if possible to increase the fear for monetary and political gain.
As we're told by reading these articles, 1988 was the first time ALEC formed a task force to take up a single issue - HIV and AIDS. During that period in our history there was much misunderstanding, disinformation and outright lies spread about the disease. While many were trying to come to grips with the issue ALEC and one of their pharma members were busy fueling the fires, so to speak...ending with the creation of legislation to criminalize the spread of HIV or AIDS.
I would urge everyone to read the linked articles to fully grasp the way in which ALEC is able to accomplish their agenda - and why they continue to be so successful on advancing their conservative model legislation...