University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2014 Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Free Markets: ALEC's Populist Constructions of "the People" in State Politics Anne Sherwood The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Sherwood, Anne, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Free Markets: ALEC's Populist Constructions of "the People" in State Politics" (2014). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 4214. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/4214 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. 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RUNNING HEAD: LIFE, LIBERTY, MARKETS LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF FREE MARKETS: ALEC’S POPULIST CONSTRUCTIONS OF “THE PEOPLE” IN STATE POLITICS By ANNE ELIZABETH SHERWOOD Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 2010 Thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communication Studies The University of Montana Missoula, MT May 2014 Approved by: Sandy Ross, Dean of The Graduate School Graduate School Steve Schwarze, Chair Communication Studies Sara Hayden Communication Studies Anthony Johnstone Law LIFE, LIBERTY, MARKETS ii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Analyzing ALEC: Neoliberalism, Neoconservatism, and the Populist Frame ................................................................................................................................. 1 Neoliberalism ........................................................................................................................... 5 The role of the market ........................................................................................................................ 9 Entrepreneurial discourse ................................................................................................................ 10 Anti-Regulatory Sentiment .............................................................................................................. 11 Neoconservatism .................................................................................................................... 13 Moral Order ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Entrepreneurial values ..................................................................................................................... 17 Populism ................................................................................................................................ 19 The Populist Frame ................................................................................................................ 25 Framework for Analysis ........................................................................................................ 29 Chapters ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 2: ALEC’s internal rhetoric ............................................................................ 34 “The people” as virtuous entrepreneurs ................................................................................ 36 The state as a small business .................................................................................................. 37 “The people” as small business owners ................................................................................. 38 The small business owner becomes a virtuous entrepreneur ........................................................... 40 The virtuous entrepreneur as the hero ............................................................................................. 44 The enemy as government ....................................................................................................... 46 The enemy as the federal government ................................................................................... 48 Neoconservative constructions of the enemy as the liberal elite ........................................... 53 The corrupted democratic system ........................................................................................... 59 The legal system .................................................................................................................... 59 The regulatory system ............................................................................................................ 64 The legislative system ............................................................................................................ 65 The economic apocalyptic reckoning ...................................................................................... 68 Summary of chapter 2 .............................................................................................................. 71 Chapter 3: Translating ALEC’s Message: The Populist Rhetoric of Governor Scott Walker .............................................................................................................................. 74 Watching Wisconsin .............................................................................................................. 75 Walker's Early ALEC Agenda ............................................................................................... 79 Early February ......................................................................................................................... 82 “The people” as Wisconsinites and workers .......................................................................... 82 The state as a business ..................................................................................................................... 83 Walker as an enterprising leader ...................................................................................................... 84 The people as “Wisconsinites” ........................................................................................................ 86 The enemy as the system ....................................................................................................... 91 Apocalyptic reckoning ........................................................................................................... 93 Senate Democrats on the Run: Late February, Early March .............................................. 96 “The people” as local workers ............................................................................................... 96 Walker as an enterprising leader ...................................................................................................... 96 “The people” as Wisconsinites ........................................................................................................ 97 The enemy revealed ............................................................................................................. 100 Apocalyptic reckoning ......................................................................................................... 104 Summary of chapter 3 ............................................................................................................ 105 Chapter 4: Challenging Neoliberalism?: Populist Rhetoric and Opposition to Walker ............................................................................................................................ 108 LIFE, LIBERTY, MARKETS iii “The people” as civil actors ................................................................................................... 109 The “people” as Wisconsinites ...................................................................................................... 110 Heroic defenders of “traditional” values ....................................................................................... 112 The enemy ............................................................................................................................... 117 Uncompromising and undemocratic .............................................................................................. 118 Corporate puppet ........................................................................................................................... 119 More than “politics as usual” ......................................................................................................... 120 The corrupted democratic system ......................................................................................... 122 Apocalyptic reckoning ........................................................................................................... 124 Trouble at home ............................................................................................................................. 124 Wisconsin as “ground zero” .......................................................................................................... 125 Summary of chapter 4 ............................................................................................................ 127 Chapter 5: Conclusions and implications