Liberals Get A Think Tank Of Their Own

[The Backlash Cometh]

To most Washington think tank executives, $10 million or $12 million per year for three years would sound like a lot of money.

But then, they are not trying to do what former White House chief of staff John D. Podesta has in mind for his new Center for American Progress. Podesta's ambition is to update the liberal agenda while beating back the conservative tide. Also, to discover, train and promote a new generation of liberal spokesmen. In other words, he wants to give the left of the American political spectrum a think tank to match the Heritage Foundation on the right.

The seed money pledged by such deep-pocketed Democrats as financier George Soros and mortgage billionaires Herbert and Marion Sandler -- while serious dough -- is barely enough to make a beginning.

On the other hand, Heritage got started on less. Hatched amid the ruins of the post-Watergate Republican Party, Heritage has grown into a $30 million-a-year operation -- a hatchery of ideas, yes, but also a packager, promoter, expediter, wholesaler, matchmaker and orchestrator. It is the hub of a network of loosely aligned conservative brain barns with budgets totaling $100 million or so

More


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2623-200...

[realFedUp]

1. Bring it on

better late than never.

[La_Serpiente]

2. They should get

Warren Buffet to fund it.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

4. An alternative

$50 from every DU member would give the Center one million dollars, and grassroots bona fides to boot. I know the economy's rough and many of us are out of work -- but even a few bucks their direction is money well spent.

We need to find contact information (I didn't see it in the article) and give them our support.

[UpInArms]

10. additional information can be found here

http://www.centerforamericanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?ci...

and info on David Sirota, here:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/982191.asp?cp1=1

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. Before I donate...

I'd want to be sure that the think-tank can't be co-opted by people who really don't have a commitment to use government for the betterment of all Americans & America. I would want to see posted some tenets for those who are on board. Ideas from other political viewpoints should be welcome, but they should not drown out the original platform.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

15. A very good point

Let's see who they name as their nine Fellows and read some of their previous work.

On Edit: Thanks for the link UpinArms -- and you can see that they've already named their first nine fellows. I recognize some (all positive), but haven't read the bio's of the rest. The senior staff includes several veterans of the Clinton Administration. Looks good to me.

[sidpleasant]

17. Re: Warren Buffet

Would that be the same Warren Buffet who is now Schwarzennegger's senior economic advisor and whose presence at his side during the campaign killed any serious questions about Arnold's plans to fix California? I don't want that traitor anywhere near any organ affiliated in any way with the Democratic party or progressive politics.

[newyawker99]

20. Hi sidpleasant!!

Welcome to DU!!

[HootieMcBoob]

3. it's about time

one more little step in the right direction.

[dbt]

5. Excellent move!

Now, we must connect promising high school debate students (of which there are hundreds) with this think tank and pray for symbiosis. Here in Little Rock, a surprising number of these young exhibit some very open minds, if not outright Liberal sympathies. They also love the sport of a good argument. They are utterly unafraid of public speaking and they win better than half the time. They have more trophies than the basketball team and they are closing in on the football team.

Perhaps there are kids like this where you live. I think they should know about a place in the world after high school that won't treat them like freaks just because they have big brains and caring hearts. I'm going to make sure that some of my spouse's brighter students hear about this Center for American Progress.

Maybe half a dozen E-ville DUers nationwide might want to join in this merry prank?

What Would Wavy Gravy Do?


dbt

[Flying_Pig]

6. Too damned few, but hopefully not too late. Why have the Dems

been sitting on their asses for the last 10 years, while the wingers have started dozens of "think tanks" to manipulate the media and public opinion? Not too swift...

[Spazito]

7. This is great news!

and there is another group worth watching as well, the Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy.

Here is a link to their site:

http://www.realisticforeignpolicy.org /

I wish them both well!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Hmmm

Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy?

[Spazito]

9. LOL!

or you could do "COalition for a Realistic forEign policy = CORE

[dbt]

12. Prior claim exists on CORE

Quick! Can anyone name the group? Extra points for links!


dbt

[benfranklin1776]

13. Congress of Racial Equality.

www.core-online.org

[dbt]

14. Thank you, Dr. Franklin!

I always knew you were real. And you were certainly right about the wild turkey. Where is the rest of your gang these days?


dbt

[benfranklin1776]

16. Regrettably, rolling over in their collective graves.

Indeed, the grievous assailment on the principles of constitutional democracy undertaken by the would-be King George the Junior and and his odious minions such as the petty tyrant, Lord Low Executioner John Aschroft, has them spinning at a speed greater than the speed with which Haliburton racks up overcharges. However they have faith that the people will awaken from their slumber in the year ahead and send them slinking in November 2004 back to the gilded holes from which they crawled.

[pippin]

18. DU IS A THINK TANK

of sorts. Articles by thoughtful dems are bein published and a section devoted to think tank activites could easily be started online. the idea that any institution has to be supported by imposing buildings is old hat. Isn't this a chance fto start a virtual think tank?

Get started DU: form an executive board with maybe people like bill and hil,carter etc as well as scholars and journalists.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

19. CAP's link

www.centerforamericanprogress.org