Institute Updates September/October 2008
Published on Tuesday, October 21, 2008
ARTICLES
ALABAMA
David Sawyer has joined the Alabama Policy Institute as director of communications and programs.A former television news anchor and meteorologist with nearly 20 years of experience in broadcasting, Sawyer is well-equipped for his new role at API. His responsibilities will include video and audio production for the website and DVDs.He'll also coordinate API projects with a scientific theme. A native of Greensboro, N.C.,Sawyer studied chemistry at the University of North Carolina. He earned a master's degree from East Carolina University in 1990. Sawyer, who holds the prestigious Television Seal of Approval from the American Meteorological Society, will be instrumental in API's efforts to inform and educate in a clear, concise and relevant format. alabamapolicy.org
ALASKA
The Institute of the North has been selected to play a substantial role in the preparation of the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment final report. AMSA is a major project of the Arctic Council under the Protection of Marine Environment working group. In the coming months, Institute staff will be editing data from several sources for the long anticipated report which is scheduled for publication in 2009. A major milestone in this project was reached in May with the release of "The Future of Arctic Navigation in Mid-Century." This study presents four scenario narratives that systematically consider the long-term social, technological, economic, environmental and political impacts of arctic maritime navigation. The Institute is relocating its office to 509 West Third Avenue, Suite 104, Anchorage 99501.institutenorth.org
ARIZONA
The Arizona Legislature ended its session by passing two bills built on Goldwater Institute blueprints. After a year of debate with the state schools chief over the transparency of Arizona's student testing regime, the Legislature scrapped the current test in favor of one that will provide reliable results. Legislators also created an online database of the state's financial transactions. In July the Institute asked every candidate running for office to sign an Open Government pledge - 112 of 560 signed on the dotted line. After repeated open records requests on how much money is spent on self-promotion, Goldwater filed a lawsuit against the mayor of Tucson for failing to comply. A Tucson TV station did an investigation and shamed the mayor into action within 48 hours. Another lawsuit, McComish v. Brewer, challenges the matching funds provisions of Arizona's taxpayer-subsidized campaign finance system. Any state facing the threat of "clean elections" should watch this case as it is sure to have an impact nationwide. goldwaterinstitute.org
ARKANSAS
Eighteen Arkansas K-12 public school districts earned the top grade (A or A-minus) in the Arkansas Policy Foundation's third annual School District Rankings study. Fourteen districts received a failing grade in the report, which relies on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills to grade all Arkansas districts. The Policy Foundation report recommends students in failing districts should have access to reforms like school choice, tax credits and charter schools. The Policy Foundation recommended letter grades for K-12 districts in 1998, and is issuing another annual report because Arkansas officials have failed to act on the recommendation, although they haveexpanded charter schools three times.arkansaspolicyfoundation.org
CALIFORNIA
The Pacific Research Institute released the second edition of the U.S. Index of Health Ownership, an annual ranking report on health freedom, measuring the degree to which individuals "own" health care in their states. The report was released at the American Legislative Exchange Council annual meeting in Chicago. PRI's new study, "Tech Titans or Political Piñatas: How Global Antitrust Laws Spring Up, Beat Down and Hold Back America's Leading Innovators," exposes how rival companies abuse antitrust laws to gain advantage over competitors. "Demography Is Not Destiny: Reform Lessons from Florida on Overcoming Achievement Gaps" shows that a disadvantaged socioeconomic background does not necessarily consign students to poor academic performance. PRI moved to a new office located at One Embarcadero, Suite 350, San Francisco 94111. PRI is looking forward to presenting the Sir Antony Fisher Freedom Award to Jerry Hume at the Institute's Annual Gala Dinner in San Francisco on Nov. 12. George Will is the evening's featured speaker. pacificresearch.org
COLORADO
As the 2008 election season reaches a frantic pace, so does the Independence Institute as it labors tirelessly to counterbalance efforts to tax Coloradans into oblivion and ignore state law. The Institute has survived the onslaught of liberals descending on Denver for the Democratic National Convention, so it'll continue leading the state ballot amendment battle to prohibit public payroll systems from collecting money for special interest groups, including union dues. The good fight will continue in the courts against Gov. Ritter's unconstitutional SB 199 "Children's Amendment" property-tax hike that used kids as a front for his money grab. In reality, the 2007 law enacted a property-tax rate-freeze allowing the Legislature to spend almost $4 billion more in the first decade alone. Not only is a single cent not guaranteed to education or children, but the measure violated the state constitution by not seeking a popular vote. A lower court has already agreed and declared SB 199 unconstitutional. The governor appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court. In awaiting the ruling, the words of Jon Caldara come to mind: "If not the Independence Institute, then who?" i2i.org
CONNECTICUT
In September, the Yankee Institute released "Ending Connecticut's Individual Income Tax with a Taxpayer Bill of Rights." Written by J. Scott Moody and Wendy P. Warcholik, the study shows how Connecticut state government needs spending reform, and the current spending cap has proven ineffective for such a task. A Taxpayer Bill of Rights places real limits on spending.By methodically increasing the personal exemption based on yearly budget surpluses, the income tax is gone in little more than two decades. Higher personal exemption ensures that all taxpayers enjoy the fruits of lower taxes. Eliminating the income tax will stimulate long-term economic growth, simultaneously shrink the burden of consumer debt and provide the revenue generation to pay itself down. For a government program, that's a win-win-win proposition. yankeeinstitute.org
DELAWARE
The Caesar Rodney Institute held its official kick off on Sept. 16. Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform; David Boaz, Cato Institute; and Jim Shaffer, Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia, helped to launch our journey. Chris Stout of the Delaware Film Company explained the innovative role that new media will play in delivering our message, while State Senators Charlie Copeland and Colin Bonini underscored the importance of our message. Both Senators Copeland and Bonini have been long-time champions of transparency and smaller government. The Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia provided each attendee with a copy of its 2008 Sir Anthony Fisher Award-winning book, Unleashing Capitalism: Why Prosperity Stops at the West Virginia Boarder and How to Fix it. Also in September, Dr. Francis Tannian, Ph.D. joined us as chairman of our academic board of advisors, and Brian Campbell became our first intern. Brian spent this past summer as an SPN/IHS Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow at Cascade Policy Institute in Oregon. caesarrodney.org
FLORIDA
From Václav Klaus and Milton Friedman to Medicaid reform, summer at the James Madison Institute extended beyond the borders of Florida. Following Czech Republic President Václav Klaus' speech at the Washington, D.C. Press Club in June, JMI president Bob McClure met with him personally to discuss global warming, freedom and democracy. JMI celebrated the legacy of Milton Friedman on July 31 by hosting its second annual Friedman Luncheon in Tallahassee for select high school seniors enrolled in economics courses this fall. On the heels of July's highly successful Medicaid reform study - cited nationally and internationally for its analysis of the effectiveness of Florida's pilot program - JMI released its latest white paper, "Phase II of Florida's Plan for Energy and Climate Change: Avoiding the Mistakes Made by Others," by Paul Bachman of the Beacon Hill Institute. The study examines the potential economic impact of climate-change legislation. The Institute also recently released its Summer 2008 Journal containing articles on proposed state constitutional amendments, Florida's property insurance gamble, offshore drilling, school spending and more. jamesmadison.org
GEORGIA
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation is releasing two major reports on higher education and spending transparency. Chapters of the Foundation's candidate briefing book, Agenda 2009: A Guide to the Issues, are being released weekly at
gppf.org. The Foundation garnered statewide media attention at its July 31 Milton Friedman event hosted with the Center for an Educated Georgia and Black Alliance for Educational Options. At the event, State Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson unveiled his vision for educational choice in Georgia. With issues from electricity to ethanol in the spotlight in Georgia as the elections and 2009 session approach, the Foundation's fall Policy Briefing Luncheon tackles Georgia's upcoming energy challenges.
HAWAII
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii's new YouTube station, "Grassroot TV," includes a video press conference and six original videos. View them via grassrootinstitute.org. "Good News: Native Hawaiians Prosper," a new Institute report recently unveiled at a state capitol press conference, shows Native Hawaiians prospering relative to other ethnic groups in Hawaii and on the mainland. The leading political reporter in Hawaii covered the study extensively in the state's largest newspaper. GRIH recently hosted its second annual Milton Friedman Birthday Luncheon, with nearly 100 attendees, including the Hawaii Speaker of the House and other elected officials. Filmed by the Grassroot Communications Department, the event will be shown on local cable access and Grassroot TV. The Grassroot Institute is in the market for an investigative reporter, policy analyst and development associate. Contact Jamie Story at jamie@grassrootinstitute.org.
ILLINOIS
In August, the Illinois Policy Institute released its Liberty Agenda for Illinois, a liberty-centric policy agenda to make the state a better place for businesses, families and all citizens. IPI also hosted its inaugural Liberty Forum, an in-depth conference gathering candidates, legislators and citizens dedicated to pursuing free market policy solutions. Transparency is a top focus at the Institute, and our Liberty Leaders program, which helps citizens spread the word about free-market policy, has gained 30 new members, now up to 44, since June. Many Liberty Leaders are transparency-focused, successfully encouraging more than 10 localities to post their spending online since June. In June, IPI co-hosted a school choice luncheon with the Cato Institute that drew over 80 attendees; in July, chef Charlie Trotter, a great supporter of liberty, joined us for a Chicago cocktail reception. The Institute's work on school choice continues to gain attention; in August, the Institute's charter school recommendations were featured in, and endorsed by, the Chicago Tribune. New team members include Richard Lorenc, outreach director, and Kara Beth Vance, fall intern.Kate Campaigne is our new director of transparency policy, rather than transportation, as stated in the May/June SPN News.illinoispolicyinstitute.org
INDIANA
The Indiana Policy Review is preparing a survey of government corruption at the municipal and county levels, noting that as local government becomes larger and more complex our democratic processes are helpless to monitor it. "Education" and "economic development" lead the list of cover stories for institutional corruption. Dr. Sam Staley will edit the special issue of the quarterly journal. Statehouse observers believe this coming legislative session will provide the first real opportunity for systemic, free-market reform of Indiana public education, with or without the blessings of Gov. Daniels. inpolicy.org
IOWA
With the creation of a transparency website, the Public Interest Institute is furthering the cause of transparency and accountability in Iowa state government
(iowatransparency.org). Information on the Iowa legislative process will soon be available so "Joe Taxpayer" can see how dollars total up in the spending column for each Iowa legislator. Vote Tally and Bill Tally, adapted from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation for the 2008 session of the Iowa General Assembly, will make information on appropriations votes immediately accessible to taxpayers of Iowa. Vote Tally analyzes floor votes on appropriations bills and gives reports on spending patterns of Iowa Legislators. Bill Tally gives spending data for sponsored legislation introduced in chamber. The Public Interest Institute has also created a new monthly publication, Iowa Transparency Newsletter, devoted to covering the growing transparency movement in Iowa and around the nation. The first issue, mailed to Institute members in September, features an article by research analyst Ellen Racheter titled, "Iowa Transparency: An Idea Whose Time Has Come."limitedgovernment.org
KANSAS
The Flint Hills Center for Public Policy had a busy summer publishing papers with a focus on education and health care - two big issues in both national and local politics. One local Kansas school district is calling for a $370 million dollar bond vote in November. In response, education policy fellow John LaPlante and programs vice president Sarah McIntosh recently published "USD 259: Is Another Bond Proposal the Best Idea?"The study looks closely at USD 259 schools, which have had stagnant enrollment and low performance, and questions whether dumping more money into a flawed system is going to really help students. Also on the education front, LaPlante completed a study on proficiency scores and concluded that there is a problem with grade inflation in Kansas. Senior fellow Greg Schneider recently published two papers looking at the costs behind health care and the regulations which drive-up prices. In October, the Center will host a premiere of "Flunked." flinthills.org
KENTUCKY
The Bluegrass Institute is posting information to, and actively training collaborators for, its new wiki (freedomkentucky.org). Currently, the site highlights Kentucky's failing school districts and prevailing-wage information. A tax-burden calculator will be added in the near future. The Institute partnered with the Friedman Foundation and University of Kentucky economists to release a report comparing the commonwealth's spending of its public-education dollars to other states. Jackie Arinaitwe has joined the Bluegrass Institute's policy team as an intern. She previously served in that same capacity at the Alabama Policy Institute as a 2008 SPN/IHS Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow. Arinaitwe will be pursuing a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Kentucky. bipps.org
LOUISIANA
Historic Tax Cut! In 2006, Louisiana Family Forum hired a former legislative auditor, Johnny Rombach, to investigate and report on the 2002 "Stelly Tax Reform" bill. LFF's report, the "Stelly Tax Tsunami" demonstrated how the Stelly law did not reduce taxes on Louisiana citizens. Instead it actually increased taxes to such a degree that the state began producing annual tax surpluses. LFF's report rocked the Louisiana Legislature and paved the way for a two-part tax cut. In 2007, the state returned tax deductions (mortgage, medical and charitable) removed by the 2002 bill, and in 2008 Republican State Sen. Buddy Shaw finished the job by restoring pre-Stelly tax rate brackets, saving Louisiana taxpayers a whopping $300 million this year alone. For this effort, Louisiana Family Forum Action awarded Senator Shaw the 2008 Life and Liberty Award. lafamilyforum.org
The Pelican Institute's vice president for policy, Jeb Bruneau, participated in a panel hosted by the Tax Foundation at the National Conference of State Legislators' 2008 Legislative Summit in New Orleans. The topic was "Creating a Competitive Tax Climate in Your State," and Bruneau discussed tax-cutting measures that can make Louisiana more competitive with its neighbors. During NCSL the Institute hosted an evening social event with Americans for Tax Reform, the Cato Institute and American Majority. Free-marketers from around the country enjoyed New Orleans-style jazz, cocktails and food. The Institute also hosted a dinner on Milton Friedman Legacy Day featuring local businessman and school choice advocate James M. Huger. Huger described his experience overseeing the operation of a charter school that opened after Hurricane Katrina, and explained why school choice is vital to the future of New Orleans. Transparency continues to be a primary issue for the Institute. The state's transparency website is about to debut. The Institute will be providing the public and media with commentary and analysis. pelicaninstitute.org
MAINE
The Maine Heritage Policy Center is responding to new tax burden methodology which "lowers" the state's ranking from No. 2 to No. 15. Neither is good, but state politicians are crowing about the improvement - when nothing has really changed!Steve Bowen, MHPC's new director of education policy, hosted a school choice seminar on July 31 to celebrate Milton Friedman's birthday. Dr. Friedman was an early advocate of school choice and recommended that the government should be out of the provider loop, and help fund education in private schools of parents' choice. Author Amity Shlaes (The Forgotten Man: A New Look at The Great Depression) was the speaker at our August Maine Prosperity Luncheon. Shlaes addressed the lessons to be learned from the Great Depression - and how to avoid the updated "solutions" to the national economy being promised in this year's election. The 2008 Freedom and Opportunity Luncheon keynote speaker was John Stossel. Watch for an all-new transparency website application in September.mainepolicy.org
MARYLAND
The Free State Foundation released a new study, "Avoiding Structural Deficits in Maryland: Recommendations for Reform," by FSF senior fellow Cecilia Januszkiewicz, former secretary of Maryland's Department of Budget and Management. The study recommends 11 specific reforms to Maryland's budget processes that, if adopted, will likely reduce persistent structural deficits. Adoption of the recommendations will instill fiscal discipline by raising awareness of the costs imposed by new and enhanced programs. The recommendations are part of a more comprehensive FSF study slated for fall release. Maryland's deficit is projected to continue until at least 2013. Januszkiewicz recommends that each new proposed law identify its funding (new revenues or reductions in other programs). The study also suggests more transparency in the so-called "spending affordability process" by requiring detailed disclosure for determining affordability, allowing public comment on spending levels and requiring that spending-limit increases be discussed at a public hearing. freestatefoundation.org
Massachusetts
Beacon Hill Institute plucked a policy victory in the current debate over the use of police details on state roads. Gov. Patrick is moving toward a plan that will use less-costly civilian flaggers based on recommendations made by BHI. Executive Director David G. Tuerck met regularly with the governor's staff to address the prevailing wage issue raised by critics. Along with the Political Research Center at Suffolk University, BHI released an August poll showing that 86 percent of voters support the use of civilian flaggers deployed by most other states on road projects. BHI's work drew the attention of two Boston Herald lead editorials. Meanwhile, BHI just completed yet another successful summer internship program. BHI offered internships to three Tufts University students Mark Adams (Class of 2010), Bradley Dreisbach (2010) and Matthew Schuster (2008). They were joined by Jonathan Ritter of Hobart College (2008). All worked on a variety of projects, including an upgrade of the Institute's website, an economic study on the Akaka amendment granting rights and land to Native Hawaiians, telecommunications tax burdens and the Institute's upcoming competitiveness index. beaconhill.org
In September the Pioneer Institute hosted a forum to consider "Differential Pay for Math and Science Teachers." Sponsored by the Broad Foundation, the event marked the release of Pioneer's latest research findings that differential pay isn't enough: Quality math and science teachers must be paid for performance. Right now, signing bonuses and other short-term incentives do little to address the growing teachers' wage gap driving good educators into other private-sector professions. On Nov. 13 Pioneer will celebrate its 20th anniversary, commemorating its founding in 1988 and honoring founding chairman Lovett C. Peters. Pioneer will look back at two decades of independent thinking and common sense that helped improve Massachusetts' schools, government and economy. A campaign will be initiated that evening to honor Peters and secure a permanent home for Pioneer. pioneerinstitute.org
MICHIGAN
Sept. 1 marked the end of an era for the Mackinac Center as Lawrence W. Reed, its founding president, transitioned to the role of president emeritus. Reed maintains a seat on the Center's board of directors while assuming the top spot at the Foundation for Economic Education. Joseph G. Lehman was the board's unanimous choice to succeed Reed. In 20 years, Reed oversaw the growth of the Center from two employees and an $80,000 budget to a staff of 30 with a $4 million budget. The Center will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a Nov. 11 gala featuring John Stossel. A Constitution-altering ballot initiative titled "Reform Michigan Government Now!" was exposed by the Center as a plan to give one party control of legislative redistricting in Michigan. While conducting union spending research, labor policy intern Jim Vote discovered a detailed PowerPoint summation of the plan on a UAW local Web site. The Center was cited in some four dozen media stories, including The Wall Street Journal and National Review Online. mackinac.org
MINNESOTA
In addition to recent and imminent programs with the likes of David Brooks, Stuart Butler, David Frum and John Hinderaker, Center of the American Experiment released two significant publications in August and September. "Learning From Lincoln:Principle and Pragmatism: Getting the Balance Right" is tied (in exquisitely nonpartisan ways) to the Republican National Convention just held in St. Paul and is the most recent in a long series of Center symposia starring writers from around Minnesota and the nation. Among its 29 contributors are SPN members and other conservative lights such as Greg Blankenship, Paul Gessing, Jake Haulk, Randy May, Jim Miller, Grover Norquist, Don Racheter, Larry Reed, David Tuereck and Cheri Pierson Yecke. Also new is Riding into the Sunrise: Al Quie and a Life of Faith, Service & Civility, a biography of former Minnesota Governor and Congressman Al Quie, written by American Experiment founder and president Mitch Pearlstein and published by Pogo Press. "This is the kind of book," Charles Colson writes in his Foreword, "you want to read and then read to your kids. This is a life well lived and worth emulating."americanexperiment.org
In August, the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota completed its investigation of the state's Local Government Aid program, the results of which will be publicly released at the beginning of the 2009 legislative session. The LGA program, which provides direct payments to hundreds of Minnesota cities each year, costs taxpayers approximately half a billion dollars a year. Coinciding with the release of the LGA study, the Freedom Foundation will publicly launch its government transparency website, providing citizens with financial data from each Minnesota municipality and county. In addition, staff have begun recruiting grassroots activists in targeted counties and municipalities to serve as on-the-ground government transparency watchdogs. Finally, the Freedom Foundation completed its first Summer Internship Program in mid-August. The program was an extraordinary success due to the outstanding team of interns that dedicated their time and talents to the Freedom Foundation. The Fall Internship Program will begin in early September. freedomfoundationofminnesota.com
The Minnesota Free Market Institute threw a birthday bash for Milton Friedman. President David Strom and senior policy fellow Craig Westover continue to garner significant media exposure through major Minnesota newspapers and Townhall.com. Topics covered include McCain's education proposals, fighting state-run health care, the failings of a new transit tax, the economics of gas prices and global warming. Following an MnFMI column urging Minnesota Gov. Pawlenty to veto a foreclosure relief bill on constitutional grounds, the governor did indeed veto the bill and in his veto message made specific references to the constitutional issues. The David Strom Radio show continues to grow listenership, both live and through podcasts at Townhall.com.
David remains a popular speaker and has recently been quoted in several local and national publications about speculation thatGov. Pawlenty is on the vice president short list.The Free Market Institute is preparing a publication on wasteful state spending. mnfmi.org
MISSISSIPPI
The Mississippi Center for Public Policy will host two sitting governors when it holds its 15th Anniversary Dinner on Sept. 29. South Carolina Gov. Sanford will deliver the keynote address, and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will receive MCPP's inaugural "Governing by Principle" Award. MCPP is advancing the goal of transparency at the local level. This follows MCPP's legislative transparency successes, including required posting of electronic copies of contracts and grants. MCPP's research director, Jason Anderson, was invited to speak on transparency to the state convention of Chancery Clerks (similar to county clerks in most states), who serve as county treasurers. One county has now begun posting its spending record online, and Anderson is advising a web design company that hosts websites for almost 20 percent of the counties. mspolicy.org
MISSOURI
The Show-Me Institute released a new case study examining Missouri's E-10 ethanol mandate, in response to a widely publicized corn industry claim that the mandate would result in significant gasoline savings. In contrast, the Show-Me Institute study found that by taking into account the documented decrease in fuel efficiency of E-10 blended fuel and the taxpayer cost of ethanol subsidies, the state's ethanol mandate will instead result in a net loss to Missouri consumers of almost $1 billion during the next decade. The study has received widespread attention throughout Missouri and has begun to make a splash in other states as well. The Institute is launching its new policy portal service as part of its government transparency project ShowMePolicyPulse.org. Powered by StateSurge, the site provides a 360-degree view of aggregated policy data, news and commentary in one easy-to-use interface. Also, in September, the Show-Me Institute brought famed Freakonomics author Steven Levitt to Saint Louis for the third event in its 2008 economic policy lecture series. showmeinstitute.org
MONTANA
The Montana Policy Institute is kicking off the public face of its Transparency Project with a stakeholder survey that will identify potential user desires and requirements. This survey will be followed up with a public awareness campaign in advance of the 2009 legislative session that will encourage lawmakers to make transparency a top priority. This project is the flagship effort of the Institute's overall Government Reform legislative agenda; budget reform and a taxpayers' bill of rights are two other focus areas. MPI will host a November legislators' forum involving significant participation by national experts and groups - the first of its kind in the state - to provide information and ideas to lawmakers on transparency, performance based budgeting, TABOR and basic free market principles. montanapolicy.org
NEBRASKA
Roger Lempke, executive director of the Platte Institute for Economic Research, led a press conference in August on the steps of the State Capitol to announce the line-up for the Institute's Transparency Conference. Scheduled for Nov. 18, it will feature John Stossel as keynote speaker. Nebraska State Treasurer Shane Osborn and University of Nebraska professor Charlyne Berens, Ph.D., also will present during the conference. Another highlight of the conference will be a presentation by Platte Institute senior policy analyst Nicole Barrett, on the unveiling of the Institute's Unicameral Votes Online website, which will enable citizens to better track Unicameral happenings. On July 31 the Institute conducted a successful Milton Friedman Luncheon. Nebraska State Senator Tony Fulton, who recently advocated for a performance audit of the Department of Roads by the state auditor, was the keynote speaker and Bellevue University Professor Judd Patton, Ph.D., chair of the economics department, spoke on Friedman's economic theories. platteinstitute.org
NEVADA
The Nevada Policy Research Institute and its allies celebrated a key policy victory in August as the State Board of Education voted to lift its moratorium on the approval of new charter schools. Last year the board put the moratorium in place (effectively halting the popular program) citing an overwhelming workload brought on by too many charter school applications. The move was particularly troubling given that the entire state of Nevada has just 22 charter schools to begin with. NPRI criticized the decision in press releases, commentaries and blog posts, and on talk radio programs. After more than eight months, the Board has finally lifted the moratorium. npri.org
NEW HAMPSHIRE
In August, The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy sponsored a seminar, "Budget Basics," for politicians in any party to help them understand, and be able to explain to average citizens, the basic structures and requirements of the state budget. The seminar was so well received it had to move to a larger facility. In September the Center released "Next Year's Budget Problem," which explores the deficit facing legislators after the election and sets some realistic fiscal parameters to promote budget frugality. jbartlett.org
NEW MEXICO
In celebration of what would have been Dr. Milton Friedman's 96th birthday, the Rio Grande Foundation hosted an Albuquerque showing of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation's "Flunked." Ben Chavis (an educator and star of the film) and Steve Maggi (the film's producer) led a post-film discussion on education reform. Eighty people attended, and the event was covered by several local media outlets. Gov. Richardson called a special legislative session in August to discuss health care and tax rebates. The Rio Grande Foundation was front-and-center in the weeks leading up to the session providing the public and policymakers with free market arguments on health care and information on maximizing the economic benefits of returning money to taxpayers in both the short and long term. The Foundation created a community blog called "New Mexico Liberty" to enable individuals and activists to gather in cyberspace to discuss issues and share ideas. riograndefoundation.org
NEW YORK
The Empire Center for New York State Policy launched SeeThroughNY.net in late July.The website gives New Yorkers a clearer view of how their state and local tax dollars are spent. The initial version of the website offers searchable databases for the entire New York State payroll; teacher union and school superintendent contracts for nearly all of the state's school districts; operating expenditures of both houses of the Legislature; and the Legislature's pork-barrel, or "member item," spending for 2008-09. Since July 31 more than 280,000 unique visitors downloaded more than 1.2 million pages on SeeThroughNY, which received media coverage by more than 20 television stations statewide as well as by newspapers, periodicals, radio stations and blogs from as far away as Israel and Thailand. empirecenter.org
NORTH CAROLINA
Taxpayers, legislators and state workers all responded with interest this summer when the John Locke Foundation's Carolina Journal broke the news that the North Carolina governor's wife had received an 88 percent pay raise at her state-funded university job. That report followed earlier CJ investigations that shed light on dubious taxpayer-funded air travel involving both the governor and first lady. CJ reporters also broke the news of a scandal involving cheating in public school systems' free and reduced-price school lunch programs. JLF researchers continued to work through the summer, cranking out reports that exposed myths about North Carolina's city-friendly annexation law, urged reform of the state's auto insurance rate-making process, and criticized legislative leaders for voting to run up the state's debt. The research staff also prepared the biennial Agenda 2008, a candidates' guide to important issues in taxes, education, transportation, property rights, the environment and other hot topics. The Locke Foundation also helped celebrate Milton Friedman's legacy with a July 31 presentation, "Milton Friedman, Economic Freedom, and Environmental Quality." johnlocke.org
The North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law announced today that retired N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr has returned to lead the Institute. In August of 2004, shortly after his retirement,Orr became the first executive director of NCICL. He stepped down from his position at NCICL in May of 2007 to run for governor. Board chairman Bill Maready remarked, "We're delighted to have Justice Orr coming back to NCICL. His experience in helping start andlead the organization in its formative years, plus his 18 years of service on our state's two highest courts, is a great asset." Orr stated,"I have great appreciation for and loyalty to NCICL and its mission. My work on the Supreme Court and my recent experience as a candidate for governor strengthened my belief that promoting a greater emphasis on and appreciation for the North Carolina Constitution, and the rights it affords and limitations it imposes on government, is a necessary and important objective. NCICL opened its staff-of-four office Sept. 1. ncicl.org
OHIO
Buckeye Institute education policy director Matthew Carr recently co-authored an award-winning teacher merit-pay study. According to Carr's findings, introducing merit-pay programs into Ohio's existing teacher compensation system will help recruit exceptional new teachers, retain successful teachers and improve the overall quality of public education. "Reforming teacher compensation and increasing teacher quality should be an important component of any education reform initiative," said Carr. "A well-designed merit pay program can increase the quality of teachers, improve educational outcomes, and facilitate an environment of collegiality and cooperation among teachers."Carr's study outlines the issues surrounding merit pay, summarizes the available research and provides a prototype merit pay plan that can be implemented in districts across the state. The study won the 2008 Pioneer Institute Better Government Competition Runner-up Award.Also, the Institute announced its Center for Transparent and Accountable Government. The center will collect and post online state and local government budgets, employee contracts, public records policies and other information. Its first two initiatives include a candidate transparency pledge and an open government wiki page. buckeyeinstitute.org
OREGON
Cascade Policy Institute, in conjunction with Americans for Prosperity and the Competitive Enterprise Institute, recently hosted Czech Republic President Václav Klaus in Portland. Klaus met in private sessions with state legislators and the media, and was the keynote speaker at a gala luncheon held in his honor. His topic was the subject of his latest book, Blue Planet in Green Shackles: What is Endangered: Climate or Freedom? Steve Buckstein and Tina Pisenti participated in the first annual Rural Oregon Congress, a two-day conference focusing on natural resources, telecommunications, economic development and health care policy for rural parts of the state. In partnership with the Broad Foundation, Cascade hosted an education roundtable featuring local economist Randall Pozdena, who presented the findings of his new report on incentivizing teachers to improve student achievement. Matt Wingard, Cascade's School Choice Project director, was chosen to fill an Oregon House District seat, replacing Rep. Jerry Krummel, who relocated to the East Coast. Matt will now be listed as an incumbent on the November ballot. cascadepolicy.org
PENNSYLVANIA
Allegheny Institute research and policy recommendations are having a significant impact in Southwest Pennsylvania. After entering into a contract to collect garbage in a neighboring borough, Pittsburgh's mayor declared the city ready to offer its services to other municipalities at rates competitive with the private sector. An Allegheny Institute research paper revealed the city was seriously underestimating the actual cost of its garbage collection. The research showed the city's true cost, including benefits and workers' compensation, was much higher than the amount being received, and pointed out that taxpayers are subsidizing their neighbors' refuse collection. After the report was released, talk of offering garbage service to other municipalities suddenly became passé. The Institute's work exposing the pitfalls of a proposed merger of city and county governments contributed to an announcement that they're not ready to put the merger to voters. There's now widespread agreement that far too many questions remain unanswered - effectively putting an end to merger talk. A far better model is needed before this issue can be revived. alleghenyinstitute.org
The Commonwealth Foundation will publicly launch its "Free Markets for Pennsylvania" fundraising campaign Nov. 11 at its Speaker Franklin Awards Dinner in Harrisburg. Former Gov. Dick Thornburgh will be honored with the Foundation's 2008 Speaker Franklin Statesman Award for his leadership as governor, 1979-1987. US News & World Report's Michael Barone will deliver the keynote speech. "Free Markets for Pennsylvania" is a $4.2 million campaign designed to expand the Foundation's intellectual arsenal by increasing its education and research capacity. Through the establishment of three centers - the Center for Taxes & Fiscal Responsibility, the Center for Educational Opportunity & Excellence, and the Center for Economic Freedom & Prosperity - the Commonwealth Foundation will provide a more powerful voice for free-market solutions to public policy problems. commonwealthfoundation.org
RHODE ISLAND
The legislative session is over in Rhode Island but the work is just beginning for the Ocean State Policy Research Institute. One of the bold initiatives to save money and provide better services in Rhode Island is a global waiver proposal to create more state control over the implementation of Medicaid. This proposal would allow Rhode Island to receive five years worth of funding at a capped amount in exchange for greater freedoms in designing the system. An emphasis will be placed on empowering clients with choices between institutional care and home-based services while increasing personal responsibility and accountability. Much like the welfare reforms of 1996, this global waiver can allow greater innovation and accountability than ever before. OSPRI has a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Medicaid in Rhode Island, and perhaps across the country, by providing sound free-market policy innovations. oceanstatepolicy.org
SOUTH CAROLINA
The South Carolina Policy Council released a study that found the Legislature held anonymous voice votes 95 percent of the time on bills it passed during the 2008 session. The study also found South Carolina trails the majority of other southeastern states, which require at least a recorded vote on final passage of legislation. The Policy Council's findings made front-page headlines in newspapers across the state, and The Augusta Chronicle, Charleston Post and Courier, Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Hilton Head Island Packet each editorialized in favor of mandating recorded votes. Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell and Rep. Nikki Haley responded to the Policy Council study with an editorial in the state's largest newspaper that said they will introduce joint legislation during the upcoming session to require roll call votes on matters that significantly impact taxpayers, benefit legislators personally or professionally, or that spend money. Haley authored a similar bill during the previous session, but it failed to receive a floor vote in the House. scpolicycouncil.com
TENNESSEE
On July 31, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research hosted the Volunteer State's Friedman Legacy Day event at the Nashville Zoo. More than 80 attendees discussed ways to protect and expand educational options in Tennessee while dozens of home school, charter school and private school students enjoyed pizza, cake and a tour of the zoo. In an effort to expose poor public policy at the local level, the Center released a report assessing the constitutionally-dubious and fiscally-imprudent method in which several Tennessee cities administer red light cameras. TCPR president Drew Johnson was featured, along with John Charles of the Cascade Policy Institute, on a recent episode of Showtime's irreverent hit television series Penn & Teller: Bullshit! The "Being Green" episode gave a recounting of the hostility, threats and slurs TCPR endured after exposing Al Gore's massive home energy consumption. tennesseepolicy.org
TEXAS
The Texas Public Policy Foundation has launched TexasBudgetSource.com, a comprehensive resource for state and local government spending information. The site was hailed by the Washington Examiner as its No. 1 "Brightest Idea of the Week" on July 13 and received more than 125 media mentions in its first three weeks. The Foundation and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University co-hosted a successful Capital Campus Texas 2008 on July 9-10 at the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio. More than 40 legislative and executive agency staff heard from several noted scholars on today's critical policy issues, plus keynote remarks from Amity Shlaes, author of The Forgotten Man.The Foundation recorded two episodes of "Texas PolicyCast" with Robert Novak and Barry Goldwater, Jr. at its table during the Americans for Prosperity "Defending the American Dream Summit" on July 18-19 in Austin. Justin Keener, a veteran public relations executive and former advisor to Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, has joined the Foundation as its new vice president for policy and communications. texaspolicy.com
UTAH
As part of its continued expansion, the Sutherland Institute recently finished launching its four policy centers. The Center for Limited Government will focus on reducing the role and influence of government and eliminating government competition with the private sector. The Center for Educational Progress will promote a culture of informed self-reliance in education and expand educational opportunities for struggling students and their families. The Center for Family and Society will promote marriage as the union of a man and a woman and protect the fundamental liberty interest of parents. And finally, The Center for Community and Economy will encourage Utah's business community to embrace a true free-market economy and encourage personal self-reliance and providential living. In addition to their full-time positions, both Allan C. Carlson, founder and president of the Howard Center, and William C. Duncan, director of the Marriage Law Foundation, will serve as directors for two of Sutherland's centers. Carlson said, "I appreciate Sutherland's continued defense of principles that can help ensure Utah's long-term success." sutherlandinstitute.org
VIRGINIA
Jefferson Institute leaders took key roles in the state attorney general's task forces looking to reform state government: Institute president Mike Thompson was appointed to the Infrastructure Reform Task Force, senior fellow David Schnare serves on the Environmental Regulation Task Force and Jefferson board member Jack Rust chairs the entire task force structure. The Institute spent much of the summer preparing for school: creating and distributing an informative brochure describing a tuition assistance grant (scholarship) for students with disabilities; preparing an analysis examining the legal consequences of such a grant; and undertaking a major effort to identify grassroots supporters of school choice within the African-American community. The Institute also identified nearly 200 reformers among the state's 800-plus local school board members and planned a vigorous campaign to offer training for current and prospective school board reformers. Winter plans include a major revision to the Institute's website, a presentation to Virginia reporters of the Heritage Foundation's Computer-Assisted Research and Reporting Boot Camp, and the annual Innovations in Government conference on Oct. 8. thomasjeffersoninst.org
The Virginia Institute for Public Policy welcomes two senior fellows. Dr. Don Boudreaux is senior fellow of economic policy and tax reform. He is chairman of the department of economics at George Mason University, the author of Globalization (Greenwood Press, 2008) and also blogs at Café Hayek. Dr. Adam B. Schaeffer is senior fellow of the Institute's education reform initiative. Dr. Schaeffer is also a policy analyst with the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom in Washington, D.C. He has an extensive background in online survey development, messaging experiments, and the strategic analysis of message, policy and audience interactions. Tertium Quids, the Virginia Institute's 501(c)(4) sister organization, continues to make news in Virginia. A new weekly radio show features guests such as Sam Adams Alliance CEO Eric O'Keefe. Special edition podcasts have featured Wall Street Journal editorial board member Stephen Moore and Cato Institute senior fellow Dan Mitchell. The Tuesday Morning Group Coalition, a part of Tertium Quids, recently hosted Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr at its monthly Richmond forum. virginiainstitute.org
WASHINGTON
The Evergreen Freedom Foundation published its annual State of Labor report in late August focusing on the growth of public-sector unions and attempts around the country to make the collective bargaining process more transparent. The American Legislative Exchange Council adopted EFF's model legislation calling for public negotiations. ALEC also has adopted model legislation from EFF concerning recovery audits. If recovery audit legislation is adopted by states, they could recover millions because of overpayments to contractors, suppliers and individuals. The Foundation released a comprehensive study on higher education in Washington. The report, compiled by Andrew Gillen and Richard Vedder of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, found that while state support of higher education is higher than normal and growing more rapidly than the national average, tuition costs also have spiked, outcomes are questionable and relatively few Washington students graduate from college. The report contains 16 suggestions for reducing costs and improving productivity to save money for both students and taxpayers. EFF's education reform documentary "Flunked" was named best education documentary at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival in Houston. effwa.org
The Skeptical Environmentalist author Bjørn Lomborg keynoted Washington Policy Center's sixth annual Environmental Policy Luncheon and first Environmental Policy Conference. Speaking to a packed room of 350, Lomborg began his talk by pointing out that protecting the environment and dealing with climate change should be "about doing stuff that's rational, not just stuff that's fashionable; it's about making sure we do stuff that will actually do good, and not just stuff that will make us feel good." To complement the state's new searchable budget website, WPC's Jason Mercier unveiled a proposal to create an online searchable database of all tax rates in Washington State. This will inform citizens and businesses how much they are paying in taxes. No state has a comprehensive, transparent tax website as proposed by WPC. The Seattle Post Intelligencer has endorsed the proposal. WPC's third edition of the popular Policy Guide for Washington State was released in July, with 10 in-depth chapters and 150 recommendations promoting free-market policy solutions. It was sent to all SPN think tanks and is available for $20. washingtonpolicy.org
WEST VIRGINIA
The Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia announces the launch of its Center for Academic research. The Government Policy Research Center is housed at West Liberty State College in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Center director is Dr. Erik Root, formerly of the Claremont Institute and John Locke Foundation. Dr. Root is the chair of the BB&T endowed Study of Capitalism program beginning this fall. The Center currently has a major book and three substantial studies that are targeted for publication by mid-September. Dr. Root also hosts a public policy television show broadcast to more than 50,000 homes in the tri-state area of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. westvirginiapolicy.org
WYOMING
The Wyoming Liberty Group opened its offices Sept. 1 with a staff of four, all of whom attended the SPN Annual Meeting in Scottsdale. The Wyoming Liberty Index for the 2008 legislative session is tallied and published at wyominglibertyindex.info. At an Aug. 23 meeting of like-minded organizations from The Cowboy State we kicked off our "meet with your legislator" project. The discussion package included the legislator's liberty ranking and information about the impact of federal funding on Wyoming, as well as legislative, sovereignty. wyominglibgrp.org
-NATIONAL-
Accuracy in Media's American Journalism Center just completed its most successful summer yet. From June to August, AJC hosted 12 interns - the largest class ever to pass through AJC's extensive training program. The interns hailed from eight states and came from some of the country's most prestigious universities. The interns' ages ranged from 19 to 33 years old and attained or are currently pursuing various degrees including political science, journalism and strategic communications. The journalism interns traveled around D.C. to different events covering legislation, public policy and research on important topics ranging from global warming to immigration reform to the economy. In addition, the marketing and PR interns helped make Accuracy in Academia's author's night at the National Press Club a success. (AIA is AIM's sister organization.) After the summer program ended, interns returned back to school, or plan to pursue jobs in and around the D.C. area. aim.org
The Acton Institute PowerBlog staff has launched a new widget that seeks to communicate Lord Acton wisdom to "LOL" text users everywhere. The "LOLord Acton Quote Generator" is based on nearly 100 quotes from the writings of Lord Acton, translated into "LOL" text that can be added to your blog, website or social networking page. The 2008 Samaritan Award, given to privately funded charities, was awarded to the Citizens for Community Values of Memphis, Tenn. By helping women and children escape the sex-for-sale industry, this charity, through its Way Out program, works to restore community and family values. The Samaritan Award includes a $10,000 grand prize from the Acton Institute. Created in 2004, the Samaritan Award honors a private charity whose work is direct, personal and accountable. This award recognizes grassroots nonprofit organizations that receive little or no government funding and whose contributions to society would otherwise go unnoticed nationally. All applicants for the award are included in the Samaritan Guide, a unique online database of nearly 1,300 charities. acton.org
The Alliance for School Choice recently honored Washington, D.C. parent and activist Virginia Walden Ford with the John T. Walton Champions for School Choice Award. The award recognizes Ford's contributions to education reform. A single mother who took up the cause after her son received a private scholarship to escape a failing D.C. school, she has mobilized thousands of parents in support of school choice. Her efforts culminated in the successful passage of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program in 2004. She is also the author of the book Voices, Choices, and Second Chances. allianceforschoolchoice.org
In March, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni published a report card on public higher education in Georgia and called on the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to enact needed reforms. Now, the university system has responded. The university system recently released the results of a poll of students asking about their classroom experiences - and finding that some 50,000 per year say they have been graded down based on their politics. At the same time, it oversaw a statewide review of procedures for students to file grievances based on such issues, making them more transparent and easy to navigate. The university system also scuttled a proposal to dilute the core curriculum, which got a passing grade in the report card. ACTA is now working on a similar report card for Missouri. goacta.org
On Aug.19 Americans for Tax Reform released a letter signed by 60 national and state advocacy organizations, think tanks and others calling for the "Gang of Ten" senators to revise their energy compromise by removing "potentially fatal flaws." To pay for the $84 billion energy plan, these 10 senators are calling for the repeal of the domestic production activities deduction (Section 199) - but only for energy companies. "This is a tax on energy production that will raise the price of oil for all Americans at a time when they can least afford it," says Grover Norquist, ATR president. The updated McCain vs. Obama tax matrix shows where the two candidates stand on all major categories of federal level taxation. Additionally, the updated matrix provides a comparison of Obama's primary stances compared with his current proposals. The Center for Fiscal Accountability (fiscalaccountability.org) launched its website in September. CFA, headed by Sandra Fabry, works to shed a light on government expenditures, and to promote fiscal accountability, fiscal restraint and free-market principles at the federal, state and local level. atr.org
America's Future Foundation continued its AFF on the Road program, partnering with SPN groups to host debates in key cities during this election cycle. Since launching the program in January 2008, AFF has hosted seven stops and launched AFF chapters in Denver and Chicago. In July, AFF hosted a stop in Minneapolis, "The Pre-Convention Debate: Has the GOP Gotten the Message?"In September, AFF hit the road for a Southern Tour: Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina - three stops in three nights! AFF asked, "Is the GOP Still a Party of the South?" AFF, with the generous help of SPN partners, is working to identify talent in the states, inspire young leaders and contribute to the debate about the future of libertarian and conservative ideas. americasfuture.org
The American Dream Coalition will host its seventhannual Preserving the American Dream conference in Seattle, April 17-19, 2009. This yearly eventbrings together leading experts and grassroots activists from around the country to tackle the major metropolitan issues. With a scathing critique of planning doctrines like Smart Growth and an arsenal of market-oriented policyalternatives, the American Dream Coalition works with a wide range of organizations todefend freedom, mobility andaffordable homeownership. One of the few market-oriented organizations exclusively focused on these issues, ADC's speakers and experts defend freedom in state capitols and at the local level. americandreamcoalition.org
The Atlas Economic Research Foundation just launched atlasnetwork.tv to feature the best in free-market video. Over 50 videos are now on the website and new material is being added regularly. Each month, starting in September, Atlas will award a $500 prize for the best new video. Judges will consider user view numbers, viewer ratings and their own opinions to determine the winner. Once a year a winner will be selected for a $5,000 grand prize. Have ideas for video subject matter? Send a link to Jason Talley, Jason.talley@atlasusa.org. atlasusa.org
Capital Research Center has two new staff and a new website blog. Conservative journalist Jeremy Lott is the new editor for CRC'smonthly Labor Watch newsletter. Lott was previously an editor atThe American Spectator. Eric Heidenreich is the director of CRC's new State Environment Watch project, which monitors state and local environmental group activism. Eric looks forward to working with SPN members. CRC's Education Watch director Phil Brand will begin a new school choice blog at educationinamerica.org.
Brand will spend 2008-2009 driving across the country visiting schools. capitalresearch.org
The Cato Institute is pleased to name Gene Healy as vice president, responsible for overseeing foreign policy, civil liberties and constitutional work. George Will characterized Healy's recent book, The Cult of the Presidency, as "brilliant" and "the year's most pertinent and sobering public affairs book." Be sure to pick up a copy of the 2007-2008 Cato Supreme Court Review, with analysis of all the important cases from the last term. The book was released Sept. 17 in conjunction with Cato's seventh annual Constitution Day. A new issue of Regulation magazine revisits the classic "Bootleggers and Baptists" theory of regulation, which, according to Andrew P. Morriss, needs significant revision in light of the late-90s quarter-trillion dollar tobacco settlement. Recent additions to the Cato team include Chris Kennedy, formerly of the Heritage Foundation, as director of media relations, and Benjamin Friedman as research fellow in defense and homeland security studies. Don't miss Cato's 26th Annual Monetary Conference, which will be held Nov. 19 at Cato's F. A. Hayek Auditorium. cato.org
The Center for Competitive Politics is leading the effort to educate New Jersey legislators and the general public about the pernicious impact of taxpayer-financed political campaigns on the democratic process. CCP released a study that undermines claims about the ability of "clean elections" to reduce interest groups' political clout. Perceptions about what motivates an elected official's vote have little to do with campaign financing. CCP followed its study with a legal analysis, finding that so-called "rescue funds" provisions in taxpayer-financed election programs are unconstitutional in the wake of the Supreme Court case Davis v. Federal Election Commission. Last, CCP welcomed Reid Cox as the organization's new legal director. Cox joins CCP after serving nearly three years in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, where he was a trial attorney for the Employment Litigation Section. Before the DOJ, Cox worked at the Center for Individual Freedom. campaignfreedom.org
The Center for Education Reform has released the results of a comprehensive survey on the factors influencing charter school operations, providing a powerful look at the operational success of public charter schools in the face of a severe funding gap when compared to conventional public schools. A key finding of CER's 2008 Survey of American Charter Schools is the fact that even though they are public schools and should receive the same amount of federal, state and local funds, charter schools receive nearly 40 percent less funding than other public schools. Despite receiving less money, charter schools are able to offer longer school days, longer school years and innovative curricula not available in conventional public schools. "This year's survey shows that charters are by their nature flexible, accountable, and efficient public schools. The results paint a clear picture of the education success realized when children, educators, and administrators are provided tools that enable them to learn, create, manage, and achieve," says CER president Jeanne Allen. edreform.com
Did you know that women are more likely than men to end up casualties of the "hookup" culture?You'll learn that and more in a new medically-based guide released by the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute to help protect the health of college women. The only guide of its kind, "Sense & Sexuality: The College Girl's Guide to Real Protection in a Hooked-Up World," provides young women with critical information about their physical and psychological health when it comes to sexual behavior - information they seldom get at their campus health centers. The guide is authored by Luce Policy Institute senior fellow Miriam Grossman, M.D. As a physician in a campus counseling center for more than 10 years, Dr. Grossman has met with hundreds of women in crisis due to a campus culture that promotes promiscuity. "Sense & Sexuality" offers an alternative, providing young women with critical health information they've probably never heard before. cblpi.org
The Claremont Institute traveled July 25-26 to Dearborn, Mich. to host its conference, Missile Defense Challenges for the Twenty-First Century,featuring former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, Sen. Jon Kyl, Rep. Trent Franks and Bret Baier of FoxNews as moderator.The conference considered current missile defense policies, threats posed by ballistic missile-delivered electromagnetic pulse attack, the politics of opposition to missile defense, the strategic importance of space and the future of missile defense policy.Participants included former administration officials, Michigan state legislators, representatives of think tanks engaging in defense policy, a member of the Israeli Knesset, selected members of the defense media, Michiganders concerned with national security and a host of defense policy analysts from around the United States and Canada.claremont.org
The Fraser Institute is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, Fraser am.eri.ca, which is dedicated to exploring the public policy challenges and opportunities facing the United States from a fresh perspective. Fraser am.eri.ca covers the full spectrum of policy issues, from trade and taxation, to education and energy, to defense and development, to risk and regulation. On staff are Diane Katz, director of risk, environment and energy policy; Scott Moody, director of U.S. fiscal policy; Wendy Warcholik, director of urban policy studies; and Alan Dowd, senior editor of Fraser am.eri.ca/senior fellow specializing in defense and security. Fraser am.eri.ca features daily policy blogs and a library of ideas, including recent commentaries on utility regulation and cyber-defense, as well as reports on energy exploration, the labor market and economic freedom. http://am.eri.ca
The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice has added two new senior staff members. Leslie Hiner has been named director of programs and state relations, and Joe DiLaura has been named communications director. Hiner is a former chief of staff to the Indiana House Republican leader. She is also a former caucus policy director and chief counsel at the Indiana House and worked in the Indiana Senate and Secretary of State's office. Hiner graduated from the College of Wooster and the University of Akron School of Law. DiLaura directs the Foundation's media relations and marketing efforts, and helps oversee the Foundation's website and publications activities. He has more than 30 years experience in the public and non-profit sectors, having directed communications programs and departments at organizations such as the Indiana Department of Education, Ivy Tech Community College and the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County. He recently directed media relations at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. friedmanfoundation.org
With almost 50,000 signers on GasPriceProtest.com, it's clear that the cost of energy is a top issue across the country. This one-of-a-kind coalition, with eight organizations coming together to promote market-based energy solutions, has been an effective springboard forour "all of the above" message. Free "It's the Supply, Stupid" bumper stickers have made their way into the hands of thousands. You can see pictures of activists proudly displaying their stickers at GasPriceProtest.com. Even MoveOn is beginning to worry, as FreedomWorks activists showed up again and again to crash their anti-energy demonstrations. One MoveOn member was overheard telling another she was "afraid their group had a mole." FreedomWorks is taking the success of GasPriceProtest.com across the country to Oregon where even green renewable energy sources have been targeted by extremists in the environmental lobby. With LightsOnOregon.com, FreedomWorks hopes to promote sensible energy solutions and shed light on the ridiculous ideas and tactics of groups like Earth First! and Riverkeeper. freedomworks.org
There's no rest for The Fund for American Studies following a record enrollment of more than 750 students this summer. On Labor Day, The Fund welcomed a fresh class of undergraduate students to D.C. for its Fall Capital Semester. Forty-eight students from 39 schools, nationally and abroad, converged for 15 weeks of The Fund's "live, learn, and intern" experience. Through classes at Georgetown University on constitutional development, economics, public policy and political journalism, students will gain appreciation for limited government and free-market economics. Capital Semester students will have the opportunity to observe or report on politics and policy at internships ranging from such places as The Washington Times to the Department of Homeland Security. Briefings at the Capitol, the State Department and White House give students an insider's view of the policy process. Other Fund programs this fall include the Euro-Med Journalism program in Athens, Greece in October, the TFAS Leadership Fellows program for young professionals and the 2008 Leadership Network conference in Scottsdale, Arizona Nov. 14-15. TFAS.org
The Galen Institute welcomes Amy Menefee as communications director. Amy has a master's degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She brings her experience in print and broadcast media to broaden and promote informed debate over free-market health reform, focusing on ways to use the new media to reach new audiences. In addition, she's working to form new coalitions, strengthen existing ones, and work with policymakers to develop and refine market-based proposals. Grace-Marie Turner met recently with top health policy advisors of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to discuss reform efforts. She also traveled to Oklahoma in August for a speech before the House of Representatives' Health Care Reform Task Force, covered by four local TV stations and several major newspapers. She advised legislators to focus on reducing the regulatory burden that drives up health costs and to boost competition to give consumers more choices for more affordable health care and coverage. galen.org
As part of ongoing efforts to educate the next generation of conservative leaders, The Heritage Foundation is conducting a series of First Principles symposia. The "Failure of Liberalism" was held at the University of Michigan on Sept. 30. Because the current education system de-emphasizes America's history, Heritage's goal is to recall the nation to its first principles, reinvigorate American constitutionalism and revive the sturdy virtues required for self-government. Co-hosts for this symposium included the Acton Institute, The Federalist Society, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan Family Forum, Michigan Review, the Russell Kirk Center and Students for Saving Social Security. The Heritage online team has developed a new Facebook application, "Countdown to Exploration," to highlight the date that the current congressional offshore drilling ban expires- Sept. 30. And Heritage continues to promote conservative responses to issues with a "Conservative Guide to Energy Issues," which is being sent to thousands of people across the country as part of the Foundation's "What Would Reagan Do?" radio series. heritage.org
The Independent Institute's new book, Lessons from the Poor: Triumph of the Entrepreneurial Spirit, demonstrates that even under unimaginably difficult circumstances, the entrepreneurial spirit is ever-present and can produce enormous good in overcoming desperate conditions of poverty. In an inspiring companion volume to the Institute's Making Poor Nations Rich (published earlier this year), Alvaro Vargas Llosa, senior fellow and director of the Institute's Center on Global Prosperity, shows that entrepreneurship, innovation and free enterprise can be found even in the poorest of countries where millions of entrepreneurs manage to work in highly creative ways to overcome the handicaps of stagnant economies, stifling bureaucracies and despotic governments. A series of case studies illuminate success stories from around the globe, showing how market-based, private entrepreneurship has brought affordable goods and productive jobs to very large populations, and arguing that entrepreneurship alleviates poverty while foreign aid and government controls produce the opposite. The removal of legal and regulatory obstacles is a critical step in empowering individuals to uplift themselves and many others from the grip of poverty. independent.org
A book presentation with Alfred Regnery, author of Upstream: The Ascendance of American Conservatism on Sept. 25 at the Jesse Helms Center kicks off a busy fall schedule. In October, the Center will host the Charlotte, N.C. premier of the internationally acclaimed "The Singing Revolution."This film tells the fascinating story of the non-violent path Estonia took to throw off the chains of communism at the end of the Cold War. In November, a delegation of students from the Helms Center's Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge will attend the 2008 Asian Pacific Economic Cooperative meeting in Lima, Peru. The students will participate in the Voices of the Future for APEC, joining with 100 students and educators from Pacific Basin countries who will meet with world leaders and review the state of economic cooperation in the region. The Helms Center delegation will make a special presentation on The Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom to this group of young leaders. Visit the jessehelmscenter.org for more program information and to sign the late Senator Jesse Helms' online memorial book.
Judicial Watch has officially appealed the Los Angeles Superior Court ruling that the lawsuit against the LAPD's Special Order 40, an illegal alien sanctuary policy, cannot proceed to trial (Judicial Watch, Inc. v The Los Angeles Police Department et. al., Case No. BC349040). Special Order 40 is a policy established in Los Angeles in 1979 that prohibits police officers from "initiat(ing) police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." This prevents officers from inquiring about the immigration status of an individual and from contacting federal immigration officials about an individual's immigration status. Special Order 40 is a dangerous policy that prevents police officers from communicating freely with federal immigration authorities. It is in clear violation of federal immigration law. Judicial Watch is leading a nationwide campaign to end sanctuaries for illegal aliens. judicialwatch.org
In October the Manhattan Institute's Center for Energy Policy and the Environment is releasing a report by Peter Huber proposing for a national electric grid.Huber, co-author of The Bottomless Well, and senior fellow for CEPE,argues for replacing the existing regional grids with a more advanced interstate energy distribution network.By building a network which draws from conventional and renewable fuel sources, innovation and competition on both the supply side and demand side of America's energy market would flourish while meeting the growing demand for electricity and help America to achieve energy independence.City Journal is proud to announce Edward Glaeser as a new contributing editor.Currently a Manhattan Institute senior fellow, Glaeser is an economics professor at Harvard University, director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government, and director of the Rappaport Institute of Greater Boston. He writes on urban and social economics.
manhattan-institute.org
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University published "Local Knowledge: Is the Gulf Coast Open for Business?" which focuses on the role entrepreneurs and the for-profit sector are playing in rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Findings have been featured in USA Today and The Washington Post and include interviews with six entrepreneurs. The state outreach program, Capital Campus, continues to expand launching new programs in Florida, Washington, South Carolina, West Virginia, Massachusetts and Indiana. Most recently the Center has begun to work with other state-focused groups to inform state policymakers about Mercatus's research and Capital Campus program. At the 2008 ALEC Conference the Mercatus Center teamed up with SPN for a panel discussion on budget transparency for state policymakers. In September, Mercatus will partner with Florida State University College of Law to launch Capital Campus Florida. The Capital Campus team will head back to California thiswinter for the third Capital Campus California Retreat in Sonoma to discuss best strategies in tax and budget, greenhouse gas emissions, infrastructure and water policy. mercatus.org
The Moving Picture Institute proudly announces the world premiere of "Do As I Say," a film that will forever change how we see America's leaders. The film was screened publicly for the first time on Oct. 2 at the American Film Renaissance Film Festival in Washington, D.C. This hip and hard-hitting documentary from MPI fellows Nicholas Tucker and Lucas Abel takes us on an unforgettable journey through a political landscape filled with economic hypocrites and fiscal humbugs. Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, George Soros and Michael Moore figure prominently in this uncompromising look at how some of our most respected leaders publicly deplore capitalism and oppose free enterprise - while privately amassing enormous entrepreneurial wealth. Based on the bestselling book by Peter Schweizer, "Do As I Say" reveals how the two-faced mantra "do as I say, not as I do" has become the unwritten golden rule of leaders who make their livings - and their fortunes - waging war against the very economic system that has allowed them to succeed. thempi.org
The National Center for Policy Analysis sponsored a special youth leadership camp Aug. 3-8 in Oklahoma. iDebate: Developing Leaders with General Tommy Franks brought in 48 of the nation's brightest high school students for a program that offered discussions on policy issues, leadership seminars and a final debate with the top two student teams. NCPA's John Goodman has kept busy with health care policy. In a Washington, D.C. event sponsored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Goodman debated Len Nichols of the New America Foundation. Goodman - and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey - then debated single-payer national health insurance against Harvard professor of economics David Himmelstein and Michael Perelman, professor of economics at California State University at Chico. Others sharing NCPA ideas on the public stage included Bob McTeer, who talked on numerous television and radio outlets about economic issues, and Terry Neese, who covered family friendly policies on FoxNews. ncpa.org
The National Right to Work Foundation is assisting employees in twolegalcases involving an increasingly prominent form of union retaliation and intimidation - identity theft. In North Carolina, union bosses at a Communications Workers of America local union illegally displayed in public view 33 workers' confidential and personal information (including their Social Security numbers) in retaliation against the workers for exercising their right to refrain from union membership. Foundation attorneys filed a lawsuit in North Carolina State Court on behalf of 16 of the 33 nonmembers. In Connecticut, Patricia Pelletier, disillusioned by the union's so-called representation,leda successful decertificationeffortto remove the union from her nonprofit workplace. Union militants retaliated andPelletier's home was bombarded with literally hundreds of magazine subscriptions and mail order products. Foundation attorneys filed anidentity theft, fraud and civil conspiracy lawsuit to hold the union bosses responsible. Foundation attorneys are helping employees fight back against thisdisturbing type of union retaliation caused by compulsory unionism. nrtw.org
The National Tax Limitation Committee continues to battle the forces of darkness in California. NTLC was instrumental in defeating the February 2008 ballot measure (Proposition 93) that would have "modified" existing term limits statutes by actually extending the terms of politicians in both houses, including both Assembly Speaker Nunez and Senate President Perata (driving forces behind Prop. 93). Though all the money was on the "Yes on 93" side, the initiative lost by five points ... and Nunez and Perata are looking for work! NTLC has now set its sights on the self-serving ballot propositions on the November 2008 ballot. NTLC President Lew Uhler has authored the arguments against Prop. 3, the $1 billion (children's hospital) bond. Prop. 3 continues a disturbing pattern in California politics, special interests shamelessly spending big money authoring, qualifying and helping to pass ballot measures that directly benefit them and their friends. NTLC is a proud co-sponsor of Western CPAC this October in Newport Beach. limittaxes.org
The National Taxpayers Union has helped launch nine state- and local-level taxpayer groups through its "Standing Together" Taxpayer Grant Program. The new state organizations are: Florida Taxpayers Union, Kentucky Taxpayers United, Mississippi Forward, Missouri Liberty Coalition and Taxpayers Union of Louisiana. Local-level groups include: Bay County Taxpayers Association (Mich.), Clarke County Taxpayers and Property Owners Association (Ga.), Edenville's Concerned Citizens (Mich.) and Raymond NH Taxpayers Association (N.H.). The NTU Foundation released its latest Bill Tally report analyzing congressional spending. The report found that for every bill that would reduce the federal budget, representatives and senators introduced 22 bills and 30 bills, respectively, to increase it. NTUF is preparing to release the fourth update of its "Presidential Candidate Cost Analysis" project, which will include the latest budget estimates for the platforms of John McCain and Barack Obama, as well as a first-time study of Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr. ntu.org
Pacific Legal Foundation will challenge the federal government's decision to list the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act because of climate change. In its "intent-to-sue" letter to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, PLF detailed how the listing falls short of ESA standards and the federal Administrative Procedure Act. PLF is representing ranching and forestry associations which, along with employers and families nationwide and the economy in general, could be severely harmed by heavy-handed ESA regulations. "The government's listing decision is based on guesswork about future trends in ice floes and bear population, not solid science," said principal attorney M. Reed Hopper. "In fact, it contradicts the undisputed fact that polar bear numbers have been increasing, from as low as 5,000 fifty years ago to as high as 25,000 today, according to federal estimates." pacificlegal.org
The Prometheus Institute is proud to announce the launch of six new issue-oriented initiatives, due for public release in Winter 2008: "Upgrade Social Security," engaging the younger generations in support of Social Security;"People for the American Dream," dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship in America;"Disgruntled Travelers for Reform," dedicated to promoting free-market reforms in air travel,"Organic Aid," dedicated to promoting economic growth and political independence in the Third World;"The Globalization Mall," an online interactive shopping mall demonstrating how free trade creates lower prices and higher quality for all consumers; and"Do-it-Yourself Democracy," empowering citizens with resources to reduce the burden of government in their lives. theprometheusinstitute.org
Unless you're a soccer star like David Beckham, immigrating to the United States is nearly always a frustrating, lengthy process that results in failure. A new chart created by the Reason Foundation and National Foundation for American Policy details just how complicated becoming an American can be, even for the most skilled workers. Unlike previous periods in U.S. history, there is virtually no process for unskilled immigrants without relatives already in the U.S. to apply for permanent legal residence. The flowchart illustrates the scope of official requirements and red tape that must be navigated by potential Americans. Mike Flynn, co-creator of the chart, notes that although high-tech companies need qualified engineers and skilled workers, the system handicaps American companies by making it nearly impossible for them to retain talent. A version of the chart appears in the October issue of Reason magazine and is available online. A coalition of allied organizations meets monthly to discuss immigration reform in Reason's Washington, D.C. offices. reason.org
The Tax Foundation welcomes a new staff economist, Josh Barro. Prior to joining the Foundation, Barro worked for Wells Fargo Bank's New York office in a variety of commercial real estate finance capacities. Previously, he interned for various political campaigns and (as a 2003 Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow) at Americans for Tax Reform. Barro's focus at the Foundation is on state and local tax policy, including the annual State Business Tax Climate Index, and analysis of current state legislative proposals.The Tax Foundation's state team was on the road this summer bringing the principles of sound tax policy to Freedom Fest in Las Vegas, NCSL in New Orleans and ALEC in Chicago. At NCSL, the Foundation hosted a panel titled "Creating a Competitive Tax Climate in Your State." At ALEC, the Foundation hosted a reception featuring Dr. Richard Vedder and mingled with state think tank and legislative friends. "Lastly, the Foundation announces the release of the 2008 State Business Tax Climate Index, which is available at taxfoundation.org.
Young America's Foundation's 30th annual National Conservative Student Conference featured more than 450 students from 35 states and 190 campuses, including Harvard, Princeton, West Point, Cornell, Wisconsin, UC-Berkeley, DePaul, Wellesley and many more. More than 40 speakers including George Will, Elaine Chao, Dr. Robert George, Dr. Walter Williams, Governor George Allen, Mike Gallagher, William Kristol and others covered a wide range of issues ranching from the myths about global warming to the war on radical Islam. Speakers also included 11 Foundation alumni, including Peter Schweizer, Dan Flynn, Kathryn Lopez and Wynton Hall.C-SPAN, available in 92 million homes, taped or aired 24 segments, the most covered conservative conference of the year thus far. On Aug. 13 at the Reagan Ranch in California, Young America's Foundation celebrated the 27th anniversary of President Reagan's signing of the Economic Recovery Tax Act - the largest tax cut in American history, which was signed into law at the Ranch. The Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore and syndicated radio host Lars Larson headlined the activities. yaf.org
Top
