SPN News March/April 2014

STRATEGIES FOR STATE THINK TANKS – MARCH/APRIL 2014

For Freedom page 4

BY TRACIE SHARP

T H E G R O W I N G AT TA C K S o n Americans’ First Amendment rights create many opportunities for free-market advocates. That is, if we choose to take advantage of this overreach and abuse of power. Promoting the freedoms of speech and association should be quickly moving up the priority list of think tank activities, opening up new audiences to a powerful truth: Americans are best served by public policy that is vigorously debated in an open forum, where Big Government elites cannot bully dissenting ideas into silence.

The State Policy Network recently hosted legal experts Alan Dye and Cleta Mitchell in a discussion of these matters, coinciding with the proposed new IRS regulations of 501(c)(4)s. The proposed regulations would also undercut the work of 501(c)(3)s. What follows is a summary of their warnings and practical advice for the free-market movement going forward.

Alan Dye, SPN’s longtime legal counsel, is a partner with Webster, Chamberlain & Bean and specializes in the representation of non-profit organizations. Cleta Mitchell is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Foley & Lardner and a member of the firm’s Political Law Practice.

WHAT’S THE THREAT POSED BY EFFORTS LIKE THE PROPOSED NEW IRS REGULATIONS?Cleta Mitchell: In 2010, I noticed that applications for 501(c)(4) status, which generally took a few weeks, were taking one or two years. Organizations seeking (c)(4) status received letters from the IRS, and the questions in those letters suggested that the IRS had started to view certain (c)(4) activities as being political, even though (c)(4)s had engaged in such activities for years.

The most recent 501(c)(4) regulations proposed by the IRS are really an outgrowth of this IRS targeting that began in late 2009 and early 2010. These regulations would redefine what (c)(4) organizations do as “candidate-related political activity.” The definition would apply to non-partisan voter registration efforts, candidate debates or forums, voter guides, and grassroots lobbying prior to elections. Though not prohibited, these activities would no longer be considered by the IRS as part of a (c)(4)’s “primary purpose,” thus wreaking havoc on a (c)(4)’s program activities.

With these kinds of targeted restrictions, the IRS is threatening the ability of 501(c)(4) organizations to engage in grassroots

advocacy or other kinds of advocacy that are critical for encouraging public discourse and debate on policy.

Alan Dye: The IRS has assumed the authority to draft regulations that infringe on people’s right to speak freely. At no point in the legislative history of Section 501(c)(4) did Congress intend or authorize the IRS to write what are essentially 20 pages of legislative regulations.

And it’s important to realize that these regulations are not about taxes, though that is the justification being offered. When you read anything about 501(c)(4) organizations being used as tax shelters to hide anonymous contributions, that’s nonsense. Political committees are not taxed any more than 501(c)(4) organizations.

Because these regulations aren’t about taxes, the argument that these regulations are beyond the power of the IRS is even stronger, because the deference paid to IRS regulations by the courts is based upon the agency’s tax expertise.

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR (C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS?Alan Dye: Regulations like these are an effort to shut down one side of the debate.

continued on page 23

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OPPORTUNITY TO

PROMOTE FREE SPEECH?

MARCH/APRIL 2014 VOL 16 / ISSUE 2

SPN News reports on issues of importance to state-focused, market-oriented, nonprofit public policy research organizations. Drawing from current updates and events from within the industry, the publication provides timely information on the most pressing issues facing public policy state think tank executives. State Policy Network publishes SPN News six times a year. Individual copies can be ordered from the State Policy Network offices at 703-243-1655. All images used in this issue are owned by their respective copyright holders. All rights reserved.

MISSION STATEMENTState Policy Network is the capacity building service organization for America’s free market, state-focused think tank community. We advance a free society by providing leadership development, management training and networking opportunities for think tank professionals and by promoting strategic partnerships among market-oriented organizations.

STATE POLICY NETWORK™Tracie Sharp, President and CEO

Alexis Baker, Donor Relations ManagerTeresa Brown, Director of Strategic Operations

Rebecca Bruchhauser, Director of Donor Relations Jennifer Butler, Vice President of External Relations

Todd Davidson, Policy SpecialistDaniel Erspamer, Vice President for Strategic Partnerships

Rebecca Feldman, Manager of Foundation RelationsBrad Gruber, Director of Operations

Lynn Harsh, Vice President of StrategySpencer Hughes, Development Associate

Betsy Johnson, Office ManagerRachel Kopec, Coalitions CoordinatorSharon Milhollin, Executive Assistant

Kristina Mitten Sanders, Development SpecialistDaniel Montgomery,* Graphic Designer

Kathleen O’Hearn, Director of CoalitionsRebecca Painter, Donor Relations ManagerRebecca Phillips, Communications Manager

Michelle Poehlmann,* Administrative AssistantBetsy Thraves, Executive Assistant

Meredith Turney, Director of Strategic CommunicationsMaura Weber, Donor Relations Assistant

Nicole Williams, Senior Communications Advisor (Consultant)Tony Woodlief, Executive Vice President

*Independent contractor

BOARD OF DIRECTORSThomas A. Roe, Founding Chairman (1927–2000)

Gaylord K. Swim (1948–2005)

Theodore D. Abram ...........American Institute for Full EmploymentWhitney L. Ball ..........................................................Donors TrustCarl Helstrom (Chairman) ................................The JM FoundationJohn W. Jackson ................................... Adolph Coors FoundationAdam Meyerson ..................................... Philanthropy Roundtable Tracie J. Sharp (President) ........................... State Policy NetworkStanford D. Swim ......................................... The GFC FoundationBridgett G. Wagner ................................. The Heritage FoundationThomas Willcox ...................................... Thomas Roe Foundation

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What’s in a Name? Well, Depends on the Definition ...

40 YEARS AND 34 LESSONS WAGING THE WAR OF IDEAS

SPN NEWS 2 MARCH / APRIL 2014SPN NEWS 2 MARCH / APRIL 2014

BY MEREDITH TURNEY

IN SHAKESPEARE’S CLASSIC play Romeo and Juliet, the heroine famously asserts, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” While Juliet was referring to her lover’s name and the blood feud between two families that kept them apart, her comment actually raises an interesting concept about language itself.

Language is the bond that enables a people to communicate. It’s a shared understanding of definitions that helps us not just navigate the mundane tasks in everyday life, but convey important concepts for moving culture. Yes, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but imagine if the word “rose” didn’t exist in our language. We’d be forced to use many other words to describe this instead of just saying “rose,” knowing that the hearer will immediately understand our intended meaning.

Now imagine if words and their definitions were regularly redefined. What if, when you said the word “rose,” some people thought about a pickle, while others shared your traditional understanding of a beautiful flower. Your Valentine might end up with a jar of pickles instead of a dozen roses! This is the vocabulary problem we face in America, especially regarding policy concepts.

For example, the word “freedom” doesn’t mean the same thing to modern Americans as it did to our forefathers in 1776, or even to Americans two generations ago. Some of this language evolution occurred organically. But political Progressives have also sought to alter the definition of words and concepts that served as our country’s shared understanding of key political ideas.

In SPN ’s “Spre ad she e t to Stor y ” communications training, Arrowhead consultant Kevan Kjar often shows attendees videos of Berkeley cognitive linguist George

Lackoff. A consultant for progressive and leftist causes, he advises his clients to choose their words carefully and subtly

shift these words’ meanings. Every adjective or verb has a subtext that subconsciously paints an image in the mind of the hearer.

Lackoff uses the example of “tax relief.” “Relief” connotes that taxes are bad, something from which you’d need relief. If Progressives embrace this “framing,” they have already

lost the argument. So Lackoff recommends referring to taxes as “investments .” Progressives have now started using traditional freedom-oriented terms like “American Dream” to describe universal healthcare and other big government concepts. This makes communication much more difficult since target audiences may not share our definition of terms we typically use to describe our work.

When it comes to communicating free-market policies and the principles that undergird them, we cannot take for granted the general public shares our understanding. Progressives will continue to commandeer our free-market language and confuse the public. Clearly defining what we mean when we talk about limited government, freedom and other important topics will help clarify their true meaning and educate the public.

While we continue to educate the public about the true definition of our terms, we can employ Progressives’ tactics as well. Let’s commandeer some of their favorite terms like “equality” or “fairness” and demonstrate the free-market definition. In the battle of ideas, the pen, or in this case, the word, is definitely mightier than the sword.

Meredith Turney is director of strategic communications with SPN. Write her at [email protected].

Part 240 YEARS AND 34 LESSONS

WAGING THE WAR OF IDEAS

SPN NEWS 3 MARCH / APRIL 2014SPN NEWS 2 MARCH / APRIL 2014SPN NEWS 2 MARCH / APRIL 2014

BY JOHN BLUNDELL

IN THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 issue of SPN News, they graciously published Part I of my 40-year domestic and international journey to advance and secure liberty. Part I covered 23 political-philosophy and fundraising lessons I ’d learne d. This ar t ic le summarizes 10 managerial lessons I was taught—some the hard way, others the harder way. May the following help you stay off that beaten path, so you can make new and better mistakes.

Lesson 1: Independence is key. The late Sir Antony G. A. Fisher spent 1987 to 1988 bashing me on the head with the word “independence.” Bash, bash, bash! My late mom was a retailer, and she used to say the secret of success was location, location, location. My elder son is a Director of Golf Operations for a major resort and says it is drainage, drainage, drainage. Antony used to say independence, independence, independence. And the longer I’ve been involved in think tanking, the more I realize the wisdom and richness of that insight. To use a slightly archaic British expression, you have to have “an independent station in life” that affords “a respected position, with thoughts and ideas and a name that carries weight.” Otherwise, you are open to undue influence.

Lesson 2: Chart the course. If you lead an organization or are a board chair, you must set out on one, at most two, pages the following:

• Your vision of the future;

• Your unique mission to achieve that mission;

• Your management philosophy; and

• Your operating principles.

Get everybody—your entire staff and board—united on that. Spend whole days, evenings and weekends even, to get everyone on the same page.

Lesson 3: Have measures of success. But, be careful here, as utterly crude measures (for example, press coverage) must not overpower more subtle measures, such as actual real influence or developing a major future talent, such as a filmmaker or a prime minister.

Lesson 4: Subcontract to for-profit com-panies as much as you possibly can—from catering to publishing, database manage-ment to events. It is astonishing how many costs hidden under in-house provision suddenly see the sunlight when outsourced.

Lesson 5: “Float off” programs and projects when it makes sense. In the United Kingdom, the University of Buckingham, Civitas, the E.G. West Centre and the Social Affairs Unit all left the Institute of Economic Affairs, to huge success. A couple of other entities left IEA and folded. Such is the marketplace.

Lesson 6: The world is small, so act decently at all times.

Lesson 7: Eight A+ events are better than ten B- events. Make sure the flags hang correctly. Make sure the speaker has water. (Not fizzy!) Make sure the gooseneck that supports the mike is still robust and not broken and droopy. Make sure the podium has a lip at the bottom edge to stop speaker’s notes from sliding off. In sum: Get the little details right.

Lesson 8: If something does not feel right or is just like wading through mud, then stop and walk away. To wax lyrically, as The Left Banke sang in 1966, “Just walk away Renée, You won’t see me follow you back home”.

Lesson 9: Be careful about who you ask to join your trustees. Some CEOs like the 4G rule: Give, Get, Govern, or Get Off. Others like the 4T rule, as in Time, Trust, True to Mission, and Talent. All trustees should be term limited so you can at least get the bad ones off. And I’ve seen bad ones really spoil the barrel.

A British chocolate maker I know called Cadbury had staff in Africa buying the raw materials he needed. They were often asked for bribes. He told the respective staff, you may pay bribes on two conditions: one, you get a receipt for the accounts department and two, you will not be upset if the payment of the bribe appears in our company newsletter credited to you. Bear that story in mind! It’s very rich. Like the chocolate!

Make all authors sign some pre-publication statement to the effect that they have no personal financial interest in the topic they are addressing. I got caught very badly just once on that front. Fortunately, I could prove to the media, who were all over me, that the organization had been hoodwinked and that in previous publications, where there was an interest, it had been clearly advertised on the title page. Our author left his day job and migrated, I recall.

Lesson 10: Failure is an orphan; success has many mothers and fathers. When you win a battle in the war of ideas, you

continued on page 22


What would you do if your country was involved in a world war? When Phyllis Nicholas was eight years old, she took her little red wagon door to door, collecting leftover grease for U.S. production of ammunition in World War II. Those memories have led Phyllis to cherish the freedoms we have in this country, and they have inspired her deep interest in the modern-day freedom movement in America.

Born and raised in an area of Indiana nicknamed “The Region,” thanks to its many steel mills and vibrant manufacturing sector, Phyllis was born to a teacher and a general contractor. Because of the war, demand for new homes declined sharply, and Phyllis’ father went to work in the steel mill.

Phyllis recalls her childhood as a time when communities helped each other.

“Everybody very conscientiously tried to help in the war effort,” she remembers. “That’s a far cry from what you see nowadays.”

As to her growing love of country and passion for advancing freedom, Phyllis notes simply “that was the mood of the country.” In addition to their grease collection, she and her sister made their contribution by knitting argyle socks and blankets for soldiers fighting overseas.

World War II ended just before Phyllis began high school. Though just 10 percent of Phyllis’ graduating class went on to college, she earned a scholarship to follow in her mother’s footsteps and worked her way through college waiting tables in the Student Union. It was the early 1950s, during her senior year, when Phyllis first noticed the changing philosophy creeping its way into the education curriculum. The new curriculum instructed teachers to focus more on behavior and self-esteem, along with academics. Eventually that system would impair the firm teaching of history and other subjects, which produces well-informed citizens. That’s why she believes “education should be a top priority so voting-age citizens can think critically and sensibly when they are in the voting booth.”

Over the years, she became increasingly frustrated by a federal government that seemed to want to punish states and individuals pursuing the American Dream. But she found hope, like so many others, in an actor from California.

“I can remember the first few months of the Reagan administration. Everything had become so tense under

[President Jimmy] Carter. But very shortly after Reagan took office, things felt right again. You felt like the country was going in the right direction again,” Phyllis says.

Of course, it was President Reagan’s challenge to South Carolina entrepreneur Tom Roe two decades ago that began the interstate freedom movement which would become the State Policy Network (SPN). She believes, as Reagan said so eloquently, “The federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government.” It was—and continues to be—a great reminder of the foundations of the American experiment.

Today, Phyllis still stays deeply interested in current events and the progress of the freedom movement in the states. She watched closely as Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took on Big Labor bosses and was once again inspired by a big win for the American values she cherishes, even in the face of doom and gloom in Washington,

D.C. She was excited to see freedom prevail once again in the Michigan fight for workplace freedom.

“The success in Michigan is wonderful. I think it’s very important to pass right-to-work laws and other critical state-level reforms,” says Phyllis.

Of SPN’s strategy, Phyllis notes, “Washington, D.C. seems a hopeless cause. That’s why I support SPN. By going to people in the states, you can relate to them better than to the federal government. It’s very important to get the strategy of empowerment going in all 50 states.”

As an investor in SPN, Phyllis has played a significant role in doing just that: driving a strategy to secure big wins for freedom—like those in Wisconsin and Michigan—in every corner of America, building powerful momentum. These state victories, which are the result of her partnership and others, are changing the face of the country by truly creating national impact.

Phyllis believes—as the Founding Fathers did—“by connecting the states, you can put pressure on the federal government.” Recognizing that now, more than ever, freedom is rising from the states, she is reminded once again that hope lies in advancing freedom state by state.

Going State-to-State for Freedom

Phyllis Nicholas

“By going to people in the states, you can relate to them better than to the federal government. It’s very important to get the strategy of empowerment

going in all 50 states.”

“There are three irrefutable rules which will assure your success as a fundraiser. Unfortunately, no one has ever discovered what they are.”MAJOR GIFTS GURU Jerry Panas attributes this quote to John Russell in his excellent book Born to Raise, and boy, is it ever true.

But, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look for some basic characteristics of what makes successful donor relations and fundraising operations. Consider yourself on a career-long journey to define the very best ways to achieve ambitious goals, and keep pushing.

As individuals committed to the cause, we often know the big outcomes we’re looking for, both in terms of public policy outcomes and culture change, as well as fundraising goals. Chances are, you push yourself higher each year, and that’s a good thing.

But, what’s less clear is what kinds of day-to-day actions lead to those goals? Sure, we know big-picture strategies and some of the nitty-gritty tactics…but in that space between big ideas and hard execution, what does it really take to be successful?

These principles may not be “irrefutable,” but consider them a start:

Build & Maintain a Priorities Plan: It should be updated in real time and be your guide for your relationship-building efforts. Make sure it captures all of the supporters and probable supporters in your portfolio. A plan should be built for each. This also means keep an eye on gifts as they come in. Research new supporters in real time. Reevaluate often.

Execute Your Plan: Make your calls. Write your notes. Be creative. Measure your progress. Every day—this includes when you are on the road. Use your plans to keep you honest and on track in building real, meaningful, long-term and productive relationships with key investors.

Place the Order: You’ve got to ask for significant gifts. Relationships matter deeply, and they’re the foundation of it all. But, we are also responsible for paying to make dreams reality. Remember, we aim for transformational donor partners. Paint a powerful picture and be persuasive in asking for investments.

Visit Pipeline: Always keep your visit pipeline full—no lag time. You should always have at least 10-15 requests pending at a time. And, don’t give up. Fill your days. Keep calling!

Know Thy Donor: Study. Learn. Build your mental files (in addition to your written files!). Ask good questions. Listen. No, really. Listen. Review notes regularly.

Use Checklists: Good checklists are built for a reason: they’re the basics. Use them (see: Checklist Manifesto). Good checklists will keep you honest and make sure you’re executing on key items.

Practice: You’ve got to have your story down cold. You can do it in your sleep. The only way to do this is to practice, and not just with the mirror. Engage your colleagues. Role play a minimum of twice a month, and hopefully more (on top of actually delivering the pitch to probable supporters, of course!).

Take a Risk: Every now and then, take a calculated risk. Take a chance. Be aggressive.

Study: Have a passion for learning and growing and constantly improving. Read, observe, ask questions, delve into new ideas. Test and learn. Become a fundraising expert, and always grow.

Take the Rocky Path … Sometimes: Occasionally, we really do have to take the rocky path. Yes, we want to work smarter, but there’s no denying this job is chock full of work. Go the extra mile. Stay that extra day and do a few more visits. Take the book home with you. Write thank you notes after dinner on the couch.

Constantly Look for New Opportuni-ties: How are you going to build your portfolio? To whom else can you reach out? Who knows whom? Research con-nections, board memberships, clubs, etc. Think through creative connections. Read the papers, study philanthropy articles and writing on political giving.

There’s no silver bullet , that’s for sure. The bottom line answer is this: building a successful, long-term base of support to advance your mission requires working hard, having a plan and, most importantly, building genuine, meaningful partnerships with individuals who share our vision, who can invest to make our dreams reality.

Daniel J. Erspamer is the vice president for strategic partnerships at the State Policy Network. Write him at [email protected].

Eleven Irrefutable Rules to Raise Transformational Gifts

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SPN NEWS 5 MARCH / APRIL 2014SPN NEWS 4 MARCH / APRIL 2014SPN NEWS 4 MARCH / APRIL 2014

STATE POLICY NETWORK UPDATES

ALABAMA

In early March, Alabama Policy Institute released Understanding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Its Impact on Individuals and Small Businesses by Drew Feeley, an API adjunct scholar. The report explains PPACA as it currently exists, including the penalties/taxes, terms, changes, and the likely impact of the law on individuals and small businesses; provisions that relate to individuals, families, and small businesses; and the impact on Alabamians. This report is free to the public at www .alabamapolicy.org in the White Papers section under the Research tab. API’s social media audience continues to expand, thanks to tweeting about live legislative updates with links to topic-specific op-eds and policy briefs written by staff members. As part of this well-received strategy, API engages legislators by using sponsoring legislators’ Twitter handles and by posting daily summaries on Facebook. Follow API @alabamapolicy. alabamapolicy.org

ALASKA

The governor of Alaska has called this legislative session the “Education Session,” a theme the Alaska Policy Forum has played a key role in shaping. APF’s Ed Choice Task Force has been instrumental in creating buzz around a resolution to amend the constitution so that public funds are no longer prohibited from going to a non-governmental school. Legislation ranging from charter school reform to third-grade literacy is now in the hopper, and more than 150 people attended APF’s school choice events in Anchorage and Fairbanks. They also provided invited testimony to the House Budget Subcommittee on reforming the capital and operating budget processes. Finally, APF

worked with the Foundation for Government Accountability to educate legislators and the public on Medicaid expansion, a policy Governor Parnell has refused to adopt. APF continues to provide information on the unintended consequences to all Alaskans. alaskapolicyforum.org

ARKANSAS

Arkansas’ advocates of limited government suffered a serious defeat during the fiscal session. After four unsuccessful votes, Arkansas’ Medicaid expansion (the so-called Private Option) passed the House. The Advance Arkansas Institute was the only free-market organization with a presence at the Capitol, arguing that resisting Medicaid expansion in 2014 was an important issue. AAI published several short papers on the dangers of Medicaid expansion, as well as a longer study: The Cure Is Worse Than the Disease: Why the Private Option Will Hurt, Not Help, Arkansas Hospitals. One legislator who advocated for Medicaid expansion, Rep. Doug House, circulated a private letter to all 50 of his Republican colleagues, claiming AAI’s study was defective and that Arkansas nonprofit hospitals were “losing BIG money.” AAI responded with a brief report showing that, with the figures the House supplied, simple math demonstrated those hospitals roughly averaged a one percent profit. advancearkansas.org

Term limits are back in the Arkansas policy spotlight. Arkansas citizens approved term limits in 1992 with a 60-to-40 percent landslide. That reform was reaffirmed by a broader 70-30 percent margin in 2004, but it has been placed on this year’s ballot by state legislators seeking longer terms. A 2004 Arkansas Policy Foundation study found more Arkansas women legislators in the term limits era. A new Foundation study finds that female representation has

nearly tripled under term limits and that the number of state legislators who list “attorney” or “lawyer” as their current or former profession has declined by nearly one-third. Critics claim term limits increase legislative inexperience, but the study found little change in lawmakers’ median age. When term limits were approved, the average age was 51, and when they took effect in 1999, the average age was 50. Currently the average age is 53. arkansaspolicyfoundation.org

CALIFORNIA

Pacific Research Institute published two studies and filed an amicus brief in the first quarter of 2014. The first study, authored by Rituparna Basu, The Broken State of American Health Insurance Prior to the Affordable Care Act, suggests that government regulation plays a major role in the poor state of health insurance today. Another study, Going Broke One City at a Time: Municipal Bankruptcies in America by Wayne H. Winegarden, covers past municipal bankruptcies and the likelihood that more municipalities will become insolvent going forward. In February, the Pacific Research Institute and the Cato Institute filed an amicus brief against extending tax subsidies to purchasers of insurance in federal exchanges (HealthCare.gov). This amicus brief was filed in support of the challenge to the IRS decision to extend tax subsidies, which were not included in the Affordable Care Act, to those purchasing insurance through the federal exchanges. pacificresearch.org

On February 4, the California Public Policy Center, in partnership with NPRI, launched TransparentCalifornia.com, a searchable database showing pay, benefits and pensions for over three million state

UPDATES

SPN NEWS 6 MARCH / APRIL 2014


and local government employees in California. The website garnered over one million page views in under two weeks, and it continues to attract national and local press coverage. CPPC intends to augment this project with new online resources to track the voting records of state and local elected officials and publicize the credit condition of California’s cities and counties. calpolicycenter.org

DELAWARE

Delaware students have the lowest SAT scores in the country, even though Delaware spends more per student’s education than almost every other state. Delaware has the nation’s highest per-capita number of students in private schools, keeping a wide education gap between children whose parents can afford a private education and the majority of students whose parents cannot afford an alternative to the public schools. The students and parents in Delaware have long been short-changed, particularly those in Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city. Caesar Rodney Institute is working with community partners to introduce Education Savings Accounts legislation in Delaware, so families who cannot afford an alternative to a poorly performing public school have another option for their children. CRI has started educating the public and policymakers about the benefits of ESAs. For Delaware’s students, the chance to get a better education in a private school simply cannot come soon enough. caesarrodney.org

FLORIDA

Guests gathered at the Orlando Science Center for the James Madison Institute’s National School Choice Week spotlight event, which featured Matt Ladner, a nationally renowned education researcher with the Foundation for Excellence in

Education; Freddi Wood, an Orlando-area mother whose children attend an innovative school that blends classroom instruction with home learning activities; and Willow Tufano, an award-winning teen homeowner and Florida Virtual School student. Reform of Florida’s juvenile justice system is moving forward, with the legislature considering a rewrite of the Florida law governing the system. JMI and a coalition of diverse partners have played a role in the process through public testimony and informational meetings with Florida lawmakers. JMI’s goal is to ensure that Florida implements the right, targeted public safety approaches that save money and ensure positive outcomes for youth. jamesmadison.org

The failure to pass ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion in several states continues to be a success for the Foundation for Government Accountability, taxpayers and truly-vulnerable Medicaid patients. In Virginia, the House is holding firm against pressure from Clinton-backed Governor Terry McAuliffe. In Utah, Governor Herbert has backed away from full Medicaid expansion and has proposed an alternative plan. In Arkansas, after several failed attempts to fund the so-called Private Option, ObamaCare supporters resorted to trickery and spent tremendous political capital to ram through funding, but their position has weakened significantly as

FGA, the Advance Arkansas Institute and other expansion opponents gear up for next session’s repeal fight. FGA continues to work in these states, as well as in Maine, Wyoming, Missouri, Pennsylvania and others to educate elected officials and the grassroots on the facts about Medicaid expansion. thefga.org

GEORGIA

More than 200 supporters attended the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Annual Dinner on March 5. Keynote speaker Daniel Garza of the LIBRE Initiative and several supporters shared their stories of pursuing opportunity and the American Dream. Meanwhile, legislators raced through the 40-day session to get into campaign mode. Falling victim to sheriffs’ pressure again was civil asset forfeiture reform. The Foundation will continue to work with the Institute for Justice’s Lee McGrath and other groups to protect innocent victims. The Legislature was receptive to a federal Balanced Budget Amendment and passed three bills. The Foundation partnered with the Goldwater Institute’s Nick Dranias on one approach. Just in time for campaign season, the Foundation launched its Candidate Briefing Book, a guide to free-market approaches to state issues.

JMI’s National School Choice Week spotlight event highlighted innovative approaches to school choice in a panel discussion with Bill Mattox, JMI Resident Fellow; Matt Ladner, Senior Advisor of Policy and Research for the Foundation for Excellence in Education; Willow Tufano, teen entrepreneur; and Freddi Wood, Orlando-area mother.



The Foundation’s social media presence continues to grow, especially on YouTube where the Foundation’s channel averages almost 3,000 unique views per month. georgiapolicy.org

HAWAII

With the Hawaii Legislature in the midst of its short session, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has been very involved in educating both the public and the politicians on the economic issues dominating the public discourse. The Institute has responded to a proposal to raise the minimum wage with evidence that the effort will fail to help the low-income families it is intended to protect. It has also worked to highlight the negative

effects of Hawaii’s taxation scheme and even testified in favor of an effort to create a “grocery” exemption to the General Excise Tax. Grassroot is also working to bring more attention to the negative effect of the Jones Act in Hawaii and across the nation. Finally, GRIH continues to get wide media exposure and even has a weekly television show called E Hana Kakou. grassrootinstitute.org

IDAHO

D.C.’s next budget crisis is Idaho’s problem. A new report from the Idaho Freedom Foundation highlights just how big the

problem is: the state’s reliance on D.C. has grown 82 percent in 10 years for programs from health care to law enforcement. Most lawmakers don’t know which programs are funded with federal money and to what extent, leaving Idaho’s citizens and the programs they’ve come to rely on vulnerable. IFF’s report suggests Idaho should waste no time preparing for reductions in federal funding. The report also poses some basic questions for policymakers to ponder: What if Idaho officials were able to see all the details behind the $2.4 billion Idaho gets from the federal government? What if they could measure the impact of that funding? And what if they could then make decisions in the best interest of their constituents? These questions have prompted Idaho’s governor and key legislators to seek data on federal funding from state agencies. idahofreedom.net

ILLINOIS

It is widely known that Illinois’ pension crisis is the worst in the nation. But another crisis is lurking in Illinois’ backyard. Local pension systems throughout the state are more than $12 billion in debt, and Illinois Policy Institute broke this news in its latest report: The crisis hits home: Illinois’ local pension problem. Illionois Policy Institute has worked with local officials to discuss solutions that work for their taxpayers and has made numerous appearances on WGN-TV and other major local outlets. Local officials are reacting. In Springfield, though one Democratic alderman has supported the Institute’s work, the mayor and the rest of the city council is up in arms over the research. Officials in other cities, such as Decatur, are also upset about the Institute’s findings, while the mayor of Rockford is interested in working with Illionis Policy Institute toward a solution. Ultimately, this groundbreaking work has spurred a much-needed discussion on Illinois’ local pension crisis. illinoispolicy.org

INDIANA

W hen in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political

bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes: and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

A FUTURE THAT WORKS

Our mission is to marshal the best thought on governmental, economic and educational issues at the state and municipal levels. We seek to accomplish this in ways that:

• Exalt the truths of the Declaration of Independence, especially as they apply to the interrelated freedoms of religion, property and speech.

• Emphasize the primacy of the individual in addressing public concerns.

• Recognize that equality of opportunity is sacrificed in pursuit of equality of results.The foundation encourages research and discussion on the widest range of Indiana public-policy issues. Although the philo-sophical and economic prejudices inherent in its mission might prompt disagreement, the foundation strives to avoid political or social bias in its work. Those who believe they detect such bias are asked to provide details of a factual nature so that errors may be corrected.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Charles S. QuilhotByron S. LammT. Craig Ladwig

MEMBERSHIPSOnly active members and registered media are given interior access to the archive at www.inpolicy.org. The active membership can be defined as those members who have donated $50 or more to the foundation within the past year. It is the staff’s prefer-ence to consult these active members when selecting issues for panel discussions in their regions. It is also the staff’s preference to contact active members when seminars and events are scheduled in their regions. In any case, the foundation makes available its work and publications as resources permit. Memberships are tax-exempt. The Indiana Policy Review Foundation is a nonprofit Indiana corporation, established in January of 1989 and recog-nized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. Its officers and staff can be reached at: PO Box 5166, Fort Wayne, IN, 46895; [email protected] or under the “contact us” tab at www.inpolicy.org. The foundation is free of outside control by any individual, organization or group. It exists solely to conduct and distribute research on Indiana issues. Nothing written here is to be construed as reflecting the views of the Indiana Policy Re-view Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before the legislature or to further any political campaign.

Donna Volmerding, Copy Editor Lisa Barnum, Graphic Designer

Vol. 24, No. 4, Fall 2013

INDIANAPOLICYReview

In Congress, July 4, 1776, the unanimous declaration of the thirteen United

States of America:

Indiana Policy Review’s spring edition of The Journal is dedicated to the question of “Why Politics Has Gotten So Nasty.” Dr. Cecil Bohanon begins the discussion with this: “The narcissism of my genera-tion—the baby boomers—has become a permanent feature of American culture. An ‘it’s all about me’ attitude extends beyond materialistic selfishness. It also fuels intellectual and moral arrogance. The ‘I’m always right, I never lie, and I am a morally superior creature’ posture comes naturally to the self-absorbed person. A logical extension of this view is that those who disagree with me must be liars as well as my intellectual and moral inferiors.” inpolicy.org

IOWA

Americans want our children to succeed, but our children are not leaving high school well-prepared. Educational inequality and educational under-achievement has been called the “civil rights” issue of our time by both conservative and liberal politicians. As a result of continuing lackluster performance by our young people on state, national and international achievement tests, educational freedom initiatives continue to grow nationwide. In her new policy study, Educational Freedom—For Your Child, My Child, All Children, Public Interest Institute Research Analyst Deborah D. Thornton addresses some of the reform initiatives occurring in other states and discusses the current options available to Iowa parents and children. Thornton suggests future actions which can increase school choice in Iowa, allowing educational freedom for all children. To read this study and others from Public Interest Institute, visit LimitedGovernment .org/publications.html. limitedgovernment.org

Grassroot President Keli’i Akina interviews Japanese economists Dr. Hiroshi Yoshida and Yuta Steve Nakano on his weekly show.



KANSAS

Kansas remains a “choice-free” environment in K –12 education, but the tide is beginning to turn. Due to work outside of traditional partnerships, Kansas Policy Institute has been able to bring more than a dozen groups together to advocate for more parental choice. The key has been building relationships and motivating action from non-liberty groups. The special needs community, independent private schools,

African-American pastors and others have rallied with KPI and other like-minded organizations for multiple hearings and the first school choice rally ever to take place in the state capitol. Reaching different audiences and telling the personal stories about the shortcomings of the current system and the promise of school choice is truly making a difference in the fight. kansaspolicy.org

MAINE

The Maine Heritage Policy Center started 2014 by making national headlines with an

exclusive investigation into welfare fraud and abuse. MHPC’s investigative report found Maine cash welfare being spent in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The report exposed welfare spending at liquor stores, strip clubs, cigarette shops, bowling alleys, pet stores, tattoo parlors and amusement parks. These stunning facts have laid the foundation for what MHPC hopes will be a successful reform initiative now pending in the Maine State Legislature. Read the report at TheMaineWire.com. mainepolicy.org

MARYLAND

An article by the Calvert Institute’s Executive Director, entitled “Could a Third Treasurer be the Charm?” appeared in the Baltimore Sun on February 20, 2014. The article decries $8 billion dollars in lost yields from misinvestment of Maryland’s pension fund. calvertinstitute.org

The Maryland Public Policy Institute continues to get media attention for its July 2013 report on how states can save millions each year on their public pension investments. The Institute received recent citations from Forbes and TIME magazines. Meanwhile, the Institute pushed forward with more research and recommendations for keeping Maryland residents employed and prosperous by tackling the controversial issue of raising the minimum wage. In a new report, Senior Fellow Thomas A. Firey offers an alternative that would aid the poor without penalizing small businesses. Both studies showcase the Maryland Public Policy Institute’s commitment to finding out-of-the-box solutions to problems that perpetually stifle growth and productivity in the state: mismanagement and a well-intentioned-yet-ill-informed desire for change. mdpolicy.org

MASSACHUSETTS

PIONEER INSTITUTEP U B L I C P O L I C Y R E S E A R C H

In February, Pioneer Institute led the effort to bring greater transparency to the state transit authority’s retirement fund, publishing research and appearing in the press to highlight the pension system’s poor financial condition. Pioneer outlined key reforms and showed that the fund would become insolvent by 2036 without continued taxpayer support. In healthcare, Pioneer published a study calling for increased focus on privacy leaks, as health care providers share more patient data through electronic health records. In education, Pioneer launched the “Boston2in1Now.org” initiative in support of expanding charter schools and published studies highlighting unique tutoring and teacher preparation programs at a growing charter school network, Match Education. In March, Pioneer held a public forum, “Remember the Ladies”: Women in U.S. History, Literature, and Schooling, with Cokie Roberts, national commentator and author; Valerie Boyd, Zora Neale Hurston biographer; and a distinguished panel. pioneerinstitute.org

MICHIGAN

More than 650 people downloaded the Mackinac Center’s new app, VoteSpotter, soon after it was released. The app allows users to provide instant feedback to their legislators on key votes. The app is able to delineate users based on a home address to make sure they can communicate with their elected officials. Users are notified of key votes with the same precise, plain-English descriptions used by MichiganVotes.org and are told how their legislators voted. Instant feedback includes e-mail, social media or a phone call. A scholarship endowment in honor of Teri Olson, the late wife of Center founder and long-time board member D. Joseph Olson, was established to fund one internship

James Franko, VP of Kansas Policy Institute; Bishop Wade Moore, NAACP “Clergy of the Year” and founder of Urban Preparatory Academy—Wichita; Jeanine Phillips, founder of Fundamental Learning Center; and Jameson Moore, son of Bishop Moore gather at the Kansas State Capitol to attend the House Education Committee hearing on a tax credit scholarship bill.



a year for a Hillsdale College student. It was Teri, in fact, who named the Center, saying she “couldn’t think of anything more uniquely Michigan” than the name Mackinac. mackinac.org

MINNESOTA

The Center of the American Experiment is exposing and challenging a plan by the Met Council, the Twin Cities’ regional government, to remake the Twin Cities according to its ideologically-driven social planning dictates. Their plan is a major threat to prosperity and self-government in the Twin Cities that aims to give the unelected Met Council power to: 1) Impose “transit-oriented development” designed to move people into high-density “stack and pack” housing; 2) Set quotas for people of different incomes and races in every neighborhood and school in the region; 3) Distort market forces and sap development in the rest of the region by empowering government planners to funnel new jobs and economic growth into central cities and areas near transit stations; and 4) Redistribute wealth from suburbs to cities to pay for all this. americanexperiment.org

On February 20th, the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota armed over 50 policymakers with free-market policy

solutions at FFM’s annual Session Solutions Conference. The event provides legislators an opportunity to hear from state and national policy experts on a wide range of issues relevant to the upcoming session. Speakers at this year’s conference included Gregory Conko of the Competitive Enterprise Institute who provided a primer and policy perspective on GMO labeling; Emily Ekins of the Reason Foundation who discussed health care polling and the Affordable Care Act; Ambassador Ben Whitney of MinnCAN who focused on K–12 reforms that are working around the nation; Michael Saltsman of the Employment Policies Institute on the economics of minimum wage hikes; and a Chamber of Commerce speaker who discussed the state’s new business-to-business taxes. Conservative policy analyst Michael Barone ended the day with a terrific speech on the conservative movement. freedomfoundationofminnesota.com

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi could become the second state in the nation to provide Education Savings Accounts. As of this writing, both houses of the Mississippi Legislature have passed bills to establish Individualized Education Funds (IEFs) for special needs children. The Mississippi Center for Public Policy assisted key legislators and disability advocates in creating a policy that will allow parents of special needs children to

direct the state-provided money toward curricula, therapy, tutors, or private schools that best meet their needs. MCPP has also worked to ensure First Amendment rights are protected through a Religious Freedom Restoration Act for Mississippi. In addition, MCPP successfully alerted legislators to the dangers of several bills, passed by the House of Representatives, which would have allowed significant overreach by state agencies, especially the Department of Revenue. Those bills died in the state Senate. mspolicy.org

MISSOURI

Show-Me Institute Director of Local Government Policy David Stokes recently released a case study about privatization efforts in Missouri. Cities can experience cost savings and service improvements through privatization in areas such as trash pick-up, ambulance service, swimming pool and golf course management, animal control, fleet management, government pharmacy services, and much more. Media showed clear interest in the study. Stokes’ accompanying op-ed ran in six newspapers around the state, and he also did seven radio interviews plus a radio commentary. His study was the subject of two stories in the biggest newspapers in Missouri. Read the full case study at showmeinstitute.org

NEBRASKA

The Platte Institute continued to advocate against expanding Medicaid in Nebraska by releasing a study, Medicaid Expansion: A Bad Prescription for Nebraska, analyzing the proposed Wellness in Nebraska (WIN) program. The study found the program is unlikely to achieve its objectives of protecting the most vulnerable, promoting personal responsibility, reducing uncompensated care, and providing budget stability. Dick Clark, the Institute’s Director of Research, testified in opposition of the bill before the Health and Human Services Committee. The Institute has also been a proponent of tax reform during the 2014 legislative session. CEO Jim Vokal and Scott Drenkard of the Tax Foundation testified in support of a bill to lower the individual and corporate income taxes in Nebraska. Finally, the Institute would like to welcome Adam Weinberg as its new Director of Communications and Outreach. platteinstitute.org

Policymakers enjoy remarks from Michael Barone, conservative political analyst and Fox News commentator, at the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota’s 2014 Session Solutions Conference.



NEVADA

Government shouldn’t pick winners and losers, so the Nevada Policy Research Institute sued the State of Nevada to stop unconstitutional business subsidies. A press conference earned statewide media coverage, and one government jurisdiction paused its subsidy program pending the outcome of the lawsuit, saving taxpayers $577,000. Modeled after NPRI’s TransparentNevada.com, NPRI and the California Public Policy Center launched TransparentCalifornia.com on February 4. It

features over three million searchable salary and pension records. The launch of the site generated coverage from the Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Forbes, Investor’s Business Daily and numerous radio and TV shows. Less than three weeks later, TransparentCalifornia.com earned its one millionth page view. NPRI also added public pension data to TransparentNevada.com. On the day NPRI released that data, the site earned almost three times as many page views as its highest day in 2013. npri.org

NEW JERSEY

Common Sense Institute of New Jersey released two important research studies

for the citizens/taxpayers of New Jersey. The Index of Long-Term Care Vulnerability: A Case Study in New Jersey by national expert Stephen Moses highlights the effects of an aging Medicaid population that’s exploding under Obamacare. The New Jersey Pension Study, authored by Richard Dreyfuss and Steven Malanga, esteemed pension and healthcare experts and Manhattan Institute Fellows, documents the critical fiscal issues facing the state in light of a decades-old hole in the public sector pension funds that can no longer be ignored. The challenges these two issues present are and will have major implications for the 2015 budget and all budgets for the foreseeable future. The impact of these two critical issues on the state’s economy, and future outlook, provides valuable examples for what other states should and shouldn’t do going forward. csinj.org

NEW MEXICO

In advance of New Mexico’s 2014 legislative session, the Rio Grande Foundation proposed market-friendly solutions to the state’s insolvent lottery scholarship program. These ideas would have avoided tapping into New Mexico’s General Fund budget while encouraging students to consider the scholarship as supplemental to their own investment in higher education, not as an entitlement. RGF set the agenda for local news outlet KRQE Channel 13 when it requested and analyzed the pay and benefits packages of community college presidents statewide. RGF uncovered benefits given to community college presidents, including 30 days of paid vacation, free vehicles, and use of a $500K house to name just a few. The story was advertised heavily and given a prime slot as a major investigative effort. RGF will continue to shine light on this and other outrageously-generous government benefits packages in its push for broader reform. riograndefoundation.org

NEW YORK

The Empire Center for Public Policy released a report outlining the case for killing New York’s death tax, one of only 14 left in the country. The report garnered statewide news coverage and explored the potential impact of repealing the tax. In legislative testimony on the proposed budget, the Center’s president, E.J. McMahon, cited Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed estate tax reduction as a bright spot. However, McMahon also noted that more than half of the governor’s proposed “tax cuts” would shift the local property tax burden to the state tax base and would not result in a net tax reduction. The Center also released a report showing how New Yorkers can cut local government costs through shared services, dissolution and consolidation. The Center’s government transparency database, SeeThroughNY.net, was updated with payroll information for state and New York City employees. empirecenter.org

NORTH CAROLINA

A public records request filed by the Civitas Institute confirmed the Poverty Center at the University of North Carolina’s School of Law used public resources to host a closed, invitation-only event that appears to have been blatantly partisan. This improper use of taxpayer funds likely violated university policy on open meetings. And, it is suspected, given the Poverty Center’s history, this is probably just the tip of the iceberg. Civitas will continue to examine the activities of this publicly-funded organization. The Institute’s eighth Conservative Leadership Conference on March 28–29 featured Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and noted economist Walter Williams. True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht, Heritage economist Stephen Moore, and Cato health care expert

NPRI attorney Joseph Becker shares about NPRI’s lawsuit to stop the government from subsidizing private businesses during a press conference at the courthouse.



Michael Cannon were among many other conservative experts and commentators who explored the theme “Freedom Is.” nccivitas.org

National audiences heard and read recent John Locke Foundation analysis assessing positive impacts of free-market reforms. Research director Terry Stoops discussed North Carolina’s sweeping public education changes on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” while President John Hood’s latest Reason

Magazine article documented hundreds of academic research papers touting free-market policies as effective tools for state economic growth. National Review sought Hood’s expert opinion about Obamacare’s impact on North Carolina’s 2014 U.S. Senate race. Meanwhile, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) shared details of his alternative health care plan with a JLF audience. JLF researchers produced a local government issue guide, touted state tax reform’s benefits and recommended new commissions to study Common Core. The N.C. History Project’s director published a book on the role of Edenton, NC, in the American Founding. johnlocke.org

OHIO

The Buckeye Institute is pleased to co-host Jim DeMint, former U.S. Senator and The Heritage Foundation’s president, along with The Heritage Foundation and the Ashbrook Center, on Friday, April 25.

The evening will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by an address from Jim DeMint at 6:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency (151 West 5th Street) in Cincinnati. The event is free of charge, but reservations are required. For further information or to arrange for your attendance, please contact The Buckeye Institute at (614) 224-4422. We look forward to a great evening, and hope you will join us! buckeyeinstitute.org

OREGON

In February, Cascade Policy Institute’s Education Savings Account bill for special needs, foster and low-income K–12 students did not succeed in Oregon’s short 2014 legislative session. But it did attract 15 legislative sponsors and will be receiving more serious consideration in 2015. In March, Cascade hosted a book forum featuring Clark Neily from the Institute for Justice who spoke on “Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Engagement.” Cascade also led two sold-out Policy Picnics—one on “Energy Taxes and the Energy Trust of Oregon” and the other on “Renewable Energy Credits and Renewable Portfolio Standards.” John Charles, Cascade’s president and CEO,

was a featured speaker at the Dorchester Conference, Oregon’s largest Republican event, where he discussed the Elliott State Forest and its ties to school funding in Oregon. cascadepolicy.org

PENNSYLVANIA

The battle for paycheck protection continues, and the Commonwealth Foundation team will not rest until fairness is restored to teachers, taxpayers and workers in Pennsylvania. Union bosses, fearing the loss of their exclusive political privilege, recently flooded the Capitol with workers and are perpetuating the message that paycheck protection will destroy the middle class. They’re wrong, and CF is setting the message straight. CF commissioned a poll of union workers statewide that showed overwhelming support for paycheck protection. At the union rally, friends of CF held signs and banners exposing the lie that union dues aren’t used for politics. A mobile billboard sat in front of the Capitol showing clear examples. And when a teachers union took out newspaper ads lying about education funding, CF countered with ads of its own, calling the union bosses out for their lies. commonwealthfoundation.org

Tyler Younts has joined the John Locke Foundation as legal policy analyst.

Commonwealth Foundation friends hold a prominent banner at a union rally in the Capitol, reminding lawmakers and media that this political protest was funded with dues collected by taxpayers.



RHODE ISLAND

The Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity successfully weathered a local version of the national attacks against SPN and its network by union-funded, left-leaning groups. A front-page story in the Providence Journal could not pin anything on the Center and ended up actually confirming RICFP’s non-partisan operations and law-abiding policies about donor privacy. The Center’s promotion of the ‘story the Journal didn’t tell’ has resulted in much positive feedback, above-average donations and a response op-ed. RICFP’s Zero.Zero sales tax campaign, following Commission hearings, will result in a bill to drop the sales tax rate from seven percent to three percent this year. rifreedom.org

SOUTH CAROLINA

Education policy has continued to be the front-burner issue for Palmetto Policy Forum in recent months. In January, PPF partnered with like-minded groups from

around South Carolina to host the National School Choice Week Whistle Stop Tour in Columbia. PPF enjoyed a packed house for this high-energy celebration of the many education options—public, online, private and homeschool—that are growing in the Palmetto State. It was also a great opportunity to urge the many lawmakers in attendance to do even more to expand high-quality choices for students and parents. In February, PPF continued this theme of empowering parents, publishing How Common Core Went Wrong, a report that provides a practical blueprint for lawmakers working to maintain unquestioned control of education standards here in South Carolina where it belongs. palmettopolicy.org

With every attempt to stop Obamacare now effectively dead and with states “opposed” to Medicaid expansion caving in, the South Carolina Policy Council realized a new approach was needed. After years of analyzing state budgets, SCPC concluded that there’s no way for states to stop Obamacare’s scores of crippling mandates while taking money to implement

them. So SCPC proposed a way to hold state politicians accountable for selling state policy prerogatives for federal money: requiring by law that every federal dollar tied to Obamacare receive an up or down vote in the legislature. It’s catching on fast. An amendment to a bill in the State House, originally conceived by SCPC and narrowly defeated in the Senate, was a first shot. Meanwhile, SCPC’s policy analyst Dillon Jones applied the same logic to Common Core in an op-ed in The Daily Caller. Read it at bit.ly/Nvk7nA. scpolicycouncil.org

TENNESSEE

Workers at the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant successfully fought back against United Auto Workers’ attempts to unionize the plant, and Beacon Center was on the front lines of this battle, receiving extensive national coverage from outlets such as Investors Business Daily and Reuters. The Center also released Our State, Our Future, part of its Faces of Freedom series that focuses on the harmful impact Tennessee’s Hall Income Tax has on the lives of Tennesseans. Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform and Tim Phillips of Americans for Prosperity joined Beacon and key lawmakers for a press conference to call for a full repeal of the tax. Beacon also released a compelling new video for Beacon’s School Choice NOW project, documenting over one thousand parents, school leaders, and kids’ journeys to a rally at the capitol during National School Choice Week. beacontn.org

South Carolina students ring the bell for education freedom at the National School Choice Week Whistle Stop Tour in Columbia.

Grover Norquist joins Tennessee

lawmakers to call for repeal to the

Hall Income Tax.



TEXAS

On March 3, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute hosted a Digital Learning Summit where legislators, policy experts, and stakeholders discussed how to advance digital learning in Texas schools. Sen. Larry Taylor and Rep. Jason Isaac participated, and Heather Staker of the Clayton Christensen Institute

delivered a keynote address on disruptive innovation, the various models of online and blending learning, and how to better utilize technology in education. Jaime Casap, Google’s “global education evangelist,” also delivered remarks, as did Holly Sagues of Florida Virtual School. Throughout 2014, TCCRI will continue to host more digital learning events to discuss policy ideas on increasing access and using technology to personalize learning and improve outcomes. Two TCCRI Task Forces, Public Education and Technology, will also consider digital learning policy ideas. txccri.org

Texas Public Policy Foundation policy analysts have already testified several times this year at both the state and federal level. Chuck DeVore, Vice President for Policy, visited California’s Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review to testify on prison reform. Citing Texas’ recent success, DeVore suggested that changes in the probation

system and drug treatment programs can halt California’s inflating prison operations budget. Kathleen Hartnett White, Senior Fellow and Director of the Armstrong Center for Energy & the Environment, appeared before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, relaying her findings on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Marc Levin, with TPPF’s Center for Effective Justice, addressed a congressional hearing on solitary confinement, stating that 23 straight hours without proper stimulation is not conducive to rehabilitation and that these inmates should not be released directly from isolation into the general public. texaspolicy.com

VERMONT

Vermont continues to lead the nation along the path to a single-payer healthcare system. However, a recent poll commissioned by the NEA (which subsequently dumped $80,000 into the single-payer battle) shows that statewide support for Single Payer has plummeted over the past twelve months from over 50 percent support to under 25 percent. Ethan Allen Institute has played a key role in educating the public about the costs and dangers of Single Payer. The Institute’s documentary, Turning Blue, which focuses on Vermont as a catalyst for national policy change, particularly in regard to healthcare, has received over 2,100 views on YouTube. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out on EAI’s website. Though we’re making progress, Vermont’s far-left-leaning legislature is yet undeterred from moving forward with this scheme and serving as a springboard to a national single-payer system. ethanallen.org

VIRGINIA

Thomas Jefferson Institute Vice President Chris Braunlich was unanimously elected

President of the Virginia State Board of Education, the state’s top education policy board. Braunlich will serve until his term expires in June 2015. The Institute held a highly successful fundraising reception, with more than 150 registrants, honoring Virginia House Speaker Bill Howell, who has been a stalwart in opposing expansion of Medicaid and Obamacare in Virginia. Saddling up on behalf of the Keystone Pipeline, the Institute contacted 56,000 subscribers to its Jefferson Policy Journal, urging e-mails and letters in support of the pipeline as an important means of creating economic growth and energy security. And just prior to the April Heritage Foundation Resource Bank, the Institute will host a National Leadership Roundtable on Energy and Environmental Stewardship, gathering free market leaders to identify alternatives to command and control environmentalism. thomasjeffersoninst.org

WASHINGTON

In late January, Washington Policy Center announced a new project to review Seattle’s current pension system and provide recommendations for reform. The project included a study by former Washington State Auditor, Brian Sonntag, as well as a video. The project gained momentum through the media with radio attention and an endorsement by The Seattle Times, Seattle’s daily newspaper. WPC also launched a new market research project,

The Washington Policy Center welcomes Michael Hertel, Lincoln Ware, Alec Kimble, Troy Wate, Garrett Gilliland, and Din Kuses as the new officers of the Young Professionals club at the University of Washington.

Heather Staker of the Clayton Christensen Institute delivers the keynote address at the TCCRI Digital Learning Summit on March 3.



beginning with focus group sessions statewide to measure the organization’s reach and citizens’ engagement on key policy issues facing Washington state. The Young Professionals arm of WPC kicked off the start of WPC Young Professionals @UW (University of Washington), WPC’s first club on a college campus. Led by Alec Kimble, club president and UW college student, the kick off drew a packed room at a popular local restaurant near the school. washingtonpolicy.org

The fight against the union political machine is essential to the freedom agenda and is especially key in Washington state, which is a net exporter of union political cash. The Freedom Foundation has taken up the fight to discredit and defund the union political machine. The Freedom Foundation forced union bosses to play defense during Washington state’s recent legislative session with a slate of bills exposing the lack of transparency and accountability that allows unions to overcharge workers and underserve the public. In January, the Foundation kicked off a radio advertising campaign featuring its union reform message. In February, the Freedom Foundation launched “Freedom Daily,” a half-hour live radio program broadcast every weekday across half the state and online. It also filed a lawsuit against a county auditor who violated state law by producing an entirely one-sided (pro-tax-increase) official voter pamphlet. myFreedomFoundation.com

WISCONSIN

A recent MacIver Institute investigation uncovered that Judge Juan Colas has close family ties to the campaign arm of the Wisconsin Assembly Democrats, an organization that has received nearly $200,000 from the unions that Colas ruled in favor of when striking down Wisconsin’s collective bargaining reforms

known as Act 10. Colas’ daughter, Grace, has worked for the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee (ADCC) since June 2013. Questions were raised when it was discovered the Judge’s daughter received employment from the union-backed ADCC just months after her father’s decision to overturn Act 10. Since 1993, the state teachers’ union, which funded the lawsuit, and Madison Teachers, Inc., a party to the lawsuit, have donated $190,350 to the ADCC. In the month prior to Grace starting as Finance Assistant, $4,500 was donated. The case is now in the hands of the State Supreme Court. maciverinstitute.com

WYOMING

Wyoming Liberty Group’s issue advocacy education efforts paid off with the legislative defeat of Medicaid expansion and postponement of the Common Core science curriculum implementation. Unfortunately, at the request of Wyoming’s incumbent governor, legislators increased compensation for state workers while the private sector languishes. On another front, WLG’s threat of litigation persuaded the Cheyenne City Council to revoke its extreme political yard sign restrictions; the Court even awarded WLG attorneys’ fees. Regarding

the IRS attempts to curtail 501(c)(4) free speech, legal team member Ben Barr wrote about how the attack endangers established balancing precedent that also protects 501(c)(3)s. wyliberty.org

In Walker v. Toledo, The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law is before the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing that Ohio cities’ use of automated traffic cameras for speeding and red lights violates the Ohio Constitution’s due process and structural guarantees. In Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, the 1851 Center joins others before the United States Supreme Court in arguing that the Ohio Elections Commission violates the First Amendment when it regulates, punishes and pretends to determine the truth and falsity of Ohioans’ political statements. There, 1851 demonstrates how political elites have used the Commission to ensnare grassroots conservative and libertarian activists. 1851 is also fighting private pipeline corporations’ use of eminent domain to take Ohioans’ properties. ohioconstitution.org

Madison Teachers, Inc., a party to the Act 10 lawsuit, protest at the Wisconsin Capitol in 2011. MacIver Institute has uncovered partisan ties to the judge in the Act 10 lawsuit.

ASSOCIATES



StudySpace is a new educational app and web-based tool from the Acton Institute that offers a robust collection of rich media resources exploring the integration of faith, work and economics. It expands small-group study into a seamless learning experience. You can bring your study materials along wherever you have free time. It is ideal for book clubs, Bible studies, educators or any group interested in learning and discussion. StudySpace is free and available in most browsers on any device. An iPhone app is now available in the app store, and iPad and Android apps are forthcoming. acton.org

The Allegheny Institute continues to be a beacon when it comes to uncovering the government’s use of tax dollars. Allegheny’s brief on the state’s Commonwealth Financing Authority received substantial media attention. Created in 2004, the Authority provides financial assistance for economic development and other purposes. It currently has $1.7 billion in debt outstanding and depends on the state to cover debt service. The Authority was established as a way to leverage limited development by issuing debt against them. This strategy of issuing debt at such a breakneck pace cannot continue without eventually coming back to haunt taxpayers. alleghenyinstitute.org

From the minimum wage to the Ukraine crisis, and the Yellen confirmation to the Tea Party’s fifth birthday, American Enterprise Institute experts such as Michael Strain, Jonah Goldberg and Karlyn Bowman are on the cutting edge of America’s most important conversations. Earlier this spring, AEI president Arthur Brooks had the privilege of hosting His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, for a series

of events on the relationship among free enterprise, happiness and human flourishing. Dr. Brooks also hosted Bill Gates to discuss how private philanthropy is changing the landscape of poverty worldwide. Full video and highlights from both events can be found on AEI’s website under the Events tab. Please direct any questions about AEI’s research or events to Janine Nichols at Janine.Nichols@aei .org. aei.org

The American Legislative Exchange Council is preparing for a successful Spring Task Force Summit on May 1 and 2 in Kansas City, MO. Registration is now open. Early Bird prices and hotel room blocks end April 4, so register at www .alec.org. Join state lawmakers, industry experts and citizen groups from across the country in Kansas City for the Spring Task Force Summit. ALEC’S annual Report Card on American Education and Rich States, Poor States reports will soon be ready for distribution in a state near you. Both reports will also be available at ALEC’s website. alec.org.

America’s Future Foundation chapters in Southeast Michigan, Dallas and Pittsburgh celebrated National School Choice Week with panel discussions. AFF Austin partnered with Google to discuss outdated technological regulations that hinder productivity. In Washington, D.C., AFF partnered with the Institute for Humane Studies and American Enterprise Institute for a “Welcome to Washington” panel on networking best practices, and members met CNN commentator S.E. Cupp at a happy hour. Roundtables focused on New Year’s resolutions for liberty and the best ways for the Right to combat poverty. AFF’s Gala will be at the Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., on May 28. americasfuture.org

Judy Shelton, economist and Atlas Network senior fellow, is closely following the situation in Ukraine. In a recent WSJ column she wrote, “The most expedient way to establish a sound-money foundation—in keeping with Ukrainian aspirations for an independent nation capable of succeeding in the global economy—would be to initiate a currency board.” A week later, Steve Forbes wrote a column supporting her advice. Atlas Network also proudly welcomes its newest team member, Grace Courter, who joins the Marketing & Communications team, focusing on digital and content strategy. atlasnetwork.org

The Ayn Rand Institute’s exciting new website uses leading-edge technology, accessible online tools and social communication to advance dialogue around the vital role of reason and purpose in our daily lives. View ARI’s programs for students—essay contests, internships, campus clubs and more. Take an online class about Ayn Rand or her ideas; explore her novels and non-fiction works. Discover Ayn Rand at Your Own Pace. On the ARI site, investigate how her ideas apply to current cultural and political issues. Don’t miss ARI’s blog, Voices for Reason. And June 27–July 4, attend ARI’s annual conference in Las Vegas. aynrand.org

The Bastiat Society is committed to bringing the ideas of the free market to the business community—a largely ignored demographic—and continues to grow in the U.S. and abroad. Chapters in Sacramento and Venezuela recently began meeting, and the historic St. Louis Discussion Club has joined the Bastiat Society network.



Chapters are currently forming in Kansas City, Honduras and Paris. Leaders at the Beacon Center in Nashville are taking on the challenge of starting a Bastiat Society chapter themselves. If you are a business leader, support the Bastiat Society by joining your local chapter or starting a chapter yourself. See chapter locations at www.bastiatsociety.org/chapters. bastiatsociety.org

The Beacon Hill Institute once again provided the Massachusetts state legislature with revenue estimates for the upcoming FY 2015 budget. BHI expects strong revenue growth for the next fiscal year. Since 1999, the Institute has extended a Job Shadow opportunity for Boston public school students. This year, two students, Yussuf Haji and Mohammad Umar, from Charlestown High School shadowed Frank Conte, Director of Communications, and learned the inside operations of an economic think tank and its tax models. Meanwhile, interns Ryan Murphy and Sophia Morales published a critique of the Cape Wind project in Cato Institute’s Regulation magazine. beaconhill.org

CAPITAL RESEARCH CENTER

Don’t miss the Capital Research Center’s great new studies on state issues. The February Labor Watch dissects the “living wage” strategy the left is using against cities and states. It reports on a Washington state municipality that adopted a $15/hour wage. Unions are the primary beneficiaries of these schemes, and their growing relationship to the casino industry is analyzed in the March Labor Watch, which focuses on a hard choice facing Wisconsin’s Scott Walker. The March Organization Trends exposes a number of dubious public officials connected to the group Mayors Against Illegal Guns. capitalresearch.org

Recently, the Cato Institute’s health policy scholars and external affairs staff hosted the 8th Annual State Health Policy Summit. This year’s event was the largest yet, with over 65 SPN-related attendees gathering in Philadelphia, PA, for a multi-day conference addressing a variety of state and national health care issues. The Cato Institute thanks the Commonwealth Foundation for co-hosting the summit’s first sponsored Welcome Reception. Cato is pleased to announce Cato State Policy Highlights, a new digest of the latest in Cato op-eds, testimony and research on issues impacting the states. Please e-mail Heather Curry ([email protected]) to receive your copy. cato.org

The Center for Competitive Politics submitted a third round of comments to the Internal Revenue Service regarding the Agency’s proposed rules governing the political activity of social welfare groups. The Center also released a report analyzing both public and organizational comments on the IRS rulemaking, the overwhelming majority of which were in opposition to the proposed rule. CCP filed an amicus brief in SBA List v. Driehaus, currently before the Supreme Court. The plaintiffs in that case seek to strike down an Ohio law that allows candidates to sue organizations for campaign speech that they deem to be false. campaignfreedom.org

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom expanded their Refuse to Enroll campaign, launching new billboards nationwide. Five cities have the new billboards so far: Houston, Denver, Nashville, Minneapolis and Orlando. Find more information at www .refuse2enroll.org. In January, CCHF and Minnesota families scored a huge victory in the State Supreme Court. In 2009, nine

families sued the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for storing and using newborn DNA without parental consent or legislative authority. MDH settled and destroyed newborn genetic information stored since 1986. For more CCHF news and activities, sign up for the weekly CCHF Health Freedom eNews at the CCHE website. cchfreedom.org

The Claremont Institute has remodeled its website, and the Claremont Institute’s new look incorporates the professionalism of its Claremont Review of Books, events, fellowships and writings, with the order of its mission and purposes. The mission of the Claremont Institute is to teach the practical application of the principles of the American Founding to the next generation of conservative leaders and to build them into a community dedicated to preserving constitutional government. The Claremont Institute’s Publius, Lincoln and Marshall Fellowship programs are the clearest manifestation of this mission, and all three fellowships will be hosted in Newport Beach this summer. claremont.org

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Competitive Enterprise Institute’s founding at a gala in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, June 19, 2014. CEI is also pleased to unveil a brand new logo! In partnership with RealClear, CEI is pleased to announce the launch of RealClear Radio Hour with Bill Frezza. Listen live Saturdays at 10am EST on iHeartRadio. Listen to the podcast at realclearradio.org. Could a chemical spill happen in your state? CEI’s Angela Logomasini, Ph.D., released a report on myths and facts surrounding the January spill in West Virginia. Visit CEI’s blog sites: openmarket.org, globalwarming.org and workplacechoice.org. Find CEI on Facebook (facebook.com/CompetitiveEnterpriseInstitute) and Twitter (twitter.com/ceidotorg). cei.org



Foundation for Economic Education is excited to offer SPN member groups complimentary bulk orders of president Lawrence W. Read’s new book Are We Good Enough For Liberty? (fee.org/libertybook). Applications for FEE’s summer seminars have been extended to April 15. Refer a newcomer to the ideas of liberty and get a $50 Amazon gift card (fee.org/refer). FEE is growing! FEE is happy to announce three new members of its team. Carrie Leggins has joined as FEE’s Alumni Relations Associate, Lauren Hicks has joined as their Finance and HR Associate, and Jason Kelly is their new Web and Social Media Associate. Save the date for FEE’s 2015 Inspire, Educate, Connect Summit, which will be January 30–February 1 in sunny Bonita Springs, FL. Early bird registration and discounted hotel rooms will soon be available on FEE’s website. fee.org

Digital Learning Now, an initiative of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, has released its 2013 Digital Learning Report Card. The report measures policies in each of the 50 states against the 10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning. It offers a state-by-state analysis of laws and policies that embrace new education models, utilize technology to personalize learning for all students and eliminate the barriers to blended learning in K–12 education. It highlights the strides made in each state and underscores the opportunities for reform to create an environment where digital learning can thrive. View the report at www.digitallearingnow.com. excelined.org

Amid debate over the Keystone XL Pipeline, a recent Fraser Institute study puts to rest the notion that pipeline extension would

endanger the environment. In fact, oil transport by pipeline presents significantly lower environmental risks than transport via other modes; road transport registers the highest chance of a spill—almost 20 incidents per billion ton-miles. Rail yields about two incidents per billion ton-miles annually, while pipelines experience spills less than 0.6 per billion ton-miles annually. Moreover, the rate of injury requiring hospitalization is 30 times lower among oil pipeline workers compared to rail workers involved in the transport of oil. Road transport is even worse, with an injury rate 37 times higher than pipelines. To read the full study, visit http://tinyurl.com/lkzc87e. To stay abreast of other Fraser Institute research, sign up for its free e-newsletter, Fraser Insight, at [email protected]. fraserinstitute.org

The Free State Foundation is off to a fast start this year addressing key telecom issues including net neutrality, spectrum auctions, a new Communications Act and FCC merger policies, especially in light of the proposed Comcast–Time Warner Cable merger. FSF continues to expand its work in the Intellectual Property area with a number of blogs and its newest scholarly paper, The ‘Reason and Nature’ of Intellectual Property: Copyright and Patent in The Federalist Papers, co-authored by FSF President Randolph May and Adjunct Senior Fellow Seth L. Cooper. FSF looks forward to its Sixth Annual Telecom Policy Conference in mid-March with keynoters FCC Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael O’Rielly and FTC Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen, as well as an outstanding lineup of senior executives and leading experts from government, industry and academia. freestatefoundation.org

FreedomWorks activists are fighting Common Core and Obamacare expansions

in South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and New Hampshire. More information on these efforts can be found on the FreedomWorks website. FreedomWorks is hosting FreePAC: Kentucky at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville on Saturday, April 5. More than just a conference, FreePAC is about the tools and techniques grassroots conservatives can use to build a Principled Action Community that can reclaim America from the Washington Establishment. Confirmed speakers include Glenn Beck, Matt Kibbe, and Deneen Borelli. Information and event passes are available at www.freepac.com. freedomworks.org

The private school sector is the focus of two new national studies to be released by The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice this spring. The first, by the American Enterprise Institute’s Michael Q. McShane and Andrew P. Kelly, empirically examines why Catholic schools in three major cities decided to become charter schools. The second, from Bellwether Education’s Andrew Smarick, considers what next-generation private school choice programs may learn from the experiences in the charter school sector to develop and replicate more high-quality private schools. To receive both studies upon release, sign up for The Friedman Foundation’s e-mail updates at edchoice.org/Updates. edchoice.org

The Fund for American Studies is proud to announce John Stossel as the 2014 Thomas L. Phillips Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Stossel will accept the award on May 5 during the Robert Novak Journalism Fellowships dinner at the National Press Club. The evening will also honor the 2014 Novak Fellows. In June, TFAS will bring hundreds of young leaders



to the nation’s capital to study founding principles and free markets. You are invited to meet these future leaders during the Freedom and the Future: 47th Anniversary Annual Conference on June 20. Journalist P. J. O’Rourke will deliver keynote remarks. Visit www.TFAS.org/Events. tfas.org

The Galen Institute organized a major conference, co-sponsored by 11 sister think tanks, on “fresh ideas and a new vision for health reform” that demonstrated conservatives have a clear vision and solid policy ideas for free-market reform. Conservative political leaders who have introduced reform legislation and free-market policy analysts painted a picture of true market-based health reform where consumers have control over choices in a truly competitive market. More than 200 people attended the conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 27. Check out a comprehensive list of the 37 changes made to Obamacare at Galen Institute’s website. galen.org

A reform introduced this session in several states could save the lives of thousands of Americans each year who battle terminal ill-ness. The “Right to Try” initiative, designed by the Goldwater Institute and currently considered by lawmakers in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri and Louisiana, would enable terminally ill patients to transact directly with drug companies to access medications that have passed FDA safety tests, but whose efficacy is not yet known. It currently takes nearly a decade and a billion dollars for drugs to complete the cumber-some FDA approval process, and only three percent of the sickest Americans are eligible for clinical trials. That means hundreds of thousands die each year, waiting for exist-ing drugs that could save them to complete the long journey to market. The “Right to Try” initiative replaces red tape with hope. goldwaterinstitute.org

The Heritage Foundation released Solutions 2014, which contains expert analysis, powerful messages and winning policies for those fighting on the front lines of American political life. Lindsey Burke and Brittany Corona published Federal Preschool Proposals Will Cost Billions and Have Limited Impact on Participants, and Heritage co-hosted an event with FEE, Cato and the Institute for Justice titled “Education Savings Accounts: The Future of School Choice.” On the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty, Jennifer Marshal wrote “How to Fight Poverty and Win.” The Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Moore returned to Heritage as chief economist, and President Jim DeMint’s book Falling in Love with America Again was released. heritage.org

The Independent Institute was honored with the prestigious 2013 PROSE Best Book Awards from the American Association of Publishers for two new books. The Power of Habeas Corpus in America: From the King’s Prerogative to the War on Terror, by Anthony Gregory, has won the top Law and Legal Studies Award (Read at http://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=104). Global Crossings: Immigration, Civilization, and America, by Alvaro Vargas Llosa, received Honorable Mention in Economics (Read at http://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=103). Political humorist P. J. O’Rourke also spoke at the Institute’s Policy Forum on “Talkin’ ‘Bout His Generation.” O’Rourke offered an insightful perspective on what makes the Baby Boom generation unlike any other in history. independent.org

Are you looking for scholars for research or other projects? Through the Find

Scholars service, the Institute for Humane Studies recently connected the Platte Institute with experts on property taxes and AFP-Illinois with experts on state income tax issues! IHS can identify and connect you with faculty in its network who can write, speak, provide quotes, testify, or advise your organization on specific issues. theihs.org

In March, Institute for Justice and three entrepreneurs filed suit against the Arizona Veterinary Board over their requirement that animal massage therapists become licensed veterinarians. Failing to comply can equal six months in jail and $3,500 in fines per violation. In February, IJ and an Oregon farmer won their suit challenging the state’s ban on raw—or unpasteurized—milk. Until recently, it was illegal for farmers to advertise that they sell raw milk, a perfectly legal product. The state agreed to stop enforcing the ban and will ask the state legislature to repeal the law. ij.org

Institute for Policy Innovation President Tom Giovanetti responded to President Obama’s call for a new MyRA retirement account in the Dallas Morning News, and Real Clear Politics picked up his defense of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger. IPI Resident Scholar Merrill Matthews hosted a nationwide energy policy call, featuring former Mexican President Vicente Fox. IPI released two publications: Ten Steps for a Market Oriented Health Care System and The Case for Permitting Crude Oil Exports. Also, Giovanetti discussed the benefits of strong intellectual property protections at a Cato Institute event. On April 24, IPI’s Ninth Annual World IP Day conference will take place in Washington, D.C. ipi.org



The Intercollegiate Studies Institute is preparing for a full slate of activities in the spring and summer. A record number of qualified students applied for 60 available positions in ISI’s Honors Program, a year-long mentoring opportunity that kicks off with weeklong summer conferences in Richmond, Virginia, and Seattle, Washington. Next fall, ISI will launch ISI Societies, a new initiative to award grants to student leaders with business plans to run newspapers, host speakers and debates, and organize discussion groups. Upcoming events include ISI’s second “Arguing Conservatism” rhetoric and public speaking training conference at the Russell Kirk Center in Mecosta, Michigan. isi.org

On April 4 and 5, The Jesse Helms Center hosted a Helms Foreign Policy Training School at the Leadership Institute for Liberty University Helms School of Government students and D.C. interns. Program graduates received briefings from top foreign policy experts and learned about career opportunities in the foreign-service field. Also in April, The Jesse Helms Center hosted Kim Holmes, Vice President for Foreign Policy and Defense Studies at The Heritage Foundation, for the spring 2014 BB&T Lecture on the campus of Wingate University. Holmes discussed his latest book, Rebound: Getting America Back to Great. jessehelmscenter.org

Last year, The John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy released a report criticizing UNC-Chapel Hill’s general education curriculum. Now, the Pope Center is confronting UNC on the subject. Arch

Allen, Chair of the Pope Center’s board and UNC alumnus, wrote an open letter to other alumni after the alumni association refused to listen to his concerns. Allen called the association a “lapdog for the university administration.” He added, “[W]e need an independent alumni association: One that celebrates our university’s successes, and criticizes its failures.” The Pope Center’s Jenna Robinson continued the campaign by discussing curriculum at an event hosted by a UNC honors society. popecenter.org

In January, Judicial Watch and True the Vote reached a settlement in a lawsuit against Ohio election officials requiring Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted to take actions to comply with the National Voter Registration Act. JW also released documents from the Pentagon revealing that, within hours of JW filing a FOIA lawsuit, U.S. Special Operations Commander, Admiral William McRaven, ordered subordinates to “destroy” any bin Laden photos in their possession “immediately.” In February, JW sent a letter to the IRS opposing agency rule changes that would have a chilling effect on the First Amendment rights of conservative organizations. judicialwatch.org

The Liberty Foundation will host its annual Friends of Freedom Dinner & Economic Outlook Summit on June 12–13 at the beautiful Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. The event will bring top policymakers and experts together to identify current and future challenges and explore ways to overcome those obstacles to economic prosperity. Thursday’s dinner keynote speaker, future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, will discuss the importance of competition and free markets in America. On Friday, attendees

will get a detailed briefing on the state-of-play on the 2014 U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections, followed by leading energy experts discussing the future of the oil and gas industry in America. The event will conclude with a presentation by emerging national leaders on the top issues in key states and a lunch address on the historical importance of energy in making America a global powerhouse. libertyfound.org

In this period of dismal employment growth, it’s America’s oft-maligned hydrocarbon sector that’s creating more jobs faster. The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research’s new report, Where the Jobs Are: Small Businesses Unleash Energy Employment Boom, authored by senior fellow Mark Mills, shows that America’s hydrocarbon revolution and its associated job creation are almost entirely attributed to the work of 20,000 small and mid-size businesses, not a handful of “Big Oil” companies. “What is the future of conservatism?” was the topic of an MI-hosted roundtable discussion on March 11 with Josh Barro, Yuval Levin, Megan McArdle, Avik Roy and Reihan Salam, moderated by David Brooks of The New York Times. manhattan-institute.org

Through snow and sleet, Mercatus braved the winter by producing peer-reviewed research. In January, Mercatus released the popular State Fiscal Condition: Ranking the 50 States report by Sarah Arnett, who previewed the study at the ALEC States and Nation Policy Summit. In February, Mercatus recorded two health policy podcasts with new Senior Fellow and health policy scholar Dr. Robert Graboyes. In March, Mercatus previewed its new book The Economics of Medicaid at www.economicsofmedicaid.com. Visit to sign up for e-mail updates and check out the full



book when it releases in early April. Contact Associate Director of State Outreach Mike Leland ([email protected]) with questions. mercatus.org

National Center for Policy Analysis is launching a new campaign called Free Our Health Care Now. The NCPA will help policymakers, as well as candidates and the general public, better understand the issues and develop workable solutions to the Affordable Care Act. Propelled by a national media and online education campaign, the NCPA will also hold briefings, conferences and public forums to get the word out. A dedicated website will be available at www.FreeOurHealthCareNow.org. NCPA’s latest book, Living with ObamaCare: A Consumer’s Guide, by President and CEO John C. Goodman will be released later this spring. ncpa.org

The National Review Institute was pleased to partner with the Kansas City Public Library on March 19th, co-hosting an evening speaking engagement with National Review roving correspondent Kevin D. Williamson. The event was the second in the Institute’s Regional Partnership events series. Also, NRI launched its updated Regional Fellows programs in Washington, D.C., (January) and expanded with a new chapter in New York City (February). Each class of 25 fellows will participate in eight dinner seminars on the foundations of conservative thought—from Burke to Buckley—following a new syllabus crafted by NRI board member and Assumption College professor Daniel J. Mahoney. More chapters are in development. nrinstitute.org

The National Right to Work Foundation’s staff attorneys helped a group of eight

Volkswagen workers from Chattanooga, TN, challenge the United Auto Workers (UAW) card check drive, ultimately forcing Volkswagen to reject the UAW’s demand for recognition through card check and instead hold a secret-ballot election. In February, the UAW lost the vote despite a backroom deal with Volkswagen designed to limit anti-UAW voices while promoting the union. After UAW officials announced their intention to have the NLRB throw out the result and re-run the election, National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys are now defending the election outcome on behalf of five workers and have moved to intervene in the election certification process. nrtw.org

National Taxpayers Union Foundation’s line-by-line analysis of the State of the Union address attracted heightened interest on its website by revealing that Barack Obama proposed 12 items to increase federal spending, one to cut spending, and 16 with an indeterminate cost. Grand net total: $39.995 billion a year. Barack Obama’s 2013 speech was his most expensive at $83.4 billion. The record for any president remains Bill Clinton’s $327 billion State of the Union in 1999. Coming up next: an update of NTUF’s BillTally report, which analyzes the cost or savings of every piece of legislation introduced (not just voted on) in Congress. ntu.org

Pacific Legal Foundation won a major victory when a federal judge ruled against the state of Kentucky’s restrictions on moving companies. Kentucky’s law gave existing moving companies a veto over new firms. PLF attorneys represented Raleigh Bruner, who was the target of existing companies’ complaints to the government and state citations for violating the restriction against start-ups after he opened his moving business in 2010. PLF principal

attorney Timothy Sandefur appeared on “Constitution 101,” a Stossel University segment taped at this year’s International Students for Liberty Conference in Washington, D.C. Sandefur’s latest book is The Conscience of the Constitution. Mark Miller, an experienced appellate lawyer and former lead local counsel for U.S. Representative Allen West, is the new managing attorney in PLF’s Atlantic Center in Florida. pacificlegal.org

The new Fox Business show The Independents, featuring Reason editor Matt Welch and Reason.tv contributor Kennedy, targets young people who feel increasingly homeless politically. The show is generating strong ratings and has created buzz for its no-holds barred approach to breaking news. Reason Foundation’s Pension Reform Project is already creating the conditions for reform by educating policymakers nationwide via online and in-person seminars, providing legislative testimony and introducing concrete plans for change. Specific pension reform projects are ongoing in Phoenix, Tulsa, Ventura County and Colorado. Reason’s study about sentencing reform in Louisiana led to lead author Lauren Galik’s testimony before the state sentencing commission. She’ll help craft systemic reform for Louisiana. Find out more at reason.org and reason.com. reason.org

This is it: your final chance to grab the FREE custom dashboard that lets you monitor government agencies paying attention to your website. The last funded spots in this project are going fast. Why should you care? Easy. When you know which of your activities agencies monitor, you know where and how to direct your organization’s communications efforts. Spark Freedom welcomes senior marketing and communications professional



Matt Fontana to its board of directors. Matt lives and works in Tennessee. Spark Freedom is excited that he will contribute his advice and experience to their governing board. sparkfreedom.org

State Budget Solutions (SBS) published new data revealing how much money states received from the federal government in 2012. Combined, all state governments received 31.6 percent of their general revenue from the federal government. Mississippi was most reliant on Washington, D.C., with federal funds comprising 45.35 percent of its general revenue. Alaska was least dependent at 19.9 percent. SBS continues to expand its pension reform efforts and outreach nationwide, with President Bob Williams’ recent op-ed published by NewsOK. SBS published commentary and research analysis on the failed promises of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion in several states, including Wyoming, Arkansas, and Virginia. statebudgetsolutions.org

Mark your calendars for The Steamboat Institute’s 2014 events. April 5: Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development: “The Shale Revolution.” May 7: “Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government” with Don Watkins of the Ayn Rand Institute. June 4: Michael Barone,

Senior Political Analyst at Washington Examiner. July 8: “Restoring American Exceptionalism” with Pastor Rafael Cruz. August 22–23: Sixth Annual Freedom Conference. All events are free and open to the public with the exception of Freedom Conference. Conference registration opens spring 2014. Learn more on The Steamboat Institute’s website. steamboatinstitute.org

Spring greetings! Talent Market hopes you’ve thawed out from the ruthless winter. When Talent Market wasn’t busy carving ice sculptures of Milton Friedman, Talent Market helped free-market nonprofits hire key talent. Here are some of the organizations they’ve recently assisted: Bill of Rights Institute (President); Foundation for Government Accountability (Digital Outreach Director); The Fairness Center, a new public interest law firm (General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel); South Carolina Policy Council (Development Director); Empire Center (Development Manager); and Nevada Policy Research Institute (Deputy Communications Director). Reach out if your 501(c)(3) needs help with a senior level opening! talentmarket.org

Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty decided to strike a blow for the rule of law. In enacting the ACA,

Congress declared that Members and staff would only be eligible for purchases on an exchange where no employer subsidies are available. Now that they feel the pain of millions who have lost coverage, Congress persuaded the administration to declare the federal government a “small employer” so these subsidies can be received. On behalf of Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the Institute sued the administration, seeking to invalidate this rule. will-law.org

This month, Young America’s Foundation will host a variety of conservative speakers on college campuses nationwide, including Ben Carson, Kate Obenshain, Congressman Sean Duffy, Steve Moore and Steve Forbes. YAF has been busy conducting nationwide polls on student opinions of government and government programs. YAF polls have found that a large majority of students favor limited government and fiscal responsibility. YAF will host its High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, CA, this March 20–22. YAF will also host a regional conference in Grand Rapids, MI, on March 28–29 for both college and high school students. yaf.org


WAGING THE WAR OF IDEAS FROM PAGE 3

must get the credit appropriately accorded. Get it down on paper. On the record!

Say Institute A in City B publishes a paper that leads to function C being privatized at huge savings and increases in service levels. If you are president of Institute A, you need a letter from the Mayor of City B right then, that month, thanking you and crediting you! Why? Because a decade or two later in his/her memoirs you will not get a mention as

he/she will conveniently take all the credit. If you do not pin the credit down at the time it will bleed away, I promise. I have seen think tank authors feted for their brilliance and ignored in subsequent autobiographies. Totally written out of history.

So there are my insights from my four decades in the trenches. I hope some at least will help you do better and advance liberty. If you want more, then read Charles Koch’s The Science

of Success, F. A. Hayek’s The Intellectuals and Socialism and my own Waging the War of Ideas.

John Blundell is a senior fellow at London’s Institute of Economic Affairs and has previously served as CEO of IHS and the Atlas Network. He is

the also the author of Waging the War of Ideas (2007); Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady (2008); and Ladies for Liberty: Women Who Made a Difference in American History (2013). Write to him at [email protected].


ATTACKS ON (c)(4)s FROM PAGE 1

When you’re in an area of First Amendment sensitivity and you come upon a situation where you have a choice between speech and censorship, the default position should favor speech. In these regulations, whenever the IRS was faced with a choice between speech and censorship, the censorship choice was made. That’s exactly the opposite of how things should work in this sensitive area of First Amendment rights.

That’s why it’s important for organizations to speak out about any legislation or regulation that intrudes on the right of people to speak.

Cleta Mitchell: When we see the kinds of targeting the IRS has done in the past few years, we all have reason to be concerned.

Even though the proposed regulations have not been proposed to apply to 501(c)(3) public charities, the IRS has considered extending the regulations to 501(c)(5) labor unions and 501(c)(6) trade associations.

I think we have to prepare for similar targeting in some form or fashion to 501(c)(3) organizations, especially since they engage in some activities similar to 501(c)(4)s.

HOW CAN THINK TANKS BEST RESPOND TO SUCH THREATS?

Alan Dye: There are a number of things organizations can do to speak out against such threats to First Amendment rights:

1. Contact your members and the public.

It would not be considered grassroots lobbying for a Section 501(c)(3) SPN affiliate to urge its members and the public to contact their Congressmen about regulations that threatens to restrict the freedom of speech.

2. Lobby.

If a Section 501(c)(3) organization has sufficient latitude under its Section 501(h) election, it may urge its members to contact their Congressmen to ask their support for legislation that would prevent or delay these IRS regulations.

3. Engage in Section 501(c)(4) activity.

If an SPN affiliate maintains a Section 501(c)(4) affiliate, that affiliate would be free to engage in direct or grassroots lobbying urging members of Congress to pass legislation prohibiting the issuance of the regulations or amending the Internal Revenue Code to remove or clarify the campaign intervention limitation applicable under current law to Section 501(c)(4) organizations.

4. Keep up public pressure.

Both Section 501(c)(3) and Section 501(c)(4) organizations should continue to publicly express their concern about the impact these regulations—and any others like them—would have on public discourse and the ability of organizations and individuals to organize to change public policy.

CONCLUSIONHistory is rife with examples of those in power trying to control the company we keep and the words that come out of our mouths. America’s Founders rallied around the critical importance of protecting the rights of citizens to speak against government abuse. For the same reason, the U.S. Supreme Court, almost 200 years later, saw fit to safeguard the anonymity of donors to civil rights groups. The Justices understood how powerful elites inside and close to government could otherwise harass and silence opposition. The need to protect dissenting voices today is no different. The actions of those who would quietly use regulations and bullying tactics to eliminate opposition are just as un-American now as they were fifty years ago.

So be proud of the tradition of free speech for which we stand. Reacting defensively only feeds the “dark money” narrative. Instead, vigorously challenge their assumptions and keep making the point that there is nothing new or sinister about anonymous giving and commentary. It has helped energize significant social movements, and animated such influential viewpoints as the Federalist Papers (originally written anonymously). Hold irresponsible media accountable for making anonymous donors a “news” story. It is not we who should be ashamed of our work, it is our opponents, who share more in common with British imperialists and Jim Crow thugs than they do with America’s Founders.

Finally, it’s not every day that an issue galvanizes agreement across the political spectrum, so embracing a larger audience to defend peaceful dissent and transparent, vigorous debate opens a door to discuss other freedom ideas as well. We must seize this opportunity to weave the open debate/free association narrative into our work so that freedom ideas can thrive.

Tracie Sharp is president of State Policy Network. Write to her at [email protected].


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SPN News March/April 2014

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