DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
Senator Jim DeMint's selection to replace Ed Feulner as head of the Heritage Foundation has initiated a lively discussion about what this means for Heritage, and for conservative think tanks as a whole.
As someone who has expressed concerns about the politicization of think tanks, I am generally wary of elected politicians serving as think tank presidents, as I fear that politicians will likely accelerate the recent march towards more partisan research institutions such as Heritage on the right and the Center for American Progress on the left. It seems clear that Senator DeMint is aware of this critique, as his first statement on the matter emphasized the need to ”protect the integrity of Heritage’s research and not politicize the policy component." DeMint further noted that "Heritage is not just another grassroots political group.”
It's a good sign that DeMint recognizes that his challenge will be to make sure that Heritage's focus remains on ideas, not on party politics.There are plenty of other organizations that do campaigning. Heritage and the other conservative think tanks need to come up with compelling and effective policy initiatives that policy makers can use if they so wish, but which are not developed -- or shunted aside -- solely for the reason that they may advantage one party and/or disadvantage the other.
Heritage recognized that it had a problem in this regard when it created a Center for Policy Innovation headed by the estimable policy expert Stuart Butler to serve as its own in-house think tank -- a think tank within a think tank, if you will. If he is to be successful, DeMint should focus on building an organization that is itself primarily an idea generator, rather than one that requires its own internal idea shop.
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Comments:
May '11
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
It should focus on selling our ideas.
As Ted Cruz would say, we aren't even really making the argument. The voters that disagree with us don't even understand what we believe.
Sadly, white papers are utterly ineffective with the types of voters we need to persuade.
May '10
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
My concern is that Demint's appointment will inhibit Heritage's ability to have its policy proposals embraced by either party, since those proposals will now be associated with such a polarizing figure.
This is not a dig on Demint, whom Igenerally admire, just an acknowledgement that Demint is in fact polarizing and that such figures have a hard time fostering bipartisan respect and acceptance of conservative solutions, which is an important task of Heritage.
Dec '10
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
Jen Rubin thinks DeMint spells the end of Heritage as a think tank. She wrote, "The arrival of DeMint is only the capstone in a shift from intellectual workhorse to partisan show horse." I guess we know how she feels about him and bespined conservatism in general.
Jun '12
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
As I pointed out last nite on another thread, Jen Rubin is hardly a friend of conservatism. Just take a look...
In short, the WaPo's idea of "conservative" and mine are apparently quite different.
Sep '10
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
Scott Reusser: My concern is that Demint's appointment will inhibit Heritage's ability to have its policy proposals embraced by either party, since those proposals will now be associated with such a polarizing figure.
This is not a dig on Demint, whom Igenerally admire, just an acknowledgement that Demint isin fact polarizing and that such figures have a hard time fostering bipartisan respect and acceptance of conservative solutions, which is an important task of Heritage. · 29 minutes ago
If Demint were a mealy-mouthed me too Republican like most of the party he would not be polarizing. Any true conservative is going to be polarizing. If you think the current Democratic party is going to embrace conservative ideas would you mind sending be a bottle of what you have been drinking?
Jul '11
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
CW,
Remember that Jen Rubin was not the first person the WaPo tried out as their "conservative" blog presence. The WaPo has no instincts or awareness of who conservatives are and what they think.
Jun '12
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
jpark: CW,
Remember that Jen Rubin was not the first person the WaPo tried out as their "conservative" blog presence. The WaPo has no instincts or awareness of who conservatives are and what they think. · 1 minute ago
Indeed.
The leftist bubble has very thick walls.
Edited on December 7, 2012 at 3:46pmMay '10
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
liberal jim
Scott Reusser: My concern is that Demint's appointment will inhibit Heritage's ability to have its policy proposals embraced by either party, since those proposals will now be associated with such a polarizing figure.
This is not a dig on Demint, whom Igenerally admire, just an acknowledgement that Demint isin fact polarizing and that such figures have a hard time fostering bipartisan respect and acceptance of conservative solutions, which is an important task of Heritage. · 29 minutes ago
..... If you think the current Democratic party is going to embrace conservative ideas would you mind sending be a bottle of what you have been drinking? · 3 minutes ago
The sarcasm is just so pointless.
To address the point, welfare reform was embraced in the 90's by centrist Dems after it evolved in conservative think tanks. Today school choice is starting to get traction, as are, slowly (see Rivlin, Wyden), defined-contribution and voucher reforms of Medicare.
If such innovations are associated with divisive political figures, rather than egghead problem solvers, we'll be less apt to get them into law, which requires "preening centrists" to embrace them while saving face.
Edited on December 7, 2012 at 4:04pmFeb '11
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
I'm a big fan of DeMint, even admitting that he doesn't agree with me on everything.
So I have real hope that he will take the Heritage Foundation from a politically irrelevant organization spouting blather into something that matters politically.
No, not just with political junkies- as I assume it matters now.
But into an organization that will become a force in retail politics such that it will matter in elections and help win them.
It isn't that now.
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
I can't figure out why anyone would think it is a good idea to have an apolitical think tank. A sound conception of justice is required for good policy.
Perhaps Mr. Troy believes that Stuart Butler, the godfather of Romneycare, was non-partisan? I tend to think that policies requiring people to act a certain way and policies that take resources from one group and redistribute them to others are intrinsically connected to a conception of justice and hence political.
Nov '12
Re: DeMint's Heritage Foundation Should Focus on Ideas, Not Politics
I don't know much about Jim DeMint but my impression is that he is a person who attacks the "impossible" by looking for its weak points and approaches them with principle and energy. That in turn moves the impossible nearer.
This, coincidentally, sounds like politics in its very best garb. Could that be what has been missing from the Heritage Foundation for a long time? I have long been a Heritage financial supporter; but I have long had the distinct impression that what they did best was raise funds. I may want to increase my giving.