Rich Liberals Vow to Fund Think Tanks - Aim Is to Compete With Conservatives

Washington Post ^ | August 7, 2005 | Thomas B. Edsall

[summer]

Alliance chairman Steven Gluckstern, a retired investment banker, said that President Bush's victory over Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) last year after millions of dollars had been poured into pro-Democratic "527" groups caused many contributors to think that a dramatically new approach is needed....

Yes, one that would require Dems to win elections.

I'm sure that's what some Dem donors are thinking.

[E Rocc]

Would it be more like "feelings tanks", since liberalism is about feelings, not thought?

-Eric

[summer]

Simon Rosenberg is helping the new Democracy Alliance. (Hans Ericsson - AP)

[BibChr]

Liberals. Thinking.

That would be novel.

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG

[summer]

I don't know, but I did a search for this article and was surprised it hadn't been posted.

[summer]

More from article:

"It wasn't only the failure to win, it was the question 'What does it take to win?' " Gluckstern said. "Among the lessons learned was that to bring back the progressive majority in this country is not just a periodic election investment strategy."

The Democracy Alliance will act as a financial clearing house. Its staff members and board of directors will develop a lineup of established and proposed groups that they believe will develop and promote ideas on the left. To fulfill their million-dollar pledge, each partner must agree to give $200,000 or more a year for at least five years to alliance-endorsed groups.

The alliance is the brainchild of longtime Democratic strategist Rob Stein, who spent years studying conservative groups -- in particular their success in sustaining GOP politicians and achieving many of their policy goals. Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network, is working with Stein and is a leading promoter of his effort.

Rosenberg said liberals and Democrats now face a conservative "information-age Tammany Hall, a 21st century political machine, that is simply better than what we have on our side.

"The infrastructure we have was built for a different time and mission. It was built around the congressional majority we had for 60 years in the 20th century, the labor movement and the urban-ethnic city machines," he added.

As alliance officials see it, many liberal groups are designed to protect an agenda that was enacted by past Democratic majorities -- as opposed to generating new ideas and communication strategies to win support from voters who do not belong to labor or other traditionally Democratic constituencies....

[Zenith]

Why don't the LIBS give the money to the POOR ?

Most Libs don't know how to change their CROOKED ways.

[arthurus]

They gonna hire Al Franken to think in the tank for them?

[Samurai_Jack]

Al franken is already in the tank for them!

[EQAndyBuzz]

""It wasn't only the failure to win, it was the question 'What does it take to win?' " Gluckstern said. "Among the lessons learned was that to bring back the progressive majority in this country is not just a periodic election investment strategy." "

Hmm... is this a trick question? How about telling the truth, not being anti American and having an idea that doesn't date back to Marx? I would say that is a good start.

[JohnLongIsland]

the libs got more think tanks already out there than cesspool tanks
you gotta give the libs credit for their consistency, any problem they have just throw more money at it

[CarlEOlsoniii]

Liberals always 'say' they are going to give money, In the end, maybe a couple dollars will be given

[NonValueAdded]

Well, they'll promise to fund them but we all know that it will take grant money from inner-city youth programs to really get them off the ground.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Isn't a liberal think tank an oxymoron? Gee, I'd love to hear some rational ideas for their beliefs, lol.

[N. Theknow]

$80 million bucks to come up with an idea?

BWAHAHAHA

snicker, snicker

BWAHAHAHA!

They can't figure out why they lose?

[agere_contra]

and the urban-ethnic city machines

What a telling phrase

[upchuck]

Houston Chronicle's take on this posted yesterday, Sun, 8/7.

[PGalt]

Message to The Democratic Crime Syndicate:

Thinking does not cost money. You have the right to remain silent.

[finnigan2]

Given the names quoted in this article, it appears that these "think tanks" will be largely funded and staffed by Jewish backers. In effect, this means people with a New York/Hollywood mind set and we all know how much appeal this crowd has with red state voters.
Once the money is ponied up, the elitist hangers on will start to circle hoping to use family and political connections for an easy ride on the think tank gravy train - with talk show face time thrown is as an added bonus.
I see an operation full of sound and fury and, in terms of impact on the Democratic Party platform, signifying nothing.

[pabianice]

Why bother when they can simply embezzle money from tax-supported charities?