Progress Now Action

What is wrong with the funding for important public policy think tanks on the  progressive/liberal side? 

Rockridge is most associated with its co-founder and nationally known promoter of "framing," George Lakoff. But we came to know that it had a wonderful, committed, intelligent staff that tirelessly worked on helping to gain the high ground from right-wing think tanks by creating strategies for asserting progressive values in a manner that was cogent and persuasive.

Unfortunately, we learned on April 21 that Rockridge must cease its work due to lack of sufficient funding. It is a dilemma faced by many innovative efforts to counter the right-wing rhetoric and think tanks. There has been some growth in investment in long-term progressive infrastructure -- beyond the immediacy of the political races themselves -- but not nearly enough.

I can only see that money is what matters. 

"Today's continuing success of the Hoover Institution is in large part attributable to the huge contribution of the Volker Fund, an endowment of tens of millions of dollars that support the domestic research programs of the Institution," said Raisian. "As chairman of the Volker Foundation, Morris Cox was key in arranging for a gift of $7 million which has grown tenfold today."

And this:

The market value of Hoover’s endowment as of August 31, 2004, was $276 million, with an additional $15 million of current reserves held in endowment.

Look at the expenditures and revenue for the American Enterprise Institute, which does not include it's internal endowment:

AEI enjoyed another year of very solid financial performance in 2006, with revenues of $28.4 million and $23.6 million in expenditures.

Now look at the Heritage Foundation Annual Report for 2007:

Assets:

196,846,298

Operation Expenses:

48,783,325

Operation Revenue:

48,783,325

Operating Surplus:

429,078 

What am I missing...an inspirational think tank co-founded by George Lakoff yet it goes under because progressive/liberal deep pocket funders cannot see beyond the next election cycle?  Is that it?

There has been much discussion on the part of some people on the left on developing a "pipeline" that is the equivalent to what the right has.  I.e., recent graduates from higher education are hired by institutions like the Hoover Institute, American Enterprise Institute, etc. and then will be able to write and publish at their endowed chairs because the right's deep pocket funders are able to understand that in order to develop the intellectual part of a social movement it is necessary to spend money over long time frames.

This is the biggest weakness that developing a left wing counter part has been so far unsuccessful to do because there is no consistent stream of money to fund insitutions beyond the election cycle.

Will it be up to small donors to fulfill the gap and have the persistence of vision to make it work?

How would you make the financials work that is people powered rather than have a few "fat cats" pulling the strings?