Alabama Think Tank

One of the things about writing is that it makes you think.  A lot.  As a matter of fact, I'm doing so much thinking that it's hard to concentrate on all the podcasts I routinely listen to.  (Note to self:  Write blog post about your podcast list.)  Now, folks that have been following me for years (I started this blog in September 2006) know that I've written that blog post before.  Probably more than once. They also know that once I think a thought, I tend to think about it some more.  And write about it.

Which reminds me, I need to tell you I'm practicing on you.  I haven't written much lately (life got in the way) and writing is just like any other skill  -- you need to practice.  For instance, the formatting of Blogger is driving me nuts.  Especially the graphics.  But the only way to get efficient at it is to do it.  So, I'm doing it.

Moving on.

Last week, I mentioned a right-wing think tank -- The Goldwater Institute.  The Koch Brothers & Company create a new one every week (it seems like) but for the new folks, I think of these as the unholy triumvirate:

The Cato Institute: They are the libertarian side of the clan and, frankly, I don't pay much attention to them.

The American Enterprise Institute: These guys are the bright bulbs and, to me, they try to at least have some respectability in who they hire. I'm even a fan of one or two.  

The Heritage Foundation: These are the dangerous ones. If you don't believe me, you haven't read about Project 2025.

In their mission statements, they all have a similar vision.  I used the Cato Institute's logo before so let's look at theirs.

"Our mission is to originate, disseminate, and advance solutions based on the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace."

The code phrases you'll see over and over again from the VRWC (Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy) are "limited government" and "free markets".  It's Ronald Reagan's tag line wrapped up in a tax-exempt, billionaire's political slush fund.

Not quite 28 years later, we found out "this present crisis" required the Government to be the solution -- when the U.S. Government bailed out all the deregulated banks (aka Free Markets) that collapsed under the weight of the fraud and greed.

 

That was the beginning of the Great Recession and the right-wing think tanks missed that memo.
 

Anyway, I was thinking, what's to stop me from creating my own think tank?  And if I did so, what would I call it?  What would it's mission statement say?  I think I'd call it The Alabama Think Tank.  That ought to give it the right amount of levity.  Besides, people could shorthand it as ATT.  That sounds catchy.  I'm pretty sure it wouldn't create any confusion.  I mean it's not like anybody confuses the ACLU with the ALCJ, right?  (Whatever happened to Jay Sekulow anyway?)

And, as far as a mission statement?  What would I be trying to accomplish?

My mission is to originate, disseminate, and advance solutions based on the principles that every human being is deserving of dignity and the duty of government is to make that citizen's life better.  Government's purpose is to keep its citizens safe, healthy and prosperous.  Those goals can be best obtained by providing public education, universal healthcare and regulating capitalism's excesses in order to sustain the benefits of a fair free-market system.

Make no mistake about it my friends, I believe in Capitalism.  It's just like Democracy -- it's the worst system ever designed for the task...except for all those others.  

FDR showed us the way -- regulated Capitalism.  Social Security still keeps people out of poverty, the TVA is still cranking out electricity and the REA is now delivering high-speed internet to rural America (along with electricity).  These programs have withstood the test of time -- nearly 80 years.  Ronald Reagan's deregulated/privatized model didn't even make it 30 years before it blew up the world's economy.  Speaking of which, Social Security and the FDIC (both New Deal programs) helped save the Reaganites/Thatcherites  from themselves.

That's my mission statement -- Government that works. And if an idea fails, we will try another until we find one that does work.  And unless you think I'm smart enough to come up with this stuff on my own...I am not.

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” -- FDR

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”  -- FDR

Oh, and if you know of a Huntsville, Alabama lawyer that specializes in setting up 501(c)3s, give me a shout.  I need to get the Alabama Think Tank set up so all the billionaires belonging to the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy can throw money at me -- tax free.  (Actually, The Photography Park needs some attention.  I'm serious about the lawyer.)

Don Brown
March 1, 2024

P.S. 800+ words???  Okay, I'll work on that too.