In 1981 newly elected president Ronald Reagan embraced a "Mandate for Leadership," a blueprint for conservatism issued by the Heritage Foundation. Two years later, at a dinner celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Foundation, Reagan told the star-studded conservative audience that "Historians who seek the real meaning of events in the latter part of the 20th century must look back on gatherings such as this. They will find among your numbers the leaders of an intellectual revolution that recaptured and renewed the great lessons of Western culture, a revolution that is rallying the democracies to the defense of that culture and to the cause of human freedom, a revolution that I believe is also writing the last sad pages of a bizarre chapter in human history known as communism."
Some 25 years later, the missiles being launched by one of Washington, DC’s most powerful conservative institutions are coming in the form of fundraising appeals. Five days before the election, Ed Fuelner, the Foundation’s president, sent out a fundraising letter to supporters reminding them that the election was coming "down to the wire and conservative ideas are under attack from all quarters" and that such ideas as "free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense," were being forsaken by "candidates on both sides."
The day after Obama’s historic victory, Fuelner struck again: "The Left is sure to claim a mandate to impose its radical agenda on America—from the economy to energy to the war on terror, from the Supreme Court to taxes, health care and education. If we are to fight back against the liberal onslaught, we need your support today. Our goal is to raise $80,000 towards this effort by November 15."
According to Fuelner, "On the campaign trail, liberals called for tax increases, massive new government health care programs, drastic new environmental controls and more…. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts said, ‘we’ll have to raise taxes ultimately’ as a result of liberal spending increases. He also wants to cut defense spending by a quarter…. "
In spite of this, Fuelner assured supporters that the Heritage Foundation "will not stray from our mission to fight for the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense."
Two weeks later, Fuelner laid out a partial framework for future attacks on the new Administration—increased government regulation and tax increases. "The Obama administration would act quickly to implement the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed controls on carbon dioxide, which amount to a massive new energy tax," Fuelner exclaimed. "Why do they want to move so quickly? They say their rules are in response to the dangers posed by global warming…. "
In his address to the foundation’s President’s Club, Fuelner cited the "wrong-headedness" of such writers as Paul Waldman, who wrote a piece for the American Prospect titled "The Coming Conservative Crack-up," and George Packer, whose piece "The Fall of Conservatism: Have the Republicans Run Out of Ideas?" appeared in the New Yorker. It is wrong to interpret the "failures" of the Republican Party "as the fall of conservatism," said Fuelner.
Make no mistake about it, the Heritage Foundation will not fade into obscurity. Its two-year "Leadership for America" campaign, which ended in 2007, raised $104,868,342 in gifts and pledges, exceeding its goal of $85 million by nearly 25 percent. With its more than 200 staff members and $60 million budget, it has enough resources to continue flooding the Washington landscape with policy papers, op-ed pieces, and weblog posts. Its spokespersons are still going to be quoted regularly by the mainstream press.
Fuelner is undoubtedly correct when he writes: "In Washington, there are no permanent victories and no permanent defeats. We must remain firmly committed to our principles in both good times and in bad. That’s why your help is so important." Progressives should understand and adopt this credo as well.
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Bill Berkowitz is a freelance writer covering conservative movements.
