Doug Holtz-Eakin is apparently thinking of setting up a new right-wing think tank with the kind of strategic messaging capabilities that the Center for American Progress has provided liberals in the past few years. As a frequent think tank observer, I must weigh in! This idea seems counterproductive, since the right has already sunk a lot of resources into think tanks that are already pretty prominent, like Heritage or AEI. The real problem isn't just structure -- it would not be so hard to graft a smart messaging operation onto either institution -- but also content. What do I mean? Take a gander at the respective events pages of CAP, Heritage and AEI.
CAP's events are generally policy-focused and also forward-thinking: "Todd Stern on China and the Global Climate Challenge," a discussion with a White House official, "Web 2.0 and the Federal Government," "Building a National Strategy for Global Development." Heritage's events, on the other hand, are sort of kooky: "And These Storms: Lessons From Winston Churchill's Thoughts and Adventures," "Reagan's Secret War: The Untold Story of His Fight to Save the World From Nuclear Disaster," "A Conversation with Dr. Wang Dan: Student Leader, Tiananmen Square, 1989." AEI's events are much better (perhaps reflecting the center's new leadership): "Addressing Systemic Risk, with a Keynote Presentation by Alan Greenspan," "Election Demographics: What We Learned in 2008, What It Means for 2010 and 2012," "The Five (Not So) Easy Pieces of Health Reform."
So if I were Holtz-Eakin, I'd get in touch with with AEI and talk about getting serious about messaging, since they seem to be talking about relevant issues. And if I were conservative, I'd suggest Heritage wake up to what century it is.
-- Tim Fernholz
Photo courtesy Flickr user futureshape.
