Ctr for American Experiment

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see Hinderaker powerline

NO MERRI

KOCH ALEC BRADLEY

bogus grId reliabilty study

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EPI

...

Stevenson and the Mackinac Center want to repeal Michigan’s landmark clean energy laws

In March, Stevenson delivered testimony in support of Michigan House Energy Committee Chair Pauline Wendzel’s “Project Lighthouse” legislation, House Bills 5710 and 5711, which would repeal Michigan’s landmark [2023 clean energy laws](https://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/commission/workgroups/2023-energy-legislation#:_{:text=The%20laws%20also%20include%20three%20one-time%20proceedings:,Increases%20the%20cap%20from%201%25%20to%li%25)}.

The legislation approved by Republicans in the Michigan House would slow down the “build-out of the cheapest, fastest energy, limiting Michigan’s ability to leverage federal investments and pushing the state toward more expensive, long-term fossil fuel infrastructure” if it becomes law, according to the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (LCV).

It would also remove “basic planning and reporting requirements, allowing pollution to go unreported and increasing costs as energy demand grows,” Michigan LCV said.

In his testimony in support of the legislation, Stevenson again pointed to a 2025 report prepared for the Mackinac Center by the Center for the American Experiment, a Minnesota-based SPN affiliate, and Always on Energy Research, a SPN partner. The Lignite Energy Council, a coal industry group that’s opposed 100% clean energy legislation in neighboring Minnesota, paid the Center of the American Experiment $115,000 for electrical grid and reliability modeling in 2023.

The 2025 reportclaimed that powering Michigan with coal, gas, large-scale nuclear, and SMR would be cheaper than transitioning to a mix of wind, solar, nuclear, and energy storage. In addition to postponing the closures of the J.H. Campbell and Monroe plants until 2040, the report called for outfitting the state’s existing coal and gas plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The report also claimed relying on wind, solar, and energy storage “could lead to numerous blackouts throughout the year.”

“Our study might be contested,” Stevenson acknowledged in his testimony.

SMR projects in the U.S. and globally have run into cost overruns, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Multiple high-profile utility projects aimed at demonstrating the commercial viability of CCS for coal plants have devolved into costly economic boondoggles mired in public scandal.

Always on Energy Research has churned out similar reports for other SPN groups, including two reports focused on New England’s power grid prepared for the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and SPN groups based in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The Acadia Center, an environmental group working to halve carbon emissions in the Northeast by 2030, has published rebuttals of Always on Energy Research reports on New England.

“Misleading analysis grossly inflates the cost of clean energy, selectively ignores fuel savings, and proposes highly unrealistic alternative scenarios,” the Acadia Center said of Always on Energy Research’s methodology in its latest rebuttalin January.

Stevenson received funding from SPN to lead a nuclear waste discussion group with nuclear industry contacts

===:

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cli wire  https://www.eenews.net/articles/conservatives-urge-mccarthy-to-disband-climate-committee/

conservative groups are pushing to end the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis if Republicans take control of the House next year.

In a letter to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), 18 conservative organizations said there is “no need for a select committee on climate change.”

“With no ability to advance legislation to the House floor, the Select Committee historically serves as a soap box for tax and spend politicians to intimidate American energy companies, energize climate activists and stump for big-government policies that raise energy prices for consumers and weaken American energy independence,” they wrote The group includes Americans For Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle and Heartland Institute President James Taylor....The letter reflects an ongoing split in the party that could echo into next year in the likely event that McCarthy becomes speaker after Tuesday’s midterms.

While Pyle, Ebell and others have spent years advocating against climate policy and disputing mainstream climate science, elected Republicans have taken on a softer tone on the issue in recent years.

If Republicans do choose to revive the panel, it could serve as a platform for the party to discuss Biden administration energy policies and for Select Committee ranking member Garret Graves (R-La.) to amplify the party’s messaging. Graves has declined to say publicly whether the committee would return.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) created a predecessor to the panel when Democrats took the House in 2008, then formed the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in 2019 after they came back to power. It has no legislative authority but has at times caused friction with other committee chairs.

The conservative groups argued the issue would be better served being addressed by the standing committees.

“We urge you to disband the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and let the committees with appropriate jurisdiction and legislative ability take up the topic of climate change,” they wrote.

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https://twitter.com/Mike_Palicz/status/1588610503978668032/photo/1

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https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/12/our-sincerest-compliments-come-from-our-enemies.php

no lnx many

pOSTED ON DECEMBER 21, 2019 BY JOHN HINDERAKER IN CLIMATE, LEFTISM

OUR SINCEREST COMPLIMENTS COME FROM OUR ENEMIES

Minnesota’s Democratic governor has initiated a rule-making proceeding intended to import California’s vehicle emission standards to Minnesota. Basically, a large percentage of vehicles sold in the state would have to be electric. In order to meet that mandate, electric cars would be subsidized by higher prices for gasoline-powered vehicles, the ones a large majority of people want to buy.

The rule-making order is, I think, illegal, as there is no statute that authorizes it. This will be fought out in the legal arena, with the Upper Midwest Law Center, on whose board I serve, taking the lead. Beyond the legal issue, the proposed rule is a terrible idea. It would seriously harm Minnesota consumers while having zero effect on the Earth’s climate. My organization, Center of the American Experiment, submitted a 27-page comment opposing the proposed rule, and encouraged other concerned Minnesotans to file comments opposing the rule. We provided a template letter that others could use as a comment.

Our effort was successful, as you can tell from this headline on DeSmog Blog, a house organ for the climate hysteria movement: “Public Comments Reveal Big Oil and Koch-backed Opposition to Minnesota’s Clean Car Standards.” Much could be said about this, but the point I want to make is that global warming hysterics never–and I mean never–argue their case on the merits. Instead, they invariably smear their opponents, usually by alleging that they are tools of the fossil fuel industries. That is what DeSmog did here:

A DeSmog analysis found that a majority of the hundreds of comments received were supportive of the initiative, which aims to reduce the state’s transportation-sector emissions.

:{:{}:

}:

However, opposing comments also poured in from industry groups and citizens borrowing a script provided by a right-wing think tank tied to the petrochemical billionaire Koch network.

:{:{}:

}:

That “right-wing think tank” isCenter of the American Experiment, which I run. But how, exactly, are we “tied to” the Koch network? As we approach year-end, we expect to raise around $3.3 million in 2019, of which not a single dollar, so far, has come from the “Koch network.” We are supported by thousands of individual Minnesotans, a fact with which the Left is simply unable to deal. More:

This think tank, Center of the American Experiment (CAE), has been a vocal opponent of Minnesota’s proposed clean car standards. As a member of the Koch-funded State Policy Network (SPN), the center regularly attacks clean energy and climate initiatives, just as other SPN-member organizations do in other states.

So apparently the State Policy Network has gotten support from one or more Koch-related entities. Wow. How “tied to” the Koch network can my organization get?

Don’t get me wrong: we would love to get money from Koch or other industry groups that agree with our policy positions. There is obviously nothing wrong with that, just as there is nothing wrong with “green” advocacy groups being funded by wind and solar entrepreneurs and utilities that hope to profit from “green” investments, no matter how much they hurt the utilities’ ratepayers. Almost all of the money on these issues is on the “green” side. In this case, DeSmog is simply barking up the wrong tree.

CAE misleadingly claims that Minnesota’s clean car standards would have no meaningful impact on reducing both global warming and harmful pollutants, and would force auto dealers to offer more expensive electric vehicles that consumers are unwilling to buy. These arguments appear aimed at undermining the whole point of the initiative.

They certainly are. But wait! How is the 27-page comment that we submitted “misleading”? DeSmog blog offers no clue; certainly no argument. This is not just typical, it is universal. Climate hysterics refuse to engage in debate, they just smear, pointlessly. DeSmog continues:

Many of the comments opposing the proposed standards are identical in wording, which comes from a script written by CAE’s Isaac Orr.

Isaac is a policy fellow in my organization, and one of the country’s top energy experts.

They question the legality of Minnesota adopting the standards and requests a hearing be scheduled before an administrative law judge.

That’s right. The rule-making proceeding is in fact illegal, as noted above.

Out of the more than 600 comments received (not including one supportive letter with 685 signatures and over 300 additional comments), DeSmog estimates that roughly 13 percent of them borrowed the script that Orr provided.

Thank you! We are indeed the main source of opposition to climate hysteria in Minnesota, as DeSmog acknowledges. We patiently await any argument that may come from the governor’s office, DeSmog, or anyone else, in opposition to our position. But I am not holding my breath. When we have challenged climate hysterics to debate, they have always folded. That is the state of the climate debate in 2019.

==

bs  bk; “Marc Morano’s book Green Fraud provides a factual scientific and political account of the Green New Deal and other misanthropic and self-serving schemes of the global elite and their opportunistic or deluded acolytes.” —Will Happer,Cyrus Fogg Brackett Professor of Physics emeritus, Princeton University

:{:{}:

}:

“Morano is truly the Pete Rose and Hank Aaron of climate contrarians.” —Steven Hayward of Power Line SAME?

==

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sw

Center of the American Experiment (CAE) is a right-wing pressure group based in Minnesota. It is a member of the State Policy Network (SPN), a web of state pressure groups that denote themselves as "think tanks" and drive a right-wing agenda in statehouses nationwide. On the homepage of its website, CAE lists its issue areas as: Minnesota economy, healthcare, families, governance, education and employee freedom.^[1]

• 1CAE Names Conservative Blogger John Hinderaker President
• 2Political Activity
  • 2.1Attempting to Influence Legislation in Minnesota
  • 2.2Political Contributions of CAE Staff and Directors
• 3Ties to the Bradley Foundation
• 4Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council
• 5Ties to the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
  • 5.1Franklin Center Funding
• 6Core Financials
• 7Personnel
  • 7.1Staff
  • 7.2Board of Directors
• 8Contact Information
• 9Articles and Resources
  • 9.1Related SourceWatch Articles
  • 9.2Related PRWatch Articles
  • 9.3External Resources
  • 9.4References

[KOCh WIKI]

CAE Names Conservative Blogger John Hinderaker President

In January of 2016, John Hinderaker was named the new President at the Center of the American Experiment.^[2] Before taking on this position, Hinderaker was a lawyer and a conservative blogger. :{His blog Power Linewon Time Magazine's 2004 award for "Blog of the Year" for what the Star Tribune reported as debunking a "report that lead to the downfall of CBS news anchor Dan Rathe:(style="background-color:#ffff66ff"):}:r:{."}:^[2]

Hinderaker was quoted as saying after the announcement that, "One of my real missions over the next couple of years is going to be to stimulate some candid debates and conversations all around the state about how we are doing and how we can do better (in Minnesota).”^[2] Minnesota consistently ranks highest among states in quality of life and healthcare.^[3]

Political Activity

Attempting to Influence Legislation in Minnesota

Minnesota Senator and candidate for Governor Dave Thompson proposed a constitutional amendment (SF 1705) to make Minnesota a "Right to Work" state. The amendment was strikingly similar to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) bill the "Right to Work Act," as a November 2013 report by Alliance for a Better Minnesota points out. The report continues, "Piggybacking on Thompson's ALEC-based efforts to pass Right to Work in Minnesota, CAE released a report in support of the measure. Not surprisingly, the SPN-written report was shown to be both duplicative to reports from other states and inaccurate."^[4]

CAE also released a report in support of a 2012 constitutional amendment that would have codified language very similar to ALEC's "Voter ID Act."^[4]

Political Contributions of CAE Staff and Directors

According to the Alliance for a Better Minnesota report, "CAE staff and directors contributed at least $289,430 to federal candidates and committees between 1998 and 2012. Nearly all contributions were made to conservative or Republican organizations and candidates. . . .^[5] CAE staff and directors contributed at least $656,718 to candidates and committees at the state level from 1998–2012. As with the federal contributions, nearly all contributions were made to "conservative" organizations and candidates."^[6][4]

Ties to the Bradley Foundation

Through 2016, the Center of the American Experiment received $305,000 from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Bradley detailed the most recent grants in internal documents examined by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD). Below are the descriptions prepared by CMD. The quoted text was written by Bradley staff.

2016: $25,000 to support research and activities on the effects of family fragmentation. “Specifically, in part at Bradley’s and (Brookings Institution’s Ron) Haskin’s urging, CAE is looking into ways in which apprenticeships might make men more employable and thus more ‘marriageable.’ Also at Bradley’s urging, it is looking to create partnerships in the African American communities of Minnesota.”

2015: $25,000 to support research and activities on the effects of family fragmentation.

2014: $50,000 to support its research on the cultural role of marriage and fatherhood. Bradley awarded a grant to CAE president Mitch Pearlstein in 2013 for a project investigating how family fragmentation is contributing to a less cohesive nation and how policy can address the issue (Broken Bonds: What Family Fragmentation Means for America’s Future). “Pearlstein attributes the idea for the book and the methodology employed in its research and writing to his participation in the Bradley Working Group on the Family… Pearlstein in his follow on two part project will select 15 to 20 clergy, scholars, and lay leaders to engage in a two part exercise on whether churches and religious institutions are doing enough to reinforce marriage… Pearlstein will be pursuing questions such as: what, if anything their parishes, congregations and assemblies are doing to strengthen marriages in general and reduce nonmarital births in particular; what is standing in the way of them doing more; what do they think they and other religious institutions should be doing that they are not; and how can churches and other religious institutions provide more space and opportunities for ex offenders to spend more time with law abiding citizens away from corrupting influences that helped send them to prison in the first place… In the second part, Pearlstein will commission 10 to 12 clergy and scholars to contribute a complementary variety of essay to an anthology. In this Anthology, the select group of writers will address the question of what religious institutions and their leaders do to strengthen their voice of matters of personal well being and family stability.”

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council

SPN is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Additionally, CAE board member, John Gibbs, represents Comcast Corporation on the ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force.^[7]

Please see SPN Ties to ALEC for more.

Ties to the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity

The Center of the American Experiment has hosted writers from the ALEC-connected Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, which screens potential reporters on their “free market” views as part of the job application process.^[8] The Franklin Center funds reporters in over 40 states.^[9] Despite their non-partisan description, many of the websites funded by the Franklin Center have received criticism for their conservative bias.^[10][11] On its website, the Franklin Center claims it "provides 10 percent of all daily reporting from state capitals nationwide."^[12]

Franklin Center Funding

Franklin Center Director of Communications Michael Moroney told the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) in 2013 that the source of the Franklin Center's funding "is 100 percent anonymous." But 95 percent of its 2011 funding came from DonorsTrust, a spin-off of the Philanthropy Roundtable that functions as a large "donor-advised fund," cloaking the identity of donors to right-wing causes across the country (CPI did a review of Franklin's Internal Revenue Service records).^[13] Mother Jones called DonorsTrust "the dark-money ATM of the conservative movement" in a February 2013 article.^[14] Franklin received DonorTrust's second-largest donation in 2011.^[13]

The Franklin Center also receives funding from the Wisconsin-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation,^[15] a conservative grant-making organization.^[16]

The Franklin Center was launched by the Chicago-based Sam Adams Alliance (SAM),^[17] a 501(c)(3) devoted to pushing free-market ideals. SAM gets funding from the State Policy Network,^[18] which is partially funded by The Claude R. Lambe Foundation.^[19] Charles Koch, one of the billionaire brothers who co-own Koch Industries, sits on the board of this foundation.^[20] SAM also receives funding from the Rodney Fund.

Core Financials

2016^[21]

• Total Revenue: $1,841,454
• Total Expenses: $1,843,336
• Net Assets: $816,700

2015^[22]

• Total Revenue: $1,196,118
• Total Expenses: $1,087,451
• Net Assets: $564,596

2014^[23]

• Total Revenue: $1,243,963
• Total Expenses: $1,125,952
• Net Assets: $455,929

2013^[24]

• Total Revenue: $1,114,215
• Total Expenses: $926,287
• Net Assets: $337,918

2012^[25]

• Total Revenue: $1,116,632
• Total Expenses: $972,969
• Net Assets: $149,990

2011^[26]

• Total Revenue: $799,736
• Total Expenses: $770,575
• Net Assets: $6,327

2010^[27]:

• Total Revenue: $711,473
• Total Expenses: $651,873
• Net Assets: -$22,834

2009^[28]:

• Total Revenue: $744,556
• Total Expenses: $658,994
• Net Assets: -$82,434

Personnel

As of Sept 2018:^[29]

Staff

• John H. Hinderaker, President
• Mitch Pearlstein, Founder & Senior Fellow
• Kim Crockett, Vice President, Senior Policy Fellow & General Counsel
• Peter Nelson, Vice President & Senior Policy Fellow
• Tom Steward, Communications Director and Investigative Reporter
• Kathy Kersten, Senior Fellow
• John Phelan, Economist
• Catrin Thorman, Policy Fellow
• Isaac Orr, Policy Fellow
• Robert Benson, Greater Minnesota Coordinator
• Tom Mason, Editor and Publisher, Thinking Minnesota
• Kristen Fuzer Sheehan, Development Director
• Peter Zeller, Director of Operations
• Pari Cariaga, Donor Relations and Events Coordinator

Former Staff:

• Dwight Tostenson, Chief Financial Officer
• Samantha Peterson, Assistant Development Director

Board of Directors

• Ron Eibensteiner, Chairman; Venture Capitalist, Wyncrest Capital, Inc.
• John Hinderaker, President
• Mark S. Larson, Secretary; Attorney, Messerli & Kramer
• Scott Rile, Treasurer; Principal, Bernstein Global Wealth Management
• Edward C. Anderson, Forthright Solutions
• Tara J. Anderson, TJA Business Law
• Elam Baer, North Central Equity
• Asim Baig, CATS Software, Inc.
• Michael E. Barry, Twin City Fan Companies
• Molly Corrigan Cronin
• Peter Dahl, Crown Bank
• Mitchell Davis, Davis Family Dairies
• Elizabeth Driscoll
• Greg Frandsen, Fransen Companies
• John F. Gibbs, Comcast Corporation
• Bill Guidera, 21st Century Fox
• Michael Hayden
• Lowell W. Hellervik, Omni Leadership
• Robin Norgaard Kelleher, Seaton, Beck & Revnew
• Thomas O. Kelly, III, Dorsey & Whitney
• Keith Kostuch
• Richard G. Morgan, Bowman & Brooke
• Kenneth W. Morris, The Apercu Group
• Charles Nickoloff, Medical Equities Investments
• Andrew M. O'Brien, Trean Corporation & Benchmark Insurance Company
• Mitchell B. Pearlstein, Founder of Center of the American Experiment
• Rick Penn, Hutchinson Technology
• Ted Risdall, Risdall Marketing Group
• Brent Robbins, General Mills
• Thomas J. Rosen, Rosen's Diversified Inc.
• Ronald J. Schutz, Robins Kaplan LLP
• Charles E. Spevacek, Meagher & Geer, P.L.L.P.
• Todd Vollmers, Thompson Hall

Former Board Members

• Jack Lanners, F.T.L. Corporation
• Kurt Schellhas, Center for Diagnostic Imaging
• Bruce Taher, Taher, Inc.
• Erik Torgerson, Northwest Equity Partners
• Martha M. Head, Ceann Company
• Kim Crockett, J.D., Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President & General Counsel
• Mitchell Davis, Davisco Foods
• Carolyn Ericsson, CSM Investments
• Harrison T. Grodnick, Owner & Manager, Minneapolis Portfolio Management Group
• John W. Hedberg, Hedberg Family Foundation
• Rick Leggott, Arbor Capital Management
• Eduard Michel, M.D. (Co-Founder, Virtual Radiologic Corp.)

Contact Information

Center of the American Experiment

8441 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 350

Golden Valley, MN 55426

Phone: 612-338-3605

Fax: 612-338-3621

Website: http://www.americanexperiment.org

Email: tom.steward@americanexperiment.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mnthinktank

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanExperiment/

Articles and Resources

Related SourceWatch Articles

• State Policy Network:
  • SPN Portal
  • SPN Political Activity
  • SPN Funding
    • SPN 2011 Funding
    • SPN 2010 Funding
    • SPN 2009 Funding
  • SPN Agenda
  • SPN Founders, History, and Staff
  • SPN Members
  • SPN Ties to ALEC
  • Thomas A. Roe
  • Tracie Sharp
  • Byron S. Lamm
  • Roe Foundation
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
  • ALEC Non-Profits
• DonorsTrust
• Donors Capital Fund
• Koch Family Foundations
• Koch Industries
• Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
• Heritage Foundation
• Think tanks
• Whitney Ball
• Adam Meyerson
• Bridgett Wagner

Related PRWatch Articles

• Brendan Fischer, Why Are the Franklin Center's "Wisconsin Reporter" and "Watchdog.org" Attacking the John Doe?, PRWatch.org, December 19, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, The State Policy Network's Cozy Relationship with Big Tobacco, PRWatch.org, December 16, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, Did ALEC Found SPN? 1991 Report Suggests So, Exposes SPN Agenda, PRWatch.org, December 12, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, Guardian Documents Expose State Policy Network Groups' Intent to Lobby, PRWatch.org, December 5, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, State Policy Network: The Stealth Network Dramatically Influencing State Law, PRWatch.org, December 5, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, Tracie Sharp: Bursar of Mystery Money and "IKEA Model" Materials to Stink Tanks, PRWatch.org, November 19, 2013.
• Center for Media and Democracy, Reports Expose Extreme Pressure Groups Masquerading as Think Tanks, press release, November 13, 2013.
• Rebekah Wilce, A Reporters’ Guide to the "State Policy Network": the Right-Wing Think Tanks Spinning Disinformation and Pushing the ALEC Agenda in the States, PRWatch.org, April 4, 2013.
• Sara Jerving, ALEC and Heartland Aim to Crush Renewable Energy Standards in the States, PRWatch.org, November 27, 2012.
• Connor Gibson, Meet the Network Hiding the Koch Money: "Donors Trust" and "Donors Capital Fund", PRWatch.org, October 29, 2012.
• Brendan Fischer, Koch-Funded Mackinac Center Brings Wisconsin Act 10 Provisions to ALEC, PRWatch.org, May 2, 2012.
• Sara Jerving, Franklin Center: Right-Wing Funds State News Source, PRWatch.org, October 31, 2011.

External Resources

• Wall Street Journal, The Spoils of the Republican State Conquest, December 9, 2016, archived by CMD here.
• DeSmog Blog, Stink Tanks: Historical Records Reveal State Policy Network Was Created by ALEC, December 9, 2013.
• The Guardian, State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax, December 5, 2013.
• Portland Press Herald, "Washington County residents have mixed reactions to plan to eliminate taxes," December 5, 2013.
• The Texas Observer, "The Money Behind the Fight to Undermine Medicaid," December 5, 2013.
• Media Matters, North Carolina Newspapers Largely Ignore Conservative Funding Of Sham Think Tanks, December 3, 2013.
• Shepherd Express, Masters of Manipulation: Right-wing Billionaires, Corporations and the Bradley Foundation Pay for Junk Studies that Prop up Their Agenda, November 27, 2013.
• "Moyers & Company," How a Shadowy Network of Corporate Front Groups Distorts the Marketplace of Ideas, November 19, 2013.
• MSNBC "Rachel Maddow Show," November 18, 2013.
• Free Speech TV "Ring of Fire," Facebook, Microsoft, AT&T and Others Supporting Right Wing Propaganda Machine, November 18, 2013.
• Topeka Capital-Journal, Trabert dismisses report tying KPI to Koch agenda, November 16, 2013.
• The New Yorker (Jane Mayer), Is IKEA the New Model for the Conservative Movement?, November 15, 2013.
• Salon, Ted Cruz and Koch brothers embroiled in shadowy Tea Party scheme, November 15, 2013.
• St. Louis Business Journal, Beyond Sinquefield: Who else is funding the Show-Me Institute?, November 15, 2013.
• The Guardian, Facebook and Microsoft help fund rightwing lobby network, report finds, November 14, 2013.
• Huffington Post, Meet The Little-Known Network Pushing Ideas For Kochs, ALEC, November 14, 2013.
• CBS St. Louis, Show-Me Institute’s Ties Questioned in New Report, November 14, 2013.
• Talking Points Memo, Florida Conservative Group Helping Muck Up Obamacare In Alaska, November 14, 2013.
• Mint Press News, Reports Reveal SPN’s Secret Corporate Agenda Through Use ‘Expert’ Testimony, November 14, 2013.
• Media Matters, Shadowy Right-Wing Group Generates Media Coverage For Conservative Policy From Coast To Coast, November 14, 2013.
• The Institute for Southern Studies, Are conservative think tanks breaking lobbying laws?, November 14, 2013.
• Nonprofit Quarterly, Corporate Money in Network of Right-Wing State Policy Think Tanks, November 14, 2013.
• The Progressive, Right-Wing Think Tanks Push Privatization in the States, November 13, 2013.
• Politico, Report: Think tanks tied to Kochs, November 13, 2013.
• Lawrence Journal-World, Reports released by progressive groups are critical of Kansas Policy Institute, November 13, 2013.
• Maine Insights, Report: Maine Heritage Policy Center’s funding connection to Koch Brothers, November 13, 2013.
• The Florida Current, Liberal groups bemoan lobbying by conservative think tanks, November 13, 2013.
• The Oregonian, Cascade Policy Institute benefits from secretive donor group but says it operates independently, November 13, 2013.
• Center for Media and Democracy, EXPOSED: The State Policy Network, The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Arizona Working Families and CMD, A Reporter’s Guide to the Goldwater Institute: What Citizens, Policymakers, and Reporters Should Know, organizational report, updated November 13, 2013.
• Progress Florida and CMD, Lawmaking Under the Influence of Very Special Interests: Understand the role of Florida ‘think tanks’ in driving a Koch-fueled, ALEC-allied corporate agenda, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Maine's Majority Education Fund, Fooling Maine: How national conservative groups infiltrated Maine politics by founding and funding the Maine Heritage Policy Center, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Progress Michigan, Who's Running Michigan? The Far-Right Influence of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Who's in Charge: How Nationalized Corporate-Run Think Tanks Influence Minnesota Politics, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Progress Missouri, What Missourians Need to Know About the Show-Me Institute, organizational report, updated November 13, 2013.
• Granite State Progress, Bad Bartlett: The Josiah Bartlett Center and NH Watchdog Answer the Call of the Koch Brothers, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• ProgressOhio, Smoke Screen: The Buckeye Institute, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Keystone Progress, Think tanks or corporate lobbyist propaganda mills?, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Progress Texas, TPPF + ALEC, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• One Wisconsin Now, S is for Shill: Inside the Bradley Foundation's Attack on Public Education, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
• Muncie Voice, Pence and Right-Wing Are Taking Over Public Education, November 13, 2013.
• The Spokesman-Review, Shawn Vestal: Idaho Freedom Foundation pushes limits of word ‘charity’, November 2, 2013.
• AZ Central, When this ‘watchdog’ pitches, taxpayers strike out, October 12, 2013.
• IndyStar, Daniels says speech to partisan group was a mistake, October 10, 2013.
• Muncie Voice, Indiana Policy Review: Not an Independent News Source, October 2, 2013.
• The Spokesman-Review, Idaho Freedom Foundation's charitable status scrutinized, September 15, 2013.
• CounterSpin, Lee Fang on 'The Right Leans In', April 5, 2013.
• FireDogLake, State Policy Network, an umbrella coordinating ALEC, Heritage, Heartland and others, April 4, 2013.
• Thom Hartmann with Lee Fang on MSNBC, The conservative State Policy Network is sneaking into your state & will change America, March 29, 2013.
• Current TV "War Room",, March 28, 2013.
• The Nation, The Right Leans In, March 26, 2013.
• Democracy Now, Donors Trust: Little-Known Group Helps Wealthy Backers Fund Right-Wing Agenda in Secret, February 19, 2013.
• Paul Abowd, Center for Public Integrity, Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states, Consider the Source, February 14, 2013.
• John R. Mashey, Fake science, fakexperts, funny finances, free of tax 2, DeSmog Blog report, updated October 23, 2012, p. 74.
• Urban Milwaukee, Stealth Conservatives, October 11, 2012.
• Rome News-Tribune, ANALYSIS: Georgia leaders depend on the same well for ideas, October 2012.
• Andy Kroll, The Right-Wing Network Behind the War on Unions, Mother Jones, April 25, 2011.
• Guidestar, State Policy Network, IRS filings and other organizational information about SPN.
• Center for Policy Alternatives, ALEC and the Extreme Right-Wing Agenda, organizational brochure about ALEC and SPN.
• John J. Miller, Fifty Flowers Bloom: Conservative think tanks — mini–Heritage Foundations — at the state level, National Review, November 19, 2007.
• Bridge Project, State Policy Network, online resource listing grants to SPN and SPN's connections to other groups.
• People for the American Way, State Policy Network, RightWingWatch.org, organizational resource.
• Greenpeace, Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group: State Policy Network (SPN), organizational resource.

References

1. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, Center of the American Experiment, Center of the American Experiment', 2016.
2. ↑ ^Jump ^up ^{to:2.0 2.1 2.2} Ricardo Lopez, Conservative blogger, attorney takes helm of Center of the American Experiment, Star Tribune", January 17, 2016.
3. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Alexander E.M. Hess and Thomas C. Frohlich, The 10 States With the Best Quality of Life, 24/7 Wall St., October 6, 2014.
4. ↑ ^Jump ^up ^{to:4.0 4.1 4.2} Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Who's in Charge: How Nationalized Corporate-Run Think Tanks Influence Minnesota Politics, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
5. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Federal Election Commission, Advanced Transaction Query By Individual Contributor, federal government agency campaign contributions search engine, accessed November 2013.
6. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Search, state governmental agency campaign contributions search engine, accessed November 2013.
7. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ American Legislative Exchange Council 35 Day Mailing, Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force, July 18, 2011
8. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Franklin Center, Franklin Affiliates in Your State, organizational website, accessed October 2012.
9. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, Think tank Journalism: The Future of Investigative Journalism, organizational website, accessed August 19, 2011.
10. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Rebekah Metzler, "Watchdog" website puts a new spin on politics, The Portland Press Herald, October 2, 2010.
11. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Allison Kilkenny, The Koch Spider Web, Truthout, accessed August 19, 2011.
12. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Sara Jerving, Franklin Center: Right-Wing Funds State News Source, PRWatch.org, October 27, 2011.
13. ↑ ^Jump ^up ^{to:13.0 13.1} Paul Abowd, Center for Public Integrity, Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states, organizational report, February 14, 2013.
14. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Andy Kroll, Exposed: The Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement, Mother Jones, February 5, 2013.
15. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Daniel Bice, Franklin Center boss wants apology from Democratic staffer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 8, 2011.
16. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ The Bradley Foundation. The Bradley Foundation. Organizational website. Accessed August 19, 2011.
17. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Sam Adams Alliance. Sam Adams Alliance Media Kit. Organizational PDF. Accessed August 19, 2011.
18. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Media Matters Action Network. Sam Adams Alliance. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.
19. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Media Matters Action Network. State Policy Network. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.
20. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Media Matters Action Network. Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.
21. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, 2016 IRS 990, via ProPublica, Sept 2, 2018.
22. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, [paper copy 2015 IRS 990], Center of the American Experiment, May 10, 2016.
23. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, 2014 IRS 990, Center of the American Experiment, November 2, 2015.
24. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, 2013 IRS 990, Center of the American Experiment, August 4, 2014.
25. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, 2012 IRS 990, Center of the American Experiment, August 1, 2013.
26. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, 2011 IRS 990, Center of the American Experiment, July 23, 2012.
27. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, IRS form 990, 2010. GuideStar.
28. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, IRS form 990, 2009. GuideStar.
29. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:↑ Center of the American Experiment, About, Center of the American Experiment, 2018.

[[Category:ALEC Members]

Categories: 

• SPN Exposed
• ALEC Exposed
• ALEC Non-Profits
• Koch Connection
• Think tanks

==

https://www.desmogblog.com/center-american-experiment

Center of the American Experiment

Background

The Center of the American Experiment is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that describes itself as “Minnesota’s leading public policy organization” that “crafts and proposes creative solutions that emphasize free enterprise, limited government, personal responsibility and government accountability.” Mitch Pearlsteinfounded the Center in 1990. [1], [2]

SourceWatch describes the Center for the American Experiment (CAE) as a “right-wing pressure group” that seeks to influence legislation in Minnesota. CAE is alsoa member of the State Policy Network, a network of conservative think tanks funded by the Koch brothers and fighting for limited government and regularly opposing climate change legislation in the US.[3], [4]

CAE's president,John Hinderaker, who runs the conservative blog Power Line,was named the Center's president in 2016. Some notable contributors at CAE include Steven Hayward, who also contributes at Power Line, as well as the Heartland Institute's Isaac Orr. [5]

Stance on Climate Change

November 5, 2016

Peter Zeller, Director of Operations at the Center of the American Experiment, wrote a blog post titled “Climate Change 101.” In a section entitled “Basic climate science,” he declared: [8]

“Simply put, substantial scientific evidence exists that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has exaggerated the amount of warming likely to occur, and that any warming that does occur is likely to be modest and cause no net harm to the environment or human well-being.

Warming, cooling, and change are natural features of climate.  Climate is always changing: Global temperatures are rising or falling, sea levels are rising or falling, and glaciers are retreating or advancing. […]”

Under a section titled “Is CO2 Causing Temperatures To Rise?”:

“It’s tough to separate out human activity from natural variability and other causes, but most scientists believe increased CO2 levels play a part in the gradual warming we have experienced.  CO2 is a trace gas (only .04% of the atmosphere) and has been steadily rising since 1940 thanks to increasing industrialization and the world’s use of coal, oil, and natural gas.

“But temperature changes since 1910 have not correlated with the rise of CO2, and historical data show CO2 levels lagging temperature changes, not leading them.  And some studies suggest solar activity correlates much better with global temperatures.”

Under the heading “Failed Computer Models”:

“Model simulations predict that increased CO2 should lead to higher temperatures, but nearly all the models have significantly overestimated observed temperatures.”

[…]

“The bottom line is that our climate is a very complex system, influenced by many little-understood mechanisms and dynamics involving the sun, clouds, oceans, etc.”

Zeller wrote about the supposed “Unreported Benefits of CO2”, saying:

“CO2 is hardly a pollutant.  The opposite is true: It’s a raw material that makes life possible for both plants and animals. […]”

According to Zeller, “Mild Warming is Good for the World!” Citing Matthew Ridley, a noted climate change skeptic and zoologist with no background in climate science:

“British scientist Matt Ridley recently wrote about a fundamentally important point that very few have heard about: The consensus of expert opinion is that warming does more good than harm.  Imagine that!  Why have we not heard about this?”

Zeller concludes:

“For our part, American Experiment will continue making the case that economic growth and expanded prosperity are the surest path to lifting the world’s poor and protecting the environment.”

Funding

The following is based on information compiled from publicly available 990 forms and fromConservative Transparency's database. Note that not all individual funding values have been verified by DeSmog.[9]

View the attached spreadsheet for details on Center for the American Experiment's funding by year (.xlsx).

990 Forms many

...

Key People

Staff

Board of Directors

Young Leadership Council

Board of Advisers

Senior Fellows

Actions

March 12, 2018

Heartland Institute research fellowIsaac Orr wrote his first article at the Center of the American Experiment. Orr's article promoted copper and nickel mining in Minnesota, suggesting pushing forward two mines—Twin Metals and PolyMet—that were waiting on approval. “These two mines would not only have significant employment impacts, they would also make the United States less dependent upon foreign sources of copper and nickel,” Orr wrote. [10]

October 10, 2017

Steven Haywardwas co-author of a report written for the Center of the American Experimentcritical of wind power in Minnesota. While the full report does not explicitly promote a fall back to coal-fired power plants, it claims that Minnesota has “little to show” for its investment in wind power, “except higher electricity bills.” [6], [11]

“Minnesota is actually failing to achieve the object of its policy, which is to reduce greenhouse gases,” said Hayward. [6]

March 6, 2008

The Center of the American Experiment hosted Margo Thorning on their forum to discuss “the real economic costs” of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  [12]

“Economist Margo Thorning discusses the likely consequences of Minnesota's proposed Climate Mitigation Action Plan on employment, household income, and new investments in the state. She also talks about the likely economic and environmental effects of bills currently before Congress, including the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. And Dr. Thorning will suggest cost-effective approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota, across the United States, and around the planet,” the description reads.

Listen to the audio below:

...

john christy

...

anuary 5, 1998

David Riggs wrote a three-part series on global warming at the CAE. Riggs was the executive director of Green Watch,a project run by the conservative think-tank the Capital Research Center. CRC has been funded by conservative foundations includingScaife, and large oil companies such as ExxonMobil. [15],[16]

In the first part of his series, Riggs claimed to cover “an overview of general scientific issues,” In Part II “the economic consequences of greenhouse gas emission-reduction policy will be addressed, with special emphasis placed on why Minnesotans should care about the Kyoto treaty” and Part III “will look at why a global climate treaty is emerging and what a reasonable course of action should be to potential global climate change”: [15]

• Global Warming: Part I Divided Science and Unfounded Policy
• Global Warming: Part II Footing the Bill
• Global Warming: Part III Haste or Hardiness?

Related Organizations

• State Policy Network (SPN) — Member.  [4]

Contact & Address

Address [14]

8421 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 110

Golden Valley, MN 55426

Phone:

(612) 338-3605

Social Media

• @AmericanExperimenton Facebook.
• @:{MNThinkTank:(style="font-weight:700"):}: on Twitter.

Resources

1. “About Center of the American Experiment,” Center of the American Experiment.Archived April 17, 2018. Archive.is URL:https://archive.li/W79CM
2. “Mitch Pearlstein,” Center for the American Experiment. Archived April 17, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/lRkyT
3. “Center of the American Experiment,” SourceWatch. Accessed October 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/2iFMX
4. “Center for the American Experiment,” State Policy Network. Archived October 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/e8mpP
5. Ricardo Lopez. “Conservative blogger, attorney takes helm of Center of the American Experiment,” Star Tribune, January 17, 2016. Archived October 20, 2017.
6. Don Davis. “Is wind power living up to potential? Conservative groups says no, supporters disagree,” Brainerd Dispatch, October 10, 2017. Archived October 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/zJm5l
7. :{“:(style="margin-left:0px"):}:Energy Policy in Minnesota: The High Cost of Failure” (PDF), October 19, 2017.
8. “Climate Change 101,” Center of the American Experiment, November 5, 2016. Archived April 17, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/ilijl
9. “Center of the American Experiment,” Conservative Transparency. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
10. “Minnesota’s Copper and Nickel Deposits are World Class,” Center of the American Experiment, March 12, 2018. Archived March 17, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/FqiI5
11. “Energy Policy in Minnesota: The High Cost of Failure” (PDF), October 19, 2017.
12. “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: What Are the Real Economic Costs?” Center of the American Experiment, March 6, 2008. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/ULTJX
13. “Searching for Climate Change: A More Temperate Take on Global Warming,” Center of the American Experiment, June 4, 2007. Archived April 17, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/4c0uI
14. “About Center of the American Experiment,” Center of the American Experiment. Archived April 17, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/W79CM
15. “Global Warming: Part I Divided Scienceand Unfounded Policy,” Center for the American Experiment, January 5, 1998. Archive.is URL: https://archive.li/nkQTI
16. “Capital Research Center,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed October 18, 2015.

Other Resources

• “Center of the American Experiment,” Sourcewatch.
• “Center of the American Experiment,”Wikipedia.

File attachments:

==

==

wiki

Center of the American Experiment is a Minnesota-based think tank that advocates for conservative and free-market principles.^[5]

Overview

The Center of the American Experiment was founded in 1990 by Mitch Pearlstein, a former Reagan appointee.^[2] Annette Meeks previously served as the organization's CEO.^[6] It has received grants from the Bradley Foundation and the John M. Olin Foundation.^[7] Katherine Kersten is a Senior Fellow at the organization.^[8]

The Center has supported school vouchers^[7] and opposed affirmative action, particularly in academia.^[9] The organization has been credited with playing a major role in empowering conservatives in Minnesota.^[10]

References

• Minnesota portal
• Conservatism portal

1. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ Hawkins, Beth (March 27, 2012). "Mitch Pearlstein: Connecting family and achievement gap". MinnPost. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
2. ^ :{Jump up to::(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^a ^b(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_of_the_American_Experiment#cite_ref-magazine_2-1) Marsh, Steve (November 1, 2004). "Calling ... Mitch Pearlstein". Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.
3. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ Lopez, Ricardo (January 17, 2016). "Conservative blogger, attorney takes helm of Center of the American Experiment". Star Tribune. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
4. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ "Quickview data". GuideStar. See also "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator.
5. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ Anderson, Jake (July 10, 2014). "Think Tank Calls For Moratorium On Light-Rail". Twin Cities Business. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
6. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ "Annette Meeks The True Believer". City Pages. May 28, 2008. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
7. ^ :{Jump up to::(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^a ^b(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_of_the_American_Experiment#cite_ref-cokorinos_7-1) Cokorinos, Lee (2003). *The Assault on Diversity: An Organized Challenge to Racial and Gender Justice*. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 56. ISBN 9780742524767. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
8. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ Kersten, Katherine (June 1, 2013). "Minnesota plays pretend with marriage". Minnesota Star-Tribune. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
9. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ Garcia, Mildred (1997). *Affirmative Action's Testament of Hope: Strategies for a New Era in Higher Education*. SUNY Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780791434130. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
10. :{Jump up:(style="user-select:none;top:-99999px;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);overflow:hidden;position:absolute !important;padding:0px !important;border:0px !important;height:1px !important;width:1px !important"):}:^ Stahl, Jason Michael (2008). *Selling Conservatism: Think Tanks, Conservative Ideology, and the Undermining of Liberalism, 1945--Present*. ProQuest. p. 18. ISBN 9780549669777. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

External links

• Official website
• EDIRC listing (provided by RePEc)
• Organizational Profile – National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute)

Categories: 

• Non-profit organizations based in Minnesota
• Organizations established in 1990
• Political and economic think tanks in the United States
• Conservative organizations in the United States

mike davis

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/02/the-great-god-trump-and-the-white-working-class

...In the Midwest the 2010 Tea Party victories brought a new generation of feral Republicans to power, many of them groomed by far-right think tanks such as Indiana’s Policy Review Foundation (once headed by Mike Pence), Michigan’s Mackinac Center, Wisconsin’s MacIver Institute, and Minnesota’s Center of the American Experiment, all of them spoiling for a fight to the death with the region’s public-sector unions and progressive big-city governments. Coordinating through the State Policy Network (sixty-five conservative think tanks) and the American Legislative Exchange Council, they launched campaigns to destroy public-sector bargaining rights, defund unions through right-to-work laws, and privatize public education through vouchers.

They focused in other words on increasing their structural and legal advantages in ways that Democrats would find difficult, even impossible to roll back. Unions and students, of course, conducted an epic resistance in Wisconsin but were unable to recall Scott Walker, in large part because of the lackluster character of the Democratic candidate. In Ohio the unions were more successful and repealed right-to-work by referendum, but in Indiana, Michigan and West Virginia, Republican majorities rammed throughright-to-work and in Michigan, a Mackinac Center-inspired receivership for Detroit’s schools.

...