Conservative spotlight: Paul Beckner

The Washington Post does not like Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE). In a January 29 front-page story headlined "Think Tanks: Corporations' Quiet Weapon; Nonprofits' Studies, Lobbying Advance Big Business Causes," the Post began:

"Derailing a multibillion-dollar federal plan to restore the Florida Everglades is just the kind of cause that suits Citizens for a Sound Economy, a conservative think tank that fights for smaller government. But soon after the group took on the Everglades project in 1998, the Washington-based nonprofit got an incentive that went beyond the purely philosophical.

"It received $700,000 in contributions from Florida's three biggest sugar enterprises, which stand to lose thousands of acres of cane-growing land to reclamation if the Army Corps of Engineers plan goes into effect."

The Post went on to detail how corporations and other interests give money to groups like CSE, as well as politicians, who advance policies that serve their interests or beliefs. Some people call that freedom. The Post thinks it is sinister-but, like other mainstream media sources, never notes that the Democratic Party would go bankrupt without the money of lawyers' groups and labor unions.

The fact is, said CSE president Paul Beckner, CSE's campaigns have a consistent unifying theme: less government. "We want lower taxes, fewer and more sensible regulations, and we pick certain battles and work on those," he said. That may be what bothers the Post.

"Three years ago, we changed our strategy," said Beckner. "The 1997 budget deal was one impetus. We were disappointed. We weren't in the position to push for the agenda we wanted to push for. The Republican revolution kept turning into more business as usual."

So CSE decided to recruit more "natural activists," individuals who would not just give money but would vote, go to town meetings, distribute flyers, and otherwise signal to politicians and the media "that real people care about these issues," Beckner said.

"We had people show up [at] the Washington State capitol," he said. "One politician said that this was the first time he had seen anybody show up wanting less, not more." On February 21, 225 volunteers went with the staff of CSE's Washington chapter to visit legislators from House Co-Speaker Clyde Ballard to Senate Minority Leader Jim West.

CSE's "Shark Man" gained some notoriety during the early presidential primaries, when a fellow dressed in a shark costume went to campaign rallies in order to protest "lawsuit abuse." "Tort reform," said Beckner, "is one of the issue we're focusing on right now." Sen. John McCain even had Shark Man join him on the platform.

Says CSE's website, "CSE has attended more than 150 presidential campaign events in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina. Our staff and activists have directly asked the candidates more than 200 questions. We know voters are passionate about the need to end lawsuit abuse and have appreciated the willingness of candidates to answer specific questions."

CSE currently has chapters in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Iowa, New Hampshire, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, and North Carolina. In the first three states, CSE has helped achieve a measure of tort reform in the past couple of years.

Other top priorities for CSE, said Beckner, are banning Internet taxes, school choice, and fundamental tax reform, which the group hopes will lead to a flat tax or perhaps some other fair tax. Added Marty Reiser, vice president for public affairs, "We're planning to help fight for an end to the estate tax when that comes up in Congress this year."

"We're going to have more events soon on our 'Scrap the Code' tour, including one with [Rep.] Steve Largent [R.-Okla.], author of the sunset bill," said Matt Kibbe, executive vice president of CSE. Congressman Largent's bill would automatically abolish the current income tax code by a set date, forcing Congress to come up with an alternative.

Though CSE disclaims the name "think tank," it has in-house Ph.D.s who generate studies and go on the road to promote conservative policies. "We produce short, informative papers and brochures that people will actually read," said Kibbe.

"We try to stay away from long white papers." With 279,000 members and a staff of almost 100, with 40% of them working outside the Washington, D.C., area, CSE can have a big impact. "We need to act, not just complain," said Beckner.

CSE may be reached at 1250 H Street N.W., Site 700, Washington, D.C 20005 (1-888-JOIN-CSE, fax: 202-7834687, website: www.cse.org).

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Mar 10, 2000
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