Organization: THIRD WAY
Mission: TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP CENTRIST POLICY IDEAS.
Activities: PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND FOR ALL OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS, ALL REPORTS DEVELOPED BY THIRD WAY ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH ITS WEBSITE: WWW.THIRDWAY.ORG.SOCIAL POLICY AND POLITICSIN 2019, THE SOCIAL POLICY AND POLITICS PROGRAM CONTINUED ITS FOCUS ON 1) ANSWERING WHAT A COALITION TO DEFEAT RIGHT-WING POPULISM MUST LOOK LIKE, 2) OFFERING A COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL COLLEGE QUALITY AGENDA THAT SHIFTS FOCUS AMONG MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE PRESS, AND OTHER INFLUENCES FROM COST TO VALUE, AND 3) ADDRESSING THREATS TO THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE ON SOCIAL ISSUES AND ASSISTING MODERATE POLICY MAKERS IN HOW TO HANDLE THESE ISSUES IN A PRAGMATIC PROGRESSIVE WAY THAT REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS. IDENTIFYING A COALITION THAT CAN VANQUISH RIGHT-WING POPULISM: OUR POLITICS TEAM WORKED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION BY: UTILIZING ELECTION AND PUBLIC OPINION DATA TO DRAFT REPORTS ANALYZING AND EXPLAINING THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE AND DIFFERENCES ACROSS STATES AND DISTRICTS; CONDUCTING QUARTERLY RESEARCH ON 2020 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS TO SHOW THAT THESE VOTERS WANT THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO RUN ON MAINSTREAM ISSUES FOCUSED ON TACKLING BIG PROBLEMS AND DELIVERING TANGIBLE RESULTS-NOT TO COUNTER RIGHT-WING POPULISM WITH LEFT-WING POPULISM; CONDUCTING RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MODERATES, INDEPENDENTS, AND OTHER AMERICANS WHO DO NOT IDENTIFY ON THE IDEOLOGICAL POLES AND RELEASE REPORTS ABOUT THEIR WORLDVIEW, PRIORITIES, AND APPROACHES TO KEY ISSUES; AND ADVOCATING TO ELIMINATE CAUCUSES AND CLOSED PRIMARIES AND ENACT OTHER ELECTORAL REFORMS ENSURE OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, NOT JUST THE IDEOLOGICAL FRINGES.SHIFTING THE FOCUS IN HIGHER EDUCATION FROM COST TO VALUE: TOO OFTEN THE DEBATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION IS FOCUSED ON STICKER PRICE AND NOT THE VALUE INSTITUTIONS PROVIDE TO THEIR STUDENTS-WHICH IS WHY OUR FOCUS WAS AND IS TO SHIFT THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION AND ENSUING POLICY PROPOSALS AWAY FROM SOLELY REDUCING THE PRICE OF COLLEGE TOWARDS IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES. TO THIS END, OUR HIGHER EDUCATION TEAM'S EFFORTS INCLUDED: CONDUCTING PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH TO UNDERSCORE THAT VOTERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WANT GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND ADDITIONAL GUARDRAILS TO ENSURE STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS GET A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT. PRODUCING EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND TRANSLATORS, INFOGRAPHICS, VIDEOS, AND REPORTS ANALYZING PUBLICLY-AVAILABLE DATA ABOUT STUDENT OUTCOMES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, CALLING ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR CONGRESS TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND PROPOSING POLICY CHANGES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES; AND HOSTING PUBLIC EVENTS TO DEMYSTIFY COMPLICATED TOPICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR NEW POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT INCENTIVIZE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES. PROTECTING PROGRESS ON SOCIAL ISSUES: WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THREATS TO THE PROGRESS OUR COUNTRY HAS MADE ON SOCIAL ISSUES IN RECENT YEARS. TO THAT END, WE EMPLOYED A VARIETY OF TACTICS TO ADVANCE PRAGMATIC PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AND TO HINDER ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESSIONAL THREATS ON IMMIGRATION, GUN SAFETY, LGBT RIGHTS, AND REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM WHICH INCLUDED: CONDUCTING PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND AMERICANS' VIEWS TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS, OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM, AND BORDER SECURITY, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO MIGRATION AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER AND THE ASYLUM PROCESS; ANALYZING AND PRODUCING PUBLIC REPORTS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMMIGRATION TOPICS THAT ARE UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, INCLUDING REFORMS TO IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, BORDER SECURITY, ASYLUM POLICY, AND PROPOSALS TO PROTECT THE DREAMER AND TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS POPULATIONS; AND DRAFTING AND RELEASING PRODUCTS THAT LAID OUT POLICY OPTIONS FOR ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY, IN PARTICULAR MASS SHOOTINGS.
CLIMATE AND ENERGY THE CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM, IN ITS MISSION TO CHANGE THE NATIONAL POLICY CONVERSATION AND PUT THE UNITED STATES ON THE FASTEST, FAIREST PATH TO NET-ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY FOCUSING ON 1) FILLING POLICY GAPS, 2) BUILDING A COALITION TO SUPPORT THESE POLICIES, AND 3) ESTABLISHING OUR NARRATIVE.FILLING CRITICAL POLICY GAPS: WE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH WHAT POLICIES WERE NEEDED, AND DEVELOP TOOLS TO FILL THOSE GAPS. TO DO THIS, OUR TEAM'S WORK INCLUDED: CONDUCTING AN INTERNAL-ONLY SURVEY OF THE FRAMEWORK OF NATIONAL POLICIES, IN ADDITION TO A PRICE ON CARBON THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD USE TO ACHIEVE NET-ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050; PUBLISHING A DOZEN PAPERS AND DIGITAL PRODUCTS. THIS INCLUDED THREE PAPERS THAT DEFINED THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE BEFORE US, IDENTIFIED THE SOURCES OF THE PROBLEM, AND A CALL TO ACTION ON A NATIONAL CLIMATE PLAN; AND PUSHING THE CLIMATE CONVERSATION BEYOND THE OFTEN-DISCUSSED POWER SECTOR TO INCLUDE OTHER IMPORTANT SOURCES OF EMISSIONS LIKE MANUFACTURING BY USING EVENTS AND WRITTEN PRODUCTS.BUILDING A DIVERSE COALITION TO SUPPORT THESE POLICIES: WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF A BROAD RANGE OF ALLIES SO OUR POLICIES CAN SUCCEED. TO ENSURE THIS OUR EFFORTS INCLUDED: DEEPENING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH A BROAD SET OF EXTERNAL ALLIES THAT NOW SUPPORT OUR 0X50, OR SIMILAR, OBJECTIVE INCLUDING AN EMPHASIS ON INNOVATION. CLEAN AIR TASK FORCE (CATF), ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND (EDF), AND WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE (WRI) HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS SUCCESS, COORDINATING WITH US ON PRIVATE BRIEFINGS, EVENTS, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH TARGETED ORGANIZATIONS; AND WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF LABOR UNIONS, THE BLUEGREEN ALLIANCE, AND COMPANIES.ESTABLISH A CLEAR NARRATIVE FOR OUR APPROACH: TO CHANGE THE CONVERSATION ON CLIMATE, THE WORK BY US AND OUR PARTNERS INCLUDED: ESTABLISHING 0X50 AS THE STANDARD BY PUBLISHING REPORTS, AND MEMOS, WAGING A CONCERTED EARNED MEDIA CAMPAIGN, AND HOLDING BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENTS; AND HELPING MAKE A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT AWAY FROM 100% RENEWABLES AS THE COMMONLY-EMBRACED TACTIC FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE TO A MORE EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY-INCLUSIVE APPROACH.
ECONOMICS PROGRAM IN 2019, OUR ECONOMIC PROGRAM FOCUSED ON TWO CORE AREAS: 1) SOWING DOUBT ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST IDEOLOGICALLY EXTREME POLICIES IN THE PUBLIC DEBATE TO MAKE SPACE FOR A MODERN AGENDA, AND 2) PROVIDING THE INTELLECTUAL FOUNDATION THAT POLICYMAKERS USE TO ADDRESS THE CONCENTRATION OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.SOWING DOUBT: ONE OF THE BARRIERS TO ADVANCING A MODERN ECONOMIC AGENDA ARE ENTRENCHED IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONS. THUS, OUR WORK SOWED DOUBT ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST FAR-FLUNG POLICY POSITIONS TAKING ROOT IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE SPACE IN THE POLITICAL DEBATE FOR AN AGENDA THAT GIVES MORE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN. THIS INCLUDED: PRODUCING A SERIES OF PRODUCTS THAT EXAMINE POPULIST IDEAS SUCH AS A SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, A FEDERAL JOBS GUARANTEE, AND MODERN MONETARY THEORY; AND CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH WITH THOUGHT LEADERS ON THE SUBSTANTIVE AND POLITICAL ISSUES SURROUNDING THESE IDEOLOGICAL PROPOSALS.INTELLECTUAL FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: OUR TEAM CONTINUED TO DEVELOP DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE OPPORTUNITY CRISIS GRIPPING AMERICA AND BUILT OUT A SERIES OF POLICIES TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS. SPECIFICALLY, WE DEVELOPED A DEEP BENCH OF KNOWLEDGE AND POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT PERSUADE POLICYMAKERS TO ADDRESS FIVE CRITICAL AREAS THAT INCLUDED: MAKING THE CASE FOR PLACE-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EXPANDED BROADBAND AND EQUITY CAPITAL; PUBLISHING A SERIES OF PAPERS EXAMINING WORKFORCE CREDENTIALS AND APPRENTICESHIPS; DEVELOPING A NEW HEALTH CARE PLAN CENTERED AROUND CAPPING COSTS FOR PATIENTS; UNPACKING THE NEED FOR ROBUST PRIVATE RETIREMENT SAVINGS FOR ALL WORKERS WITH OUR PROPOSAL FOR UNIVERSAL PRIVATE RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS; AND EXPLORING HOW TO MAKE WORK PAY, INCLUDING HOW TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE IN A WAY THAT MINIMIZES DISRUPTION TO JOBS.
NTEE category: Public & Societal Benefit
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building