Free Enterprise Fund
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Free Enterprise Fund is a free market advocacy group founded by Stephen Moore that promotes economic growth, lower taxes, and limited government. The Fund advances these goals through: TV and radio issue advertising campaigns, providing timely and tactical policy guidance to members of Congress, and publishing strategic game plans on vital economic and fiscal issues. Chairman Mallory Factor also directs the activities of The Monday Meeting, a monthly gathering of politicians, business leaders and journalists that meets at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. Free Enterprise Fund is an "action" think tank on fiscal issues, but also uses some of its energies and funds to counter the efforts of those who oppose their cause (see Ronnie Earl and MoveOn.org campaigns).
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[edit] Campaign Against MoveOn.org
Free Enterprise Fund ("FEF") has listed five "take action" campaigns on their website as of 9/28/06 (https://www.myfef.org/bin/action.center.election). Four of these campaigns are common conservative financial reforms themes (Repeal Death Tax, Reform Social Security, Reform Sarbanes-Oxley and Budget Reform). The fifth campaign is to Stop MoveOn.org. FEF has produced a television commercial with its central theme asserts that MoveOn.org was started by and run by billionaire George Soros. MoveOn.org is an organization started in 1998 by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who neither had experience in politics. MoveOn.org has over 3.3 million members, of which George Soros is one, who joined in 2003 and donated $1.5 million.
[edit] Campaign Against Ronnie Earle
The Washington-based Free Enterprise Fund's TV ad contends that Travis County (Austin) District Attorney Ronnie Earle's campaign against DeLay is aimed at "the Bush free-market agenda." Mallory Factor, Chairman, says "Since the ballot box doesn't give the liberals the results they want anymore, they have turned to the jury box to try and win the political debate." ... "The pursuit of Tom DeLay is about politics, not justice."[1]
[edit] Campaign for Social Security Reform
The Free Enterprise Fund's Stephen Moore uses a New York Post op-ed column to endorse President Bush's Social Security plan and calls the Pozen approach an "olive branch to Democrats." Peter Ferrera, Senior Fellow, Director of the Social Security Project admitted to taking money from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff to write op-ed pieces favorable to Abramoff clients such as the Northern Marianas Islands and Indian tribes such as the Choctaw. Ferrara remains unrepentant and intends to pursue the practice in the future: "I do that all the time. I've done that in the past, and I'll do it in the future." (http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/dec2005/nf20051216_1037_db016.htm)
Ways and Means chairman Representative "Bill Thomas right now is the single most important political figure other than Bush himself in terms of finding a compromise solution to the Social Security stalemate," said Stephen Moore, who heads the Free Enterprise Fund, a group pushing for private accounts. [2][3] [4]
[edit] Campaign for Tax Reform
Representative Tom Feeney has endorsed the 19 percent flat tax proposal of Stephen Moore, president of the Free Enterprise Fund and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. Businesses could reduce their rate from 35 percent but would have to give up all tax credits. Feeney adds that he would protect low-income households by exempting the first $30,000 of income.[5]
[edit] Honorary Co-Chairs
- Arthur Laffer
- Larry Kudlow
- Jack Kemp (resigned 2006)
[edit] Fellows
- James Pinkerton Senior Fellow
- Peter Ferrara Senior Fellow, Director of the Social Security Project (admitted to taking money from Jack Abramoff to write op-ed pieces favorable to Abramoff clients such as the Northern Marianas Islands and Indian tribes such as the Choctaw.
[edit] Staff
- Mallory Factor Chairman
- Jim Terry Executive Director
- Steve Goodrick Vice President for Strategic Programs
- Lynn Bradshaw Membership Director
- Todd S. Schorle Communications Director
- Marco DeSena Policy Analyst
- Brandon Gravley Fundraising Coordinator
- Iya Amiotte Executive Assistant and Accountant
- Ron Jensen Political Consultant
[edit] Former Staff
- Colt Fosburgh Chief Operating Officer (resigned 2005)
- Larry Hunter Vice President and Chief Economist (resigned 2005)
- Stephen Moore President and Founder (resigned 2005)
- O'Brien Murray Executive Director (resigned 2006)
- Phil Kerpen Policy Director (resigned 2006)
- Peter Roff Vice President (resigned 2006)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official web site
- Interview with Steven Moore on blogsforbush.com
- Ronnie Earle Is the Problem, Ad Says Susan Jones, CNSNews.comOctober 19, 2005
- Hoopla surrounds Earle vs. DeLay Harvey Kronberg, News 8 Austin October 17, 2005