Leadership Institute

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The Leadership Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia that teaches "political technology." [1] The Institute's mission is to "identify, train, recruit and place conservatives in politics, government, and media" through a variety of programs offered at the Institute's Arlington headquarters or at its many training seminars held around the United States, mostly on college campuses. As of August 2006, the Leadership Institute had trained more than 52,125 students.

1 Fundraising and non-partisanship
2 Philosophy and curriculum
3 International Training
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Fundraising and non-partisanship

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Leadership Institute is required by law to remain non-partisan. Thus the Institute cannot endorse or support any party or candidate, though it is free to be philosophically conservative. The Institute's founder and president, Morton Blackwell, is very active in the Republican Party, but the Leadership Institute carefully guards its non-partisan status. Anyone is welcome to be trained by the Leadership Institute, whether Republican or Democrat. The classes are usually taught by conservatives, but instructors are generally careful to use examples from both parties and all points on the political spectrum. Although its funding comes from wealthy conservatives ($7 million per year), Morton Blackwell, the institute's president, claims that it does not teach family values or conservative ideology per se. In fact, Mark Montini, one of the institute's teachers, has told his classes that Bill Clinton's skills as a communicator were greater than those of Ronald Reagan, the 'Great Communicator.' Many of the students agree with this observation and see the 'technology' as being politically neutral. Student Leslie Quillen, 22, said "If we can use the technology from the other side to convey the message that we sincerely believe, that is when we will win." The Leadership Institute raises much of its money through direct-mailing campaigns. A recent letter (May 7, 2005) sent to potential donors came with the signature of J.C. Watts, a Republican representative from Oklahoma. The letter said that liberal media bias is out of control and something needs to be done about it.

[edit] Philosophy and curriculum

While the Institute does not provide instruction in philosophical conservatism, it does encourage its graduates to read classic conservative authors like Edmund Burke and Frederic Bastiat, as well as contemporary conservative thinkers including William F. Buckley Jr., Milton Friedman, Barry Goldwater, and F. A. Hayek.

The Leadership Institute teaches 35 different classes and seminars using its own curriculum. The class content varies from teaching different methods of political activism (i.e. grassroots activism) to professional training and development (i.e. broadcast journalism). The Institute's website lists the schools, content, and dates.

[edit] International Training

The Institute has developed an interest in training students internationally, and has been active in the creation of similar Institutes in Greece, Chile, and Japan.