Top 10 Things American Experiment is Thankful For
Dear Friends,
As always, we have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, starting with the fact that we live in America. Our country has delivered more freedom to more people than any nation in human history. Here in Minnesota, we at the Center are no longer content to be only a voice opposing the expansion of the liberal welfare state. The time for containment is over, and we are on offense, devoting all of our efforts and resources to actually winning the policy debate and transforming Minnesota’s civic culture.
As we look back on 2017, it’s clear that we are making progress toward this goal. We have so much to be grateful for that it is hard to hold the list down to 10!
Top 10 Things We Are Thankful For
10. Thinking Minnesota: Our quarterly magazine is now the second largest in Minnesota with a circulation of over 65,000. It is distributed by Ingram Periodicals and is available in all Minnesota Barnes & Noble stores. Our current cover story that exposed left-wing indoctrination and bullying of nonconforming students and teachers in the Edina public schools, created a virtual earthquake, especially after we mailed the issue to every resident of the school district.
9. New Energy Report: Energy Policy in Minnesota: The High Cost of Failure documents the renewable energy scams plaguing our state. Too often they drive energy prices up, do little or nothing for the environment, and serve only to redistribute income from industry and consumers to politically connected businesses. Energy policy needs to be driven by facts, not fantasies.
8. Met Council Project: We continue to challenge the Metropolitan Council, which has been scheming to reshape the Twin Cities into a liberal wonderland of fewer cars, more trains and a bicycle density rivaling that of Beijing in the 1970s. Our billboard campaign this summer emphasized that congested traffic is no accident, it is actually government policy.
7. Education Projects: We continue to battle the education cartel. We are educating teachers, taking on unions and promoting rewarding alternative careers that don’t require college degrees. Our “Great Jobs Without a Four-Year Degree” project publicizes high-skill, high-paying careers that often out-earn jobs acquired by those with four-year degrees.
6. HUGE Increase In Center Outreach: Last year we had a record 10,6 million contacts with Minnesotans across the state through newspapers, radio, television, the internet, social media, Thinking Minnesota, videos and emails. This year we are on pace to triple that, by our very conservative estimate, to more than 30 million. We have had op-eds in nearly 100 different Minnesota newspapers and have run issue ads on more than 90 Minnesota radio stations.
5. American Experiment Board & Staff: Our board is composed of leaders whose wise counsel, generous support, and tireless work have allowed the Center to survive and thrive for over 25 years. And we are blessed with a growing and dedicated staff who work long hours to create a Minnesota civic culture where conservative and free market ideas are better understood, appreciated and applied.
4. New Give to the Max Day record: We doubled last year’s record by raising over $75,000 in much needed funds from 148 kind patriots, including a $25,000 match by Board Chairman Ron Eibensteiner.
3. The Center’s Reputation and Productivity: It didn’t come easily or overnight, but long ago we became the most credible source in Minnesota for delivering sound, practical policy solutions from the right side of the aisle, and this has easily been our most productive year. Our staff is greatly respected by legislators and legislative staff of both parties.
2. America the Beautiful: We are free and blessed, and our great wealth and generosity, along with the sacrifices of our military personnel, have brought prosperity and real hope to billions, here and around the world.
1. You! Our Donors and Friends. We could never have accomplished our astonishing growth without the great generosity of faithful friends like you.
Be well and may you and your family enjoy a very special Thanksgiving and Holiday Season.
With great respect and appreciation,
John Hinderaker, President