Partners In "Change": Third Way and Obama

Ever heard of The Third Way? It's time to let you know what it is about.

Here is their About Us intro.

"Third Way is the leading think tank of the moderate wing of the progressive movement. We work with elected officials, candidates, and advocates to develop and advance the next generation of moderate policy ideas. Since our launch in 2005, our policy and communications products as well as our issue trainings have been used extensively in the House and Senate, by governors and by candidates ranging from Barack Obama to those running for Congress."

Notice the name dropping going on in this introduction?!!

Here are some highlights of their "Programs".

Economic Program: a new economic agenda including a new policy framework for the middle class, an agenda for Congress that includes stimulus for the middle class, launching the House Middle Class Working Group and the White House Middle Class Working Task Force, dealing with healthcare, and "Issuing a major study of the decline in public trust in government and the implications for progressive governance which offers the Obama administration and Congress a strategy to restore public trust.

National Security: building a new national security agenda, doing a year-long study for the Obama administration on the handling of terrorism, increasing the size of the Army, "issuing a major new strategy on combating terrorism with Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin", "devising framing guidance for Senate and House members and candidates to establish a new brand on national security", training of the government on national security issues.

The Culture Program: "pioneering a new approach on abortion", to "shore up the gun purchase background check system", using the approach of the Obama campaign on issues like religion, abortion and gay equality, recommending more than 100 specific policy solutions for state and federal lawmakers.

The Third Way Clean Energy Initiative: a major initiative to help choose policy and frame the issues for the leaders, "hosting major national energy forums with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, governors, business leaders and others", "one of the sole progressive groups championing the role of nuclear power".

Leadership: Here is the link to the Board of Trustees Click Here, the link to the staff... Click Here, the link to the Honorary Senate Chairs Click Here, the link to the Honorary House Chairs Click Here.

"ABOUT THIRD WAY: Third Way is the leading think tank of the moderate wing of the progressive movement. We work with elected officials, candidates, and advocates to develop and advance the next generation of moderate policy ideas."

Additionally, I uncovered a presentation from 2000 which I will summarize in my next post.