Issue No. 2, Spring 2020

Enterprise Report Restoring Liberty, Opportunity, and Enterprise in America

AEI Rising to the Occasion By Robert Doar

The spread of COVID-19 is challenging our country in new and unprecedented ways. We are stretching our health care system in many cities to its capacity, millions of Americans have lost their jobs, businesses are fighting to stay afloat, schools are empty, and America’s most vulnerable children are losing access to the essential resources schools provide. Policymakers are struggling to keep up with the rapid policy responses necessary to mitigate this crisis on all fronts. At AEI, we are mobilizing all our resources to tackle head-on not only the issues affecting Americans today but also the long-term issues that will challenge us for months to come. From reopening our schools to reskilling Americans whose jobs may no longer exist to addressing the new geopolitical landscape that will emerge in the wake of this global pandemic, AEI scholars across the Institute are leveraging their deep knowledge and experience to contribute to the policy debates in meaningful ways. The impact of their work has never been clearer: Across many crucial issues, the White House, Congress, and statehouses have already acted on our scholars’ ideas. “While we undoubtedly have difficult days ahead, AEI scholars are committed to playing an effective role in helping our country navigate the challenges we collectively face and finding a path forward that will help all Americans rebound and recover.”

Most prominent has been Scott Gottlieb, who established an early reputation in the Robert Doar media and among policymakers as the preeminent expert on the COVID-19 response. AEI President and Scott has appeared on every episode of CBS’s Face the Nation between March 1 and Morgridge Scholar April 12, among a number of other radio and television appearances; has been quoted in dozens of articles in the nation’s top news outlets; and has published op-eds in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. From the onset of this crisis, he has advised policymakers at the highest levels of the administration and Congress on mitigation strategies, earning the title “shadow coronavirus czar” from Politico. On March 29, Scott released a coauthored report titled National Coronavirus Response: A Road Map to Reopening, outlining specific steps for adapting our public-health approach away from sweeping mitigation strategies to new tools and approaches to prevent further spread of the disease. More than a dozen news reports mentioned the report, and President Donald Trump referenced the report directly at a press briefing, during which he confirmed that the administration was considering several of the report’s proposals. Scott followed A Road Map to Reopening with a coauthored report released on April 7 outlining a national strat- egy for tracking and containing COVID-19 once states begin to lift mass restrictions. In addition to Scott’s high-profile leadership on these issues, health scholars James Capretta and Joseph Antos are bringing their knowledge to bear on issues of medical system capacity, health insurance coverage, and epidemiology. They are providing well-founded steps health officials and lawmakers can follow to contain this unprecedented crisis while addressing the long-term structural deficiencies in our health care delivery system that the spread of COVID-19 has exposed. Concurrent with this public-health response, AEI scholars are formulating solutions to keep Americans financially afloat today while leading our nation back to economic health in the weeks and months ahead. Michael Strain, Glenn Hubbard, and Stan Veuger helped shape several pillars of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. President Trump signed the $2 trillion legislation on March 25, which provides cash relief for individuals, a broad lending program for small businesses, and targeted relief for hard-hit in- dustries. In particular, Michael described the simplicity and timeliness of direct cash assistance for low-income Americans, and he, Glenn, and Stan worked closely with key Senate offices to help design the significant aid for small businesses. Since its rollout, AEI’s tax policy experts such as Alan Viard and Kyle Pomerleau have been analyzing and discussing the tax implications of the CARES Act and other stimulus proposals that lawmakers are debating. Although America’s public-health and economic responses are at the forefront of public discourse today, they represent only a fragment of the major issues policymakers will be grappling with in the near future. Toward that end, AEI’s scholars are providing our leaders with the research and ideas necessary to make sound policy decisions across all issue areas in the months to come. In mid-March, Yuval Levin launched the AEI Virus Response Policy Working Group, gathering experts from AEI and other think tanks, policy journalists, and staffers of senior Republicans in both houses for a weekly off-the-record (online) conversation aimed at improving the ongoing policy response to the crisis. The work of that group cuts across issue areas and draws directly from the high-impact research and outreach efforts that numerous other AEI scholars are leading. AEI’s foreign and defense policy scholars are helping our nation’s leaders fully understand China as a serious geopolitical competitor and highlighting the ways in which the pandemic has revealed even deeper weaknesses in the Chinese authoritarian system. Derek Scissors’ analysis on the US-China economic relationship and his close work with many Senate offices has been a driving force behind recent legislative proposals in the House and Senate centered on “decoupling” American supply chains from China, especially in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Dan Blumenthal was quoted in describing the competitive dynamics between the United States and China around China’s COVID-19 propaganda campaign. And Derek, Dan, Nicholas Eberstadt, and Kori Schake have brought attention to the way in which China lied, concealed, and misled about the origins of the epidemic and the toll of the virus in China, as well as the World Health Organization’s own malfeasance regarding Beijing’s misinformation campaign. Across all facets of life, the pandemic is affecting our country’s political processes and institutions. AEI scholars Marc Thiessen, Matthew Continetti, and Ramesh Ponnuru are offering frequent commentary on the social costs, political trade-offs, and cultural ramifications of the policy decisions being considered from federal, state, and local leaders. Education scholars Frederick Hess and Nat Malkus are illuminating the profound effects school closures are having on more than 40 million students, their parents, and their communities. They are helping school leaders and policymakers identify comprehensive solutions to mitigate the loss of learning from this year’s closures, make preparations for the new academic year, and serve on the front line of an adaptive policy approach in the year ahead. AEI’s poverty scholars Matt Weidinger, Angela Rachidi, and Brent Orrell are educating policymakers and the media on how low-income Americans are especially harmed by the response to this pandemic and calling for bold policy solutions that ensure the most vulnerable among us are not left behind in the COVID-19 recovery. While we undoubtedly have difficult days ahead, AEI scholars are committed to playing an effective role in helping our country navigate the challenges we collectively face and finding a path forward that will help all Americans rebound and recover. This crisis has tested many of us personally, professionally, emotionally, and physically, but we resolutely pursue our work at AEI, developing and advocating for ideas that will make America stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient than ever before. I am tremendously grateful for friends like you in the AEI community who are engaging with our scholars and leading efforts of your own to move America forward. Please let us know if AEI can do anything for you.

3 AEI Scholars • Naomi Schaefer Riley published a report in February on Georgia’s foster care and family court Advancing Economic Mobility in the States system and how it ignores foster AEI scholars are influencing policy at the state level, working with local leaders in parents and harms children in the identifying solutions to economic mobility in their states. Through their scholarship foster system. and outreach, they are driving change on policies that will empower more Americans • Katharine Stevens participated to climb the economic ladder. Following are highlights over the past year of this work. in the 2019 Georgia Legislative Ryan Streeter Daniel Cox Policy Forum in Atlanta in November Brent Orrell Lyman Stone Mason Bishop Matt Weidinger to discuss the crucial role of early Angela Rachidi Robert Doar Michael Strain Michael Strain childhood development. Sally Satel Indiana • Daniel Cox and Lyman Stone are Housing Center Nat Malkus Joseph Antos authoring reports on demographic change in Indiana. Stone’s report Frederick Hess forecasts population scenarios to Michael McShane 2070 to highlight forces driving Robert Doar population change and provide Naomi Schaefer Riley Katharine Stevens insight for policymakers. Cox conducted both a national and state-level survey about community Brent Orrell Mason Bishop Michael Strain and civic life with a sample size that Timothy Carney Stan Veuger Brent Orrell Mason Bishop Robert Doar allows him to place Indiana findings in a national and regional context. Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Florida and Texas • AEI hosted an event in Miami in Kentucky • Michael Strain and Stan Veuger the fall featuring Robert Doar • Matt Weidinger testified before surveyed truckers in these four states discussing education and poverty the Kentucky Public Assistance in 2019 to understand how workers alleviation with former Florida Reform Task Force on policies that faced with the threat of automation Gov. Jeb Bush. the state can pursue to connect respond. Strain and Veuger are benefit recipients to employment. Florida, Texas, and Utah planning the next stage of this His recommendations for the task project with a national survey. • Brent Orrell and Mason Bishop force stemmed from two reports he convened expert gatherings released in fall 2019 addressing the California throughout 2019 in Florida, state of poverty in America. • The Housing Center launched the Texas, and Utah focused on AEI Carpenter Index in December successful workforce training • Robert Doar keynoted a luncheon to answer the question of just how programs in those states and hosted by the Kentucky Chamber unaffordable entry-level housing has addressing challenges associated of Commerce in the fall and become by asking, “Can the people with funding, alignment, and presented to the chamber’s board who build homes afford to buy program integration. on poverty alleviation efforts and them?” The state with the greatest how to promote upward mobility. number of unaffordable metro Georgia Maryland areas? California. • Robert Doar spoke at the Georgia Center for Opportunity • Joseph Antos serves as vice chair • Nat Malkus released a report in as part of its Breakthrough of the Maryland Health Services December on Southern California’s Conference in December for an Cost Review Commission, helping Learn4Life charter schools, which audience of 150 people on poverty lead an effort to improve care use a personalized learning model and the importance of work, family, and reduce the growth in health and one-on-one instruction to and personal responsibility to care spending. help high school students at risk human flourishing. of dropping out.

4 Michigan Ohio Washington and Wisconsin • AEI hosted a community event in • Sally Satel spent several months • Michael Strain is launching a the fall featuring Ryan Streeter of 2019 embedded in an Ohio project with scholars from the discussing the findings of the AEI region hard hit by the opioid University of Washington and Survey on Community and Society. epidemic. She will release a report the University of Wisconsin on More than 60 grassroots and on Community Action Programs how the recovery from the Great community leaders attended the and their role in addressing Recession has affected low-income event, and Streeter published the epidemic. and working-class Americans. an op-ed in the Detroit News highlighting the survey. Texas Wisconsin • Timothy Carney delivered a • Angela Rachidi released a report North Carolina keynote presentation on his book in the fall in partnership with the • Over the summer, Frederick Hess Alienated America: Why Some Badger Institute using Wisconsin and Michael McShane hosted Places Thrive While Others Collapse as a case study of states as partners 60 principals and school leaders (Harper, 2019) before a crowd of in administering federal safety-net from North Carolina in Washington, 1,300 at the Texas Public Policy programs. Her recommendations DC, for the Federal Policy Institute, Foundation’s 2020 Policy offer states a guideline for how providing in-depth exposure to Orientation conference in January. to return to a pro-work agenda. education policy and offering practical insights into how these leaders can apply policy lessons in their own schools.

Engage with AEI Scholars Conference Call Series

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, AEI What AEI donors say . . . has ramped up virtual opportunities for members of our donor community to hear “We’re so grateful for the leadership AEI has provided to the country from AEI’s top scholars who are leading during this crisis and are glad to be a small part of it.” the charge on a number of important “AEI’s researchers are key, particularly at times such as these!” issues. Starting in mid-March, AEI began offering a series of near-daily conference calls on our scholars’ response to the pandemic and their wider work. • China’s population to 2040: and Michael Strain discussed The calls offer donors at the Capital Prospects and implications. the markets and global economy Club giving level and above the Nicholas Eberstadt and Kori Schake in response to the coronavirus opportunity to hear from and pose discussed China’s demographic outbreak. questions to AEI scholars directly. outlook. Calls to date have included: • New decade for the Middle East. • Regional inequality and the Frederick Kagan, Kenneth Pollack, • Multiple coronavirus update American dream. Ryan Streeter and Karen Young discussed Iran, calls with Scott Gottlieb and and Stan Veuger analyzed trends , and the impact of COVID-19 scholars including Yuval Levin, in urbanization and migration and on the broader Middle East and Derek Scissors, and Michael discussed how to stimulate the foreign policy priorities. Strain, moderated by Robert economy during this crisis. Doar. Issues discussed include the Please contact Windle Jarvis (windle. virus’ spread, containment strategy, • The economy in the wake of [email protected]; 202.862.5906) for more the race for a vaccine, and the COVID-19 and on the eve of the information about the conference call economic impact of the pandemic. 2020 election. Glenn Hubbard series or AEI’s donor community.

5 & Third, the nature of a country’s government matters hugely in its interna- tional behavior. Free societies, messy with Kori Schake and disputatious as they are, are also Q more reliable partners and provide more reliable information. Free societies are slow to mobilize because they have to gain public consent but more enduring A Kori Schake is the director of Foreign and Defense Policy in their commitments because they Studies at AEI. have it. Authoritarian governments are making a big propaganda push during Before joining AEI, Schake was the deputy director- the pandemic, arguing their form of general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies government better protects their citizens. in London. She has had a distinguished career in It is working in the short term, but it is not government, working at the US State Department, the US likely to be sustainable, because over time Department of Defense, and the National Security Council free societies are just more stable, more at the White House. She has also taught at Stanford, innovative, more honest, and safer. Fourth, dangerous developments do West Point, University’s School of Advanced not stop just because of the pandemic. International Studies, National Defense University, and the University of Maryland. Our adversaries are finding ways to take Schake is the author of five books and was most recently the coeditor, along with advantage of our inward focus. And former Secretary of Defense , of Warriors & Citizens: American Views of Our countries with less-developed public- ( Press, 2016). Schake has been widely published in policy health systems are about to be hit hard. journals and the popular press, including in CNN.com, Foreign Affairs, Politico, We cannot stop protecting our interests and helping our allies and friends, even New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. She is a contributing while we give the majority of our attention writer at the Atlantic and War on the Rocks. to our own interests. Because if we do, what emerges from the pandemic will be a world much more unstable and What do you see as AEI’s role in today’s We will be able to drive the debate about dangerous for us. foreign and defense policy debates? better and worse policies because we asked an important question early and AEI generates good ideas and advises What are some consequential policy are bringing a diverse array and deep on and critiques government policies. challenges that do not receive a lot knowledge to bear on it. We conduct deep research on foreign of attention? and defense policies that we apply across The Foreign and Defense Policy (FDP) the broad horizon of issues when they What does the COVID-19 crisis reveal Studies team does a weekly log of our become urgent in our national security. about today’s foreign policy challenges? publications, and one of the categories Just to take one current example, in It reveals four important things. First, we we track is under-watched problems. our collective judgment in the Foreign are defining our security too narrowly, Some that FDP scholars have been writing and Defense Policy Studies program, the too much in military terms for the about recently include how to reduce the health spending and economic recovery challenges we are facing. We need influence of Iranian-directed militia in Iraq demands of the COVID-19 virus will likely to think more in terms of complex and how Pakistan is winning the Afghan produce sustained downward pressure systems and how to build resilience. war. I am personally worried about the on defense spending. So we are doing a Second, we have too little global- politicization of our military and the budget-driven strategy study to not only ization, rather than too much. We have corrosion of civil-military relations, show what the consequences of a signifi- single-point failure because of supply because an apolitical military and healthy cantly lower baseline budget for defense chain reliance on Chinese manufacturing, civil-military relations are so important to will mean (we have picked $500 billion whereas more globalization would widespread public support for our military. per year) but also devise the best strategy produce alternatives to that. Also, we possible to protect and advance Ameri- have drawn back from leading roles in can interests under that constraint. It com- international institutions such as the You have served in senior roles bines the expertise of the Critical Threats World Health Organization that give us in the Department of Defense, Project to assess emergent threats, our early warning of problems emerging. National Security Council, and State strategists to devise concepts, defense And as we have stepped back, others Department, as well as in academia budget experts to determine the cost such as China have taken over in ways and on political campaigns. How does trade-offs, and China hands to anticipate detrimental to our security. So we need this breadth of experience equip you potential foreign policy consequences. more international involvement, not less. for your role at AEI? (continued on next page)

6 AEI Scholar Work Recognized as Best of 2019 Mathur Joins the Council Several AEI foreign and defense policy scholars’ publications were of Economic Advisers recognized last year by Foreign Affairs for the impact they had on the greater policy community. These publications include:

The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (Yale University Press, 2019), by Hal Brands and Charles Edel (University of Sydney), was named one of the best books of 2019. Brands and Edel argue that American foreign policy must be less about building a utopia than preventing disaster. Resolute American power will be necessary to prevent revisionist powers from returning the world to large-scale conflict.

Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Recognizing her expertise and their need Military Effectiveness (Oxford University Press, 2019), by for top-flight economic policy input, the Kenneth Pollack, was named one of the best books of 2019. White House recruited AEI economist Drawing on two decades of experience, Pollack exhaustively Aparna Mathur to join the Council of explores four explanations for Arab military ineffectiveness: Economic Advisers staff as a senior reliance on Soviet military doctrine, the politicization of the economist for a short-term appointment officer corps, economic underdevelopment, and Arab culture. to assist with economic responses to the COVID-19 crisis. Mathur has been The United States Should Fear a Faltering China: Beijing’s Assertiveness widely recognized for her influential work Betrays Its Desperation, by Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Scholar Michael on corporate tax reform and paid family Beckley, was recognized as one of Foreign Affairs’ best articles of 2019. leave and was named in 2017 by Politico Beckley argues that Beijing’s newfound assertiveness is a sign of desperation, as one of the country’s top thinkers. not ambition.

(Q&A, continued from page 6) As director of AEI Foreign and Defense give you expertise and are a great way to Policy Studies, you oversee many young spend your 20s. It gives me a rich appreciation for the research assistants. What advice do excellence of scholarship we are you offer young people launching a What book(s) are you reading now that capable of at AEI and how important it career in foreign policy? you would recommend? is to advocate for good policy by our Not to be so afraid of failing. The thing I I am reading The Mirror and the Light, government. The United States has a noticed teaching at Stanford—and before the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s much richer strategic dialogue because that Johns Hopkins and the University of Cromwell trilogy, and am finding its think tanks are governments in waiting, Maryland—is that, perhaps from com- reflectiveness, foreshadowing, and scholars with an interest in policy and ing of age during wars and the financial undercurrent of dread suit this moment incentives to demonstrate sharp analytic crisis, the young people I taught really really well for me. insights and better solutions. At AEI we worried that if they took risks or made a I am also reading simultaneously have the vocation to provide principled career mistake, they could not recover. nine different English translations of conservative policy recommendations, But risk tolerance is a huge component of The Iliad for a book I am writing on and that guiding light makes us unique success! I am living proof that you can run changing conceptions of warfare. and valuable. your career aground and still get seawor- I am having the fun of looking how I also think that diversity of experience thy again. Try a bunch of different things. English-speaking societies tell the is enriching because it lets you look at Do not stay in school just because you are same story of that war differently over problems from different angles; it lets you a good student. Credentialing is not the time because the first translation is from turn the kaleidoscope and see different same as expertise, and you only get ex- 1581 and the last is current. Thomas patterns. Having had a wide range of pertise by experience. So join the Marine Hobbes’ translation from 1676 is responsibilities gave me a broad educa- Corps or the Peace Corps, start your own especially interesting, because it tion on available tools to bring to bear in business and drive it bankrupt, or teach marries his political philosophy from crafting and carrying out good policies. English in Honduras. All those things will Leviathan to the story of the Trojan War. (continued on next page)

7 Leadership Network Millennial Summit AEI Builds Cohort of Up-and-Coming Leaders

Leadership Network Millennial Cohort: By the Numbers

94% of attendees said they now have a better under­standing of and can better articulate the principles of freedom, opportunity, and free enterprise. 83% reported an increase in knowledge about free enterprise. 86% reported an increase in knowledge about education reform. “As a young person in this country, you can really make a big difference in 89% reported an increase a society like ours, in a country like ours. If you are passionate about in knowledge about poverty something, if you really believe in something, if you work really alleviation. hard, you can affect policy. You can affect change.” 52% of the cohort is female. —Paul Ryan, speaking to the AEI Leadership Network Millennial Cohort 31% of the cohort represented minority backgrounds. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time during the Leadership Network Millennial Summit. It was both informative and aspirational—giving a positive Millennial Cohort outlook on the future and what’s yet to come in America and around the Political Identification world. I highly encourage anyone who may be uncertain about our future as a Republic to spend time with the experts at AEI because 9% Libertarian or Other 47% Republicans

while things aren’t perfect, they’re certainly moving in the right direction.” 21% Democrats —Shermichael Singleton, MSNBC Commentator

In early March, AEI gathered 96 young Sessions were uniquely designed leaders working in policy, politics, for this group of young leaders and 23% Independents and the nonprofit and business included more interactive components communities from around the and brainstorming sessions. Participants country for the inaugural Leadership heard from AEI scholars including with participants, Ryan urged participants Network Millennial Cohort. We received Ryan Berg, Karlyn Bowman, to take ownership of their communities 198 applications for this event, which Timothy Carney, Dan Cox, and discussed the importance of leader- required a nomination from a current Robert Doar, Jonah Goldberg, ship and the policy and political insight he Leadership Network member. Frederick Hess, Yuval Levin, gained from two decades in Congress. The summit equipped these leaders Aparna Mathur, Brent Orrell, After the summit, AEI has stayed with policy ideas and leadership training Kori Schake, Katharine Stevens, connected with Millennial Cohort they can put to good use in their com- and Michael Strain on issues such as members through biweekly e-newsletters munities. It also served as the basis for a economic mobility, social alienation, and exclusive conference calls with personal and ongoing relationship with education, American institutions, and AEI scholars, such as John Bailey and AEI. Twenty percent of the participants the importance of American leadership Michael Strain. In the future, we will had never heard of AEI before applying in the world. continue to engage with the Millennial to become part of this cohort. After the In a post-program survey, participants Cohort through regular mailings of program, 95 percent of the participants said that a session with AEI Distinguished new AEI materials and publications, reported they were more likely to get Visiting Fellow in the Practice of Public regional events, a private Facebook involved with and stay in touch with Policy Paul Ryan was among their group, and our members-only AEI in the future. favorites. In a candid, casual conversation web portal.

8 9 AEI Government Relations Promoting AEI Scholars’ Work to Policymakers by Luke Strange, AEI director of Government Relations

“AEI’s well-known institutional and for which AEI scholars have helped values of academic independence execute. From Derek Scissors’ work and nonpartisanship have given on export control reform to address our scholars’ work particular Chinese intellectual property theft to weight and credibility in these Dan Blumenthal’s close consultation unprecedented circumstances, and with senior administration officials they have taken a leading role in helping working to implement the president’s improve the policies in response National Security Strategy and National to the pandemic.” Defense Strategy, AEI scholars were ahead of the curve on China’s malign AEI Government Relations exists to help member’s office and, rather than ask global influence and remain deeply AEI scholars get their research and policy for something, offer the incredible engaged with policymakers on these recommendations into the policymaking intellectual resources that AEI scholars issues. On the domestic policy front, process. Particularly in our current global can bring to bear on any given issue— AEI’s education policy team is a crisis, AEI scholars have been and will without a hidden agenda or party line. powerhouse and deeply embedded continue to be relied on for their expertise Of course, Washington has changed a in the educational policymaking world and nonpartisan advice. AEI’s well-known lot in the past six years. When I first started on the Hill. institutional values of academic indepen- at AEI six years ago, President Barack As Yuval Levin points out, policymaking dence and nonpartisanship have given Obama had just been reelected. At the is not a process that can or should play our scholars’ work particular weight and time, AEI scholars were fighting back out entirely in public, and members and credibility in these unprecedented circum- against what they saw as an overreaching administration officials rely on our scholars’ stances, and they have taken a leading domestic regulatory and social policy discretion so they can try out options role in helping improve the policies in agenda and a doctrine of “leading from and consider alternatives that become response to the pandemic. behind” in foreign policy, while working part of the public policy process. I am Now and in (more) normal times, in with the administration on areas where proud of the work my Government my role as the director of Government they agreed—trade promotion authority, Relations colleagues have done to Relations, I partner with our scholars for example. While many things around improve the culture behind the scenes to help them advance their policy Washington have changed with a on the Hill by building a network of goals, with activities such as setting up Republican in the White House, AEI conservative women working on Capitol briefings with policymakers on the Hill, scholars are in many ways doing the same Hill who gather for regular dinners with arranging congressional testimonies, and thing they have always done: calling balls leading women on the Hill and organizing public events. The fact that our and strikes. With President Trump in around government. scholars have the independence to come office, our scholars have been vocal It is a cliché in the government relations to their own conclusions on tough policy about some areas where they have world at this point, but the upcoming choices has often been cited to me as a disagreed with the president’s policy presidential election is both a challenge reason why members and staff rely on our choices—on tariffs, for example, or on and opportunity. The AEI Government scholars’ advice so frequently. some particular foreign policy decisions Relations team is working to keep moving Having been a staffer, I have seen —while giving the president credit when the ball forward on policies our scholars from the inside that there are a thousand he has made good policy choices. are interested in, and as attention on the different organizations at a member’s This credibility has made AEI scholars Hill and in the administration focuses on door, always asking for something, particularly impactful on a few key issues. responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, whether it is cosponsorship of a bill or There has been a rapid and overdue our scholars have had an extraordinary money for an appropriations program. shift in consensus on China, from impact. No matter the outcome of the In the six years since I joined AEI, I have “responsible stakeholder” to a serious election in November, AEI scholars will learned that it is a powerful and unique geopolitical competitor—a shift for have many opportunities to influence opportunity to be able to walk into a which the president deserves credit policymaking.

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Correction: The last edition of the Enterprise Report contained a misprint concerning the sources of AEI funding. AEI receives 57 percent of our funding from individuals, 29 percent from foundations, and 14 percent from corporations. We regret the error.