Thinking for Corporations & Revolving into Government by Sharon Beder hink tanks have become essential vehicles of CFR is based on an invited membership of Tbusiness propaganda and policy marketing. "the most prestigious and best connected of Rather than just react to proposed government the nation's financial and corporate institu- For each new policies, corporate-funded think tanks enable tions, universities, foundations, media and business interests to initiate policies and shep- government bodies," rather than the employ- administration, herd them through the policy-making process ment of “scholars” and former government think tanks provide until they become government policy. personnel. Its aim is to build an "elite consen- a source, of An important function that think tanks provide sus on important foreign policy issues" “experts” for in the US is facilitation of “elite transfer.” For each through meetings, networking and publica- senior government new administration, think tanks provide a source of tions. Thomas Dye wrote in 1990 that, "every positions, govern- “experts” for senior government positions, govern- person of influence in foreign affairs" in the ment department staff and advisory councils. US, including presidents, had been members ment department Presidents since Jimmy Carter have made of CFR and that is still the case. staff and advisory wide use of think-tank personnel to fill high-level CFR is considered non-partisan because it councils. government positions. For example, 150 of does not favor either the Republicans or the Ronald Reagan's Administration came from the Democrats; however, its partisanship lies in its Heritage Foundation, the Hoover Institution and links with the corporate class. Its corporate mem- the American Enterprise Institute. bers include Alcoa, American Express, AIG, BP, Think tanks provide a fast track to a politi- Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Exxon Mobil, Ford Motor, cal career and a public profile in the policy General Electric, GlaxoSmithKline, JP Morgan arena for corporate-aligned individuals. They Chase, Lockheed Martin, McGraw-Hill, Nike, also provide a place for discarded government Pfizer, Shell Oil and many others. CFR is funded officials to go when there is a change of govern- by donations, the largest of which come from cor- ment. While in the think tanks they can have porations, foundations based on corporate money some influence over public policy while they are and individual endowments. waiting for a change of government that will The revolving door between government and the restore them to office. CFR has included some notable people including: The circulation of personnel suits the think • Former US Presidents Herbert Hoover, tanks well. Recruiting ex- Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, government officials Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush; gives a think tank access • Former Secretaries of State including Cyrus to members of Congress Vance, Edmund Muskie, Lawrence and others in govern- Eagleburger, Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, ment and attracts the James Baker, Alexander Haig, Warren funds of corporations Christopher, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, who want access. When Hillary Rodham Clinton and Madelaine a think tank’s personnel Albright, who is now on the Board of Directors or members are taken up of CFR; by a new administration, • Former Secretaries of Defence including the think tank has its Robert A. Lovett, Frank Carlucci, Caspar best chance to have its Weinberger, Robert McNamara and Robert M corporate backers' ideas Gates; and agenda adopted by • US Ambassadors to the UN including Zalmay government. Khalilzad, Vernon A. Walters, Jeane According to Kirkpatrick and Richard Holbrooke. Foreign Policy maga- Think Tank Watch counted more than 90 zine, the Council on members or personnel of CFR who had gone into Foreign Relations the Obama Administration. It remains one of the (CFR) is one of the most influential think tanks in government today. top two think tanks in Long time impresario of the American Empire, Henry Kissinger the US in terms of Professor Sharon Beder is author of many books, began his career as an associate of the Rockefellers. His inter- including Global Spin and Suiting Themselves, and national, corporate consulting firm is a corporate member of influence. Unlike the Council on Foreign Relations. many think tanks, runs a website on Business-Managed Democracy.

Page 12 Money in Democracy Part 3, Policy Makers: Committed to Public Values or Corporate Agendas? A Publication of the Justice Rising http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org • 781-894-1179 • [email protected] Alliance for Democracy