Third Way
Founded2005 (2005)
FoundersJonathan Cowan
Matt Bennett
Nancy Hale
Jim Kessler
20-1734070[1]
Legal status501(c)(4)[1]
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., United States
Coordinates38°54′12″N 77°02′22″W / 38.903358°N 77.039347°W / 38.903358; -77.039347
Jonathan Cowan[2]
John L. Vogelstein[2]
SubsidiariesThird Way Institute
Revenue (2016)
$10,405,228[1]
Expenses (2016)$8,704,498[1]
Employees (2016)
71[1]
Volunteers (2016)
32[1]
Websitethirdway.org

Third Way is a Washington, D.C.–based public policy think tank founded in 2005.[3] It develops and advocates for policies that it says represent "modern center-left ideas".[4]

In 2013, Third Way was awarded as the North American Think Tank of the Year by Prospect.[5]

The think tank's supporters and advocates include Democratic politicians, other center-left think tanks, and individual donors.[6] Third Way's funding also partially comes from philanthropy, foundations and personal donations. In the past decade, Third Way has been directly involved in policy issues such as the benefits of energy innovation, student accountability measures under the Every Student Succeeds Act, deficit reduction, proposals to reform Medicare and Medicaid, the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell", and new trade accords with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama.[5]

History

Third Way grew out of the nonprofit group Americans for Gun Safety (AGS), which was formed in 2000 with the objective of resetting the gun control movement and advancing gun safety laws, using moderate ideas that appealed to both sides of the debate.[7]

AGS' primary political project was closing the gun show loophole, through which people could purchase guns at gun shows without needing a background check, by passing the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. It helped pass two 2000 state-level ballot initiatives in Colorado and Oregon to close the gun show loophole there and attempted to pass federal legislation carried by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), which failed to become law. AGS was folded into Third Way in 2005 in the wake of the 2004 presidential election as a policy, messaging, and strategy idea center and think tank. Third Way was co-founded by Jonathan Cowan, Matt Bennett,[8] Jim Kessler,[9] and Nancy Hale.[10]

Policy areas

Third Way's work covers seven policy areas: climate and energy, economy, education, healthcare, national security, politics, and social policy.

In the climate policy area, Third Way advocates for nuclear energy and other clean energy alternatives. In the economic policy, Third Way advocates for infrastructure development and tax reform. In education, Third Way focuses on addressing what they see as issues in both K-12 and higher education. Protecting and improving the Affordable Care Act is Third Way's aim regarding healthcare. Third Way also seeks to develop electoral strategies for the broader left and advocates for socially liberal policies such as abortion rights, same-sex marriage, and the legalisation of Marijuana.[11]

Policy work

In 2010, Third Way sponsored a report written by William Galston of the Brookings Institution and Elaine Kamarck[12] of Harvard Kennedy School titled "Change You Can Believe In Needs a Government You Can Trust".[13] The report analysed Americans' trust in government and reported it was in serious decline, possibly presenting significant challenges to the Obama administration's agenda. Third Way's other economic work has included rural reinvestment efforts, a plan to make opportunity more widely available to American middle class and defending the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

As an example of Third Way's rural reinvestment program, Third Way developed the policies framed in Spurring Weatherization Investments in Rural America, which was introduced by Representative Jim Clyburn (D-South Carolina) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) as the Rural Energy Savings Program.[14] Third Way argued for members of opposing parties to sit together at the President's annual address in 2011 and 2012.[15]

Third Way has recently worked on a campaign to evaluate the Democratic Party connection with voters after the 2016 presidential election.[16] The report found a drop-off in support among voters of color, concluding they are persuasion voters needing a compelling economic narrative, and that Republican efforts to brand Democrats as “radicals” worked—including with minority voters.[17] Along those lines, Third Way hosted consultations and meetings with politicians and strategists from around the country to develop a Democratic strategy for winning 2018 and 2020 elections.[18] As of 2017, Third Way's economic program is undertaking a campaign to highlight the scarcity of opportunity as a root cause of income inequality.[18]

In March 2018, Third Way released a report outlining a new cause for the Democratic Party and several policy ideas that the organisation says "redefines government's role in expanding the opportunity to earn".[19] The Washington Post's coverage of the report considered it "an opening bid in the 2020 'ideas primary'".[20] Other parts of Third Way's work are also related to politics, including their study of the battleground states and districts that determined congressional majorities in 2018.[21]

In addition, their public opinion research and focus groups revealed that persuadable voters who backed Barack Obama and then Donald Trump saw Trump as focused on creating jobs and Democrats as "working for someone else".[22] In its report on the findings, Third Way called for the Democratic Party to focus on becoming the Jobs Party to voters.

In its 2020 election postmortem, authored alongside The Collective PAC and Latino Victory Fund,Third Way called for the Democratic Party to focus on becoming the Jobs Party to voters.

In what the New York Times called “perhaps the most thorough soul-searching done by either party this year”, Third Way’s report rang the alarm bells for Democrats that the party’s core economic and diverse message was falling flat next to Republican misinformation prior to 2022.[23]

Not long after in 2021, Third Way, in partnership with the National Urban League, launched the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity. The initiative is dedicated to leveling the playing field for people of color and women entrepreneurs, and pushing for federal action to that effect.[24]

The Alliance has released reports that highlight the gaps in wealth creation for minorities. In Fortune Magazine, the President of the National Urban League, Marc Morial, and the President of Third Way, Jon Cowan, released a joint op-ed highlighting discrepancies like “If Black-owned businesses were proportionate to the population, there would be 738,000 more Black-owned businesses, seven million more jobs at Black-owned businesses, and $733 billion more in sales and revenue from Black-owned businesses. If Hispanic-owned businesses were proportionate to population, there would be 885,000 more Hispanic-owned businesses, 7.5 million more jobs at Hispanic-owned businesses, and $1.2 trillion more in sales and revenue from Hispanic-owned businesses.”[25]

In the University of Pennsylvania's "2019 Global Go To Think Tanks Report", the Third Way was ranked 19th for Best New Idea or Paradigm Developed by a Think Tank, 49th among Think Tanks with the Most Significant Impact on Public Policy, 60th among Top Think Tanks in the United States, 82nd for Best Advocacy Campaign, and 93rd among Social Policy Think Tanks worldwide.[26]

Specific topics

Third Way has worked on the following policy issues:

  1. The economic benefits of green energy. Since 2010, Third Way has lobbied for the creation of an alternative clean energy and climate agenda. Part of this effort has included highlighting and advocating the work of advanced nuclear technology start-ups.[27] In 2017, the organization partnered with the Department of Energy's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) to connect advanced nuclear developers with federal laboratories.[28]
  2. Marriage equality. Third Way launched the Commitment Campaign in 2011 with the aim of finding common ground between the LGBT and organized religion that culminated in reframing the marriage equality debate to focus on "love and commitment" instead of "rights and benefits".[29] The group also worked on the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act.
  3. Trade agreements. Third Way advocated for new trade accords with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama, and advocated for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
  4. Gun safety. Third Way has continued to work on similar issues to those addressed by Americans for Gun Safety, which include universal background checks.[30]

Criticism

Alleged tax impropriety

In a column, Ryan Ellis, an enrolled agent[31] who can represent taxpayers before the IRS, raised questions about how Third Way Institute, a 501(c)(3) with limited ability to engage in political activity, gave $36 million of $37 million raised from 2019 through 2021 to its sister organization, Third Way, a 501(c)(4) that engages in political activity.[32] He noted: "IRS statute, regulations, and case law create a wall of separation between pre-tax and after-tax non-profits for this very reason. Third Way either doesn’t know or doesn’t care that they are apparently violating the law in this case."

Former congressional staffer Derek Hunter called for a probe by the Internal Revenue Service, writing: "The IRS needs to look into this, if it is to maintain any credibility as a non-political organization."[33] Hunter noted that Third Way was working with The Lincoln Project and MoveOn to fight "against ballot access" by any candidates competing against President Joe Biden and the Republican nominee for president in 2024.[34]

Alleged election interference

In late 2022, a non-profit organization named No Labels announced that it was going to get ballot access to possibly give its ballot line to a third competitor if President Biden and former President Donald Trump ran for president in 2024.[35] In the months afterwards, Third Way actively worked to stop No Labels in its effort. In April 2022, Third Way President Jonathan Cowan, MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting and Amerian Progress Action Fund CEO Patrick Gaspard co-authored and published an op-ed in the Washington Post, arguing that No Labels is "dangerous" to America for attempting to gain ballot access in the 2024 presidential election.[36] In a Townhall op-ed, Matt Mackowiak, president of Potomac Strategy Group and the communications lead to raised the issue of alleged tax impropriety at Third Way, arguing that the organization had "crossed the line of engaging in political activity," by opposing ballot excess.[37] In the headline, Mackowiak asked, "Will the IRS Probe Prohibited Political Activity at Third Way?" Politico reported that Third Way had "marched up to Capitol Hill" to meet with Senate Democratic chiefs of staff to "undermine the group No Labels," as it sought ballot access in 2024.

In the Townhall op-ed, Mackowiak asked if this was political activity and answered that "the answer is clearly yes." Mackowiak argued that the IRS "should audit the organization and begin an investigation."[38]

In an editorial, the Washington Times said the Politico report raised "disturbing" questions about the Third Way meeting on Capitol Hill to oppose No Labels, particularly in light of the limits on 501(c)(3) organizations engaging in political activity.[39] If the organization was using tax-deductible donations to block No Labels from gaining ballot access, "that would be something the IRS must investigate."[40]

Special interests

The majority of the think tank's funding comes from individuals with close ties to the banking industry and its board of trustees consists mostly of investment bankers. Political commentator and Bernie Sanders campaign official David Sirota suggested that the think tank's initiatives to combat Social Security expansion despite popular sentiment is because it would cause trustees of the think tank to pay higher taxes.[41][42] Hunter of Daily Kos has suggested Third Way's ties to the banking industry is the reason for its opposition to Senator Elizabeth Warren's platform of Wall Street reform.[43] Investigative journalist Lee Fang of The Nation alleges the think tank's ties to the Democratic Party are "tenuous" and that it exists to serve as a vehicle for corporate and right-wing interests to shape the economic policies of the party.[44] Writing in The Intercept, Akela Lacy describes Third Way as a "center-left, corporate and GOP donor-funded nonprofit" which advocates for neoliberal policies and is staunchly opposed to Medicare For All.[45]

Allegations of invalid research

In 2017, the Third Way think tank conducted a listening tour in rural Wisconsin as part of its research to understand the results of the 2016 presidential election.[46] This tour was the focus of an article in The Atlantic magazine, where reporter Molly Ball observed many focus group participants expressing strongly politically partisan views that challenged Third Way's ideology that political partisanship was not most people's primary concern. Ball recounts hearing focus group participants blame things like government bureaucracy, changes in society and the family, young people, welfare recipients, Muslims, Republicans, Democrats, income inequality, gerrymandering and union rights for their problems. Despite this, Ball writes that Third Way summarised its findings in a short report that ignored all the sentiments heard on the tour which challenged Third Way's ideology and instead selectively highlighted sentiments which adhered to Third Way's ideology:

However, Third Way strongly disputed Ball's claim in a public post. Third Way's Matt Bennett wrote in response: "We are dismayed that in the story, Molly writes that we omitted information that is actually in the report[47] we drafted about the WI visit. And she indicates that we have drawn conclusions that we do not reach and do not share".[48] He also stated:

Yes, in the last page of the report, we provide some evidence that people believe they can still work together. But nowhere in the report do we even imply that means they think politicians should support a centrist policy agenda. ... Moreover, this research is, by its very nature, anecdotal. It is about impressions, which can vary widely, not quantitative data, which can be extrapolated. We make that very clear in the project description and in all the reports on our visits, each of which have been quite different from the rest.[49]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax" (PDF). Third Way. December 31, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "About". Third Way. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ Shear, Michael D. (February 9, 2011). "Political Groups Compete to Represent the Center". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ "About – Third Way". www.thirdway.org. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "The 50 Most Influential Think Tanks in the United States". The Best Schools. 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  6. ↑ James, Hohmann (February 15, 2011). "Third Way picks up 3 new Senate co-chairs". Politico. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  7. ↑ Ball, Molly (February 7, 2013). "How the Gun-Control Movement Got Smart". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  8. ↑ Bennett, Matt. "Matt Bennett, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs". Third Way Staff. Third Way. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  9. ↑ Kessler, Jim. "Jim Kessler, Senior Vice President for Policy". Third Way. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  10. ↑ Hale, Nancy. "Nancy Hale, Senior Vice President for Strategy & Leadership Development". Third Way. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Third Way". www.thirdway.org. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  12. ↑ "The Arena: - Elaine C. Kamarck Bio". Politico.com. October 21, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Change You Can Believe In Needs a Government You Can Trust" (PDF). Thirdway.org. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Jeff Merkley - Fighting for Oregon in the U.S. Senate: Home". Merkley.senate.gov. March 10, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  15. ↑ McDuffee, Allen (January 23, 2012). "State of the Union: Will Republicans and Democrats sit together?". Washington Post. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  16. ↑ Karni, Annie. "Democratic Party rethink gets $20 million injection". Politico. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  17. ↑ Burns, Alexander (June 6, 2021). "Democratic Report Raises 2022 Alarms on Messaging and Voter Outreach". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  18. 1 2 "The Democratic Dilemma". The Economist. August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  19. ↑ "A New Generation of Ideas: A Social Contract for the Digital Age". Third Way. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  20. ↑ James, Hohmann. "The Daily 202: Third Way makes an opening bid in the 2020 'ideas primary'". Washington Post. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  21. ↑ Hohmann, James. "The Daily 202: Even sweeping the suburbs would not be enough for Democrats to win the House majority". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  22. ↑ Debenedetti, Gabriel. "Third Way study warns Democrats: Avoid far-left populism". Politico. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  23. ↑ Burns, Alexander (June 6, 2021). "Democratic Report Raises 2022 Alarms on Messaging and Voter Outreach". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  24. ↑ King, Hope (September 14, 2021). "Exclusive: New partnership to seek federal action on entrepreneurial equity". Axios. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Commentary: America's entrepreneurial equity crisis is hurting the economy". Fortune. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  26. ↑
  27. ↑ Plumer, Brad (March 27, 2017). "Nuclear power is dying. Can radical innovation save it?". Vox. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  28. ↑ Yurman, Dan (July 7, 2018). "Advanced Nuclear Designs Imagined in Third Way Exhibit". The Energy Collective.
  29. ↑ Madhani, Aamer. "Bipartisan group reframes case for legalizing gay marriage". USA Today.
  30. ↑ Ball, Molly (February 7, 2013). "How the Gun-Control Movement Got Smart". The Atlantic.
  31. ↑ "Enrolled Agent Information | Internal Revenue Service". www.irs.gov. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  32. ↑ "How this dark money liberal group is violating tax law". Washington Examiner. August 14, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  33. ↑ Derek Hunter, Opinion Contributor (August 16, 2023). "These liberals are terrified of 'choice' when it comes to elections". The Hill. Retrieved January 8, 2024. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  34. ↑ Derek Hunter, Opinion Contributor (August 16, 2023). "These liberals are terrified of 'choice' when it comes to elections". The Hill. Retrieved January 8, 2024. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  35. ↑ Brooks, David (September 1, 2022). "If an Alternative Candidate Is Needed in 2024, These Folks Will Be Ready". New York Times. Retrieved January 11, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ↑ "Opinion | This plan for a third-party presidential bid in 2024 is dangerous". Washington Post. April 14, 2023. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  37. ↑ Mackowiak, Matt (August 29, 2023). "Will the IRS Probe Prohibited Political Activity at Third Way?". townhall.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  38. ↑ Mackowiak, Matt (August 29, 2023). "Will the IRS Probe Prohibited Political Activity at Third Way?". townhall.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  39. ↑ "2024 election could be decided by a new, dark-money backed political group". Washington Times. August 28, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. ↑ "2024 election could be decided by a new, dark money-backed political party". Washington Times. August 28, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ↑ Fang, Lee (December 11, 2013). "Third Way: 'Majority of Our Financial Support' From Wall Street, Business Executives". The Nation. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  42. ↑ Sirota, David (December 11, 2013). "Disruption vs Intransigence: A tale of two political parties". PandoDaily.
  43. ↑ Hunter (December 4, 2013). "Why the Third Way hates Sen. Elizabeth Warren". Daily Kos.
  44. ↑ Fang, Lee. "GOP Donors and K Street Fuel Third Way's Advice for the Democratic Party". The Nation.
  45. ↑ Lacy, Akela (April 26, 2019). "PhRMA is Funding a Democratic Think Tank Trying to Derail Medicare for All". The Intercept. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  46. ↑ Ball, Molly (October 3, 2017). "On Safari in Trump's America". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  47. ↑ Nancy Hale and Luke Watson. "Wisconsin District Visit". Third Way. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  48. ↑ Bennett, Matt (October 24, 2017). "What The Atlantic Gets Wrong about Third Way". Medium.
  49. ↑ Bennett, Matt. "What The Atlantic Gets Wrong about Third Way". Medium. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
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