The Steady Drip: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (Connecting the Dots: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (MI), CFR, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Washington Institute for Near-East Policy, William Kristol, Paul Singer & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (Connecting the Dots: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (MI), CFR, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Washington Institute for Near-East Policy, William Kristol, Paul Singer & Soros Funding, All Networking)

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https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/manhattan-institute-for-policy-research/

The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (MI) is a non-partisan public policy think tank that advocates for greater economic choice and individual responsibility in New York. MI conducts research, publishes a quarterly magazine, City Journal, and has developed initiatives on college campuses in support of free-market ideas that shape political culture. ^[1]

The Manhattan Institute is an associate member of the State Policy Network, a coalition of free-market state-level policy organizations. ^[2] While MI is non-partisan, members of its board have affiliations with the Republican Party.

History

The Manhattan Institute was founded as the International Center for Economic Policy Studies in 1978 and took its present name in 1981. During the Reagan administration, the Manhattan Institute advocated the administration’s “supply-side” economic policies, with some calling MI scholar George Gilder’s book Wealth and Poverty “the Bible of the Reagan administration.” ^[3]

The Manhattan Institute has been credited with influencing the crime-control policies of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R); the Institute is long associated with promoting right-of-center policies in cities, especially New York. ^[4]

Activities

The Manhattan Institute advocates for aggressive education reform focused on preparation for college or the workforce, effective and accountable schools, and safe school environments for students and staff. ^[5] In an October 2021 paper, MI claims that most school districts would see positive fiscal effects from educational choice programs like education savings accounts (ESA). The Manhattan Institute further claims that use of ESAs will provide students who remain in public schools with more resources on a per-pupil basis. ^[6]

The Manhattan Institute advocates for free market-based health care policy reforms that encourage competition, transparency, accountability, and innovation. ^[7] In a June 2021 paper, MI recommended establishing an individual insurance market outside of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which mandates state regulations. The Manhattan Institute claims that the ACA is responsible for the rise in the variation of individual market premiums between states and that allowing competition across state lines would ultimately lower health care premiums. ^[8]

The Manhattan Institute advocates for tax policy based on market-based capitalism in order to advance free enterprise, fiscal discipline, economic growth, and the rule of law. ^[9] In an October 2020 paper, MI states that a wealth tax will not decrease wealth inequality, provide more tax revenue, or prevent special interests from getting government favors. The Manhattan Institute further claims that a wealth tax could potentially damage the economy while bringing in little revenue. MI proposes that a better solution for increasing revenue would be to reform the tax system to remove many of the system’s existing distortions. ^[10]

Funding

The Manhattan Institute is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While MI does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Thomas W. Smith Foundation ($1.27 million in 2019), ^[11] the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($625,000 in 2019), ^[12] and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ($599,631 in 2017). ^[13]

People

STAFF

Reihan Salam the president of the Manhattan Institute. Salam is a former policy fellow at the National Review Institute and former Bernard L. Schwarz fellow at the New America Foundation. ^[14]

Michael Hendrix is a senior fellow and director of state and local policy at MI. Hendrix formerly worked as senior director for research and emerging issues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. ^[15]

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Paul Singer is the chair of the board of MI and serves on the advisory board of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. ^[16] Singer is a major donor to Republican candidates and conservative political committees. ^[17]

Roger Hertog is the chairman emeritus of the board of MI and formerly sat on the boards of the American Enterprise Institute and the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy. ^[18]

Ravenel Curry sits on the boards of the Hudson Institute and the American Enterprise Institute. ^[19]

Harvey Golub is the former CEO and chair of American Express and currently sits on the board of the American Enterprise Institute. ^[20]

William Kristol is the editor-at-large of The Bulwark, a nominally right-leaning political commentary website that opposes most Republicans and supports certain liberal policies. Kristol formerly worked as chief of staff to former Education Secretary William Bennett during the Reagan administration and former Vice President Dan Quayle in the George H. W. Bush administration. Kristol formerly led the Project for the Republican Future. ^[21]

Thomas Mcinerney is the chair of the board of Foundations in Education. ^[22]

Russell Pennoyer serves on the boards of the William T. Grant Foundation, the Hudson Institute, and as president of the Achelis and Bodman Foundation. ^[23]

Robert Rosenkranz is the founder and chair of Intelligence Squared U.S. Rosenkranz serves on the board of Policy Exchange and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Connecting the Dots:

R. James Woolsey is an adviser for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George P. Shultz is an adviser for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Condoleezza Rice is an adviser for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Henry A. Kissinger is an adviser for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and

a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Carol C. Adelman was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and is a director, Center for Global Prosperity for the Hudson Institute (think tank).

Alexander M. Haig Jr. was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and a trustee emeritus at the Hudson Institute (think tank).

Richard N. Perle was a trustee at the Hudson Institute (think tank) and is an adviser for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Hudson Institute (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

John R. Allen is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and an adviser for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Strobe Talbott is the president of the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was an editor for Time magazine.

William Kristol was a columnist for Time magazine and is a friend of Robert Kagan.

Robert Kagan is a friend of William Kristol and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Robin Hood Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Daniel S. Loeb Family Third Point Foundation was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation.

Daniel S. Loeb is the president of the Daniel S. Loeb Family Third Point Foundation, was a contributor for the American Unity PAC, a contributor for the ESAFund, and supported same-sex marriage in New York.

Paul E. Singer was a contributor for the American Unity PAC, supported same-sex marriage in New York and is the chairman for the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

Clifford S. Asness was a contributor for the American Unity PAC, supported same-sex marriage in New York, a trustee at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a leadership council member for the Robin Hood Foundation and is a director at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation, the International Rescue Committee and the New America Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is Jonathan Soros’s father.

Jonathan Soros is George Soros’s son, a director at the New America Foundation and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Robert Kagan was a transatlantic fellow for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank), a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a friend of William Kristol.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank)