Americans for Prosperity

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Americans for Prosperity
Formation2004
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., U.S.
Websitewww.americansforprosperity.org

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a Washington, D.C.-based political advocacy group. According to their literature, they promote economic policy that supports business, and restrains regulation by government. AFP was a major supporter of Republican candidates in the 2010 election cycle and is heavily involved in political activities aimed at reducing regulation of the oil and gas industry.[1]

AFP is the political arm of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation.[1] The foundation and AFP were founded in 2004 by brothers Charles G. and David H. Koch and continue to be funded and controlled by them.[1][2][3][4]

Leadership and structure

Americans for Prosperity is led on the national level by its president, Tim Phillips, a former partner in the public affairs and public relations firm, Century Strategies with Ralph Reed (of Christian Coalition fame).[5][6][7] Other national staff include: Phil Kerpen, director of policy; and Erik Telford, director of AFP's RightOnline new media program. Art Pope,[8][9] James C. Miller, James E. Stephenson, and Frayda Levy serve on the board of directors.

From 2003 to 2007 AFP was led by Nancy Pfotenhauer (Koch Industries' chief lobbyist from 1996 to 2001), who left to become an adviser for the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign.

AFP's web site lists 23 staffed state chapters. [10]

Funding

Media Transparency says that Americans for Prosperity Foundation has received seven grants totaling $1,181,000 between 2004 to 2006 with $1 million coming from the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, one of the Koch Family Foundations.[11]

In its 2007 annual tax return, the AFP Foundation reported revenue of $5.7 million with expenditures of nearly $6.8 million. While the AFP Foundation ran at a loss that year, it had reserves. Of its expenditure, $2.1 million went to national office operations with just over $2.9 million allocated to the state-based chapters.

Based on its financial operations and programs, the independent Charity Navigator nonprofit review organization gave Americans For Prosperity Foundation a three-star rating out of four stars, and a 51 out of a possible 60 points.[12]

Activities and programs

Defending the American Dream Summit

AFP hosted an event in Washington D.C. entitled "Defending the American Dream Summit" on October 5, 2007. The topic was government spending and taxation. Presidential candidates who attended included Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul, Sam Brownback, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson. Other speakers included John Stossel, Steve Lonegan, Dinesh D'Souza, Art Laffer, John Fund, Steve Moore, Herman Cain, Dr. Barry Poulson, and AFP founder David H. Koch.

A second Summit was held October 11, 2008.[13] The 2009 Summit was held October 3, in Washington, DC to address health care reform legislation, economic policy, and proposed energy legislation.[14] Speakers included Newt Gingrich, Jim DeMint, Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, and Michele Bachmann.[15]

Government economic stimulus

AFP opposed the $787 billion stimulus package.[16]

Hot Air Tour

Another activity related to activism against carbon emission cuts is the Hot Air Tour featuring webcasts from the United Nations meetings COP15 in Copenhagen 2009[17] and COP16 in Cancun 2010.[18]

No Climate Tax Pledge

Americans for Prosperity circulated a pledge to government officials that states that the official will oppose any climate change legislation that will result in a net increase in government revenue.[19]

As of August 2010, more than 600 lawmakers and candidates, primarily Republicans, had signed the pledge. Prominent signers include Senators Pat Roberts and Roger Wicker; U.S. Representatives Michelle Bachmann, John Carter, Jeff Flake, Jim Jordan, Doug Lamborn, Lynn Westmoreland, Phil Gingrey, Tom Price, Fred Upton, Candice Miller, Bill Huizenga, Justin Amash, Tim Walberg, and Rocky Raczkowski; and candidates Jack Hoogendyk, Dan Benishek, Pete Olson, and Greg Davis.[20]

Patients United Now

In May 2009, Americans for Prosperity launched Patients United Now, a website self-described as a project offering information for those opposed to what they describe as "a government takeover of the United States health care system."[21] A subsequent series of television ads opposing the Democratic health care reform proposals was launched by the Patients United Now organization. In one TV ad, a Canadian woman "Shona Holmes" is featured saying she got a runaround for brain tumor surgery and ultimately was treated in the U.S., although she actually had a benign Rathke's Cleft Cyst on her pituitary gland.[22] Columnist David Lazarus of the Los Angeles Times wrote that a single-payer Canadian style insurance system is not part of any leading reform proposal as the ad suggests.[23] Media Matters for America called the ad "Strong on emotion and weak on facts."[24] Amy Menefee, a spokeswoman for Patients United Now, replied, saying "The point of the ad is to show the extremes where things could go". "This would be a bigger role for government than we've ever seen. It's a power grab in this area of the economy."[23]

Political Ad Buys

During the summer of 2008, AFP funded a radio ad critical of a North Carolina U.S. Senatorial challenger, Democrat Kay Hagan, for her position on taxes and offshore oil drilling.[25]

Americans for Prosperity is currently running TV ads against 5th District Virginia Congressman, Tom Perriello.[citation needed]

RightOnline

In July 2008, Americans for Prosperity hosted RightOnline, a conference of conservative bloggers in Austin, Texas. Eric Telford was the impresario of the conference that ran opposite the DailyKos NetRoots Nation conference in Austin in July 2008 and was regarded as a growing conservative answer to the online left.[26] The conference brought together conservative activists to develop strategies to counter left-wing bloggers and develop conservative New Media techniques.[26][27] The meeting was held in conjunction with the Texas AFP chapter's conference.

2010 Congressional elections

During the 2010 election cycle, Americans for Prosperity claims to have spent $40 million dollars on rallies, phone banks, and canvassing, mostly for Republican candidates.[1] Beneficiaries included Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). Of the six Republican members who were elected to Congress for the first time, Americans for Prosperity supported five of their campaigns.[1] Of twelve Republicans newly appointed to the Committee, nine signed a pledge distributed by Americans for Prosperity to oppose greenhouse gas regulation.[1]

Criticism

In August 2010, the AFP and its sister foundation Americans for Prosperity Foundation were criticized by the Democratic Party and the Obama White House as a de facto political action group in violation of their tax-exempt status. President Barack Obama criticized Americans for Prosperity, saying, "Right now all around this country there are groups with harmless-sounding names like Americans for Prosperity, who are running millions of dollars of ads against Democratic candidates all across the country. And they don't have to say who exactly the Americans for Prosperity are. You don't know if it's a foreign-controlled corporation. You don't know if it's a big oil company, or a big bank."[28] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee filed a complaint against the Americans for Prosperity, a 501(c)(4) organization, for running political advertisements that allegedly constitute political campaign intervention. A spokesman for the AFPF said the DCCC complaint was a "nuisance complaint to intimidate" that was without merit.[29]

Tea party activities

On February 27, 2009, in collaboration with others, the organization sponsored a Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and Washington, D.C. Tea party protest.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Hamburger, Tom (2011-02-06). "Koch brothers now at heart of GOP power". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2011-02-06. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Mayer, Jane (2010-08-30). "Covert Operations: The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama". The New Yorker. Condé Nast Publications.
  3. ^ Zernike, Kate (October 19, 2010). "Secretive Republican Donors Are Planning Ahead". New York Times.
  4. ^ Overby, Peter (February 19, 2010). "Who's Raising Money For Tea Party Movement?".
  5. ^ "Century Strategies". SourceWatch. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  6. ^ Kiel, Paul (2006-02-13). "TPMCafe | Talking Points Memo | The Daily Muck". Tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  7. ^ "Utilizing Public Airwaves, Media Mogul Murdoch Is Big Muscle Behind Fraudulent Astro Turfers". Alternet.org. 2009-08-20. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  8. ^ "The knight of the right" by Rob Christensen, Jan 29,2006 The News & Observer[dead link]
  9. ^ "Advocate to some, bully to others, Pope brews discord" by Rob Christensen, Jan 29,2006 The News & Observer[dead link]
  10. ^ "Americans for Prosperity - State Staff". Afphq.org. 2010-09-08. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  11. ^ Media Transparency
  12. ^ "Charity Navigator, rating of AFP Foundation, accessed Aug 2009". Charitynavigator.org. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  13. ^ "Americans for Prosperity Conference". C-span.org. 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  14. ^ "Defending the America Dream Summit". C-span.org. 2009-10-03. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  15. ^ Defending the American Dream Summit[dead link]
  16. ^ "No Stimulus!". No Stimulus!. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  17. ^ "Hot Air Tour". Hot Air Tour. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  18. ^ "Hot Air Tour Live from Cancun". Americans for Prosperity. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  19. ^ Group against taxes seeks pledges from candidates, Lawrence Journal, July 22nd, 2008
  20. ^ "Pledge Takers". No Climate Tax. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  21. ^ "About Patients United Now". Patientsunitednow.com. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  22. ^ [1][dead link]
  23. ^ a b "Healthcare debate framed by fear-mongering ads". Los Angeles Times. 2009-08-09. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  24. ^ "Media Matters, Factcheck, Patients United Now ad, May 27, 2009". Mediamattersaction.org. 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  25. ^ "Americans for Prosperity to run pro-Dole ad | newsobserver.com projects". Projects.newsobserver.com. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  26. ^ a b Vargas, Jose Antonio (July 18, 2008). "In Texas, the Right Boots Up to Gain Strength Online". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 17, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ Schatz, Amy (July 18, 2008). "In Online Politicking, Republicans Play Catch-Up". The Wall Street Journal.
  28. ^ Remarks by the President at a DNC Finance Event in Austin, Texas
  29. ^ McKinnon and Martin Vaughan, John D. (August 28, 2010). "Democrats Criticize Group Over Attack Ads, Tax Violations". The Wall Street Journal.

External links

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