The
Ripon Society is a centrist Republican
think tankA think tank is an organization, institute, corporation, or group that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economy, science or technology issues, industrial or business policies, or military advice...
, founded on December 12, 1962, in
CambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
. The name is a reference to
Ripon, WisconsinRipon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon.-Founding:...
, the birthplace of the Republican Party; the Society sees itself as urging a return to the party's founding principles. The first president of the society was John S Saloma III, an assistant professor of political science at M.I.T.
The current president is Richard Kessler, who replaced longtime president and former Minnesota Representative
Bill FrenzelWilliam Eldridge "Bill" Frenzel is a former Republican Congressman from Minnesota, representing Minnesota's Third District, which included the southern and western suburbs of Minneapolis.- Early life and career :...
in March 2004.
The
Ripon Society is a centrist Republican
think tankA think tank is an organization, institute, corporation, or group that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economy, science or technology issues, industrial or business policies, or military advice...
, founded on December 12, 1962, in
CambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
. The name is a reference to
Ripon, WisconsinRipon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon.-Founding:...
, the birthplace of the Republican Party; the Society sees itself as urging a return to the party's founding principles. The first president of the society was John S Saloma III, an assistant professor of political science at M.I.T.
The current president is Richard Kessler, who replaced longtime president and former Minnesota Representative
Bill FrenzelWilliam Eldridge "Bill" Frenzel is a former Republican Congressman from Minnesota, representing Minnesota's Third District, which included the southern and western suburbs of Minneapolis.- Early life and career :...
in March 2004. The society named Elvis Oxley, son of former Representative
Mike OxleyMichael Garver "Mike" Oxley is an American politician of the Republican party who served as a U.S. representative from the 4th congressional district of Ohio.-Early life:...
, as its new executive director at the same time. Oxley later departed Ripon for The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association as their Senior Director of Government Affairs. Reporting on the change, a Washington Times columnist said "the Ripon Society tells us it is making a bid to emerge as Washington's pre-eminent right-thinking think tank on issues such as government spending, entitlement reform and national security."
Early political statements
The first public statement of the society was distributed to Republican leaders on January 6, 1964, as the 1964 Presidential campaign officially began. The statement included the following:
In early 1965, the society, then consisting of 80 young GOP intellectuals, mostly academics, issued a report criticizing the presidential campaign of
Barry GoldwaterBarry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. He was also a Major General in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was known as "Mr...
. The report said the campaign was "one of the dullest, emptiest, lowest-level campaigns in the history of American presidential politics. The whole cast of the Republican effort was too often amateurish, almost never profound, occasionally tasteless, and almost always ineffective."
1984 book
In 1984, a book by Saloma,
Ominous Politics: the new conservative labyrinth, was published posthumously. Its publication was sponsored by the liberal magazine
The NationThe Nation is a weekly United States periodical devoted to politics and culture, self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865 at the start of Reconstruction as a supporter of the victorious North in the American Civil War, it is the oldest continuously published weekly...
. In the book, Saloma presented a strong critique of the emergence of the '
New RightNew Right is used in several countries as a descriptive term for various policies and/or groups that are right-wing. It has also been used to describe the emergence of Eastern European parties after the collapse of communism.-Australia:...
' and was an early observer of the influence of conservative foundations, such as the
Scaife FoundationsThe Scaife Foundations refer collectively to four foundations: the Allegheny Foundation, the Carthage Foundation, the Sarah Scaife Foundation, and the Scaife Family Foundation. The organizations are based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
, and conservative think tanks and advocacy groups, such as the
Heritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C.The foundation took a leading role in the conservative movement during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, whose policies drew significantly from Heritage's policy study Mandate for Leadership. Heritage has since continued to...
and the
Cato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a pro-free market, libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.The Institute's stated mission is "to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free...
. Saloma argued that the emergence of the New Right was the result of a process of active politics (but not a conspiracy) on the part of a small number of very wealthy individuals who learnt the lessons from the failure of the presidential ambitions of
Barry GoldwaterBarry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. He was also a Major General in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was known as "Mr...
in 1964.
Lobbying and lobbyists
Richard S. Kessler is the current president of the society.
During 2003 and 2004, the nineteen board members of the society and of the Ripon Education Fund, which became a separate organization at the end of 2002, included seventeen registered lobbyists. Ten of those seventeen were people who lobby for Kessler clients.
According to
Public Citizen-Introduction:Public Citizen is a non-partisan, politically left-of-center, non-profit public interest 'advocacy organization' based in Washington, D.C., with a branch in Austin, Texas...
, members of Congress have gone on trips that cost the society and the education fund $742,000 since 2000. In addition, Kessler's clients have provided another $273,000 for congressional travel. For example, on an August 2003 trip to London, the education fund paid the travel costs for twenty members of Congress. The elected officials were accompanied by more than 100 lobbyists, who each paid their own way, as well as a $9,500 corporate sponsor fee.
The Ripon Education Fund is also headed by a lobbyist: its chair is former Representative
Susan MolinariSusan Molinari is a politician, journalist, and lobbyist from New York. She was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms.-Early life and family:...
, whose clients as of mid-2005 included
ExxonExxon is a brand of motor fuel and related products sold by ExxonMobil. From 1972 to 1999, Exxon was the corporate name of the company previously known as Standard Oil Company of New Jersey or Jersey Standard.- History :...
, the
Association of American RailroadsThe Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of North America . Amtrak and some regional commuter railroads are also members...
, and Freddie Mac.. Kessler's sister Robin, a nurse by practice, is also employed by the society in an upper management capacity. George McNeill of Danby, VT runs the society remotely as their COO according to the website.
Recent Activity and Events
Over the past several years, The Ripon Society has intensified its efforts to provide a center-right voice and a forum for new ideas in the public policy debate. The public policy organization has undertaken a wide range of public policy programs, including State Policy Outreach and Scholarship Programs; The Bully Pulpit Policy Series; and The Policy Dialogue Series. These events have brought together hundreds of business leaders, academics, and legislators in open forums across the country and in Washington, DC to discuss the most pressing policy topics of the day. In 2008 alone, the Society played host to over 35 officials, including Bush Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, Republican Whip Roy Blunt, and Budget Committee Ranking Member Judd Gregg.
In addition to the Bully Puplit series and its policy events, the Ripon Society also publishes the Ripon Forum, the bimonthly journal of political thought and opinion and has been in print since 1965, and The Ripon Report, a quarterly newsletter that focuses on and details the activities of the organization.
State Policy Outreach Events
Since 2004, The Ripon Society has organized dozens of outreach events with members of Congress and Governors in their home states. These events give Ripon members the opportunity to engage in two-way discussions with elected Republicans at both the Federal and State level. Events promote greater civic participation by community members, as well as fulfill the Ripon Society’s mission of driving the debate forward by allowing Republican leaders to communicate important public policy information directly to constituents.
Scholarship Program
Ripon Society Scholarship Program was developed in conjunction with State Policy Outreach Events, the program has distributed $38,000 since 2004. Scholarships are given to students who exhibit an interest in public policy and community service and have excelled in their communities and classrooms. Recipients include students in Connecticut, California, Florida, Maine, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Through the Scholarship program The Ripon Society promotes the importance of education while encouraging young leaders to dedicate their leadership talents to civic service.
Bully Pulpit Series
The Bully Pulpit Series is an issue centered event where The Society’s members discuss current issues with high-ranking members of government, business leaders, and elected officials. The Series commenced in 2008 with a discussion on transportation and infrastructure led by Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters focusing on the Interstate Highway System, safety, and metropolitan transportation infrastructure. The subsequent Bully Pulpit Policy events featured Vice Chairman of the Board of Chevron, Peter Robertson speaking on the future of energy policy and David Snow, Chairman and CEO of Medco who discussed healthcare policy.
The Ripon Forum
The Ripon Forum is the Nation’s longest running Republican journal of thought and opinion, The Ripon Forum examines current issues with essays by some of the nation’s leading thinkers in politics, business, and academia. The Forum, published bi-monthly, focuses its attention on several cutting edge topics per issue working to frame and lead public policy debate. Recent issues have included articles on education in the 21st century; progressive tax policy; healthcare and information technology; and election reform. The Forum can be accessed from The Society website: www.riponsociety.org
Advisory board
Advisory board members include the following
U.S. SenatorsThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
:
- Susan M. Collins
- Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina. A Republican, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for five terms, and was elected to represent North Carolina as a U.S. Senator in the 2004 election...
- Judd Gregg
Judd Alan Gregg is a former Governor of New Hampshire and current United States Senator serving as ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee. He is a member of the Republican Party and was a businessman and attorney in Nashua before entering politics...
- Pat Roberts
Charles Patrick "Pat" Roberts is the junior United States Senator from Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he was formerly the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.-Newspaper background:...
- Olympia J. Snowe
- Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter is the senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. Specter was a member of the Democratic Party until 1965, when he enlisted as a Republican in order to challenge the Democratic district attorney of Philadelphia. Elected to the Senate in 1980,...
- Orrin Hatch
Orrin Grant Hatch is a Republican United States Senator from Utah, serving since 1977.Hatch is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, where he serves on the subcommittees on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure and Taxation and IRS Oversight...
Advisory board members include the following members of the U.S. House of Representatives:
- Tom Petri
Thomas Evert Petri , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1979, representing...
, Chairman
- Judy Biggert
Judith Borg "Judy" Biggert , American politician,has been a Republican member of theUnited States House of Representatives since 1999,representing .-Personal life:...
- Roy Blunt
Roy D. Blunt is an American member of Congress from Missouri. He represents in the U.S. House of Representatives, which takes in most of Southwest Missouri, the most conservative part of the state, anchored in the city of Springfield and also includes other conservative cities such as Joplin,...
- Ken Calvert
Kenneth Stanton Calvert , an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing California's 44th congressional district...
- Dave Camp
- Eric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the Republican representative of Virginia's 7th congressional district. The district includes most of the northern and western sections of Richmond, along with most of Richmond's western suburbs and portions of the Shenandoah Valley.On November 19, 2008, he was unanimously...
- Howard Coble
John Howard Coble, born March 18, 1931 is a Republican Congressman representing the 6th district of North Carolina -Early life:Coble was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. After high school, he initially attended Appalachian State University, but after a year joined the United States Coast Guard,...
- Ander Crenshaw
Ander Crenshaw , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing . He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, was educated at the University of Georgia Ander Crenshaw (born September 1, 1944), American politician, has been a...
- Mike Ferguson
- Vernon Ehlers
- Rodney Frelinghuysen
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen is an American Republican Party politician, who has served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing since 1995.-Biography:...
- Jo Ann Emerson
Jo Ann Emerson is an American politician from the U.S. state of Missouri currently serving her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents which consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Bootheel, the Lead Belt and the Ozarks...
- Kay Granger
Kay Granger , a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, currently represents the 12th congressional district in the U.S...
- Fred Upton
Frederick Stephen Upton, is a politician from Michigan. He is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, serving the state's 6th congressional district. The district, based in Kalamazoo, stretches along the Michigan-Indiana border in the southwestern part of the state.Born...
- Mike Castle
Michael Newbold "Mike" Castle is an American lawyer and Congressman from Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware. He is a member of the Republican Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, and two terms as Governor of Delaware. He is serving his...
- Steven LaTourette
- Adam Putnam
Adam H. Putnam is an American politician who has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing...
- Edward Whitfield
- Jim Ramstad
James Marvin "Jim" Ramstad is a United States politician from the state of Minnesota.-Early life:Ramstad was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, was educated at the University of Minnesota and the George Washington University Law School. He was an officer in the United States National Guard from 1968...
- Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, film producer, writer, film director, singer and humanitarian. He is best-known for his slapstick humor in stage, screen, television, radio, recording and is also known for his charity fund-raising telethons and position as national chairman for the...