[The following information was developed for Scott McDonald who heads the S.C.A.N./FIGHT THE FINGERPRINT project in Alabama. Recently it was brought to my attention that S.C.A.N. had joined the Free Congress Foundation’s Coalition for Constitutional Liberties. I wrote to Mr. McDonald to alert him to certain entanglements related to the CCL. Revised 7/21/98 D. Hoard wdhoard@w-link.net]

I have read the Free Congress Foundation web site for Technology Policy and about their Coalition for Constitutional Liberties [CCL]:

Lisa S. Dean, Vice President for Governance and Technology
Patrick S. Poole, Deputy Director, Center for Technology Policy

The information, I agree, is very good. However, I am concerned about the network which is created through the FCF’s Coalition.

Free Congress Foundation literature promotes the COALITION MODEL as a tool. Unfortunately, I believe they are misusing the tool to promote their control of the religious and conservative Right. [A quote from Greider's book, WHO CONTROLS THE PEOPLE, indicated that Paul Weyrich, who founded the Heritage Foundation and the Free Congress Foundation, had accepted money from Chase Manhattan (aka Rockefeller). There is documentation to show that Coors and Scaife (the Mellon fortune heir) provided the start-up money for the Heritage Foundation.]

This coalition-building technique employed by Free Congress Foundation is the same technique used by Evergreen Freedom Foundation [EFF] in Washington state. Evergreen is a member of the FCF Coalition. EFF took a leadership role over a loose-knit, statewide educational group (with which I was involved in the early 90’s). As a result of this takeover, EFF was able to totally neutralized our grassroots fight against GOALS 2000. (A grant from the Coors Foundation to EFF at the time, was most probably used to stimulate EFF’s activities in education.) It was later revealed that, behind the scenes, EFF was promoting an important component of GOALS 2000 -- charter schools. In order to do this, Evergreen was WORKING WITH THE OTHER SIDE -- Paul Hill* of GOALS 2000/RAND Corporation. EFF ABANDONED OUR COALITION AND DISCREDITED US WHEN IT BECAME EXPEDIENT TO DO SO. If you work with FCF’s Coalition for Constitutional Liberties [CCL] there is the possibility that they will become the head of the SSN/privacy/freedom effort and your work will be compromised. The same template used by EFF may be used by the FCF Coalition.

*Paul Hill collaborated with David Hornbeck, Senior Education Advisor to the National Business Roundtable on two strategic plans which serve as the guidelines for GOALS 2000: NINE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL EDUCATION SYSTEM and THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE POSITION ON CHOICE . Hill was later imported to the University of Washington, Graduate School of Public Policy to promote the charter school concept in partnership with the Washington Business Roundtable. He heads the Center for Reinventing Public Education which is building a national network of business, civic and political leaders who are working to change school governance.

To kick off its membership drive the Free Congress Foundation’s Center for Technology Policy Coalition for Constitutional Liberties has been listing new members in their CCL Weekly Updates. I have collated all the listed members of the Coalition [CCL] [compiled May 28, 1998. Attached below]

Please note that organizations, such as Americans for Choice in Education (which I believe is another group spawned out of the Heritage Foundation), create an OVERLAP of membership. Note, too, the high representation of Council for National Policy/CNP members. [Identified below] The same groups and people show up AGAIN (AND AGAIN!) under another organization’s name. IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE MANY ORGANIZATIONS, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE ORGANIZATION AT THE CENTER WITH MANY FINGERS EXTENDING OUT.

On the membership list I have indicated groups which work for Heritage Foundation on the passage of School Choice legislation –– charter schools and vouchers. Conservative think tanks hype charter schools as a way to privatize public education, but this is not the case. The all-encompassing nature of GOALS 2000 make this an impossibility. ALL STUDENTS in the state public schools -- including charter schools-- will have to meet the GOALS 2000 outcomes as stated in the law. MECHANISMS OF CHOICE are REQUIRED in the GOALS 2000 -- Educate America Act [P.L.103-227 Sec. 308 (b) (2) (I)]. Heritage Foundation and their many affiliates, who promote charter schools, are not addressing the correlation between GOALS 2000 and charter schools –– not in their literature over the last four years. (The legislation was passed in March 1994.) Charter schools will allow the GOALS 2000 system to incorporate the private sector; broaching the wall of separation into what has traditionally been ‘private’ education.

Heritage money [OUT-OF-STATE FUNDING] paid to put a charter school initiative on the Washington state ballot –– mobilized by the Heritage affiliates in our state: Evergreen Freedom Foundation, Washington Institute for Policy Studies, Discovery Institute and Focus on the Family's Washington Family Council [WFC]. (WFC works very closely with Heritage Foundation state affiliates.) Paul Hill [GOALS 2000: see above] was the advisor to Jim and Fawn Spady** who acted as the sponsors of the charter school initiative. The Focus on the Family publication CHARTING A NEW COURSE: A PARENT’S GUIDE TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL MOVEMENT lists the Spadys as contacts for Washington state. At a Washington D.C. Heritage Foundation meeting the Spadys met to strategize the charter school initiative. This was not a grassroots idea, originating with the citizens of Washington state, but one which came from an elite, national think tank. These people practice oligarchy; not representative government.

**Richard Spady heads the Forum Foundation [Redmond, Washington]. Jim and Fawn Spady are on the advisory board. The Forum Foundation markets the Fast Forum Technique, which is designed to introduce the process of ‘participatory democracy’ to government and citizens. The Fast Forum Technique is commonly known as the Delphi Technique, which utilizes computerized survey feed-back and the consensus-building process. Richard and Jim were presenters at the World Future Society in Atlanta, Georgia [1995]. At this conference Barbara Marx Hubbard was presented the Earl Award from the World Network of Religious Futurists.

The Center for Education Reform [CER] is headed by Jeanne Allen. She worked previously at the Heritage Foundation. The purpose of the CER is to oversee the passage of charter school legislation in every state. Her advisory board includes William Bennett, Denis Doyle, and Chester Finn. All three are fellows at the Hudson Institute which is part of GOALS 2000: The Modern Red School House [design team model for GOALS 2000 schools] and the Educational Excellence Network Education Policy Committee. Chester Finn sits on the National Education Goals Panel for GOALS 2000. Focus on the Family [FOTF] lists Center for Education Reform, The Hudson Institute and Charter Schools USA as key national contacts in their charter school handbook. Linda Page LeMaire, who is the director of Charter Schools USA, Inc., worked as Educational Policy Manager for FOTF before starting one of Colorado’s first charter schools-- the Rocky Mountain Academy. Charter Schools USA incorporates the CORE Knowledge curriculum, which emphasizes a Character Education component.

The American Legislative Exchange Council [ALEC], another Weyrich-formed institution, is a member of the FCF’s Coalition for Constitutional Liberties. Ex-ALEC Director Samuel Brunelli is listed as a member of Chester Finn’s Education Policy Committee which interfaces with GOALS 2000 [‘95]. Both American Legislative Exchange Council [ALEC – conservative] and the ALEC counterpart, the National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL –– liberal], blanket state legislators with their MODEL legislation. ALEC boasts a membership of over 3,000 state legislators; additionally there are over 450 corporate members. ALEC supports charter school legislation. ALEC literature discusses their promotion of PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS as a solution to reform government. These partnerships will utilize public funds, but will remove accountability to taxpayers. There is a high correlation of GOALS 2000 related corporations who are members of ALEC. [ See ALEC Corporate Members ]

The National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL] also lobbies for charter schools and is a member of the Heritage Foundation for School Choice Network. Connie Koprowitz of the NCSL was featured on a Focus on the Family radio program promoting charter schools. She also worked with the futurist Spadys in Washington state, offering her services to educate state legislators about the charter school initiative. Through the work of numerous organizations such as ALEC and NCSL the plan is to STANDARDIZE all states through legislation –– interlocking laws which are aligned: the federal, to the state, to the local level. ALEC and NCSL work harmoniously to effect ‘necessary’ change.

Editors Note:

Council of State Governments [CSG] is another organization, similar to ALEC and NCSL, "working to increase the effectiveness of its member jurisdictions [the division of states into regional units; diluting the concept of individual states -- ed.note] by promoting multi-state initiatives, facilitating cooperation between branches, educating officials on regional priorities and trends." "Our regional presence helps to assist states with multistate and regional solutions. In addition, CSG staffs regional associations of legislators and governors that advance collaborative geographic, political and economic interests." CSG is involved in the movement towards uniform state laws -- all states will eventually have identical laws.

Council of State Governments -WEST/ 1998 Workplan Principles

CSG-WEST is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to providing a platform for regional cooperation and collaboration among western state legislatures [and] collaboration among organizations of state and local officials is also important to provide stability and continuity in the formation of public policy.

~ Seek[s] a partnership with the President, Congress and federal agencies to address the many issues facing the nation ....

~ Provides a platform where western legislatures can share information, build consensus and be heard on regional issues particularly through the work of its policy committees.

~ Leverages other state-funded organizations on behalf of western legislators Western Municipal Conference and Western Governors’ Association

~ Allies with the Western States Senate Coalition to address regional issues to achieve consensus on western positions

Well-worth exploring all CSG regional sites:
National Center for the Council of State Governments
http://www.statesnews.org/
http://www.statesnews.org/regions/regions.html

The leverage created by organizations such as the Heritage Policy Networks, ALEC, NCSL and CSG is enormous; eroding and dissipating any influence individual citizens think they have on public policy. You will hear frequent references to the NEW FEDERALISM -- the false premise that ‘control is now local.’ Typical statements from Heritage-related public policy organizations go like this:

Under the new federalism, government policy increasingly is made at the state and local levels. These public-policy decisions affect the life of every citizen in the state. Our goal is to provide nonpartisan research on key issues affecting Wisconsinites, so that their elected representatives can make informed decisions to improve the quality of life and future of the state. [Wisconsin Policy Research Institute]

The Capitol Hill Prayer Alert [CHPA] listed as a Coalition member, in actuality, is the transformation of the Coalition on Revival [COR] -- Dominionist and reconstructionist and many of its members hold to post millennial eschatology -- the Lord will return AFTER Christians institute the Millennium. CHPA is another elite group [working parallel to the Council for National Policy/CNP with cross-over membership] which has strategized for years; laying the groundwork for a Christianized America -- not necessarily the work of the Lord! They have established THE Church doctrine for 20th Century in their many declarations:

The Christian Manifesto
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
25 Articles on the Kingdom of God [Statement of Faith ]
The Essentials of a Christian World View [Statement of Faith ]

My Requests to you [Scott McDonald]:

~ Request information -- ESPECIALLY about the foundations who are funding the Coalition’s work.

~ Print out CCL membership list. [below]

~ Please take the time to study who is in this Free Congress Foundation Coalition.

~ Please request a list which identifies member's names & addresses from Mr. Patrick Poole. [Many organizations are rather nondescript.]

~ Please forward a copy of the list to me.

~ High Priority: There is a parallel organization. You must get the details about the Council on the Constitution. [Read clip below.]

Who are the members?
Who are the philanthropists?
What is their function?

Found at Free Congress Foundation

* * * CLIP ***

Council on the Constitution

The Council on the Constitution is a small group of prominent conservatives and philanthropists who seek to return America to its Constitutional heritage. By meeting regularly to identify and discuss the more problematic areas of our nation's public policy process, the Council on the Constitution is a major force in the conservative circles.

Free Congress Research and Education Foundation
717 Second Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone 202-546-3000 Fax 202-543-8425

The following membership list was found 5/28/98:
Free Congress Research and Education Foundation
Collated from Constitutional Liberties Weekly Updates Archive which include a Welcome to New Members http://www.fcref.org/cfcl/
Also see http://www.freecongress.org/ctp/wu041798.htm
 

HERITAGE FOUNDATION
[Funded by private foundations such as Pew Charitable Trust.
Pew has also funded many GOALS 2000 initiatives.]

Affiliates:

Free Congress Foundation / CNP- Weyrich & Dingman
Lisa S. Dean, Vice President for Governance and Technology
Patrick S. Poole, Deputy Director, Center for Technology Policy

AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL -- CNP--Brunelli
3,000+ legislators & 450+ member corporations

AMERICANS FOR CHOICE IN EDUCATION [partial list/ overlap]
[Works for tax-funded vouchers and Charter Schools]

Heritage Foundation / CNP --Feulner & Meese
Heartland Institute IL (Supports tax-funded vouchers)
Citizens for a Sound Economy / CNP
Center for Education Reform -- Heritage /Charter Schools
Pacific Research Institute (Supports tax-funded vouchers)
Acton Institute -- Board [partial list]
Feulner of Heritage -- CNP
Betsy DeVos of Amway-- CNP Advisor [partial list]
Daniel Lapin - WA Institute for Policy Studies- advisory
President of Towards Tradition [Both Heritage related]
American Legislative Exchange Council
(Supports tax-funded vouchers & Charter Schools)
American Association of Christian Schools
National Center for Public Policy Research
Sutherland Institute
Texas Justice Foundation
Free Congress Foundation
Citizens for Educational Freedom [includes]
Missouri Federation of Citizens for Ed. Freedom
American Family Assoc. of New York
Educational Freedom Foundation MO

HERITAGE FOUNDATION ON SCHOOL CHOICE
Heritage Foundation State Policy Network for Charter Schools--
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
South Carolina Policy Council (Ed. Reform/Heritage’s CER*)
Evergreen Freedom Found. (WA) (Ed. Reform/Heritage’s CER)
The Sutherland Institute (UT) (Ed. Reform/Heritage’s CER)
Center for the American Experiment (MN)
(Ed. Reform/Heritage's CER)
Constitutional Heritage Institute (NE)
The Commonwealth Found(PA) (Ed. Reform/Heritage’s CER)
Independence Institute (CO) (Ed. Reform/Heritage’s CER)
Pacific Research Institute (tax-funded vouchers & Ed. Reform/Heritage’s CER))
Texas Justice Foundation

* Center For Education Reform /CER state network
[Heritage Foundation connection/ Jeanne Allen]

CITIZENS FOR A SOUND ECONOMY (has state network)
James Miller III/ CNP

EAGLE FORUM/ Phyllis Schlafly/CNP /(Supports tax-funded vouchers)
Eagle Forum of California
Texas Eagle Forum
Eagle Forum of Arkansas
Eagle Forum of California
Eagle Forum of Ohio
Eagle Forum of Wisconsin
Eagle Forum of Michigan
Kansas Eagle Forum
Eagle Forum of Washington

CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS

Capitol Hill Prayer Alert [AKA Coalition on Revival/ COR-- Dominionist]
(This is a Christian leadership network which envisions an American Theocracy and works to set public policy.
Cross-over membership with CNP.)

Kuyper Institute for Political Studies - U.K. [dominionist]
Web site posted a Christian Manifesto

National Association of Evangelicals/NAE/ CNP -- Bob Dugan

American Association of Christian Schools/ CNP -- Herbster

Coalition of Politically Active Christians/COPAC -- Charles Phillips
Oliver North/ CNP & COR, Alan Keyes/ CNP, Bill Dannemeyer / CNP & COR

FOCUS ON THE FAMLY/ J. Dobson ––
(Support tax-funded vouchers and charter schools)
CNPmembers -->> J.Dobson, Bauer, Minnery, Simmons, Prince,
Eaton, Kay James, Mason, Wauterlek, Peb Jackson, Ryan Dobson

FOTF State Policy Network
Tennessee Family Institute ( Heritage's School Choice Network)
Alabama FamilyAlliance (Ed. Reform/Heritage's CER)
(Heritage's School Choice Network)
Alabama Physician's Resource Council
Center for Arizona Policy
South Dakota Family Policy Council
Family Research Institute (WI)
North Carolina Family Policy Council (Heritage's School Choice Network)
Family Policy Center (MO)
Idaho Family Forum
Oklahoma Family Policy Council ( Heritage's School Choice Network)
Massachusetts Family Institute
Iowa Family Policy Center
Minnesota Family Council ( Heritage's School Choice Network)
Family Policy Center (MO)
West Virginia Family Foundation
Free Market Foundation (TX) ( Heritage's School Choice Network)
Christian Civic League of Maine

CHRISTIAN COALITION / Donald Hodel (from FOTF)/ CNP
Christian Coalition of California
Christian Coalition of NY
Christian Coalition of PA
Christian Coalition of GA
Christian Coalition of Rhode Island
Missouri Christian Coalition

AMERICAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
Donald Wildmon --CNP & COR Trueman- CNP
American Family Assoc. of Alabama
American Family Assoc. of Kentucky
American Family Assoc. of New Jersey

HOME SCHOOL
N. Georgia Home Educators Association
Christian Home Educators of Kentucky

GOVERNMENT
Local Government Council ??
NW Council of Governments ??

VARIOUS IDENTIFIED ORGANIZATIONS
Americans for Tax Reform –– Grover Norquist/CNP
The Rutherford Institute –– John Whitehead/CNP & COR
Maryland Conservative Caucus –– Howard Phillips/ CNP
National Family Legal Foundation –– Robert Skolrood
[possibly with Pat Robertson / CNP]
American Policy Center –– Tom DeWeese
Citizens for Excellence in Education ––
Bob Simmonds/COR (Supports tax-funded vouchers)
Gun Owners of America –– CNP/ Larry Pratt & John Stoos
SCAN -- Sovereign Citizens Against Numbering, Scott McDonald

NOT IDENTIFIED [for affiliations]
HARTLAND
Human Events (Heritage Publication?)
Government is Not God PAC
Tradition, Family and Property
U.S. Family Network
The Internet Guild
Independence Institute (CO)
National Center for Public Policy Research
Faith and Freedom
Independent American Party of Nevada
Alabama Citizens for Truth
Christian Values in Action Coalition
Wisconsin State Sovereignty Coalition
Texas Right to Life Committee
Citizens for Community Values
America's Future
Coral Ridge Media (Coral Ridge Presby. /D.J. Kennedy/ CNP)
Christian Exchange
American Focus
Defenders of Property Rights
Wisconsin Information Network
Organized Victims of Violent Crime
Life Issues Institute
Washington Webworks
Institute for Media Education
Life Coalition International
Anonymizer, Inc.
Michigan Decency Action Council
National Center for Constitutional Studies
Women for Responsible Legislation
AMPROCON
New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Liberty Counsel
Vocal Foundation
Neighborhood Research/Mountaintop Media
Citizens Against Repressive Zoning
Citizens for Choice in Health Care (MN)
Center for the American Founding
Constitutional Coalition
League of American Families
American Land Rights Association
People for the USA
Soaring Eagle Associates
United Republicans of California

The Council for National Policy