“To restrain the growth and the power of government to deprive people of personal freedom. That is what PRI is all about. And it’s why this organization admirably fights so far above its weight.”
That’s what former California Governor Pete Wilson said at the Pacific Research Institute’s Annual Thatcher Gala in October when reflecting on why he supports PRI. It’s that type of enthusiasm about our mission that is shared by our generous supporters and has allowed the Institute to become one of the leading free-market think tanks in America.
Today marks Giving Tuesday—a global movement to pause holiday shopping and support the nonprofit that best represents your values. If you have not yet made a gift to PRI in 2020, I hope that you will consider supporting our Reclaiming the American Dream Campaign, our annual year-end fundraising effort. Our goal is to raise $200,000 between now and the end of the year to support our policy programs and outreach initiatives as we enter 2021.
Over the course of the past 12 months, op-eds by PRI scholars were published more than 800 newspapers, magazines, and online media outlets, including prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner, The Hill, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Detroit News, to name a few. PRI and its work were also mentioned in dozens of publications and its scholars appeared on 185 radio and television programs. And, despite the challenges of COVID-19 lockdowns, our scholars maintained a robust schedule, delivering speeches and participating in in-person and virtual debates and conferences.
Across the nation and in Washington, D.C., big government is back with a vengeance. Its proponents are exploiting the pandemic, attempting to expand government’s role in the economy and in our daily lives. Hence the theme of PRI’s end of year campaign: Reclaiming the American Dream. We must do everything in our power to keep the American Dream alive for every citizen – particularly for the least fortunate among us.
With your support, in 2021, we will:
- Launch an outreach campaign to educate the public on the dangers of President-elect Biden’s stepping-stone approach to single-payer—a public health insurance option that would compete against private insurers. We will combat the growing support for “Medicare for All” while promoting market-driven solutions and encouraging innovation in health care. PRI’s Center for Health Care will be expanding its reach to preserve America’s tradition of quality, accessible health care.
- Rollout new projects under our Center for Education to evaluate the latest developments in the war on charter schools and the implications for students and parents, outlining specific steps that charter school advocates can take in this increasingly hostile environment. Lance Izumi will also author a report on the rise in homeschooling in the wake of COVID-19 and offer timely policy recommendations for preserving, promoting, and expanding homeschool options for parents.
- Launch the latest book by PRI scholars, No Way Home: The Crisis of Homelessness and How to Fix It With Intelligence and Humanity. The book is the first of its kind to examine the causes of homelessness in California with a focus on unaffordable housing, poverty, mental illness, substance addiction, and legal issues—and offers a mix of long-term policy solutions based on our findings.
- Expand our virtual events series and deploy PRI scholars to speak on college campuses and virtual panels and debates. Sally Pipes recently participated in a Baylor University debate opposite Dr. Steffi Woolhandler, one of the original backers of single payer and the founder of Physicians for a National Health Insurance Plan at Harvard University.
- Launch a project exploring the problems with California Environmental Quality Act and its negative impacts on California’s affordable housing crisis. Along with in-depth analysis and real-life stories, we will produce a study that will put forward much-needed reforms that will enable the state to safeguard its environmental future while also growing the economy.
These are just a few of the priorities we will execute in the New Year. PRI’s four decades of success in the policy arena demonstrates that our hard-hitting research, media outreach, and policy work has the capacity to help turn the tide towards freedom all across America.
I hope that you will stand with us this Giving Tuesday. For information on how to support PRI’s mission, please visit www.pacificresearch.org/give/ or email support@pacificresearch.org.
