With the end of the year upon us, what better time to talk about all that we have accomplished at the Pacific Research Institute in 2017. In the past 12 months, we have:
- promoted policies that expand access to high-quality education through school choice, charter schools, and digital learning opportunities for all students;
- further expanded PRI’s Young Leaders Circle – a new program to educate and empower the next generation of free-market leaders in the San Francisco Bay Area;
- exposed the false promises of single-payer health care while promoting a roadmap for market-driven health care reform in the U.S.;
- made the case for comprehensive public sector pension reform and refuted misinformation promulgated by the public employee unions and their supporters;
- championed the California Prosperity Agenda, a series of commonsense, bipartisan reforms to advance prosperity and opportunity throughout the state; and
- defined the policies that comprise a Prescription for Economic Growth, which addresses our current economic situation and offers pro-growth policy suggestions.
PRI has published several highly influential studies, reports, and briefs in the past 12 months, including The Corrupt Classroom, a book by PRI’s Lance Izumi on the non-academic reasons for school choice; Beyond the New Normal, a multi-part study which makes the case that future U.S. economic growth can meet – or exceed – past growth trends if the right economic policies are adopted; and Unaffordable, a brief that analyzes California’s misguided housing regulations and promotes market-friendly reforms.
Op-eds by PRI scholars have been published more than 400 times in well-read newspapers, magazines, and online media outlets. PRI has also been mentioned or cited in hundreds of publications and our scholars have appeared on numerous radio and television stations including CNBC, NBC News, the Wall Street Journal’s “Opinion Journal,” Real Clear Radio Hour, the Dennis Prager Show, and the Lars Larson Show. Sally Pipes launched her bi-weekly columns for Investor’s Business Daily and The Washington Examiner’s “Beltway Confidential” blog. And, Lance Izumi began writing a monthly column on education issues for Education Week. PRI’s team of policy experts also maintained a robust appearance schedule, delivering speeches and participating in debates and conferences around the country.
To say this has been a busy year for PRI would be an understatement. But I’m confident in saying that next year is going to be a lot busier. Yes, we have our work cut out for us. There’s no denying that. But as I look back at all that PRI has done over the last year to further our mission of championing freedom, limited government, opportunity, and personal responsibility through free-market policy solutions, I’m encouraged.
As we reflect on this past year, we know that we cannot rest on what we have accomplished . . . but rather we must look forward and prepare to take on the challenges of tomorrow. Thanks to the support of our donors in California and throughout the nation, I am confident we will do just that.
If you have not yet already joined us in furthering our mission, I would encourage you to consider making a year-end gift. Your contribution of $100, $200, or even $500 or more will provide us with the resources we need to lead the way in 2018. With you by our side, I am confident that we can make 2018 a great year for freedom.
PRI has a positive, powerful vision for California and the nation. This is a vision that we’ve promoted since our founding in 1979 and one that we look forward to carrying with us into 2018. Now more than ever, our country needs that vision. That is why I hope you will partner with us as we work to turn that vision into reality.
On behalf of all of us at PRI, we wish you and yours a very Happy New Year!
Ben Smithwick is director of development at the Pacific Research Institute.
