Who influences state government for us?

I was talking with a friend about how Michigan needs a credible think tank that speaks for the left and rivals the ultraconservative, Midland-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy in influence and effectiveness. I’m no expert on state policy research firms but I can’t think of anything that comes close to garnering the type of attention and funding that the Mackinac Center draws.

Thank goodness for Google.

The Mackinac Center – which claims to be “advancing liberty and prosperity” and laughably bills itself as a “nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Michigan citizens by promoting sound solutions to state and local policy questions” – has received a lot of attention recently for making a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to find out what Michigan’s university labor studies departments are saying about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R-Douche) and his attack on collective bargaining.

The center uses its website to label those who oppose FOIA requests “enemies of open government.” It refers to “ObamaCare’s litmus test for legislators” and advocates that “illegal strikers be punished.” It boasts a 23-person policy staff, a 12-person professional staff, a 14-person board of directors (none of whom, apparently, would allow their photo to be featured online) and a 56-person “board of scholars,” whatever that is. Interestingly, Russ Harding serves as Director of the Property Rights Network for the center. This is the guy who, as John Engler’s Department of Environmental Quality director from 1995 to 2002, de-emphasized public and environmental health in favor of business and economic growth.

What entities are out there countering the Koch-funded Mackinac Center? I’m not sure there are any.

The Center for Michigan isn’t partisan. In fact, it decries partisanship. A nonprofit “think-and-do” tank founded by Phil Power in early 2006, this center counts the Michigan Truth Squad – which seeks to “blow the whistle on false and misleading political speech” – as one of its projects. The center’s current issues include Governor Snyder’s proposals affecting Michigan’s cities, police and fire, pension and health care costs and legislative redistricting, among others.

There’s Progress Michigan, whose mission is “to provide a strong credible voice that holds public officials and government accountable, assists in the promotion of progressive ideas and uses state-of-the-art, web-based new media to creatively build grassroots support for progressive ideas.” Founded in 2007, it’s headed by former Clean Water Action staffer David Holtz and employs Angela Vasquez-Giroux Wittrock, a personal friend and one of the best writers I know, although I don’t share her love for baseball and am therefore not to be trusted. According to its website, three others round out the staff.

Progress Michigan’s website provides links to stories about the Mackinac Center, social security and the federal deficit and shares information on protecting item pricing (which Rick Snyder has repealed) and supporting clean energy (which is doubtful under this administration). This organization also defends Planned Parenthood and Title X – the federal government program signed into law by Nixon in 1970 that provides access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to low-income folks – and attacks Snyder’s budget proposals as representing value for Michigan’s CEOs, not the rest of us.

The Michigan Prospect for Renewed Citizenship – founded by former state Democratic Party chair, Office of Services to the Aging director and lieutenant governor candidate Libby Maynard – is headed by Lynn Jondahl, a former Democratic state legislator who literally oozes integrity and is one of my all-time favorite public servants. Established in 1992, Michigan Prospect represents "the viewpoints of business, education, labor, law, nonprofit agencies, and the public sector." Its purview includes most issues; its work led to the creation of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.

There are other firms that produce reports and try to influence public policy, but I couldn’t find any with a 56-person board of scholars.

Public Policy Associates, headed by Jeff Padden (another former legislator who is a class act), emphasizes research, analysis, data collection, surveying and evaluation. Its areas of expertise include economic development, education and workforce issues, health care and environmental protection.

Public Sector Consultants is “an objective, nonpartisan research firm with expertise in education, health care, energy, and environmental policy.” I’ve worked with PSC staff and applied for a job there once but they wouldn’t even interview me.

With offices in Lansing, Detroit and Grand Rapids, Truscott Rossman describes itself as “Michigan’s premier bipartisan strategic communications firm.” It’s headed by Kelly Rossman-McKinney, a former Blanchard aide, and John Truscott, John Engler’s former press secretary.

A straight lobbying firm, Public Affairs Associates is “one of Michigan's most respected, connected and effective government relations firms, dedicated to providing clients with an experience unsurpassed by any other Michigan lobbying firm.” It’s been around for four decades.

Billing itself as “one of Michigan's top public relations firms, providing clients with proven results in public affairs and strategic communications consulting,” Martin Waymire Advocacy Communications was started by public relations experts Roger Martin and Dave Waymire and is the only firm featuring Riddle, a seven-year-old Belgian Malinois that serves as Canine Executive Officer.

Whaddaya think of that, Mackinac Center? Got any dogs on your staff?

The Center for Michigan says it wants to “cure our unhealthy hyper-partisan political culture and reinvigorate our broken policy apparatus by calling forth a bottom-up, common ground citizens’ agenda for Michigan’s transformation.” I admit I like the sound of this. But I don’t know how you cure hyper-partisanship when there are two radical, extreme conservatives with the deepest of pockets – Charles and David Koch, worth $43 billion – trying to alter the political landscape in their favor. I’m pretty sure the Koch Agenda trumps the Citizens Agenda every time.