Left-wing think tanks?

[white_wolf]

So there are a lot of RW think tanks, American for Prosperity, Cargine Foundation, Project for the New American Century, and I feel like I'm forgetting the biggest so if anyone know what it is let me know. Anyway my real question is are there any Left-wing think tanks to counter those on the right? I know there is the Progressive Policy Institute but that's a DLC thing. So are there any Left wing think tanks?

[inademv]

1. Moveon.org

that's about the only one i can think of.

[Lasher]

2. Check this out

Scroll to the bottom

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3322

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Center for American Progress

www.americanprogress.org

[nuxvomica]

4. Institute for Policy Studies

A pretty bland name for a vibrant left-wing think tank, founded in 1963 and the "inspiration" for the right-wing Heritage Foundation (which incidentally lists Canada as having more economic freedom than the US).
http://www.ips-dc.org/

[madfloridian]

5. Campaign for America's Future...absolutely the best.

www.ourfuture.org

[bemildred]

6. "Think Tank" == "Propaganda Mill". Is that really what we want? nt

[Curmudgeoness]

9. We are going to have to figure out how to counter the bullshit

that is thrown out by the RW propaganda mill. This is one of our weaknesses. We try to be above the stink, and fail to get our message out. That is what I really want. If we have to fight fire with fire, then so be it.

[calimary]

7. There are very few, by comparison.

There's Think Progress, which I think is part of the Center for American Progress, People for the American Way, Democracy for America (used to be Dean for America), Bold Progressives.

Basically, I am not sure if these actually qualify as "think tanks" per se. But it seems to me they serve similar functions. Hell,tion seems to me DU itself qualifies as a think tank for all the services it provides:

policy development
education
research
fundraising
lobbying
strategizing
mobilizing
coaching/grooming/development of media figures and spokespeople
recruiting activists, spokespeople, and candidates
endowments of fellowships for advocacy and media and academia
media interfacing/management
mentoring of young, up n coming activists for public and private concerns
publishing of books and position papers
and more.

Think tanks are centers that foster the growth and development of policy - both public and private, I imagine. Vetting ideas and kicking ideas around in groups, or in dissertations. Growing and developing as much influence as possible.

A think tank attracts the following types:

politicians and ex-politicians
writers
scientists
public policy experts
media people
academics
students
lobbyists
strategists and tacticians
social networking specialists
journalists
researchers and archivists
data analysts
historians
underwriters
and more.

I've believed for a long time that DU qualifies as an online think tank. I have learned more about policy and issues hanging out here since 2001 than I ever imagined was available to learn about. I've been able to go WAY deeper on issues, people, and controversies in these times than I could have - relying on the standard inputs from TV/cable news newspapers, general, more mainstream news magazines. And better yet, on MY schedule instead of what broadcast schedules dictated.

[readmoreoften]

8. Exactly who would pay for it? The corporations?

There are no think-tanks, per se, but there are left-wing book publishers (e.g. Haymarket Books, Monthly Review)