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ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
The Show-Me Institute (SMI) was co-founded in 2005 by Rex Sinquefield, a billionaire GOP donor who has bankrolled numerous campaigns and ballot initiatives to advance his extreme political agenda, and wealthy conservative Crosby Kemper III. SMI was immediately praised by like-minded ideologues, such as Ethelmae Humphreys, Dick Armey of FreedomWorks, disgraced former Speaker Rod Jetton and Tracie Sharp of the State Policy Network for providing the air of unbiased research to advance their right wing agenda. The Show-Me Institute is organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri. Annual receipts for the organization exceeded $1.4M in 2010 and 2011, the most recent years for which 990 tax forms are available.
While its support from Sinquefield is well known, the Show-Me Institute has also received significant funding from entities associated with the Kochs. The Koch-funded Donors Capital Fund has provided at least $567,941 to SMI since its founding. SMI has also received funding from other out-of-state rightwing organizations such as the Roe Foundation, the State Policy Network, and the Cato Institute. Documented support from national right-wing organizations includes: Donors Donors Capital Fund JM Foundation Jaquelin Hume Foundation Roe Foundation State Policy Network Castle Rock Foundation Cato Institute Funding $567,941 $20,000 $100,000 $60,000 $87, 951 $20,000 $50,000 Years 2005-2010 2006 2007-2010 2007-2011 2007 2008-2011 2006
Source: American Bridge Conservative Transparency Project SMI also participates in the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellowship Program, through which it can receive funding for summer interns. In addition, SMI research fellow and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Professor Rik Hafer received an $8,000 grant from the Charles Koch Foundation in October 2012 to fund curriculum changes in the SIUE School of Business. (Targeted News Service, Hafer Receives Charles Koch Foundation Grant for SIUE School of Business, October 11, 2012)
THE SHOW-ME INSTITUTE'S 'CHIEF ECONOMIST' RECEIVED HUGE SALARIES FROM THE ORGANIZATION ON TOP OF HIS 'KEN LAY CHAIR' SALARY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI. CAMPAIGN FINANCE RECORDS SHOW HE IS ALSO PAID REGULARLY TO GENERATE INDUSTRYFRIENDLY STUDIES.
Joseph Haslag is the Show-Me Institute's "Chief Economist," and is also the Kenneth Lay Chair in Economics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Haslag's position at the University of Missouri was made possible by the University's most notorious alumnus, Ken Lay, and was vacant for four years before Haslag took the position. Beyond his $160,000 annual university salary, Haslag also received significant funds from the Show-Me Institute. Haslag was paid annual salaries of $120,000, $119,500 and $90,000 by SMI from 2008-2010. Public records show these Show-Me Institute salaries were paid on top of his annual University salaries of $135,000-$160,000. Beyond his SMI and University income, Haslag has also been paid by numerous ballot committees to provide research that advances their issue campaigns. Campaign clients include the MO Petroleum
Marketers + Convenience Store Assoc PAC and Missourians for Equal Credit Opportunity (Payday Lenders) PAC. It is noteworthy that despite his considerable income and public benefits, Haslag has advocated against defined benefit retirement plans and against minimum wage increases.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE RECORDS SHOW SMI STAFFERS WORK DIRECTLY FOR REPUBLICAN AND IDEOLOGICAL CAMPAIGN EFFORTS.
The Show-Me Institute's Communications Director, Rick Edlund, was a paid consultant for Cole McNary's unsuccessful campaign for Treasurer in 2012 and Sarah Steelman's failed US Senate bid. He was also paid to consult for the House Republican Campaign Committee in 2010, and worked for former Senator Jim Talent's 2000 campaign. Patrick Tuohey, SMI's "Western Missouri Field Manager," was press secretary for Steelmans US Senate bid, previously served as Director of Communications for Frank Luntzs polling firm, and manages (or managed) the Missourians for Responsible Government 501(c)(4) organization that has moved millions of dollars on behalf of the payday lending industry to protect the lenders' triple digit interest rates. Brenda Talent, SMI's Executive Director, is the spouse of Jim Talent, the former Republican Senator and Congressman. Former Show-Me Institute policy analyst Christine Harbin went on to become a research manager at ALEC and a federal policy analyst at the Koch-founded and funded Americans for Prosperity.
INTEGRATED AGENDAS: THE SHOW-ME INSTITUTE, ALEC & AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
Though the organization promotes itself as Missouri-focused, the Show-Me Institute advocates for many of the same controversial policies as national right-wing organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and Americans for Prosperity (AFP), with which it shares common funders.
ROE FOUNDATION
The Roe Foundation .................... $10,000.00.....................2011 The Roe Foundation .................... $10,000.00.....................2010 The Roe Foundation .................... $15,000.00.....................2009 The Roe Foundation .................... $15,000.00.....................2008 The Roe Foundation .................... $10,000.00.....................2007
CATO INSTITUTE
Cato Institute .............................. $50,000.00.....................2006
JM FOUNDATION
JM Foundation ............................ $20,000.00.....................2006 Sources: Media Matters, Show-Me Institute; Sourcewatch, Show-Me Institute; American Bridge Conservative Transparency)
Tax files for the Sinquefield Family Foundation show Haslag was paid an additional $30,000 for research in 2005. Joseph Haslag is married to Sarah Haslag, who appears to have been SMI's Director of Development from March 2008 to December 2009. It is noteworthy that despite his considerable income and public benefits, Haslag has advocated against defined benefit retirement plans and against minimum wage increases.
"Watchdog.org" franchise (the Franklin Centers website in many states) "highly ideological." Since its founding, the Franklin Center has been funded by conservative organizations including the Koch-funded Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund and the Bradley Foundation.
INTEGRATED AGENDAS: THE SHOW-ME INSTITUTE, ALEC & AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
Though the organization promotes itself as Missouri-focused, the Show-Me Institute advocates for many of the same controversial policies as national right-wing organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and Americans for Prosperity (AFP), with which it shares common funders. As Missourians can see in the chart below, there is regular overlap in ideological advocacy between SMI, ALEC and AFP. ISSUE Paycheck Deception SHOW-ME INSTITUTE In April 2013, Show-Mes Patrick Ishmael presented to the Missouri House Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee in favor of paycheck protection better named paycheck deception legislation. AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL (ALEC) ALECs Paycheck Protection Act is an attempt at union-busting by making it difficult for public employee unions to raise funds for political activities. AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY Missouris Americans for Prosperity chapter lists paycheck protection on its 2013 Legislative Agenda. AFP-MO also issued a press release in March 2013 applauding Sen. Dan Browns leadership on passing a paycheck deception bill. AFP-MO lists expanding charter schools and school vouchers on its 2013 Legislative Agenda. AFP is also connected to many of the national and state-based groups that push Parent Trigger legislation.
SMI has produced numerous reports and studies supporting privatizing public education through school vouchers and charter schools. The Show-Me Institute also published a report in 2012 calling for a Parent Trigger bill, a well-known ALEC bill.
Education privatization is a key component in ALECs extreme agenda. ALECs school voucher models include the Education Enterprise Zone Act and The Parent Choice Scholarship Program Act. ALECs charter school models include the Charter Schools Act and the Next Generation Charter Schools Act.
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ISSUE
SHOW-ME INSTITUTE
AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL (ALEC) Finally, a Parent Trigger bill introduced in Missouri in 2012 (HB 393) is nearly identical to the ALEC model.
The Show-Me Institute has supported various changes to tenure that attack the rights of teachers in its reports and publications. In addition, Show-Me cofounder and President Rex Sinquefield is well-known for funding anti-tenure campaigns and organizations in Missouri, specifically through TeachGreat.org an organization entirely funded by Sinquefield whose sole purpose is to repeal all teacher tenure laws. The Show-Me Institute has opposed the 2010 Affordable Care Act in its publications and reports, and Show-Mes Dave Roland led a roundtable discussion on ALECs Freedom of Choice in Heath Care Act at an ALEC conference in April 2010. The Show-Me Institute is also strongly opposed to Gov. Nixons plan to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which would provide healthcare to 260,000 Missourians. The
ALEC has produced numerous model bills that attack teacher tenure, including the cleverly-named Great Teachers and Leaders Act and Teacher Quality and Recognition Demonstration Act
AFP-MO says Missouri needs to examine tenure reform in the education section of its 2013 Legislative Agenda.
ALEC has issued several model bills against the 2010 Affordable Care Act, including the Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act and the Resolution Opposing Employer-Paid Health Care Mandates. ALECs Guide to Repeal Obamacare is a guide for state legislators to repeal the Affordable Care Act, urging them to reject Medicaid expansion and federal grants for Medicaid.
AFP-MO lists its opposition to Gov. Nixons plan to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in its 2013 Legislative Agenda.
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ISSUE
SHOW-ME INSTITUTE institute has released several reports against Medicaid expansion and also testified to the state legislature against Medicaid expansion.
Minimum Wage
The Show-Me Institute has published several reports against raising the minimum wage in Missouri.
ALEC has produced several bill templates opposing minimum wage laws, including the Resolution in Opposition to any Increase in the Starting (Minimum) Wage and the Living Wage Mandate Preemption Act
Americans for Prosperity has opposed increasing or called for an all-out repeal of the minimum wage. In a 2012 report, AFP said minimum wage laws were simply labor market barriers and lawmakers should let businesses freely decide what to pay their employees. AFP-MO lists addressing unfunded liabilities in its 2013 Legislative Agenda. AFP has also supported definedcontribution plans in other states, including in Michigan, Montana, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska.
Pension Deform
The Show-Me Institute has released several reports calling for the state to shift away from defined-benefit public pension plans to risky definedcontribution plans to solve the unfunded liabilities problem, including during legislative testimony in March 2013.
ALECs Public Employees Portable Retirement Option (PRO) Act is a move towards eliminating defined benefit pension plans for public employees that protect retirees.
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