Reason Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Reason Foundation is an American
nonprofit think tank
founded in 1978 that also publishes Reason magazine
. Based in Los Angeles
, Reason is self-described as nonpartisan and publishes a statement of values that can best be described as libertarian
. Like most think tanks, they are a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that provides papers and studies to support a particular set of values. According to Reason's web site, these are "the values of individual freedom and choice, limited government, and market-friendly policies."
Reason Foundation's policy research areas include: air traffic control, American domestic monetary policy, school choice, eminent domain, government reform, housing, land use, immigration, privatization, public-private partnerships, urban traffic and congestion, transportation, free trade, globalization and telecommunications. Affiliated projects include Drew Carey
's Reason.tv videos, UrbanFutures and NewEnvironmentalism.org. Reason Foundation staff also regularly contribute to the Out of Control Policy Blog.
Reason received the resounding endorsements of Milton Friedman
, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, and The Wall Street Journal
. Friedman said, "Reason Foundation's tolerance, civility, and consistency in defending individual liberty make it a haven for believers in a free society of all shades of opinion;" and according to the Wall Street Journal, "Of all the nation's conservative or free-market policy groups, it may be the most libertarian among them, the Reason Foundation in Southern California, that ends up having the most direct impact on the actual functioning of government."
Reason Foundation founder Robert Poole is the author of Cutting Back City Hall, published by Universe Books in 1980. Cutting Back City Hall was massively influential, notably by providing the intellectual support for Margaret Thatcher
's privatization efforts in the United Kingdom. Thatcher famously said, "We showed that privatization worked." Poole
, an MIT trained engineer, remains at Reason serving as an Officer on the organization's Board of Trustees and Director of Transportation Policy.
, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
, former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens wrote columns for this publication in 2007.
, founded in 1968 by Lanny Friedlander, and was originally an infrequently published mimeographed magazine. In 1970, Robert Poole purchased Reason with Manuel S. Klausner and Tibor R. Machan, who set the magazine on a more regular publication schedule. Reason is the monthly print magazine of "free minds and free markets." It covers politics, culture, and ideas through a provocative mix of news, analysis, commentary, and reviews.
Reason and Reason Online are editorially independent publications of Reason Foundation. Reason magazine won three Los Angeles Press Club Awards in 2008.
' to refer to the contracting-out of public services and is the author of the first-ever book on municipal privatization, Cutting Back City Hall, published by Universe Books in 1980." Cutting Back City Hall was massively influential, notably by providing the intellectual support for Margaret Thatcher's privatization efforts in the United Kingdom. Thatcher wrote in Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report 2006, "State control is fundamentally bad because it denies people the power to choose and the opportunity to bear responsibility for their own actions. Conversely, privatisation shrinks the power of the state and free enterprise enlarges the power of the people."
The Reason Foundation supports the privatization of (or, public-private partnerships for) almost all government functions. Leonard Gilroy, Reason Foundation's Director of Government Reform, describes privatization as "a strategy to lower the costs of government and achieve higher performance and better outcomes for tax dollars spent." Gilroy also notes that "If badly executed, privatization like any other policy can fail. Taxpayers are no better off, and may be worse off, if a service is moved from a government agency to an incompetent or inefficient private business." During his time at Reason Gilroy has collaborated with Reason Foundation's Vice-President of Research, Adrian Moore, to co-author two studies that are essential introductory pieces on privatization, they include: Local Government Privatization 101 and 10 Principles of Privatization. Reason is known for seeking practical collaboration between the public and private sector, and has helped implement free market-based policy reforms across the United States and around the world.
Reason Foundation co-founder, Robert Poole, serves as the Director of Transportation Policy. Poole has been widely acclaimed for his work on transportation policy. According to The New York Times, "For 17 years, Mr. Poole has been the chief theorist for private solutions to gridlock. His ideas are now embraced by officials from Sacramento to Washington."
The Annual Highway Report receives significant media attention each year for ranking all 50 states for quality and cost-effectiveness. The 19th Annual Highway Report ranked North Dakota as having the most cost-effective roads in the country, and Rhode Island as having the least cost-effective roads in the country.
The Galvin Mobility Project is "producing results that will end congestion as a regular part of life." The Galvin Mobility Project has led to a prolific production of studies on the causes of congestion. One of the most noteworthy is the book "Mobility First: A New Vision for Transportation in a Globally Competitive Twenty-First Century" by Reason Foundation's Director of Urban Growth and Land Use Policy, Sam Staley.
in Provo
, Utah
as financially unstable and ineffective at lowering Internet costs or raising broadband use.http://www.reason.org/ps353.pdf iProvo proponents responded vigorously with a white paper rebutting Reason's conclusions.http://www.provo.org/downloads/util/building_a_digital_community.pdf In particular, the iProvo team noted that the author of the report, Steven Titch, "is a technology and public relations consultant with strong ties to Qwest Communications, an incumbent provider who has opposed the concept of iProvo from its infancy." Titch claimed that there was no conflict of interest.http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650218722,00.html Others have noted that Reason received a $100,000 grant from AT&T the previous year http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/202197/, although AT&T does not seem to be necessarily opposed to municipal WiFi.http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060830-7621.html
In 2008, Reason issued a follow up report titled, iProvo Revisited: Another Year and Still Struggling. According to Reason, the predictions in its first report had proven true: "iProvo's total losses are likely to exceed $10 million by the end of this fiscal year - and that figure doesn't include the $39.5 million borrowed to launch the project, most of which still needs to be paid back." Reason called for the city to "cut its losses" and sell the network to a private company. Shortly after the 2008 report was issued, the mayor of Provo, Lewis Billings
, who had been highly critical of the Reason reports, announced that iProvo would in fact be sold to a private enterprise, Broadweave
, for $40 million.
In 2006, Bailey wrote an article titled "Confessions of an Alleged ExxonMobil Whore: Actually no one paid me to be wrong about global warming. Or anything else." In the article Bailey explains how and why he changed his mind on climate change.
host Drew Carey
serves on the Board of Trustees at Reason Foundation. According to an interview by Katherine Herrup of the New York Sun with Nick Gillespie
(current editor-in-chief of Reason.tv), Carey initially proposed the idea for Reason.tv after reading Reason magazine for years. Carey then both appeared in and narrated numerous videos produced by Reason.tv.
One of the collaboration's first projects, Carey's video criticizing the Drug Enforcement Administration
's medical marijuana raids, received significant national attention. The Associated Press covered the video and included the following quote from Carey in their story, "I think it's clear by now that the federal government needs to reclassify marijuana. People who need it should be able to get it—safely and easily."
Carey's video, "Footloose in Arizona", may have helped save a family restaurant in Arizona. The Arizona Republic reported, "Kick off your boots and get ready to two-step because dancing is now allowed at San Tan Flat. Pinal County Superior Court Judge William O'Neil overturned a decision from the county Board of Supervisors that said the country-Western-themed restaurant was operating an illegal dance hall by allowing patrons to dance to live music on its back patio.... The saga of San Tan Flat drew national attention, prompting commentary from actor Drew Carey and conservative Washington Post columnist George Will. The case also received several comparisons to the 1984 Kevin Bacon film Footloose, in which a small town bans rock music and dancing."
Other Drew Carey videos for the foundation have promoted free trade; criticized the government's raids of local poker games; highlighted a ban on bacon-wrapped hot dogs in Los Angeles; detailed abuse of eminent domain
laws; called for more toll roads to relieve congestion; argued for deregulation of organ donation (including kidneys and other organs); and called for immigration reform.
"Reason Saves Cleveland" was awarded "Best Advocacy Journalism" at the 53rd Annual Southern California Journalism Awards by the Los Angeles Press Club.
. The candidates who signed the oath were: Sen. Barack Obama
, Rep. Ron Paul
, Sen. Sam Brownback
, former Sen. Mike Gravel
, Rep. Dennis Kucinich
, Libertarian Party
candidate Bob Barr
, and John Cox.
Reason Foundation's Vice-President of Research Adrian Moore said of the oath, "The next president should be committed to transparency and accountability. Redesigning the federal government so that it is more accountable to taxpayers is a nonpartisan issue. Transparency will help produce a government focused on results instead of our current system, which is plagued by secrecy, wasteful spending and pork projects."
Then-Senator Barack Obama echoed those sentiments saying, "Every American has the right to know how the government spends their tax dollars, but for too long that information has been largely hidden from public view. This historic law will lift the veil of secrecy in Washington and ensure that our government is transparent and accountable to the American people."
Reason posted the signed oaths on its website.
creators Matt Stone
and Trey Parker
, former Estonian prime minister Mart Laar
, and journalist Andrew Sullivan
.
In 2007, Reason hosted "Reason in DC" featuring The Price Is Right
host Drew Carey
, MTV
's Kurt Loder
, author and former judge Andrew Napolitano
, Nobel Prize
-winning economist Vernon L. Smith
, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao
and others.
In 2011, Reason is hosted its first-ever cruise event 2011 Eastern Caribbean Seminar Cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises' Solstice from January 30-February 6, 2011. The cruise featured "Reasons A-team of crusading journalists, sun-averse policy wonks, and assorted warriors for free minds and free markets."
Reason Foundation also hosts an annual "Reason Weekend" for its financial supporters and friends.
Patricia Lynn Scarlett took over as president in 2001. Shortly thereafter Scarlett resigned to join the Bush administration
as Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget at the Department of Interior.
David Nott, a Stanford University
graduate, has served as Reason Foundation's president since 2001.
Charity Navigator
, an independent rating group, has lowered its rating of the foundation to three out of four stars.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nonprofit think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
founded in 1978 that also publishes Reason magazine
Reason (magazine)
Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation. The magazine has a circulation of around 60,000 and was named one of the 50 best magazines in 2003 and 2004 by the Chicago Tribune.- History :...
. Based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Reason is self-described as nonpartisan and publishes a statement of values that can best be described as libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
. Like most think tanks, they are a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that provides papers and studies to support a particular set of values. According to Reason's web site, these are "the values of individual freedom and choice, limited government, and market-friendly policies."
Reason Foundation's policy research areas include: air traffic control, American domestic monetary policy, school choice, eminent domain, government reform, housing, land use, immigration, privatization, public-private partnerships, urban traffic and congestion, transportation, free trade, globalization and telecommunications. Affiliated projects include Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
's Reason.tv videos, UrbanFutures and NewEnvironmentalism.org. Reason Foundation staff also regularly contribute to the Out of Control Policy Blog.
Reason received the resounding endorsements of Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, and The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
. Friedman said, "Reason Foundation's tolerance, civility, and consistency in defending individual liberty make it a haven for believers in a free society of all shades of opinion;" and according to the Wall Street Journal, "Of all the nation's conservative or free-market policy groups, it may be the most libertarian among them, the Reason Foundation in Southern California, that ends up having the most direct impact on the actual functioning of government."
Reason Foundation founder Robert Poole is the author of Cutting Back City Hall, published by Universe Books in 1980. Cutting Back City Hall was massively influential, notably by providing the intellectual support for Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's privatization efforts in the United Kingdom. Thatcher famously said, "We showed that privatization worked." Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, an MIT trained engineer, remains at Reason serving as an Officer on the organization's Board of Trustees and Director of Transportation Policy.
Annual Privatization Report, Privatization Watch and Innovators in Action
Reason Foundation publishes the Annual Privatization Report, which reports on news and trends in U.S. outsourcing, privatization and public-private partnerships. Privatization Watch is another of the Foundation's privatization publications that is published three to four times per year. Innovators in Action is an annual publication that advocates shrinking the size and scope of government, usually through privatization. Former New York City Mayor Rudy GiulianiRudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
, former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens wrote columns for this publication in 2007.
Annual Highway Report
Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report ranks each state's transportation system on cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Reason has also published a number of studies opposing costly rail systems in favor of buses and toll roads. The 19th Annual Highway Report was published in September 2010.Reason Magazine
Reason Foundation's primary publication is Reason magazineReason (magazine)
Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation. The magazine has a circulation of around 60,000 and was named one of the 50 best magazines in 2003 and 2004 by the Chicago Tribune.- History :...
, founded in 1968 by Lanny Friedlander, and was originally an infrequently published mimeographed magazine. In 1970, Robert Poole purchased Reason with Manuel S. Klausner and Tibor R. Machan, who set the magazine on a more regular publication schedule. Reason is the monthly print magazine of "free minds and free markets." It covers politics, culture, and ideas through a provocative mix of news, analysis, commentary, and reviews.
Reason and Reason Online are editorially independent publications of Reason Foundation. Reason magazine won three Los Angeles Press Club Awards in 2008.
Privatization
Reason Foundation co-founder Robert Poole "is credited as the first person to use the term 'privatizationPrivatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
' to refer to the contracting-out of public services and is the author of the first-ever book on municipal privatization, Cutting Back City Hall, published by Universe Books in 1980." Cutting Back City Hall was massively influential, notably by providing the intellectual support for Margaret Thatcher's privatization efforts in the United Kingdom. Thatcher wrote in Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report 2006, "State control is fundamentally bad because it denies people the power to choose and the opportunity to bear responsibility for their own actions. Conversely, privatisation shrinks the power of the state and free enterprise enlarges the power of the people."
The Reason Foundation supports the privatization of (or, public-private partnerships for) almost all government functions. Leonard Gilroy, Reason Foundation's Director of Government Reform, describes privatization as "a strategy to lower the costs of government and achieve higher performance and better outcomes for tax dollars spent." Gilroy also notes that "If badly executed, privatization like any other policy can fail. Taxpayers are no better off, and may be worse off, if a service is moved from a government agency to an incompetent or inefficient private business." During his time at Reason Gilroy has collaborated with Reason Foundation's Vice-President of Research, Adrian Moore, to co-author two studies that are essential introductory pieces on privatization, they include: Local Government Privatization 101 and 10 Principles of Privatization. Reason is known for seeking practical collaboration between the public and private sector, and has helped implement free market-based policy reforms across the United States and around the world.
Transportation
Reason is engaged in a number of transportation policy endeavors.Reason Foundation co-founder, Robert Poole, serves as the Director of Transportation Policy. Poole has been widely acclaimed for his work on transportation policy. According to The New York Times, "For 17 years, Mr. Poole has been the chief theorist for private solutions to gridlock. His ideas are now embraced by officials from Sacramento to Washington."
The Annual Highway Report receives significant media attention each year for ranking all 50 states for quality and cost-effectiveness. The 19th Annual Highway Report ranked North Dakota as having the most cost-effective roads in the country, and Rhode Island as having the least cost-effective roads in the country.
The Galvin Mobility Project is "producing results that will end congestion as a regular part of life." The Galvin Mobility Project has led to a prolific production of studies on the causes of congestion. One of the most noteworthy is the book "Mobility First: A New Vision for Transportation in a Globally Competitive Twenty-First Century" by Reason Foundation's Director of Urban Growth and Land Use Policy, Sam Staley.
Education
Reason Foundation has strongly advocated for education reform - namely through expanded school choice initiatives. Reason's Director of Education and Child Welfare Lisa Snell authored a study in 2009 entitled Weighted Student Formula Yearbook 2009, which examined school districts using student-based "backpack funding." Snell is also: "an advisory board member to the National Quality Improvement Center for the Children’s Bureau; on the charter school accreditation team for the American Academy for Liberal Education; and serves as a board member for the California Virtual Academy."Municipal broadband
In 2006, Reason Foundation issued a report debunking a municipal Wi-Fi project iProvoIProvo
iProvo is the name of the Fiber to the Home service in Provo, Utah. Provo's backbone connects homes and businesses throughout the city, as well as municipal buildings, schools, power stations, and traffic signals. Construction began in July 2004 and was completed within two years...
in Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
as financially unstable and ineffective at lowering Internet costs or raising broadband use.http://www.reason.org/ps353.pdf iProvo proponents responded vigorously with a white paper rebutting Reason's conclusions.http://www.provo.org/downloads/util/building_a_digital_community.pdf In particular, the iProvo team noted that the author of the report, Steven Titch, "is a technology and public relations consultant with strong ties to Qwest Communications, an incumbent provider who has opposed the concept of iProvo from its infancy." Titch claimed that there was no conflict of interest.http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650218722,00.html Others have noted that Reason received a $100,000 grant from AT&T the previous year http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/202197/, although AT&T does not seem to be necessarily opposed to municipal WiFi.http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060830-7621.html
In 2008, Reason issued a follow up report titled, iProvo Revisited: Another Year and Still Struggling. According to Reason, the predictions in its first report had proven true: "iProvo's total losses are likely to exceed $10 million by the end of this fiscal year - and that figure doesn't include the $39.5 million borrowed to launch the project, most of which still needs to be paid back." Reason called for the city to "cut its losses" and sell the network to a private company. Shortly after the 2008 report was issued, the mayor of Provo, Lewis Billings
Lewis Billings
- Biography :Billings studied engineering, technology and business at Brigham Young University . Later he became an executive and General Manager at CalDisk, a company founded by his brother, Roger E. Billings, which developed rotating memory storage products for computers...
, who had been highly critical of the Reason reports, announced that iProvo would in fact be sold to a private enterprise, Broadweave
Broadweave
Broadweave Networks is a phone, Internet and television service provider based in Provo, Utah, United States.In 2009, Veracity Communications and Broadweave Networks merged and immediately began offering telecom services to both residential and commercial customers. This combined company created...
, for $40 million.
Climate change
The Reason Foundation for many years denied climate change was being caused by human beings. But in 2005, Reason magazine's science writer Ronald Bailey wrote a column declaring that climate change is both real and man-made. He wrote, "Anyone still holding onto the idea that there is no global warming ought to hang it up. All data sets—satellite, surface, and balloon—have been pointing to rising global temperatures."In 2006, Bailey wrote an article titled "Confessions of an Alleged ExxonMobil Whore: Actually no one paid me to be wrong about global warming. Or anything else." In the article Bailey explains how and why he changed his mind on climate change.
War in Iraq
The Reason Foundation has been critical of the cost of the war in Iraq. Reason magazine's May 2008 cover story "Trillion Dollar War" discussed the dubious ways in which the war in Iraq and Afghanistan have been funded by Congress and the Bush administration. The majority of Reason magazine's staffers opposed the war, but a few—notably the Beirut-based contributing editor Michael Young—endorsed it.Drew Carey Project and Reason.tv
Comedian and The Price Is RightThe Price Is Right (US game show)
The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...
host Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
serves on the Board of Trustees at Reason Foundation. According to an interview by Katherine Herrup of the New York Sun with Nick Gillespie
Nick Gillespie
Nick Gillespie is the editor of Reason.com and Reason.tv and was the editor in chief of Reason magazine from 2000 to 2008...
(current editor-in-chief of Reason.tv), Carey initially proposed the idea for Reason.tv after reading Reason magazine for years. Carey then both appeared in and narrated numerous videos produced by Reason.tv.
One of the collaboration's first projects, Carey's video criticizing the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
's medical marijuana raids, received significant national attention. The Associated Press covered the video and included the following quote from Carey in their story, "I think it's clear by now that the federal government needs to reclassify marijuana. People who need it should be able to get it—safely and easily."
Carey's video, "Footloose in Arizona", may have helped save a family restaurant in Arizona. The Arizona Republic reported, "Kick off your boots and get ready to two-step because dancing is now allowed at San Tan Flat. Pinal County Superior Court Judge William O'Neil overturned a decision from the county Board of Supervisors that said the country-Western-themed restaurant was operating an illegal dance hall by allowing patrons to dance to live music on its back patio.... The saga of San Tan Flat drew national attention, prompting commentary from actor Drew Carey and conservative Washington Post columnist George Will. The case also received several comparisons to the 1984 Kevin Bacon film Footloose, in which a small town bans rock music and dancing."
Other Drew Carey videos for the foundation have promoted free trade; criticized the government's raids of local poker games; highlighted a ban on bacon-wrapped hot dogs in Los Angeles; detailed abuse of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
laws; called for more toll roads to relieve congestion; argued for deregulation of organ donation (including kidneys and other organs); and called for immigration reform.
Reason Saves Cleveland
Reason.tv produced a full-length documentary entitled Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey applying success stories from around the United States to "save Cleveland." Carey, a Cleveland native, described the series saying, “(He) would like everybody in Cleveland to have rich kids’ syndrome, where they feel guilty that they had all of these opportunities." Reason Saves Cleveland can also be viewed broken up into six episodes:- Episode 1: The Decline of a Once Great City
- Episode 2: Fix the Schools
- Episode 3: Privatize It
- Episode 4: Take Care of Business
- Episode 5: Encourage Bottom-Up Redevelopment
- Episode 6: Bring Back the People
- The Outtake Reel
"Reason Saves Cleveland" was awarded "Best Advocacy Journalism" at the 53rd Annual Southern California Journalism Awards by the Los Angeles Press Club.
Oath of Presidential Transparency
Reason Foundation and a bipartisan group of over 30 other organizations asked all of the 2008 U.S. presidential candidates to sign a pledge promising that, if elected, they would deliver the most transparent presidency in history and guaranteeing the executive branch would adhere to the concepts of Open GovernmentOpen Government
"Open Government" is the first episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister, first broadcast 25 February 1980. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby.- Plot :...
. The candidates who signed the oath were: Sen. Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, Rep. Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, Sen. Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
, former Sen. Mike Gravel
Mike Gravel
Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and a former candidate in the 2008 presidential election....
, Rep. Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
, Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidate Bob Barr
Bob Barr
Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...
, and John Cox.
Reason Foundation's Vice-President of Research Adrian Moore said of the oath, "The next president should be committed to transparency and accountability. Redesigning the federal government so that it is more accountable to taxpayers is a nonpartisan issue. Transparency will help produce a government focused on results instead of our current system, which is plagued by secrecy, wasteful spending and pork projects."
Then-Senator Barack Obama echoed those sentiments saying, "Every American has the right to know how the government spends their tax dollars, but for too long that information has been largely hidden from public view. This historic law will lift the veil of secrecy in Washington and ensure that our government is transparent and accountable to the American people."
Reason posted the signed oaths on its website.
Major events
In 2006 the Reason Foundation sponsored a "Reason in Amsterdam" event with South ParkSouth Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
creators Matt Stone
Matt Stone
Matthew Richard "Matt" Stone is an American screenwriter, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of South Park along with creative partner and best friend, Trey Parker....
and Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
, former Estonian prime minister Mart Laar
Mart Laar
Mart Laar is an Estonian statesman, historian and a founding member of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002, and is the leader of the conservative party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica...
, and journalist Andrew Sullivan
Andrew Sullivan
Andrew Michael Sullivan is an English author, editor, political commentator and blogger. He describes himself as a political conservative. He has focused on American political life....
.
In 2007, Reason hosted "Reason in DC" featuring The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
host Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder is an American film critic, author, columnist, and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later called "legendary". He has contributed to articles in Reason, Esquire, Details, New York, and Time. He has also made cameos on...
, author and former judge Andrew Napolitano
Andrew Napolitano
Andrew Paolo Napolitano is a former New Jersey Superior Court Judge and now a political and legal analyst for Fox News Channel. Napolitano started on the channel in 1998, and currently serves as the network's senior judicial analyst, commenting on legal news and trials...
, Nobel Prize
Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, commonly referred to as the Nobel Prize in Economics, but officially the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel , is an award for outstanding contributions to the field of economics, generally regarded as one of the...
-winning economist Vernon L. Smith
Vernon L. Smith
Vernon Lomax Smith is professor of economics at Chapman University's Argyros School of Business and Economics and School of Law in Orange, California, a research scholar at George Mason University Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, and a Fellow of the Mercatus Center, all in Arlington,...
, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao
Elaine Chao
Elaine Lan Chao served as the 24th United States Secretary of Labor in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. She was the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Chinese American to be appointed to a President's cabinet in American history. Chao was the only cabinet...
and others.
In 2011, Reason is hosted its first-ever cruise event 2011 Eastern Caribbean Seminar Cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises' Solstice from January 30-February 6, 2011. The cruise featured "Reasons A-team of crusading journalists, sun-averse policy wonks, and assorted warriors for free minds and free markets."
Reason Foundation also hosts an annual "Reason Weekend" for its financial supporters and friends.
Presidents
Robert Poole founded Reason Foundation and served as its president from 1978 to 2001.Patricia Lynn Scarlett took over as president in 2001. Shortly thereafter Scarlett resigned to join the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
as Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget at the Department of Interior.
David Nott, a Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
graduate, has served as Reason Foundation's president since 2001.
Board of trustees
According to Reason's website the people serving on its board of trustees are:- William A. Dunn, Chairman of DUNN Capital Management
- Thomas E. Beach, Beach Investment Counsel, Inc.
- Drew CareyDrew CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, Host of The Price is Right - Derwood S. Chase, Jr., Chase Investment Counsel Corporation
- James R. Curley, Financial Consortium International, LLC
- Richard. J. Dennis, Dennis Trading Group
- David Fleming, Latham & Watkins LLC
- James D. Jameson
- Manuel S. Klausner, Law Offices of Manuel S. Klausner, PC
- David H. KochDavid H. KochDavid Hamilton Koch is an American businessman, philanthropist, political activist, and chemical engineer. He is a co-owner and an executive vice president of Koch Industries, a conglomerate that is the second-largest privately held company in the U.S...
, Koch IndustriesKoch IndustriesKoch Industries, Inc. , is an American private energy conglomerate based in Wichita, Kansas, with subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, trading and investments. Koch also owns Invista, Georgia-Pacific, Flint Hills Resources, Koch Pipeline, Koch Fertilizer, Koch Minerals and Matador Cattle Company... - James Lintott, Sterling Foundation Management, LLC
- Stephen Modzelewski, Maple Engine, L.P.
- David Nott, Reason Foundation
- George F. Ohrstrom
- Robert W. Poole, Jr., Reason Foundation
- Carol Sanders
- Vernon L. SmithVernon L. SmithVernon Lomax Smith is professor of economics at Chapman University's Argyros School of Business and Economics and School of Law in Orange, California, a research scholar at George Mason University Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, and a Fellow of the Mercatus Center, all in Arlington,...
, Chapman UniversityChapman UniversityChapman University is a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California affiliated with the Christian Church . Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media... - Richard A. Wallace, Freedom CommunicationsFreedom CommunicationsFreedom Communications, Inc. is a media conglomerate in the United States. It owns approximately 100 daily and weekly newspapers in the US, with a combined daily circulation of nearly one million subscribers, and also operates over seventy local news websites...
, Inc. - Fred M. Young, Jr., former owner, Young Radiator Company
- Pierluigi ZappacostaPierluigi ZappacostaPierluigi Zappacosta is a Venture Partner with Noventi and Vice President of Business Development at Sierra Sciences....
, Sierra Sciences - Frank Bond, Trustee Emeritus
- Harry E. Teasley, Jr., Chairman Emeritus
- Walter E. WilliamsWalter E. WilliamsWalter E. Williams, is an American economist, commentator, and academic. He is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author known for his libertarian views.- Early life and education :Williams family during childhood...
, Trustee Emeritus, George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
Funding
Reason Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization completely supported by voluntary contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and the sale of its publications.Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. Its stated goal is "to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."-About:...
, an independent rating group, has lowered its rating of the foundation to three out of four stars.