NCPA Programs

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NCPA Projects In Action

Tax and Retirement Policy Reform

  • Distinguished Fellow Robert D. McTeer, Jr., has been a leader in promoting pro-growth reforms as the NCPA spokesperson on economic and tax policy reform.
  • NCPA publications about taxing the poor, Americans’ saving habits, and how to fix the alternative minimum tax are being distributed and promoted.
  • The NCPA has created www.retirementreform.org to help share solutions for retirement reform policy problems.
  • NCPA Policy Chairman Michael Whalen has become a leading expert on tax and retirement issues, with contributions to the NCPA retirement Web Site and in media appearances.

Health Care

  • The NCPA’s rapid media response program tracks, analyzes and responds daily to national news on health care, counteracting bad and reinforcing good information.
  • Our State Health Care Reform Handbook and state reform initiative is helping state-based think tanks reform local Medicaid programs and state health insurance regulations.
  • John Goodman’s popular blog focuses on information empowering patients with consumer driven health care solutions.

Environment/Energy Communications Program (E-Team)

  • The Global Warming Primer is available to middle and high school classes around the country. Eteam.ncpathinktank.org provides market-oriented environmental solutions with more than 15,000 research and news articles.
  • The NCPA is educating Americans that for a fraction of the cost of preventing climate change, we can adapt our behavior to limit the negative impacts of global warming.
  • We have increased our exposure in trade journals, and broadcast media by more than 50 percent each of the past three years.
  • President Klaus of the Czech Republic has asked permission to translate the Global Warming Primer into Czech for distribution in his country.
  • Permission also has been granted to Giancarlo Ibarguen of the Universidad Francisco Marioquin in Guatemala for translation and distribution.

Other Initiatives

  • Debate Central is a free online resource created and maintained by the NCPA for high school students. Debate Central provides high school debaters information on all the popular forms of high school debate – Cross-Examination, Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum – along with hundreds of links to relevant resources, background materials from leading scholars, and access to advice from a diverse array of experts. The website is an invaluable service for high school debaters nationwide, as well as hundreds of thousands of students in high school speech and government classes. The content is offered to debaters at no charge, making Debate Central the largest free collection of information targeted to high school debaters.
  • Each year, the NCPA co-sponsors Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks, a world-class summer leadership program that allows 50 of the top high school
    students in the U.S. to have a face-to-face experience with national and
    international leaders.
  • We expanded our Junior Fellow and Internship program to give more students the opportunity to gain experience working in the field of public policy.
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Traditional Media Outreach

Newspapers, magazines, radio, television and online media are the most economical and efficient way of distributing the NCPA message. The following factors will allow us to assess our success in increasing the level of public awareness through media response:

  • The number of people reached through print, radio, television and online outreach
  • The advertising dollar equivalent of our media coverage

NCPA Web sites and Blogs

The NCPA expands audiences dramatically through its Web sites, www.ncpathinktank.org, www.TaxesandGrowth.ncpathinktank.org, www.RetirementReform.org, www.familyissues.ncpathinktank.org and http://cdhc.ncpathinktank.org (our consumer-driven health care Web site). NCPA Distinguished Fellow Robert McTeer, Jr.’s blog conveys insights on taxes, the economy and monetary policy and promotes the NCPA’s policy reform ideas. Free market ideas are also shared on NCPA President John Goodman’s Health Blog. Podcasts and video recordings of NCPA expert appearances are available on its Web sites and shared with Washington policymakers and the news media.

New Media Outreach

The NCPA is reaching new audiences through its new media campaigns on social networking sites. Follow the NCPA on:

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The NCPA’s Washington D.C. staff monitors developments in public policy, legislation, Congressional hearings, regulatory rule-making, and other governmental affairs. We work to educate members of Congress, administration officials, and other public policy-makers about NCPA free-market ideas. Our activities include:

Distribution of NCPA research to Congress, the Administration, and other policy-makers

  • NCPA articles, editorials, studies and publications are routinely distributed to Capitol Hill, the White House, other think tanks, and industry representatives in Washington.
  • Blog postings and other NCPA electronic media are also distributed to policy-makers.
  • Often, NCPA studies are copied and redistributed by Members of Congress to their colleagues.
  • Ideas from NCPA publications frequently appear in speeches and statements from policy-makers.

Testimony before Congress

  • John Goodman and other NCPA experts routinely showcase our ideas in testimony before Congressional committees.
  • NCPA routinely submits written testimony for consideration during hearings on issues of interest to NCPA.
  • We also submit questions for Members to ask witnesses during Congressional hearings.

Desk-side visits with Members of Congress and high-level staff members

  • A core activity of NCPA’s Washington Office is to conduct personal meetings with members and staff on Capitol Hill and the Administration.
  • John Goodman, Bob McTeer, Tom Saving, Sterling Burnett, Devon Herrick, and other NCPA experts have met with key Congressional and Administration officials.
  • The D.C. staff maintains close and frequent contact with Capitol Hill and the Administration, averaging 18-20 contacts per week.

Briefings, news conferences and other high-profile speaking engagements and presentations

  • NCPA hosts policy briefings, news conferences, and other events on Capitol Hill and other venues in Washington to showcase NCPA experts and ideas.
  • Members of Congress routinely speak at NCPA policy briefings.
  • NCPA reaches out to Republicans, Democrats, other think tanks, and various interest groups to add perspective and dialogue to our briefings. Some of our policy briefings are similar to debates, with NCPA arguing in behalf of free-market principles.