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Arthur C. Brooks

Arthur C. Brooks

Credentials

Background

Arthur C. Brooks was the President of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) from January 1, 20094“Arthur C. Brooks,” AEI. Archived August 26, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/qZfMe to July 2019 when he stepped down.5“About,” AEI. Archived August 27, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Cj26e He is also the AEI Beth and Ravenel Curry Scholar in Free Enterprise. The AEI describes itself as a “private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics and social welfare.”6“American Enterprise Institute Gets New Leader,” The NonProfit Times, January 21, 2019. Archived December 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/HMYq7

The Washington Post reported in 2014 that under Arthur Brooks, the AEI had become “the dominant conservative think tank,” surpassing the Heritage Foundation.7Jennifer Rubin. “Why the American Enterprise Institute chief is so popular,” The Washington Post, April 2, 2014. Archived December 12, 2017. Speaking with a number of Republicans, Newsweek noted that Brooks had expanded AIE‘s influence on Capitol Hill.8Pema Levy. “ARTHUR BROOKS‘S PUSH TO MAKE THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE—AND REPUBLICANS—RELEVANT AGAIN,” Newsweek, April 1, 2014. Archived August 27, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/TpnAv

Brooks is a board member of Donors Capital Fund (DCF)9“Directors & Officers,” Donors Capital Fund. Archived September 7, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/y0HH6 which, in conjunction with its sister organization DonorsTrust, has earned the title of the “Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement.”10Andy Kroll. “Exposed: The Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement,” Mother Jones, February 5, 2013. Archived September 7, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/zrUz5 AEI itself has received at least $22,618,714 through DCF, making Donors Capital Fund the single largest source of its funding.11“American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research,” Conservative Transparency. Data retrieved June 29, 2016. In a 2013 study in the journal Climatic Change, Donors Trust and Donors Capital Find were identified as key funders of the “climate change counter movement.”

Before working with AEI, Brooks worked as a Professor of Business and Government at Syracuse University. He has been a contributing opinion writer to the New York Times and has written numerous books on free enterprise. 12“Arthur C. Brooks,” AEI. Archived August 26, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/qZfMe

NBC news once called Brooks the “Republican Party’s poverty guru,” and according to his website, he has “helped make poor and vulnerable Americans a key focus for AEI and for the conservative movement.”13“ARTHUR C. BROOKS,” arthurbrooks.com. Archived August 27, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/52I84

Brooks is a former consultant for the RAND Corporation, where he was also a Doctoral Fellow.14“Arthur C. Brooks,” AEI. Archived August 26, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/qZfMe He has also spoken at events with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).15“Arthur Brooks talks to ALEC in Scottsdale,” YouTube video uploaded by user “American Legislative Exchange Council,” December 9, 2015.

PragerU Videos

Brooks has produced four pro-capitalism economics videos at PragerU, a conservative website founded in 2011 by radio talk show host and author Dennis Prager16Madaline Donnelly. “How Dennis Prager’s Conservative Online University Reaches Millions,” The Daily Signal, November 4, 2015. Archived August 29, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/HQ7bD that has been funded by fracking industry billionaires Dan and Farris Wilks.17Bria Shea. “Fracking Titans Spend Millions Proselytizing School Children,” Rewire, April 30, 2015. Archived August 29, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/SphpV

Leading Environmental Indicators

According to Steven Hayward, writing in the 2009 Index of Leading Environmental Indicators, Arthur Brooks had provided “unflagging support for this project every year.” The project ran from 1996 to 2009, and was published by the Pacific Research Institute in conjunction with the American Enterprise Institute.18“Index of Leading Environmental Indicators: 2009 Report,” Pacific Research Institute, April 16, 2009. January 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pQ3D1

The report dismisses climate change. For example, Hayward said in the 2009 report:19“Index of Leading Environmental Indicators: 2009 Report,” Pacific Research Institute, April 16, 2009.January 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pQ3D1

“The data show that 2008 was the coolest year since 2000, and there has been no discernible warming for the last decade, after two decades of steady warming between 1979 and 1998.” 

View the reports below:

Stance on Climate Change

2009

Brooks pointed to a paper by climate change denier Kenneth P. Green as making “you a lot smarter on climate change research.” View the AEI paper here, and Brooks’ original tweet below:20“This paper will make you a lot smarter on climate change research:” Twitter. Posted by user @arthurbrooks, October 23, 2009. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.

According to Kenneth P. Green’s commentary: 21Kenneth P. Green. “Climate Change: The Resilience Option,” AEI, October, 2009. Archived November 27, 2009. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/cTsge

  • “Climate change is almost impossible to stop.”
  • “While working on that problem, we need to shift policymaking to resilience building and adaptation.”
  • “This can be successful if we eliminate current risk subsidies and privatize infrastructure.”

Key Quotes

August 2017

In a PragerU video titled “If You Hate Poverty, You Should Love Capitalism,” Brooks said: 22“If You Hate Poverty, You Should Love Capitalism,” YouTube video uploaded by user “PragerU,” August 31, 2017.

“If you really want to help the poor, stand up for capitalism.”

May 6, 2009

“We face a culture war right now in this country. […] I mean a war over the culture of freedom. Free enterprise is the bedrock notion of American culture. It’s at the center of what mainstream Americans truly believe in,” Brooks said at an event hosted by The Leadership Institute. See video below. 23“Conservative Speakers,” Leadership Institute, May 6, 2009. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

Brooks adds that Tea Party protestors, some of which he mentions are likely in the audience, are “normal people with mainstream views about how our country is supposed to work.” 24“Conservative Speakers,” Leadership Institute, May 6, 2009. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

Key Deeds

February 24, 2017

Brooks spoke with Republican 2016 presidential candidate Carly Fiorina at the American Conservative Union’s 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference. See video via C-SPAN. The AEI was also a a Participating Sponsor of the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), among a range of other conservative and pro-industry groups. 25“Carly Fiorina at 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference,” C-SPAN video. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.,26“CPAC 2017 Sponsors,” cpac.conservative.org. Archived March 6, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/SKFRU

June 22, 2016

Brooks spoke on an AEI Climate Policy panel with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. View video below, via C-SPAN: 27“Arthur C. Brooks Climate Policy,” C-SPAN user-created clip by American Enterprise Institute.

February 2015

Brooks spoke at an event hosted by the Acton Institute on “A Formula for Happiness” with reference to free enterprise. In this introduction, Brooks describes the Acton Institute and the Mackinac Center as “two of the most effective think tanks in America.”28“A Formula For Happiness (Arthur Brooks – Acton Institute),” YouTube video uploaded by user Acton Institute, February 4, 2015.

View video below:

December 2015

Arthur Brooks spoke at the 2015 American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) States and National Policy Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. At the event, Brooks said: “I cannot tell you how much I admire ALEC, the important work that you do.” View full video below.29“Arthur Brooks talks to ALEC in Scottsdale,” YouTube video uploaded by user “American Legislative Exchange Council,” December 9, 2015.

November 2014

Brooks spoke at the Americans for Prosperity’s 2014 “American Dream Summit” in Dallas, Texas. The video no longer appears to be available online.30“Arthur Brooks – Live at the 2014 Dallas Summit,” YouTube video uploaded by user “Americans for Prosperity,” November 17, 2014. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

August 2011

Brooks spoke at a “Leadership Dinner” at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) 2011 annual meeting in New Roleans, LA, according to an agenda on file at The Center for Media and Democracy’s Sourcewatch. 31“ALEC Featured Speakers,” Sourcewatch. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/LzaQZ, 32“Hundreds of State Legislators Gather to Discuss Policy Solutions Promoting Economic Growth and Limited Government,” American Legislative Exchange Council, August 3, 2011. Archived January 13, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/7TVpG

June 21, 2010

Brooks spoke at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event titled “The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future,” The AEI event description read as follows: 33“The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future,” AEI. Archived Decembe 12, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/jl0cC

“In The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future (Basic Books, June 2010), Arthur C. Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, outlines a new culture war over two competing visions of America. In one, America continues as a unique and exceptional nation organized around the principles of free enterprise. In the other, America moves toward a European-style social democracy characterized by increasing bureaucracies, income redistribution, and government control of corporations.” 34“The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future,” AEI. Archived Decembe 12, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/jl0cC

See video of a portion of the event below:35“The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future,” AEI. Archived Decembe 12, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/jl0cC

1996 – 2009

In the acknowledgements section of the 2009 edition of the “Index of Leading Environmental Indicators,” co-published by the American Enterprise Institute and the Pacific Research Institute between 1996 and 2009, Steven F. Hayward thanks Brooks for his “unflagging support” of the publication:36“Index of Leading Environmental Indicators: 2009 Report,” Pacific Research Institute, April 16, 2009 .January 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pQ3D1

“PRI’s president Sally Pipes, AEI’s past president Chris DeMuth, and new president Arthur Brooks, provide unflagging support for this project every year. None of this would be possible without the faithful support of our many enthusiastic donors, especially the Searle Freedom Trust and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, for whom we cannot adequately express our appreciation.” —Steven F. Hayward37“Index of Leading Environmental Indicators: 2009 Report,” Pacific Research Institute, April 16, 2009 .January 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pQ3D1

In the 2009 edition, Hayward claims there was no global warming in the past decade:

“The data show that 2008 was the coolest year since 2000, and there has been no discernible warming for the last decade, after two decades of steady warming between 1979 and 1998,” Hayward claimed.38“Index of Leading Environmental Indicators: 2009 Report,” Pacific Research Institute, April 16, 2009 .January 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pQ3D1

Affiliations

Social Media

Publications

An investigation by Greenpeace on the influence of Koch Industries notes that, as head of AEI, Brooks has given the group frequent media exposure through “outlets financed by Koch Foundations (the American Spectator and the Reason Foundation) or tied to Koch through other attendees at the Aspen meeting (Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal editorials, National Review, and Daily Caller).40“Koch Industries: Still Fueling Climate Denial, 2011 Update” (PDF), Greenpeace USA, 2011. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog. View a list of Brooks’ latest publications at his website., 41“In the News,” Arthur C. Brooks. Accessed September 7, 2017. 

According to his AEI profile, Arthur C. Brooks has written 11 books on “the role of government, fairness, economic opportunity, happiness, and the morality of free enterprise” including “The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America” (Broadside Books, 2015).

Brook’s books include:

Brooks has been a contributing opinion writer to The New York Times since March, 2014.42“Arthur C. Brooks,” The New York Times. Archived August 26, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/GqOEX

Other Resources

Resources

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