National Center for Policy Analysis

National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA)

Background

The now-defunct National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) was a 501(c)(3) non-profit think tank founded by John C. Goodman in 1983 to “promote private, free-market alternatives to government regulation and control, solving problems by relying on the strength of the competitive, entrepreneurial private sector.” It dissolved as of July, 2017, due to financial challenges. [1], [27]

According to NCPA‘s profile (PDF), their core belief is “that ideas have enormous power to change the course of human events. We seek to unleash the power of ideas for positive change by identifying, encouraging and aggressively marketing the best scholarly research.” [2]

The NCPA describes itself as a source of “’outside the Beltway’ thinking for Capitol Hill deliberations.” Headquartered in Dallas, the NCPA also maintains a Washington, D.C., office that sponsors Capitol Hill briefings, conferences, and testimony before congressional committees. [2]

The National Center for Policy Analysis is a member of the State Policy Network (SPN), a “web of right-wing ‘think tanks’ in every state across the country.” [3], [4]

Stance on Climate Change

2014

According to a 2014 publication by the NCPA, “Given the uncertainty in climate science, adaptation appears to be a more cost-effective approach than mitigation.” [5]

The National Center for Policy Analysis quotes climate change skeptic Matt Ridley, who originally wrote in The Spectator that “Climate change has done more good than harm so far and is likely to continue doing so for most of this century. This is not a right-wing fantasy; it is the consensus of expert opinion.” [6]

1991

The following is from the summary of a 1991 “task force report” by the Political Economy Research Center/National Center for Policy Analysis (see full report here)

“Currently, scientists disagree on whether global warming has already occurred, whether significant global warming will occur in the future, whether warming would be harmful or somewhat beneficial to humans and whether, if harmful, it is better to adjust to the warming or try to prevent it. At least two of the world’s leading climate scientists — Arizona State physicist Sherwood Idso and Soviet climatologist Mikhail Budyko — argue that we should welcome a CO2 buildup with open arms. In general, those scientists who welcome global warming, or at least do not worry about it, take the longer view — considering the historical variations in the earth’s temperature and cycles in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration).” [7]

Note: It is unclear why the authors consider Sherwood Idso, with a PhD in soil science (and the president of the climate skeptic group, Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change), one of the world’s “leading climate scientists.”

Funding

According to their website, the National Center for Policy Analysis received 61% of their funding from foundations, 22% from corporations, and 17% from individuals in 2014. [8]

The following is based on data compiled by the Conservative Transparency project and from publicly-available tax records. Note that not all individual values have been verified by DeSmog.

View the attached spreadsheet for additional information on the National Center for Policy Analysis’s funding by year (.xlsx). [9]

DonorTotal
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation$2,732,500
Sarah Scaife Foundation$2,385,000
John M. Olin Foundation$1,069,000
The Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation$1,000,000
Armstrong Foundation$690,000
Hickory Foundation$684,350
Exxon Mobil$585,900
Chase Foundation of Virginia$539,820
Donors Capital Fund$500,000
The Carthage Foundation$470,000
Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation$460,000
The TWS Foundation$400,000
Searle Freedom Trust$280,000
Gilder Foundation$265,000
David H. Koch Charitable Foundation$260,000
Dunn’s Foundation for the Advancement of Right Thinking$247,000
Dodge Jones Foundation$244,000
Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust$230,000
William H. Donner Foundation$225,000
Holman Foundation$210,384
Castle Rock Foundation$210,000
Marcus Foundation$200,000
JM Foundation$160,000
Lovett and Ruth Peters Foundation$150,000
Jaquelin Hume Foundation$150,000
Earhart Foundation$100,000
Scaife Family Foundation$100,000
DonorsTrust$97,150
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation$80,000
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation$76,674
Philip M. McKenna Foundation$70,000
The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation$61,000
Schwab Charitable Fund$54,350
Adolph Coors Foundation$45,000
Diana Davis Spencer Foundation$39,000
Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation$27,500
Walton Family Foundation$25,000
Kickapoo Springs Foundation$20,000
John William Pope Foundation$20,000
The Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation$20,000
Windway Foundation$20,000
Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation$20,000
Dorothy D. and Joseph A. Moller Foundation$16,000
Atlas Economic Research Foundation$15,000
The Roe Foundation$13,500
True Foundation$11,000
Robert P. Rotella Foundation$7,500
Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation$4,500
National Christian Charitable Foundation$1,000
Lynn & Foster Friess Family Foundation$1,000
Grand Total$15,293,128

ExxonMobil Funding

Greenpeace’s ExxonSecrets found that NCPA has received a total of $615,900 from ExxonMobil since 1998. [10]

Koch Funding

Greenpeace totals NCPA‘s funding from Koch Industries and related foundations at $694,674 between 1997 and 2013. [11]

Below includes Greenpeace totals, combined with values from original 990 research by DeSmog. [11]

YearClaude R. Lambe Charitable FoundationDavid H. Koch Charitable FoundationCharles G. Koch Charitable FoundationGrand Total
*1986  $1,000$1,000
*1988  $1,000$1,000
*1991  $5,000$5,000
*1992$10,000  $10,000
*1995 $10,000 $10,000
*1996 $50,000 $50,000
1997$45,000$50,000 $95,000
1999$30,000$50,000 $80,000
2000$30,000$50,000 $80,000
2001$30,000$50,000 $80,000
2002$30,000  $30,000
2003$30,000  $30,000
2004$45,000  $45,000
2005$25,000  $25,000
2006$25,000  $25,000
2007$40,000  $40,000
2008$40,000  $40,000
2009$25,000  $25,000
2010$25,000  $25,000
2012$30,000 $4,674$34,674
2013  $40,000$40,000
2016  $25,000$25,000
Grand Total$460,000$260,000$76,674$796,674

*Note: Original tax forms prior to 1997 were not available for verification. [11]

990 Forms

Key People

Board of Directors

Name201020112012[16]201320142015 [12]20162017Description
Michael WhalenYYYYYYYY 
Steve Ivy YYYYYYYChairman of the Board
Allen West     YYYExecutive Director and Vice Chairman of the Board
Larry Wedekind     YYY 
James H. Amos, Jr.      YYPresident & CEO
Jere W. ThompsonYYYY   YEmeritus Board Member[13]
Pete du PontYYYY   YEmeritus Board Member[13]
Don A. BuchholzYYY    YEmeritus Board Member[13]
Harlan R. Crow       YEmeritus Board Member[13]
Virginia James       YEmeritus Board Member[13]
Dennis McCuistion     YY Interim President and CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) from June to December 2014
John J. Carona, Sr.     YY  
William “Tex” Gross    YY   
John Strauss  YY Y   
Henry J. “Bud” SmithYYYYY    
John C. GoodmanYYYYY   President, NCPA, Kellye Wright Fellow
John Victor Lattimore, Jr.YYYYY    
Raymond E. WooldridgeYYYYY    
Robert J. WrightYYYYY    
Tommy FranksYYYYY    
W. Mike Baggett, Esq.YYYYY    
Greg Wilkinson YYYY    
Brent Beesley  YYY    
Jerry M. Mills  YYY    
Harold J. Bowen, III   YY    
Mike Montgomery    Y    
Stephen A. Batman    Y    
Fred MeyerYYY      
William J. GedwedYY       

NCPA Experts

Name201020112012[17]201320142015[14]20162017Description
Andrew J. RettenmaierYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Barry AsmusYYYYYYYYSenior Economist
Barry J. SeldonYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Devon M. HerrickYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Estelle JamesYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Gerald MusgraveYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Greg ScandlenYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Laurence KotlikoffYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Michael BondYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Michael L. DavisYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
N. Michael HelvacianYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Pamela VillarrealYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Phillip K. PorterYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Roy G. BoydYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Thomas R. SavingYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
William B. ConerlyYYYYYYYYSenior Fellow
John D. Merrifield YYYYYYYSenior Fellow
Roger Koppl  YYYYYYSenior Fellow
Richard McKenzie   YYYYYSenior Fellow
R. David Ranson    YYYYSenior Fellow
Bill Caruth     YYYSenior Fellow
Brooks Hamilton     YYYSenior Fellow
David A. Grantham     YYYSenior Fellow
David G. Tuerck     YYYSenior Fellow
E. Gaylon McCollough     YYYContributing Fellow
John R. Graham     YYYSenior Fellow
Lawrence Pivnick     YYYContributing Fellow
Linus Wright     YYYSenior Fellow
Senthil Thambidorai     YYYContributing Fellow
Thomas A. Hemphill     YYYSenior Fellow
Carole Hornsby Haynes      YYContributing Fellow
Chris Wiley      YYContributing Fellow
Jacki Pick      YYSenior Fellow
Cherylyn LeBon     YY Contributing Fellow
Lloyd M. Bentsen IV    YY  Research Fellow
Bob McTeerYYYYY   Distinguished Fellow
Dorman E. CordellYYYYY   Senior Fellow
John C. GoodmanYYYYY   President, NCPA, Kellye Wright Fellow
Bartley J. Madden   YY   Senior Fellow
Michael D. Stroup    Y   Senior Fellow
H. Sterling BurnettYYYY    Senior Fellow
Pete du PontYYYY    Emeritus Board Member
Linda MorrisonY       Senior Fellow

NCPA Staff

Name201020112012201320142015[15]20162017Description
Brian WilliamsYYYYYYYYLegislative Director
Joe BarnettYYYYYYYYSr. Director of Policy Research
Allen West     YYYExecutive Director and Vice Chairman of the Board
Jacki Pick      YYSenior Fellow
James H. Amos, Jr.      YYPresident & CEO
Kristina E. Barton      YYSpecial Assistant to the President and CEO
Alan Hamill       YDevelopment and Policy Associate
Luke Twombly       YMedia Manager
Catherine Daniell    YYY Sr. Director of Communications
Chris McGregor    YY  Director of IT
Julian Gil    YY  Sr. Manager of Multimedia
Rachel Stevens    YY  Director of Youth Programs
Dayana Osuna     Y  Social Media Promotions Manager
Eileen Curry Resnik     Y  Executive VP of Development
Robbie Ellis     Y  Director of Events
John C. GoodmanYYYYY   President, NCPA, Kellye Wright Fellow
Richard W. WalkerYYYYY   Chief Operating Officer
Courtney MacDonell    Y   Director of Grants and Publications
Leslie Shaw    Y   Business Manager
Tonya Featherstone    Y   Sr. Director of Development
Barry AsmusYYYY    Senior Economist
Bob McTeerYYYY    Distinguished Fellow
Devon M. HerrickYYYY    Senior Fellow
H. Sterling BurnettYYYY    Senior Fellow
Pamela VillarrealYYYY    Senior Fellow
Eileen ResnikYYY     Senior Development Officer
Tab BoylesYYY     Director of Events
Christa BiekerYY      Policy Analyst
Ron LyonY       IT Director

Actions

July 7, 2017

The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) announced that its board of directors had voted to dissolve the organization immediately after several years of financial challenges. According to their website[27]

“The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA), a 501c3 public policy research organization, announced this week that its Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization effective immediately. The thirty-four year old free market think tank has made significant contributions to free-market public policy research and implementation, including Health Savings Accounts, Roth IRAs, automatic enrollment in 401ks, and ongoing work in the areas of taxes, healthcare, entitlements, economic development, energy and national security.”

The group also announced their closing on social media:

April 6, 2016

NCPA Senior Fellow John R. Graham was chosen by the Trump administration to lead  the Division of Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, according to a NCPA press release. [26]

August 27, 2014

The National Center for Policy Analysis released a “brief analysis” titled “Calming Fears of Climate Change in South and Southeast Asia” where they claim that, in the case of South and Southeast Asia, “climate change has had no discernible effect on these regions, and recent analyses indicate adaptation is the preferable strategy to deal with any effects that may occur in the future.” [5]

According to NCPA“Given the uncertainty in climate science, adaptation appears to be a more cost-effective approach than mitigation.” [5]

The NCPA also suggests that “climate change has had beneficial effects on these economies so far and will continue to help over the long term.” A Google Scholar Search for the article’s author, Tanner Davis, does return any published work in peer-reviewed journals. According to his LinkedIn profile, Davis is currently working as a Marketing Intern at AT&T, and was a research associate at NCPA until June, 2014.  [18], [19]

2013

The National Center for Policy Analysis released the second edition of its “Global Warming Primer.” According to the NCPA‘s document, the primer’s purpose “is to explore some of the main scientific, economic and political issues surrounding the topic of global warming.” [20]

May 17, 2006

The National Center for Policy Analysis published a “Brief Analysis” titled “Polar Bears on Thin Ice, Not Really!” written by H. Sterling Burnett[21]

The article points to a paper by fellow climate change skeptic David Legates who “examines the claim that global warming threatens to cause polar bear extinction and finds little basis for fear. By and large, the study finds that polar bear populations are in good shape.”

Burnett concludes that “There may be threats to the future survival of the polar bear, but global warming is not primary among them.” [21]

April 1991

The NCPA‘s “Environmental Task Force” published a report titled “Progressive Environmentalism: A Pro-Human, Pro-Science, Pro-Free Enterprise Agenda for Change.” [22]

The report refers to a group of “reactionary environmentalists” who “do not believe in human progress,” who “idealiz[e] the life of the American Indian or life in medieval communities.” According to the authors, this group is “united by a distaste for modern industrial society and what borders on worship of the peasant way of life.”

The NCPA report classifies this group as “Anti-Human,” “Anti-Technology,” “Anti-Science,” “Anti-Growth,” “Anti-Free Enterprise,” and as “The Disaster Lobby” by “thriv[ing]” on crisis.

The report includes a section on climate change, that implies global warming would be beneficial. Some representative quotes from the report follow:

“… evidence suggests that warmth is life-enhancing and life-sustaining, whereas cold is life-threatening…”

“… atmospheric CO2 levels have varied radically as life on earth has evolved. Moreover, just as warmth has always been unambiguously good for life, so has CO2…”

“Although CO2 levels in the atmosphere have fluctuated over time, a secular decline in CO2 has been going on throughout the 4.5 billion-year history of the Earth. If this trend continues…eventually our planet will become as lifeless as Mars.”

Members of NCPA‘s “Environmental Task Force” included: [23]

According to NCPA, “Not all task force members agreed with every recommendation,” and the members served as individuals, not as representatives of institutions.

National Center for Policy Analysis Contact & Location

As of June 2016, the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) listed the following contact information on its website: [1]

NCPA Dallas Headquarters:
14180 Dallas Parkway, Suite 350
Dallas, TX 75254
Phone: (972) 386-6272

NCPA Washington Office:
Phone: (202) 830-0177
[email protected]

Resources

  1. About the NCPA,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived June 26, 2016. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6iXapDR09
  2. National Center for Policy Analysis Profile (PDF). Document created February 20, 2012. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. 
  3. National Center for Policy Analysis,” State Policy Network. Archived November 12, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6cztQTgDf
  4. State Policy Network,” SourceWatch. Accessed November, 2015.
  5. Tanner Davis. “Calming Fears of Climate Change in South and Southeast Asia,” August 27, 2014. Archived November 13, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6czuxqarS
  6. The Benefits of Climate Change,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived November 13, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6czuVUiSf
  7. VI. Finding Progressive Solutions to Environmental Problems,” April 16, 1991. Republished by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Archived November 13, 2015. 
  8. Financials,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived November 13, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6cztYJYEV
  9. National Center for Policy Analysis,” Conservative Transparency. Data retrieved June 12, 2016.
  10. ExxonSecrets Factsheet: National Center for Policy Analysis, NCPA. Accessed November 12, 2015.
  11. National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived June 12, 2016. Archive.is URLhttps://archive.is/wiktV
  12. NCPA Board of Directors,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived November 13, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6czxpcSPk
  13. NCPA Emeritus Board of Directors,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived November 13, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6czxyGeGm
  14. NCPA Experts,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived November 12, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6czxMK156
  15. NCPA Staff,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived November 12, 2015. WebCite URLhttp://www.webcitation.org/6czxV9pWE
  16. NCPA Board of Directors,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived April 1, 2012. 
  17. NCPA Experts,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived March 11, 2012. 
  18. Google Scholar Search for Author: “Tanner Davis.” Performed November 12, 2015.
  19. Tanner Davis,” LinkedIn. Accessed November 12, 2015. 
  20. A Global Warming Primer,” National Center for Policy Analysis, 2013. 
  21. H. Sterling Burnett. “Brief Analysis” titled “Polar Bears on Thin Ice, Not Really!NCPA Brief Analysis No. 551, May 17, 2006.
  22. Progressive Environmentalism: A Pro-Human, Pro-Science, Pro-Free Enterprise Agenda For Change,” National Center for Policy Analysis, Study No. 162, April 1, 1991. Archived June 7, 2011.
  23. Environmental Task Force,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived February 6, 2007.
  24. About Us,” Center for European Policy Analysis. Archived February 3, 2007. 
  25. Homepage – GlobalWarming.org. Archived November 13, 2015.
  26. (Press Release). “NCPA Congratulates Senior Fellow John R. Graham on Senior Appointment in Trump Administration,National Center for Policy Analysis, April 6, 2017. Retrieved from PR Web. Archived April 10, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/GQIv7
  27. Homepage, National Center for Policy Analysis. Archied July 7, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/yNduC

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