On October 27, 2008, shortly after I started this blog, I posted a piece on the Rockbridge Institute. I’ve been informed that former members of the Rockbridge Institute have organized a new think tank, called the Cognitive Policy Works, which is carrying on the work of the Rockbridge Institute. Here is an excerpt from the book, Thinking Points, that appeared in that post of two years ago. If you like it, you can download the entire book for free from the Cognitive Policy Works archives webpage. This excerpt is just as, if not more, applicable today as it was in October 2008:

“America today is in danger. It faces the threat of domination by a radical, authoritarian right wing that refers to itself as “conservative,” as if it were preserving and promoting American values. In fact, it has been trampling on them. American values are inherently progressive, but progressives have lost their way. As traditional Americans, that is, as progressive Americans, we are beginning to lose our identity, the very values that have made America a great and free country—a country where tolerance has led us to unity, where diversity has given us strength, where acting for the common good has brought our dreams to fruition, and where respect for human dignity has increased opportunity, released creativity, and generated wealth. But progressives have so taken these values for granted that we no longer have the ability to articulate a progressive vision. We have lost hold of the terms of political debate, and even ceded the language of progressive ideals—like “freedom” and “liberty”—to redefinition by an extremist right wing. The radical right understands its values and knows its agenda. It has imposed its ideas and its language on America. It has dominated public debate, which has allowed it to seize power.”