Third Way

TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP CENTRIST POLICY IDEAS.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND FOR ALL OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS, ALL REPORTS DEVELOPED BY THIRD WAY ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH ITS WEBSITE: WWW.THIRDWAY.ORG.CLIMATE AND ENERGY THE CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM'S MISSION IS TO USE FEDERAL INVESTMENT AND AN INNOVATION-FIRST STRATEGY TO USE EVERY LOW AND ZERO-CARBON RESOURCE TO MAKE AMERICAN ENERGY AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE, SECURE, AND CLEAN. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, 2022 WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR FOR BOTH THE UNITED STATES' CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICY AS WELL AS OUR PROGRAM. WE DID THIS BY 1) CHANGING THE NARRATIVE, 2) CREATING A MOVEMENT, AND 3) TURNING IDEAS INTO LAW. CHANGING THE NARRATIVE: WE SHIFTED THE CONVERSATION AWAY FROM A 'RENEWABLES ONLY' APPROACH TO CLIMATE BY: ADVOCATING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF EACH AND EVERY TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS POTENTIAL TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE; BRINGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE OFTEN IGNORED TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE CONVERSATION; MAKING THE EVIDENCE-BASED CASE FOR TECHNOLOGIES BY CONVEYING THEIR POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH; AND ENGAGING WITH KEY MEDIA OUTLETS TO ENSURE OUR NARRATIVE REACHES A DIVERSE AUDIENCE.CREATING A MOVEMENT: WE CONSTRUCTED AN INFORMAL COALITION OF PARTNERS BY: IDENTIFYING ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON SIMILAR PRIORITIES IN THE CLIMATE AND ENERGY REALM; COVERING A BROAD IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF ORGANIZATIONS FROM CENTER-LEFT TO CENTER-RIGHT; AND ALIGNING ON PRIORITIES IN ORDER TO OVERCOME POLITICAL HURDLES AND MAKE MORE HEADWAY AS A COALITION. TURNING IDEAS INTO LAW: WE CEMENTED OUR APPROACH TO CLIMATE AND ENERGY INTO LAW BY: DEVELOPING THE FOUNDATIONAL BLUEPRINT OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT BY FILLING IN POLICY GAPS AND EDUCATING POLICYMAKERS; BUILDING POLICYMAKER SUPPORT FOR CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICY THAT GENERATES ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY; AND CONDUCTING ANALYSIS THAT DEMONSTRATES THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOB BENEFITS TO EMBRACING A TECHNOLOGY FORWARD APPROACH.

NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAMIN 2022, THE NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAM HAD THREE MAIN THRUSTS 1) LAUNCHING THE US-CHINA DIGITAL WORLD ORDER INITIATIVE WHICH IS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE POLICYMAKERS ON CHINA'S GOALS FOR DIGITAL WORLD SUPREMACY, 2) NARROWING THE CYBER ENFORCEMENT GAP WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SPYWARE, AND 3) EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS ON NAVIGATING NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.US-CHINA DIGITAL WORLD ORDER INITIATIVE: WE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM WITH A MAJOR PUBLIC EVENT, THE RELEASE OF A PAPER AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVISORY BOARD. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE RELEASED ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS, HELD EVENTS OPEN TO POLICYMAKERS, PRESS AND PUBLIC, ATTENDED CONVENINGS AND GREW THE BOARD. OUR WORK: EDUCATED THE PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKERS ON THE NATIONAL SECURITY STAKES OF PREVAILING AGAINST CHINA AND ITS PLAN TO SURPASS THE US WITH DIGITAL GLOBAL SUPREMACY; HIGHLIGHTED THE NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS OF CHINA'S CAPABILITIES IN MASS SURVEILLANCE, RELENTLESS CENSORSHIP, AND AUTOMATED DISINFORMATION OPERATIONS; MADE THE CASE THAT A DIGITAL PRO-DEMOCRACY MODEL IS NEEDED TO COMPETE AGAINST THE ONGOING PROLIFERATION OF CHINA'S DIGITAL AUTOCRACY MODEL; HOSTED EVENTS AND MEETINGS TO HIGHLIGHT THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IF CHINA PREVAILS IN CONTROLLING AND SETTING INTERNATIONAL NORMS AND STANDARDS IN THE DIGITAL AND CYBER SPACE; AND COLLABORATED WITH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PERFORM RESEARCH AND DEVELOP A COALITION DEDICATED TO THIS EFFORT.CYBER ENFORCEMENT: IN 2022, OUR TEAM ADVANCED THIRD WAY'S POLICY IDEAS TO REDUCE THE CYBER ENFORCEMENT GAP, INCLUDING: WORKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS TO IDENTIFY THE AUTHORITIES AND RESOURCES TO NEEDED TO EXECUTE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO COMBAT CYBER CRIME; RESEARCHED POLICY IDEAS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THE ROLE OF CRYPTOCURRENCY IN ENABLING THE RISE OF CYBER CRIME; AND RAISED PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CYBER ENFORCEMENT THROUGH MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AND PODCASTS.NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS: OUR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS ON NATIONAL SECURITY INCLUDED: EDUCATING A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE; AND HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH ALLIES AND KEY INFLUENCERS TO GAIN THEIR PERSPECTIVES ABOUT SHAPING EFFECTIVE MESSAGING ON TOP NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.

SOCIAL POLICY AND POLITICSIN 2022, THE SOCIAL POLICY, EDUCATION & POLITICS PROGRAM FOCUSED ON 1) UNDERSTANDING THE PERSPECTIVES AND PRIORITIES OF AMERICAN VOTERS AND ANALYZING THE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR APPROACHES TO THE MOST SALIENT POLITICAL ISSUES BASED ON EDUCATION LEVEL, GEOGRAPHY, AND OTHER KEY DEMOGRAPHIC DISTINCTIONS, 2) OFFERING A COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL COLLEGE QUALITY AGENDA THAT SHIFTS FOCUS FROM COST TO VALUE AMONG POLICYMAKERS, THE PRESS, AND OTHER INFLUENCERS AND 3) ADDRESSING THREATS ON CONTENTIOUS SOCIAL ISSUES AND ASSISTING POLICYMAKERS IN TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES IN A WAY THAT HAS BROAD APPEAL. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN VOTERS ON KEY ISSUES: OUR POLITICS TEAM DOVE DEEPLY INTO A VARIETY OF DATA SOURCES AND RESEARCH PROJECTS TO HELP POLICYMAKERS BETTER UNDERSTAND THE VOTERS THEY PURPORT TO REPRESENT ON THE KEY ISSUES UNDER DISCUSSION INSIDE THE BELTWAY, INCLUDING BY: UTILIZING CATALIST VOTER FILE DATA AND OTHER ELECTORAL DATA SOURCES TO DRAFT REPORTS ANALYZING AND EXPLAINING THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE AND DIFFERENCES ACROSS DEMOGRAPHIC CATEGORIES, STATES, AND DISTRICTS; CONDUCTING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT CRITICAL VOTER GROUPS PRIORITIZE, HOW THEY THINK ABOUT CURRENT ISSUES UNDER DEBATE, AND WHAT THEY WANT FROM CANDIDATES AND POLICYMAKERS; TRACKING HOW FAR-LEFT CANDIDATES PERFORM COMPARED TO THOSE CARRYING A MORE MAINSTREAM AGENDA, TO MAKE THE CASE THAT MAINSTREAM IDEAS HAVE BROADER APPEAL WITH AMERICAN VOTERS; ANDBUILDING OUT AN EVIDENCE-BACKED CAMPAIGN SHOWING THAT RUNNING A WELL-FINANCED THIRD-PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE POSES A THREAT TO THE DEMOCRATIC COALITION AND WOULD BE A BOOST FOR DONALD TRUMP OR A TRUMP ACOLYTE. SHIFTING THE FOCUS IN HIGHER EDUCATION FROM COST TO VALUE: OUR EDUCATION TEAM WORKED TO BUILD THE ADVOCACY AND POLICY INFRASTRUCTURE TO PUSH FOR ACTIONABLE POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT HELP STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS GET A GREATER RETURN ON THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION INVESTMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. OUR WORK ENSURED THAT FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS KNOW THEY CANNOT ADDRESS THE MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS IN OUR HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM WITHOUT TAKING SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO IMPROVE QUALITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND VALUE. THIS INCLUDED: CONDUCTING PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND HOW AMERICANS ACROSS THE IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM THINK ABOUT QUALITY IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXT AND DEMONSTRATE THE BROAD SUPPORT FOR INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM; PRODUCING EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND TRANSLATORS, INFOGRAPHICS, VIDEOS, AND REPORTS ANALYZING PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA ABOUT STUDENT OUTCOMES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, CALLING ATTENTION TO THE NEED TO IMPROVE THOSE OUTCOMES AND INCREASE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION; HOSTING VIRTUAL EVENTS AND DEPLOYING DIGITAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO DEMYSTIFY COMPLICATED TOPICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR NEW POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT INCENTIVIZE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES; AND MAKING OUR CASE AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL FOR FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN CANCELLATION THROUGH A SERIES OF ADVOCACY EFFORTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRODUCTS, MEDIA OUTREACH, AND MORE. ADDRESSING THREATS ON SOCIAL ISSUES: WE REMAINED COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THREATS TO AMERICAN VALUES AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ON KEY SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES. WE EMPLOYED VARIOUS TACTICS TO MAKE PROGRESS ON IMMIGRATION, GUN SAFETY, LGBT RIGHTS, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING REFORM. THIS INCLUDED: DRAFTING AND RELEASING MEMOS THAT EXPLAIN THE MAJOR SUPREME COURT CASES THAT COULD IMPACT SOCIAL POLICY IN ADVANCE OF THEIR DECISION BY THE COURT, IN PARTICULAR THE FUTURE OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN AMERICA FOLLOWING THE REVERSAL OF ROE V. WADE; CRAFTING COMMON-SENSE PROPOSALS FOR EXECUTIVE ACTION ON GUN SAFETY, CRIME, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, AND OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE STALLED IN THE CURRENT CONGRESS; ANALYZING AND PRODUCING PUBLIC REPORTS ON IMMIGRATION TOPICS THAT ARE UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, INCLUDING POLICY CHANGES DURING THE PANDEMIC, PROPOSED CHANGES TO ASYLUM LAW, AND EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE DREAMER, AGRICULTURAL WORKER, AND TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS POPULATIONS; CONDUCTING PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THE POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES AND MESSAGING THAT RESONATES WITH VOTERS FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH; AND HIGHLIGHTING THE POLICY PROGRESS MADE BY STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY (RED, PURPLE, AND BLUE) ON POLICING REFORM AND OFFERING PROPOSALS THAT COULD HELP POLICYMAKERS BRIDGE THE DIVIDE TO PASS REFORMS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

ECONOMICS PROGRAM IN 2022, OUR ECONOMIC PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THREE CORE AREAS: 1) ADVANCING A HEALTH CARE AGENDA THAT FOCUSES ON AFFORDABILITY, 2) ADVANCING THE CASE FOR A NEW CONTRACT ON WORK FOR AMERICAN WORKERS, AND 3) LAUNCHING A NEW EFFORT ON ENTREPRENEURIAL EQUITY. HEALTH CARE AFFORDABILITY: AS POLICYMAKERS GRAPPLED WITH HOW TO ADDRESS LARGE COSTS THROUGHOUT THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, OUR TEAM PROVIDED EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT. WORK INCLUDED: DEVELOPING POLICY ON HOW TO IMPROVE CANCER CARE AND LOWER COSTS; DEVELOPING ANALYSIS AROUND WHY THERE IS INEQUITY THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM; CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILY GLITCH, WHICH LEAVES MIDDLE- AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH EMPLOYMENT-BASED COVERAGE EXPOSED TO HIGH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF A COST CAP ON FAMILIES.NEW CONTRACT ON WORK: AS POLICYMAKERS LOOK TOWARD A POST-COVID ECONOMY, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DEMAND FOR ANALYSIS AND POLICY SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE THAT WORK IN THIS NEW ERA LEADS TO A GOOD LIFE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE TO ALL. WORK INCLUDED: BUILDING A SERIES OF POLICY IDEAS TO EXPAND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND SKILLS TRAINING THROUGH REAUTHORIZATION OF THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT; ANALYZING THE EFFECT OF INFLATION ON AMERICAN FAMILIES AND DEVELOPING POLICY SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE INFLATIONARY PRESSURE; DEVELOPING AN EXPLAINER ON HOW GIG WORKERS ARE CURRENTLY PROTECTED AT THE STATE AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS; RESEARCHING HOW REDUCING THE RED TAPE AROUND SUPPLY CHAINS COULD CREATE MORE JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES.ENTREPRENEURIAL EQUITY: ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST DRIVERS OF WEALTH CREATION AND MUST BE AT THE CENTER OF ANY NATIONAL EFFORT TO CREATE RACIAL EQUITY AND EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. YET, RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE FAR TOO FEW FEMALE AND MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS. TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THAT AND CREATE A POST-PANDEMIC ECONOMY THAT IS STRONGER AND MORE EQUITABLE, THIRD WAY AND THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE LAUNCHED THE ALLIANCE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL EQUITY. WORK INCLUDED: CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH UNPACKING ENTREPRENEURIAL EQUITY, FROM LOOKING AT WHY MINORITY BORROWERS CAN'T ACCESS LENDING CAPITAL TO THE DEARTH OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY CONTRACTING; AMPLIFYING OUR RESEARCH AND POINT OF VIEW THROUGHOUT LEADING MEDIA OUTLETS, INCLUDING THE WASHINGTON POST, CNN, BLOOMBERG, AXIOS, AND MORE; CONVENING AND EDUCATING LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE POLICYMAKING ECOSYSTEM ON THE NEED FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL EQUITY AND SPECIFIC BARRIERS THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED.