Bernard L. Schwartz – Political Initiatives

Third Way

Washington, DC

Bernard Schwartz is chairman emeritus of the board of trustees and program sponsor of Third Way, a non-profit, non-partisan strategy center for progressives. Third Way creates high-impact products for use by elected officials, canididates and the Administration. Its work is divided into five programs:

The Clean Energy Program: A major initiative on clean energy to help elected officials craft moderate policy and frame the issues as they move the United States toward a clean energy revolution.
The Culture Initiative: Develops a cultural agenda that adheres to progressive principles by creating fresh policy ideas and messaging that provide common ground approaches on cultural issues like abortion, gay equality, faith, family, guns, crime, and immigration.
The Domestic Policy Program: Includes three major initiatives on education, social policy and understanding the American center.
The Economic Program: Advances progressive pro-growth ideas to promote American economic vitality and ensure that this country embraces its role in the global economy in ways that benefit all Americans.
The National Security Program: Develops policy ideas on the major security issues and offers framing strategies to help progressives most effectively communicate about these issues.

Bernard L. Schwartz Initiative on American Economic Policy

Established in 2011, the Bernard L. Schwartz Initiative on American Economic Policy is charged with developing and advancing a new agenda to foster conditions for strong, enduring private sector growth, and will be a part of Third Way's Economic Program. To achieve its mission, the initiative will produce reports and briefs on issue-specific proposals, publish opinion pieces, organize public forums featuring national political and thought leaders, host briefings for key decision makers, and actively promote a vision of sustained, job-creating growth as the guiding principle for our national economic policy.

The initial Idea Brief of this new program proposes the establishment of a National Infrastructure Bank. By reforming a politicized system, leveraging private capital, and enhancing funding discipline, a National Infrastructure Bank will support job creating investments that lay a foundation for enduring economic growth. The National Infrastructure Bank would accomplish its mission by using taxpayer funds to leverage private infrastructure investment through loans, guarantees, and other financial tools. Projects would be selected by an independent board based on merit and demonstrated need as determined by criteria including economic benefit, job creation, and sustainability.

Read First Idea Brief, A National Infrastructure Bank, By Ryan McConaghy and Jim Kessler