Enemies of Social Security
The most visible group is Progress for America (Disinfopedia)
PFA was registered as a 501(c)4 group in February 2001 by Tony Feather, a political director of the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and partner at DCI Group as well as at the affiliated telemarketing and fundraising firm of Feather Larson Synhorst-DCI (FLS-DCI). Feather set up PFA as a "grassroots organization that mobilizes the public to contact their members of Congress about pending legislation and to write local newspapers to publicize the White House's agenda," the Center for Public Integrity wrote in 2002. During the first part of the George W. Bush administration, it led campaigns to support tax cuts, conservative judicial appointments and energy legislation.
...Progress for America and its Voter Fund reveal only as much as legally required about their leadership and membership. The group's directors, advisors and chairs are not listed on their websites. But the Washington Post has identified a few of the groups' principal figures. In addition to FLS-DCI's Tom Synhorst, who is reported to have served as a key strategic adviser to PFA, other figures include James C. Cicconi, AT&T General Counsel; C. Boyden Gray, a prominent figure in many conservative groups, including Citizens for a Sound Economy (now called Freedom Works); and Marilyn Ware, chairman of American Water in Pennsylvania and a Bush Pioneer (meaning that she personally raised at least $100,000 for his campaign).
...Early 2005 the PFA began distribution of video news releases, promoting the administrations privatized social security plan. These stories ran on at least one major media outlet's nightly news program without reference to the organizations involvement with the Bush campaign or administration.
Contributors of at Least $10,000 Amount Raised
Ameriquest Capital Corp. $5,000,000
A.G. Spanos Construction Co. $5,000,000
Alticor Inc./Amway/DeVos Family Interests $4,000,000
Jerry Perenchio/Chartwell Partners Inc. $4,000,000
Perry Homes $3,000,000
Alice Walton $2,600,000
T. Boone Pickens $2,500,000
American Financial Group Inc./Lindner family businesses $1,750,000
Paul Singer/Braxton Associates $1,500,000
American Water Works Company Inc./Ware Family $1,400,000
Robert C. McNair/Houston Texans $1,250,000
Home Depot Inc. $1,050,000
Contran Corp. $1,000,000
Omni Hotels $1,000,000
TRT Holdings Inc $1,000,000
Crow Holdings $600,000
Boston Scientific Corp. $500,000
Kenny Troutt/Mt. Vernon Investments $500,000
Public Storage Inc. $500,000
Yancey Brothers Co. $500,000
Tom Ball gives details on these rightwing groups:
- Cato Institute
- Club for Growth
- Citizens for a Sound Economy
- The Institute for Policy Innovation
- The Hoover Institute
- Americans for Tax Reform