Required #5 - Think Tanks: Good, Bad or Neutral?

In class, Dr. Tapia asked if think tanks were a good thing or a bad thing. The class was split just about evenly on whether think tanks were good or bad. Initially, in class I answered that think tanks can be considered a good thing. Like many issues in the world, it is not possible to just say think tanks are good or that they are bad. The truth in the matter is that the real answer is probably somewhere in the middle of good and bad. I think that think tanks are inherently good, but that some of the practices and results can be bad at different times.

                I consider think tanks to be inherently good, because most of the time the results and actions they take are done in good faith. Think tanks work to publish and make recommendations on the issues that are most pressing to the nations. Members of these think tanks are some of the best and brightest in the world and can provide recommendations that are beneficial to the country. Think tanks also allow the government to have more options to consider when making policy. Someone within the government may fear losing their job if they make a recommendation that does not match the official party line. A think tank can make a recommendation without worrying about the potential political problems.

                Think tanks are not without criticism however. The problem with some think tank publications is a problem of human nature itself. Some think tanks look at certain issue from specific angles that can create what is perceived to be a bias. If you are looking at a publication by the Heritage Foundation on tax issues you will get a completely different viewpoint than if you asked the Brookings Institute. Someone from the left may look at a Heritage Foundation publication and claim that the report is biased and is presenting false information. Someone from the right however, will look at the Brookings Institute report and say the exact same thing. These ideology differences are not a reason enough to criticize think tanks for bias.

                However, think tanks do run the risk of being influenced by corporate donations. There is a difference between a ideology difference and being biased by the donor. Think tanks must be careful that their research and publications are not improperly influenced. Once think tanks become influenced by corporate money it is difficult to trust the future publications by that think tank. If a think tank has changed policy recommendations to match a corporation’s interest in the past, what is to stop them from doing that again in the future?

                Overall, I consider think tanks to be a good thing in the United States. They are able to provide recommendations that are beneficial to the decision makers in the Federal government. They do not have to concern themselves with towing the party line and can make the difficult recommendations. Think tanks must be careful to avoid changing recommendations to match corporate donations however. Letting money influence the recommendations weakens the think tanks integrity and makes It difficult to trust in the future.