Ripon Society
|
|
The Ripon Society is a centrist Republican think tank, founded in 1964. The name is a reference to Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party; the Society sees itself as urging a return to the party's founding principles.
Its first public statement was written in the weeks following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy:
We believe that the future of our party lies not in extremism, but in moderation. The moderate course offers the Republican Party the best chance to build a durable majority position in American politics. This is the direction the party must take if it is to win the confidence of the “new Americans” who are not at home in the politics of another generation:
- the new middle classes of the suburbs of the North and West – who have left the Democratic cities but have not yet found a home in the Republican party;
- the young college graduates and professional men and women of our great university centers – more concerned with “opportunity” than “security”;
- the moderate of the new South – who represent the hope for peaceful racial adjustment and who are insulted by a racist appeal more fitting another generation.
These and other like them hold the key to the future of our politics.
Advisory board
Advisory board members as of 2004 include the following U.S. Senators:
- Lincoln Chafee
- Susan M. Collins
- Chuck Hagel
- Orrin Hatch
- Pat Roberts
- Olympia J. Snowe
- Arlen Specter
- Ted Stevens
Advisory board members as of 2004 include the following members of the U.S. House of Representatives:
- Jim Leach
- Jim Greenwood
- Jerry Lewis
- Sherwood Boehlert
- Clay Shaw
- Christopher Shays
- Paul Gillmor
- Jim Kolbe
- Dave Hobson
- Tom Petri
- Vern Ehlers
- Rodney Frelinghuysen
- Sue Kelly
- Porter Goss
- Jo Ann Emerson
- Kay Granger
- Judy Biggert
- Nancy Johnson
- Fred Upton
- Howard Coble
- Bill Thomas
- Mike Castle
- Amo Houghton
- Jim McCrery
- Michael Oxley
- Deborah Pryce
- Mark Foley
- Jack Quinn
- Jim Ramstad
- Ralph Regula
- Steve LaTourette
See also
External link
- Official website (http://riponsoc.org/)