Heartland Not a ‘Front’

Published July 10, 2006

Dear Editor:

Erik Curren’s lengthy piece on wind power (“The bizarre dance of wind power” ) would have been much more believable, and accurate, if he didn’t label everyone who disagreed with him “right-wing” or “corporate funded,” while giving a free ride to every group and individual who supported his beliefs.

Ross Gelbspan, the Clean Air Task Force, Audubon Society, League of Conservation Voters, and nearly all the other authors and national organizations he cites favoring wind power are leftist ideologues or are paid by corporations and foundations to promote subsidies for alternative fuels. Shouldn’t he have revealed their biases?

My organization, The Heartland Institute, is mentioned several times, always with pejorative labels, and our history and funding are severely misrepresented. Heartland is not and never was a “front” for industry. It has some 1,500 donors, and no one corporation gives more than 5 percent of its budget. It has more than 500 elected officials and 100 academics on advisory and peer review boards. It addresses a wide range of public policy issues.

Heartland has been addressing environmental issues since 1994, largely because of my own previous participation in the environmental movement. I am not a newcomer to the debate and have never subordinated my desire to see a clean and healthy environment to an ideological cause or to financial self-interest.

Based on this article, the same cannot be said of Mr. Curren.

Sincerely,

Joseph L. Bast ([email protected])
President
The Heartland Institute