American Conservative Union facts for kids
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Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference, sponsored by ACU, in February 2020
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| Formation | December 18, 1964 |
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| Legal status | 501(c)(4) |
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Chairman
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Matt Schlapp |
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Revenue
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$16,702,315 (2018) |
The American Conservative Union (ACU) is a group in the United States that works to support conservative ideas and policies. It also rates politicians based on how conservative they are. The ACU is well-known for organizing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a big yearly event.
The ACU was started on December 18, 1964. It says it is the oldest group in the U.S. that actively tries to influence government decisions (this is called lobbying) based on conservative ideas. The ACU focuses on things like personal liberty (freedom for individuals) and traditional values. They see these as key parts of conservatism.
Contents
What the ACU Does
The ACU is made up of three main parts, each with a different job:
- The American Conservative Union: This part works to influence laws and government decisions (lobbying).
- The American Conservative Union Foundation: This part is best known for putting on the Conservative Political Action Conference. It also works to teach people about conservative ideas.
- The American Conservative Union Political Action Committee (PAC): This group officially supports and helps fund conservative candidates who are running for office.
How They Rate Politicians
Since 1971, the ACU has used its own system to rate politicians on how conservative they are. It's like a report card for lawmakers. Another group, Americans for Democratic Action, has used a similar system to rate politicians on how liberal they are since 1947.
Each year, when the ACU publishes its ratings for members of Congress and state lawmakers, the Chairman, Matt Schlapp, explains the ideas behind them. He says that conservatism believes that each person is important and that the government's main job is to protect people's lives, freedom, and property.
The ACU Foundation looks at votes that lawmakers have already made. They then give a conservative opinion on what those votes mean about the official's views on government. This helps show clear differences between politicians who have conservative views and those who have other views.
The ACU gives politicians a score based on how they vote on important issues. This score shows how much the lawmakers agreed with conservative ideas. They use these scores to hold politicians accountable, comparing what they say to how they actually vote. If a politician scores over 80%, they are called an "ACU Conservative." These scores are often used in studies about politics, in news stories, and during election campaigns.
Conservative Political Action Conference
The most famous event organized by the ACU Foundation is the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). This is a big yearly meeting that thousands of people attend. Important conservative leaders, including current and former presidents, often speak at CPAC. For example, at CPAC 2017, speakers included President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and several governors and other government officials.
American Conservative Union Foundation
The ACU Foundation's main goal is to teach the public about conservative ideas. It has five "policy centers" that focus on different areas of politics. These include centers for Arts and Culture, Human Dignity, Statesmanship & Diplomacy, 21st Century Property Rights, and Criminal Justice Reform (CCJR).
These policy centers mostly share their ideas through blogs and articles. The Center for Criminal Justice Reform (CCJR) is the largest of these. It works to support conservative changes in the justice system. They do this by advising government officials, talking to the media, and sharing their expert opinions at government meetings.
The CCJR focuses on two main areas: preventing unfair taking of people's property by the government (called civil asset forfeiture) and increasing mental health support within the justice system. The CCJR also works with other groups on a campaign called "Right on Crime" and hosts a discussion panel at CPAC every year.
History of the ACU
How it Started
The American Conservative Union was one of many conservative groups that started in the 1960s. This was a time when conservative ideas were becoming popular again. Many people believed that this decade would be remembered as the time when conservatism became a strong political force. During this period, there was a growing difference between liberal and conservative ideas. Activists began to build a well-organized conservative movement, forming groups like Young Americans for Freedom and the ACU. These groups focused on long-term plans and getting conservatives elected to public office.
The ACU was founded in December 1964. It was created because many conservatives felt that liberal ideas were too strong in America, especially after Barry Goldwater lost the presidential election. Key founders included Frank S. Meyer, William F Buckley Jr, and Robert E. Bauman, who organized the first meeting.
At the first meetings, a board of 50 directors was chosen. Within nine months, the ACU had 7,000 members, and by the end of 1972, it had grown to 45,000 members.
The ACU wanted to bring conservatives together. William F Buckley Jr and Robert Bauman made it clear that the ACU was different from another group called the John Birch Society. The ACU's founding papers stated that the two groups were not related and had different views on world events. This difference became a big topic in the news when Buckley continued to criticize the John Birch Society in his magazine, National Review.
Influencing Foreign Policy
In 1977, the ACU spent about $1.4 million to oppose the Panama Canal treaties. They sent out about 2.4 million letters to people, which helped them raise money to support conservative politicians who were against the treaties. They also made a 30-minute TV ad that was shown on many TV stations and placed newspaper ads in many states. These ads encouraged people to write to their senators and ask them to vote against the treaties.
The ACU also helped pay for a group called a "truth squad," which aimed to get more public interest in the treaties and pressure senators to vote no. Even with all this effort, the treaties were approved by the U.S. Senate in 1978.
In 1980, the ACU estimated it would cost about $1.8 million to stop the SALT II treaty, which was about limiting nuclear weapons. The groups against SALT II spent much more money than those who supported it. The ACU used its successful letter-sending method again, reaching about 500,000 people. They also created a TV show called Soviet Might/American Myth: The United States in Retreat, which was shown on 200 TV stations across the country to argue against SALT II.
In 1985, the ACU sent out about 100,000 letters to support aid for the Nicaraguan contras. They also brought Nicaraguan refugees to Capitol Hill to help convince politicians to support President Reagan's request for aid.
Leaders of the ACU
Some of the people who helped start the ACU include William F. Buckley, Jr., Rep. Donald Bruce, Rep. John Ashbrook, and others. Donald Bruce was the first chairman from 1964 to 1966. John Ashbrook took over from 1966 to 1971.
M. Stanton Evans was chairman for six years, from 1971 to 1977. After him, Philip Crane served for two years (1977-1979), followed by Mickey Edwards from 1979 to 1983.
David Keene was chairman from 1984 until 2011. Then Al Cardenas led the group until 2014.
The ninth and current chairman is Matt Schlapp. Before leading the ACU, he worked as the political director for President George W. Bush.
Lobbying in Recent Years
Lobbying means trying to influence government decisions. According to a group called OpenSecrets, the American Conservative Union spent about $20,000 on lobbying in 2001. This amount grew to $400,000 in 2003 and $1,100,000 in 2005. They did not spend any money on lobbying in 2004. Since Matt Schlapp became chairman, the ACU has spent $120,000 on lobbying.
Two people who often work as lobbyists for the ACU are Lorenz Hart and Amir Iljazi.
See also
In Spanish: Unión Conservadora Estadounidense para niños
