Political discourse and public policy in the U.S. are today increasingly shaped by an influential right wing apparatus comprised of think tanks, media venues, leadership training institutes, lobbying groups, and other organizations operating both locally and nationally. The right has spent decades building alliances, developing policy initatives couched in consistent political rhetoric, and creating the infrastructure to implement them effectively. "[Right-wing foundations] fund national conservative 'think tanks' to package and repackage conservative issue positions; state think tanks to lend a local flair to these issues; national political groups to lobby in Washington and shape national media coverage; state-based groups to do the same in the states; grassroots organizations to stir up local activism; national and state media to report, interpret and amplify these activities; scholars to record the history of such activities and push the intellectual boundaries of the issues; graduate students to form the next wave of scholarship and movement leadership; and college newspapers to shape the milieu in which America’s next generation of political leaders comes to their political awakening." - People for the American Way: "Buying a Movement" The Sunlight Collective aims to consolidate and expand existing documentation of right wing infrastructural and strategic efforts. It is imperative for the left to understand the levels of sophistication and savvy faced in combating the right, as well as shape their strategy with the right's strengths and weaknesses in mind. Sunlight also aims to provide a forum for intervention strategies proposed by those working on the progressive/left, and to highlight effective projects and strategies directed toward building a broad-based progressive/left movement. Full Mission Statement