European Resource Bank Meeting – Day 3

Day 3 was down to the nitty gritty - workshops designed to share successes and give advice to blossoming think tanks in Europe. 

Matthew Elliott of the British TaxPayers’ Alliance gave an insightful speech on messaging and that most of UKers overwhelmingly trust television as their source.  He also suggested that the “right” needs to adopt some of the same strategies as the “left,” such as stunts.  Matthew made a special mention to CAGW’s own pig mascot and how the pig has increased the awareness of pork-barrel spending over the years.

General secretary for the Taxpayers Association of Europe (TAE), Michael Jäger, talked about lobbying Brussels.  What was interesting is how eerily similar it sounded like lobbying Washington.

So, this year’s meeting is a wrap.  Besides the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones, I am struck by the similarity of issues in Europe and in America.  People, regardless of geography or national origin, want more money in their pockets and less with the government.  Also, honesty and transparency are universal concepts and should be viewed from a global perspective.