Speaking truth to power

Head up to the ninth-floor reception of New America and you could be forgiven for thinking you’d walked into the offices of a technology start-up. Gaze towards the ceiling at the Washington-based think-tank and you’ll see plenty of exposed pipework, while bright splashes of colour can be seen around the stairs and open-plan kitchens. To cap it off, several employees are perching on orthopaedic ball chairs.

Selling itself as “Renewing American politics, prosperity and purpose in the digital age”, New America is part of a new breed of “boutique” think-tanks that has emerged in the US capital. “We are the un-Brookings,” says Anne- Marie Slaughter, New America’s president and CEO since 2013, in reference to Washington’s most venerable institution. “We are now in an era when a third to half of how we are going to solve problems is through technology.”

Peter Bergen, vice-president and head of the international-security programme, thinks New America stands out for another reason. “We’re not a government- in-waiting,” he says. Indeed, with the exception of Slaughter – who spent two years at the State Department as director of policy-planning under Hillary Clinton – the office doesn’t comprise “in and outers”, the industry term for think-tank employees who have been in government and are awaiting a change of administration in order to return. Instead, many of New America’s staff are journalists, regularly contributing to publications on the theme of the upcoming elections.

Bergen’s expertise has been regularly called upon to dissect the candidacies of Trump and Clinton and how they might deal with national security issues such as Isis or why Americans are becoming radicalised. When it comes to predicting how Trump might act as president, Bergen says, “He’s like the uncle you have at Thanksgiving dinner who thinks he has all the answers to the world’s problems.”

While New America’s aim is to have a broad reach through journalism, it also functions as a traditional think-tank by advising government and policy-makers, as well as analysing candidates’ policies, such as their stance on education. This year its programme on political reform seems particularly apt, given candidates’ talk of a broken system and big money. Much of programme director Mark Schmitt’s work involves trying to build consensus in a polarised political environment. “Are there ideas that could connect conservatives and liberals, Democrats and Republicans, to build a coalition?” he asks. His team has been looking into how small donors could have more clout in political campaigns and how Congress could be strengthened against exploitation by lobbyists.

Not that think-tanks are free from accusations that they may be a little too cosy to corporate interests at times, something Slaughter insists isn’t the case at New America. “We are mostly journalists and fiercely independent,” she says. “Our brand would die if it looked like we were paid to play.”

Name: New America
Location: Washington DC
President and CEO: Anne-Marie Slaughter
Founded: 1999
Staff: 150

Biggest issues for the new president:
Peter Bergen on Clinton:
“If she is commander-in-chief she will be to the right of Obama on a number of issues. There would be a lot of continuity but she is comfortable with the use of American power.”

Anne-Marie Slaughter on Trump:
“I think there could be a constitutional crisis. Based on what he says he wants to do he will give that order – such as torturing terrorists’ families – and the military will say it won’t do it.”