--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: David Brock, a conservative apostate who…" description: "\"“David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal activist, described the Heritage Foundation, where he was a young fellow, as almost complete..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/jane-mayer-1031_small-group_david-brock-a-conservative-apostate-who_6087.png" --- # David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal… ![“David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal activist, described the Heritage Foundation, where he was a young fellow, as almost completely under the thumb of its wealthy sponsors. In his tell-all book Blinded by the Right, he writes, “I saw how right-wing ideology was manufactured…” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/jane-mayer-1031_small-group_david-brock-a-conservative-apostate-who_6087.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/jane-mayer-1031_small-group_david-brock-a-conservative-apostate-who_6087.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/jane-mayer-1031_small-group_david-brock-a-conservative-apostate-who_6087.png) > ““David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal activist, described the Heritage Foundation, where he was a young fellow, as almost completely under the thumb of its wealthy sponsors. In his tell-all book Blinded by the Right, he writes, “I saw how right-wing ideology was manufactured and controlled by a small group of powerful foundations” like Smith Richardson, Adolph Coors, Lynde and Harry Bradley, and John M. Olin.”” [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote exposes how a political think‑tank’s agenda is steered by a handful of affluent donors, suggesting that policy positions may reflect funders’ interests more than independent ideology. **In simple terms:** Think‑tank influence by wealthy donors Key Takeaway Funding shapes policy narratives Themes Power dynamics Political financing Ideological control Think‑tank independence Donor influence Mood Skeptical Critical Inquisitive Type Analytical Exposé Political commentary When to use this quote - Analyzing think‑tank bias - Assessing donor impact on legislation - Investigating funding sources for advocacy groups - Evaluating independent policy research Key Concepts Wealthy foundations Policy manufacturing Political activism Ideological sponsorship Practical Applications - Media reporting on political funding - Academic study of donor‑policy links Questions to Reflect On - How might donor transparency alter public trust? - What mechanisms can safeguard think‑tank independence? A Different Perspective Some argue that think‑tanks retain intellectual autonomy despite donor contributions, maintaining rigorous research standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apostate Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apostate-liberal-311247/) [Brock Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brock-conservative-311246/) [Conservative Apostate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative-apostate-311245/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-brock-231557/) [Liberal Activist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-activist-311248/) [Small Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-group/) ## Related quotes > [Now that he has disavowed as outright lies many of the stories he told himself, it's hard to know what to make of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/now-that-he-has-disavowed-as-outright-lies-many-of-the-stories-he/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [I've been an activist all my life. And always a liberal activist, for the simple reason that it is on the liberal left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stewart/i-ve-been-an-activist-all-my-life-and-always-a-liberal-activist-for/) [Patrick Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stewart/) > [If the world ended tomorrow and good and evil fought it out for keeps, I imagine that David Brock would be one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/if-the-world-ended-tomorrow-and-good-and-evil-fought-it-out-for-keeps/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [The place to find the explanation for the liberal-activist mindset of the courts is in the political arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stockwell-day/the-place-to-find-the-explanation-for-the-liberal-activist-mindset-of/) [Stockwell Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stockwell-day/) > [“Pioneer social psychologist Leon Festinger made sense of that behavior in his 1950s study, When Prophecy Fails . Festinger and two colleagues closely followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gershom-gorenberg/pioneer-social-psychologist-leon-festinger-made-sense-of-that/) [Gershom Gorenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gershom-gorenberg/) > [“Every company, organization or group with the ability to inspire starts with a person or small group of people who were inspired to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/every-company-organization-or-group-with-the-ability-to-inspire/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Phase 3: Forgiveness As I shared in Chapter 7, forgiveness is critical to Blissipline and the peak states needed for extraordinary living. Here you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/phase-3-forgiveness-as-i-shared-in-chapter-7-forgiveness-is-critical/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“It is a common occurrence to sit with a precious but struggling son or daughter of God who shares that while they have many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-ammons/it-is-a-common-occurrence-to-sit-with-a-precious-but-struggling-son/) [Chuck Ammons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-ammons/) > [I don't know if Jim was a major part of that or not. He is one of a small group of real storytellers. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashford/i-don-t-know-if-jim-was-a-major-part-of-that-or-not-he-is-one-of-a/) [Matthew Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashford/) > [“LEAD PEOPLE TO COMMITMENT We have seen that nonbelievers in worship actually “close with Christ” in two basic ways: some may come to Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/lead-people-to-commitment-we-have-seen-that-nonbelievers-in-worship/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [You can't separate the phenomenal birth of unionism in the United States of America from the Pullman porters. This same small group of men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/you-can-t-separate-the-phenomenal-birth-of-unionism-in-the-united/) [Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/) > [After so many years now, it's just suspected by most people that there simply is no way to change the direction Washington's going or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/after-so-many-years-now-it-s-just-suspected-by-most-people-that-there/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Having small group once a week gives me a lot of encouragement and accountability. Even though I go to church, I dont really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/having-small-group-once-a-week-gives-me-a-lot-of-encouragement-and/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [The lure in art collecting and its financial rewards, not counting for a moment its aesthetic, cultural and intellectual rewards, is like the trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/the-lure-in-art-collecting-and-its-financial-rewards-not-counting-for/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## More by Jane Mayer > [“The early think tank was not a spy operation, but it was funded by wealthy men who had no objections to using pretexts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-early-think-tank-was-not-a-spy-operation-but-it-was-funded-by/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Americans for Prosperity annoyed some of the Tea Partiers,” recalls the libertarian blogger Ralph Benko. “These people drove up, opened the door, put T-shirts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/americans-for-prosperity-annoyed-some-of-the-tea-partiers-recalls-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“When Barack Obama took office, the fossil fuel industry was not only eager to preserve its perks but also more militant in its opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-barack-obama-took-office-the-fossil-fuel-industry-was-not-only/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [If you have an informed electorate, it makes great choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/if-you-have-an-informed-electorate-it-makes-great-choices/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ One of the oddities of this election is the man that \[Donald\] Trump chose as his vice-president, Mike Pence, is one of the Kochs'… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/one-of-the-oddities-of-this-election-is-the-man-that-donald-trump/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The candidates promised to cut taxes for those in the highest brackets, preserve Wall Street loopholes, tolerate the off-shoring of manufacturing jobs and profits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-candidates-promised-to-cut-taxes-for-those-in-the-highest/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Amway in fact was structured to avoid federal taxes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/amway-in-fact-was-structured-to-avoid-federal-taxes/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“radicals in Congress refused to back down, bringing virtually the entire federal government to a halt for sixteen days in October, leaving the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/radicals-in-congress-refused-to-back-down-bringing-virtually-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [What I write about is how much influence it's had in things like state legislatures and governorships and congressional races. The other thing that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/what-i-write-about-is-how-much-influence-it-s-had-in-things-like/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Two months into their tenure, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee also led a crusade against alternative, renewable energy programs. They successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/two-months-into-their-tenure-republicans-on-the-house-energy-and/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ \[The Kochs\] they hate big government. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-kochs-they-hate-big-government/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Rob Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, explains that private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/rob-reich-a-professor-of-political-science-at-stanford-university-and/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“During the previous eight years of Republican rule, this conservative corporate elite had consolidated its power, amassing enormous sway over the U.S. government’s regulatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/during-the-previous-eight-years-of-republican-rule-this-conservative/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Noble again chose Larry McCarthy, the veteran media consultant who was known for his ability to distill a complicated subject into a simple, potent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/noble-again-chose-larry-mccarthy-the-veteran-media-consultant-who-was/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“To make up for the projected billion-dollar-a-year shortfall created by the many new tax cuts he helped to deliver, something had to give. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/to-make-up-for-the-projected-billion-dollar-a-year-shortfall-created/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) [Explore all 305 Jane Mayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## More Small Group quotes > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [The lure in art collecting and its financial rewards, not counting for a moment its aesthetic, cultural and intellectual rewards, is like the trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/the-lure-in-art-collecting-and-its-financial-rewards-not-counting-for/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Having small group once a week gives me a lot of encouragement and accountability. Even though I go to church, I dont really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/having-small-group-once-a-week-gives-me-a-lot-of-encouragement-and/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [After so many years now, it's just suspected by most people that there simply is no way to change the direction Washington's going or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/after-so-many-years-now-it-s-just-suspected-by-most-people-that-there/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [You can't separate the phenomenal birth of unionism in the United States of America from the Pullman porters. This same small group of men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/you-can-t-separate-the-phenomenal-birth-of-unionism-in-the-united/) [Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/) > [“LEAD PEOPLE TO COMMITMENT We have seen that nonbelievers in worship actually “close with Christ” in two basic ways: some may come to Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/lead-people-to-commitment-we-have-seen-that-nonbelievers-in-worship/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I don't know if Jim was a major part of that or not. He is one of a small group of real storytellers. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashford/i-don-t-know-if-jim-was-a-major-part-of-that-or-not-he-is-one-of-a/) [Matthew Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashford/) > [“It is a common occurrence to sit with a precious but struggling son or daughter of God who shares that while they have many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-ammons/it-is-a-common-occurrence-to-sit-with-a-precious-but-struggling-son/) [Chuck Ammons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-ammons/) > [“Phase 3: Forgiveness As I shared in Chapter 7, forgiveness is critical to Blissipline and the peak states needed for extraordinary living. Here you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/phase-3-forgiveness-as-i-shared-in-chapter-7-forgiveness-is-critical/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“Every company, organization or group with the ability to inspire starts with a person or small group of people who were inspired to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/every-company-organization-or-group-with-the-ability-to-inspire/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Pioneer social psychologist Leon Festinger made sense of that behavior in his 1950s study, When Prophecy Fails . Festinger and two colleagues closely followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gershom-gorenberg/pioneer-social-psychologist-leon-festinger-made-sense-of-that/) [Gershom Gorenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gershom-gorenberg/) > [“They failed to appreciate how the network would funnel the energies of the people into a centrally administered, tightly monitored information system organized to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-carr/they-failed-to-appreciate-how-the-network-would-funnel-the-energies/) [Nicholas Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-carr/) > [That's where we all kind of were in the mid-1960s. Students for a Democratic Society grew from a small group of socialists at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/that-s-where-we-all-kind-of-were-in-the-mid-1960s-students-for-a/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [The country that's been most successful at that is Norway. The more typical countries are those in the Middle East where a small group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-country-that-s-been-most-successful-at-that-is-norway-the-more/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I co-taught a seminar called Small Group Processes with my professor. I learned so much from it, so much about myself, about groups, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-co-taught-a-seminar-called-small-group-processes-with-my-professor/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) [Browse all 305 Small Group quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-group/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal activist, described the Heritage Foundation, where he was a young fellow, as almost completely under the thumb of its wealthy sponsors. 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