A series of narratives, once reported so confidently, have collapsed in recent months. From the origins of the coronavirus pandemic to the clearing of Lafayette Park in D.C. last June, once-mainstream explanations have turned out to be more uncertain than previously reported—or simply untrue.
Mistakes like these reinforce the public’s declining trust in media.
Democracy demands better. During this summer’s campaign, we are asking RealClear’s thoughtful and discerning readers to help support rigorous, nonpartisan journalism and other projects to edify America’s public discourse.
Consider, for starters, the reporting that RealClearInvestigations (RCI) has mounted on the electoral process. As debates over voting reform unfold in the nation’s capital and in statehouses, RCI has published a series examining the changes in voting procedures during the 2020 election that were prompted by the Covid lockdowns. In Montana, RCI was credited for spurring the secretary of state to author an open letter pledging to improve election integrity in the Treasure State. Meanwhile, we have launched an online library, curating the ideas marketplace of research and commentary on such issues as voter identification, voter access, and election security.
Conflicts over race, identity, and classical liberal ideals of justice and equality have been the subject of RCI’s culture beat, covered primarily by Richard Bernstein and John Murawski. As few areas of public life are more fraught and divisive, RCI has endeavored to provide dispassionate reporting that clarifies where public life is trending. See, for example, Bernstein’s examination into the growing trend to reject traditional standards of merit, as well as Murawski’s coverage of litigation surrounding the application of critical race theory in K–12 schools, government agencies, and other organizations.
In economic affairs, RealClearFoundation (RCF) is focused on the ESG (environment, social, governance) movement, which is sweeping the investment world. This spring, RCF senior fellow Rupert Darwall authored a report examining the core claims made by ESG proponents: that it will deliver superior returns and change the world for the better. A regular contributor to RealClearEnergy, Darwall has been covering the trend toward pursuing environmental regulation through financial markets.
And over at RealClearEducation (RCE), Nathan Harden and John Hirschauer have been covering a survey we conducted regarding speech and associational freedoms on college campuses. In cooperation with the North American Fraternity Conference and the National Panhellenic Conference, we surveyed 5,000 fraternity and sorority members at more than 500 colleges and universities—gaining insights that reinforce growing concerns about the cultural and intellectual climate of higher education. RCE has published a series of articles looking in depth at specific schools, such as Duke, Syracuse, Wesleyan, Harvard, and Florida State.
RCF’s ambition is to live up to the Fourth Estate’s constitutionally protected charge of finding and reporting the truth. This ambition is furthered, first and foremost, by our partnership with RealClearPolitics, a trusted news site whose cross-partisan readership is as influential as any in the media landscape. If you find our mission and work of benefit to democracy, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to RCF today.
