Today marks the launch of American Moment. Our mission is to identify, educate, and credential young Americans who will implement public policy that supports strong families, a sovereign nation, and prosperity for all.
For years the three of us have been frustrated by the lack of organizations in the conservative movement dedicated to developing ideas and incubating talent focused on the priorities that our nation must adopt if we are to meet the pressing challenges of the 21st century.
Most incumbent institutions seem uninterested at best and actively hostile at worst in addressing the civilizational crises facing the country today. Cratering marriage and fertility rates, the deindustrialization of our nation, the complete dissolution of national solidarity, and cultural decay often seem like tertiary priorities in the existing constellation of non-profits that constitute the American Right.
But organizations that nominally adjust their priorities will only go so far in fighting for them tooth-and-nail. At the end of the day, the people who make up an institution—in any domain of human life—infuse organizations with purpose and set their course.
Unfortunately, because of how atrophied the personnel pipeline in our line of work is, the young minds who share our priorities lack the nominal credentials necessary to rise through the ranks and acquire influence. Most American institutions, like our four-year universities, have morally and substantively bankrupted themselves over the last half-century. We can’t look to them to help shape our nation’s future elite. We need something new and purpose-built for this task.
This is why we established our organization—to not only identify and educate, but also to credential the young, civically-minded people who will meet the significant challenges of this American Moment.
Building institutional and policy expertise from the ground up is not sexy work. But it is essential work because, without it, the American people will lack the government to which they are constitutionally entitled—one that is responsive to their interests.
We have set forth the following ten priorities to guide American Moment.
1. The American family, rooted in faith and tradition, is the bedrock of this nation and must be supported.
2. Law and order are essential to national prosperity and cohesion.
3. Immigration must be restricted to promote national solidarity and the economic well-being of all Americans.
4. U.S. foreign policy and, specifically, the use of military force must be restrained and oriented toward the national interest.
5. China, and the elites who enabled its rise, are generational threats to American prosperity.
6. Trade policy must promote middle-class jobs, American industry, and national security.
7. Technological advancement is crucial to national prosperity.
8. The power of multinational corporations must be curtailed.
9. Government has a moral responsibility to foster public virtue.
10. Every American has the right to equal treatment under the law.
To ensure the flourishing and implementation of these beliefs, American Moment will run four groundbreaking initiatives designed to shape individuals who will implement them:
SUMMIT: An Conference on American Statecraft
COVID-19 regulations permitting, American Moment will host a conference in Washington D.C. in the early fall for no more 300 people under the age of 26. The purpose of SUMMIT is to bring together college students, professionals, and political staffers who share our beliefs. Attendees will hear from renowned leaders on key public policy issues, participate in small-group discussions, and form a nationwide network of like-minded allies.
Please find an interest form for SUMMIT here. We hope you will consider joining us at this inaugural event.
Fellowship for American Statecraft (FAS)
Often the steepest hill to climb for a young person interested in politics or public policy is landing their first job. In jumpstarting that climb, American Moment will fully fund eight deserving fellows every summer to acquire professional experience and credentials, either on Capitol Hill or with an allied public-policy organization. This is the Fellowship for American Statecraft (FAS). It is important to note that American Moment does not defer to the morally bankrupt system that is American higher education, so college degrees are not a requirement for admission. FAS’s generous funding is meant to make sure that this incredible opportunity is viable for young people of all economic means.
Please find the application for FAS here. We encourage any young person interested in helping advance our priorities to apply. The deadline is March 30th, 2021.
[Note: Applications for the Fellowship are now closed. Thank you to all who have applied! You can learn more about the program here.]
Several organizations boast a “canon” of books and essays. Unfortunately, most are terribly curated and, further, they ignore the platforms that young people today use to learn about politics and public policy. In response, American Moment has developed AMCANON, an evolving collection of books, essays, op-eds, podcasts, videos, and even social media lists. It features permanent sections on immigration, economics, family and culture, foreign policy, history and philosophy, power and politics, as well as features on specific issues that warrant focused attention. Our first feature, “Personnel is Policy,” is live now, and gets right to the heart of what we are trying to achieve.
AMCANON is live here. Dive in, and enjoy an entirely new experience with the best of what has been thought and said about the challenges facing our nation and the solutions for addressing them.
Original Content
AMCANON seeks to spotlight premiere content that our allies have generated, especially over the past few years. However, there are still gaps, particularly when it comes to the fundamentals of policy. To meet that need, our very own media house, American Moment Studios, is producing Moment of Truth, a weekly, hour-long podcast on politics, public policy, and current affairs. It is co-hosted by American Moment President Saurabh Sharma and Chief Operations Officer Nick Solheim.
Check out Moment of Truth’s first episode here, featuring Saagar Enjeti and Marshall Kosloff of The Realignment podcast.
Each of these four initiatives has been thoughtfully forged to shape young Americans who will lead our nation in the years and decades ahead. In every generation, there are pioneers who reset the priorities of our nation and chart a new course. We aim to lead that revolution in this generation. In doing so, we seek to prepare a patriotic elite equipped to steer our ship of state and restore stability, security, and prosperity in support of American families.
If any of these initiatives resonate with you, we’d love to have your support. Donate here.
– The American Moment Team