Wednesday, January 15, 2025
All civic learning topics for this day
Today's Topics
Conservative donors create alternative business networks to bypass liberal gatekeepers
Conservative donors use ventures like 1789 Capital to create alternative business networks that bypass "liberal gatekeepers," demonstrating economic warfare as political strategy. Rockbridge members brainstormed building a "parallel economy" of conservative-friendly businesses, leading to the creation of a $150 million venture fund that invested $15 million in Tucker Carlson's media company after his Fox News departure.
Billionaire networks coordinate local elections to rig congressional maps
Rockbridge Network operates a "Red State Project" hiring staff across red states to coordinate conservative groups from school boards to state legislatures, with internal documents showing successful influence on congressional redistricting. The network creates centralized command structures that turn local elections into extensions of national billionaire political strategies.
Shadow government networks pre-select officials before elections
Conservative donor networks like Rockbridge coordinate with Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 to pre-select hundreds of government personnel before winning elections, creating systematic capture of federal agencies. The $22 million operation includes personnel databases, training programs, and 180-day implementation plans that bypass traditional merit-based hiring to advance donor interests through government positions.
Rockbridge funds covert journalism while maintaining independence facade
Rockbridge Network channels $75 million through Firebrand Action to fund "investigative journalism" published in aligned outlets without disclosure, creating artificial news ecosystems that bypass traditional editorial oversight. Chris Buskirk's operation publishes content in conservative media while hiding the Silicon Valley billionaire funding behind it, manipulating public opinion through covert content creation and strategic polling included in mainstream aggregates.
Yarvin's anti-democratic theories infiltrate GOP policy from fringe blogs
Curtis Yarvin transformed from obscure blogger "Mencius Moldbug" to influential anti-democratic theorist shaping Trump administration officials and GOP policy through strategic intellectual networking. His "Dark Enlightenment" philosophy advocating CEO-style monarchy moved from fringe internet forums to influence Vice President J.D. Vance, State Department official Michael Anton, and Silicon Valley billionaires funding Republican campaigns, demonstrating how extremist theories become normalized through elite networks.
Republican governors block own party's partisan school board push as voter backlash grows
Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte vetoed New Hampshire's partisan school board bill in July 2025, breaking ranks with GOP legislators pushing similar measures across 14 states. Arizona Senator Justine Wadsack's bill requiring party labels for all 200+ school districts passed committee but stalled, while Indiana became the only state in 2025 to successfully enact partisan school board elections starting in 2026. The mixed Republican success rate signals voter resistance to politicizing local education governance.
World Economic Forum warns of "most divided times since Cold War"
The WEF's Global Risks Report 2025 surveyed 900+ experts worldwide and found armed conflict as the top immediate threat, while climate disasters dominate the decade ahead. Nearly two-thirds expect a "fragmented global order" by 2035, with cooperation breaking down just when we need it most.
Idaho law criminalizes helping pregnant teens cross state lines
The 9th Circuit Court partially upheld Idaho's first-in-the-nation law criminalizing adults who transport minors across state lines for abortion care, with 2-5 year prison sentences—even blocking free speech about abortion options while creating exceptions that protect rapist fathers.