Ed Crane (politician)
{{Short description|American libertarian}}
{{Infobox economist
| name = Ed Crane
| school_tradition = Libertarianism
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Edward Harrison Crane
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|8|15}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| institution = Cato Institute (1977–2012)
| field = Economics, politics, social science, culture
| alma_mater = University of California, Berkeley (BSc)
University of Southern California (MBA)
{{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes
| office = President of the Cato Institute
| term_start = 1977
| term_end = October 1, 2012
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office1 = 3rd Chair of the Libertarian National Committee
| term_start1 = 1974
| term_end1 = 1977
| predecessor1 = Susan Nolan
| successor1 = David Bergland
| office2 = 2nd Vice Chair of the Libertarian National Committee
| term_start2 = 1972
| term_end2 = 1974
| predecessor2 = Susan Nolan
| successor2 =
}}
| influences = Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, Milton Friedman
| influenced =
| contributions =
| awards =
| signature =
| repec_prefix = | repec_id =
}}
Edward Harrison Crane (born August 15, 1944) is an American libertarian and co-founder of the Cato Institute. He served as its president until October 1, 2012.{{cite news| title=Cato Institute Welcomes New CEO, Announces Changes to Board|url=http://www.cato.org/pressroom.php?display=news&id=211|newspaper=Cato Institute}}
In the 1970s, he was one of the most active leaders within the Libertarian Party.{{cite web|last1=Weigel|first1=David|title=Ed Crane steps down to end the Koch brothers' attempted coup at Cato, and libertarians cheer.|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/06/ed_crane_leaves_cato_in_a_settlement_to_end_the_think_tank_s_hostile_takeover_by_the_koch_brothers_.html|website=Slate.com|date=25 June 2012|access-date=15 November 2016}} He directed the Party as its National Chair from 1974 to 1977,{{cite news|last=Morin|first=Richard|title=Free Radical; Libertarian—and Contrarian—Ed Crane Has Run the Cato Institute for 25 Years. His Way.|url=http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/free-radical-libertarian-contrarian-ed-crane-has-run-cato-institute-25-years-way |newspaper=Washington Post|date=May 9, 2002|access-date=December 10, 2012}} worked on John Hospers's Presidential bid and managed Ed Clark's 1978 campaign for Governor of California. In 1980, Crane served as communications director to the Libertarian Party presidential ticket of Clark and vice presidential candidate David Koch.{{cite news|last=Jackovich|first=Karen G.|title=Ed Clark Is the Libertarian Party's Headstrong Candidate for the White House|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20077451,00.html|newspaper=People|date=September 22, 1980|access-date=December 10, 2012}} Prior to founding the Cato Institute, Crane was chartered financial analyst and vice president of Alliance Capital in California.
Crane has been a member of the board of various political organizations, including Americans for Limited Government, a group that assists grassroots efforts throughout the country, and the Center for Competitive Politics. Crane is also a member of the Mont Pelerin Society.
Tenure at Cato Institute
In 1977, with the funding of Charles Koch, Crane established the Cato Institute, a libertarian think-tank.
While at Cato, Crane expanded the organization from a staff of 10 and a budget of $800,000 when it first opened in San Francisco to a staff of 127 and a budget of $21 million in a newly renovated building in Washington, DC.{{cite news |author=Staff Editorial |title=Ed Crane's Freedom Legacy |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204425904578072773385074286 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=October 23, 2012 |access-date=December 10, 2012}}
In 2012, a shareholder dispute arose between Crane and Charles and David Koch. Crane accused the Kochs of trying to take control of the organization. The Kochs contended that the shares of deceased shareholder William Niskanen should have been offered to the Institute first, and not passed to his widow. Crane later said that he spoke to New Yorker journalist Jane Meyer, whose reporting indicated the conflict was also about the ideological direction of the Institute.{{cite news |last=Weigel |first=David |title="Who the Hell is Going to Take a Think Tank Seriously If It's Controlled by Billionaire Oil Guys?" Cato's President Speaks. |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/03/22/_who_the_hell_is_going_to_take_a_think_tank_seriously_if_it_s_controlled_by_billionaire_oil_guys_cato_s_president_speaks_.html |newspaper=Slate |date=March 22, 2012 |access-date=December 10, 2012}}{{cite magazine |last1=Meyer |first1=Jane |title=The Kochs v. Cato: Winners and Losers |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-kochs-v-cato-winners-and-losers |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=6 July 2020 |date=27 June 2012}} As part of the dispute settlement, the Cato shareholder agreement was dissolved and Crane agreed to retire.{{cite news|last=Vogel|first=Kenneth P.|title=Cato, Koch brothers settle ownership fight |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77809.html |newspaper=Politico |date=June 26, 1980 |access-date=December 10, 2012}}
In 2013 Crane launched Purple PAC, a super-PAC that supports candidates and causes consistent with the libertarian philosophy.{{cite web |url=http://purplepac.org/about/ |title=About {{!}} Purple PAC |website=purplepac.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808011548/http://purplepac.org/about/ |archive-date=2015-08-08}}
Political views
Crane is politically libertarian. He has described the core principles of libertarianism as being personal liberty, free markets and limited government.Morin, Richard
(May 9, 2002) [https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/free-radical-libertarian-contrarian-ed-crane-has-run-cato-institute-25-years-way "Free Radical; Libertarian — and Contrarian — Ed Crane Has Run the Cato Institute for 25 Years. His Way."], Cato.org
He was supportive of then-presidential candidate Ron Paul on issues such as cutting spending, lowering taxes, support for a non-interventionist foreign policy, protecting civil liberties and promoting Austrian economics. "Support for dynamic market capitalism (as opposed to crony capitalism), social tolerance, and a healthy skepticism of foreign military adventurism is a combination of views held by a plurality of Americans," he states in his column. "It is why the 21st century is likely to be a libertarian century. It is why the focus should be on Ron Paul's philosophy and his policy proposals in 2012."Crane, Edward H. (December 31, 2011) [https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/why-ron-paul-matters "Why Ron Paul matters"], Cato.org
In 2016 he supported presidential candidate Rand Paul. It was reported that Crane had stopped raising money for the Purple PAC that was supporting Rand; but Crane stated that the PAC was still operating and it wasn't shutting down.{{Cite web|url=https://reason.com/2015/09/29/politico-overstates-his-dropping-out-ins/|title=Politico Overstates His Dropping Out, Insists Rand Paul-Supporting SuperPAC Chief Edward Crane|date=September 29, 2015}} He stated, "I'm still 'standing with Rand,' as they say, and there's no one else I can think of supporting."Weigel, David (September 29, 2015) [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/29/pro-rand-paul-pac-isnt-shutting-down-just-asking-paul-to-be-more-libertarian/ "Pro-Rand Paul PAC isn’t shutting down, just asking Paul to be more libertarian"], The Washington Post
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.cato.org/people/edward-crane Cato Institute – Edward Crane bio]
- {{C-SPAN|2566}}
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{{succession box | before = Susan Nolan | title = Chair of the Libertarian National Committee | years = 1974 – 1977 | after = David Bergland}}
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{{U.S. Libertarian Party}}
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Category:Activists from California
Category:American political activists
Category:California Libertarians
Category:Cato Institute people
Category:Libertarian National Committee chairs