About
The American Conservative Union (ACU), "the nation's oldest conservative lobbying organization," was founded in 1964 by William F. Buckley and several other conservative bigwigs "to effectively communicate and advance the goals and principles of conservatism through one multi-issue, umbrella organization. The Statement of Principles makes clear ACU's support of capitalism, belief in the doctrine of original intent of the framers of the Constitution, confidence in traditional moral values, and commitment to a strong national defense."
Through its Conservative Political Action Committee, ACU has lobbied for a laundry list of right-wing policies, including tax reform, industry deregulation, missile defense, and increased defense spending. Although many of its members were initially unenthusiastic over the Bush administration's plans for Iraq, the organization has been generally supportive of the administration's wide-ranging war on terrorism.
After a Pentagon-sponsored visit to Iraq in late 2003, ACU Vice Chairman Donald Devine wrote in the Washington Times, "I had been opposed to United States ground forces in Iraq but was impressed that Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had insisted that the number of American troops on the ground be limited-only enough to win the war but not so many to become bogged down afterwards. Once the active war was won, his plan was to quickly turn control to the Iraqis. But, with the pressure from influential U.S. voices to increase troop levels substantially and to remain indefinitely until a functioning democracy could be created, I signed up for the rigors of the trip to the combat zone to learn whether the secretary's message had reached the troops. The news from Iraq is good. The end of the U.S. occupation is in sight and the military and civilian leaders are moving enthusiastically and rationally to implement the plan. ... As power is transferred, American casualties will continue. As heart rending as is this process, recriminations regarding whether we should have entered the war to avoid the reaction are moot. The only rational course is to support the orderly transition now being implemented by our military in Iraq." (3)
During the heady years of the Cold War, ACU participated in a number of hard-line advocacy efforts as a member of the Coalition for Peace through Strength and actively supported rightist groups in Latin America and elsewhere, including the Nicaraguan Contras. (4) The group also took credit for getting Ronald Reagan elected president, initially pushing him to run in 1975 against the "liberal" Gerald Ford.
Past and present board members include the NRA's Wayne LaPierre, Jesse Helms, Grover Norquist, Morton Blackwell, and L. Brent Bozell III.
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