While the GOP is able to rely on think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Entrerprise Institute to produce a generation of educated and well-paid conservative pundits, until recently the Democrats have not had such a luxury. With John Podesta's founding of the Center for American Progress, America's left began to catch up with the right's extensive infrastructure. Now, with the suppor of some very rich people, the progressive network might finally be able to reach parity with its conservative adversary. E.J. Kessler reports this week in Forward [free subscription required]:

A handful of ultra-wealthy Jewish liberals are resolving to do battle with conservatives by providing a big infusion of cash to progressive think tanks and idea mills.

New York-based financier George Soros, Cleveland insurance king Peter Lewis and Oakland, Calif., banking magnates Herb and Marian Sandler made the pledge at a meeting in San Francisco last month.

[...]

A report in The Financial Times quoted an unnamed source with knowledge of the San Francisco meeting as saying that the wealthy donors would put more than $100 million over 15 years behind the effort to bolster and expand the network of liberal institutions.

During the 2004 election, Soros, Lewis and the Sandlers comprised three of the top four donors to so-called 527 committees, giving $23,450,000, $22,997,220 and $13,008,459, respectively, according to the Web site of the Center for Responsive Politics. The funds were seen as playing a key role in minimizing the impact of the Bush campaign's large fund-raising advantage over the Kerry camp.

This is truly good news for the progressive movement in America. Though the ideals of campaign finance law are necessary, it is equally important to realize the extent of conservative's grip on the country -- and how this is greatly based on their impressive levels of spending.