The Right's Venture Capitalist
National Review|October 10, 2016

What Michael Grebe achieved at the Bradley Foundation.

John J.Miller
The Right's Venture Capitalist

MICHAEL GREBE just quit his job as the head of a $840 million venture-capital firm. That’s one way of looking at his retirement this summer as president of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the country’s largest and possibly most influential conservative philanthropic foundation, where he has spent the last 14 years leading an investment strategy whose goal is to promote limited government and free enterprise.

“I’m worried that we’re losing the war of ideas,” says Grebe. “A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined saying that right now.” He’s not just talking about the rise of Donald Trump in the GOP. “Trump is not the cause of our problems,” says Grebe. “He’s a symptom.”

For years, conservatives have prided themselves on the high quality of their ideas. Even when they’ve lost elections, they’ve continued to take the long view, believing that in time their better ideas will prevail. Whatever faith Grebe once put into this notion has vanished. “Look at young people,” he says. “They’re a big part of the population and many of them don’t believe in capitalism.” He could cite a Gallup poll from earlier this year: Fifty-five percent of adults under the age of 30 admitted to a positive view of socialism. “It’s alarming,” he says. “People talk about the Republican party needing to do some soul searching. I think the conservative movement needs more introspection. We’ve got to do better.”

This story is from the October 10, 2016 edition of National Review.

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This story is from the October 10, 2016 edition of National Review.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.