Olliver Liberty Center

[Ollie]

Background: The Olliver Liberty Center (OLC) is a conservative U.S. think tank based in Washington D.C. Founded in 1994, its influence has steadily grown in conservative circles within Washington and beyond. The founder of the OLC, Jacob Olliver, is a former advisor to President Ronald Reagan, who founded the think tank during the Clinton years. Inspired by the 'Gingrich Revolution', the goal of the think-tank was to help Republicans usher in conservative policies while they had control of the House of Representatives. Since then, it has worked to shape public policy and influence judicial and executive appointments both on the federal and state level.

 

Mission: The primary mission of the Olliver Liberty Center is to advance the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and personal freedom. Through research, policy analysis, and advocacy, the center seeks to shape public policy debates and influence decision-makers at all levels of government. 

 

OUR LEADERSHIP

 

 

Chairman and CEO, Jacob Olliver

Jacob Olliver is a prominent Republican policy advisor and strategist with a distinguished career spanning several decades. Olliver began his career as a policy analyst and he was later recruited to serve as a policy advisor for the Ford administration, where he played a role in shaping economic and regulatory policies. Olliver's reputation as a skilled strategist caught the attention of Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign, and he was tapped to join the team as a senior advisor. Olliver played a role in crafting Reagan's message of economic freedom and national renewal. Olliver would go on to work in the White House for several years. In the years that followed, Olliver remained at the forefront of conservative politics, advising Republican candidates and leaders at both the state and national levels. He played a key role in the successful gubernatorial campaign of George Deukmejian in California. In 1994, Olliver founded the Olliver Liberty Center. Under his leadership, the center has emerged as a leading voice in the conservative movement, providing research, analysis, and advocacy on a wide range of policy issues.

 

 

President, Cecilia Adams

Cecilia Adams, a Harvard graduate, began her career working at the United Nations as a policy advisor for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Adams would later leave the UN and join the U.S. State Department as a spokesperson. Adams was subsequently recruited to join the National Security Council, advising on political affairs, which lead to her joining NATO as a public affairs advisor there. Adams was appointed as a Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy in 2006. After leaving the Bush administration, Adams delivered guest lectures at Stanford. Adams joined the Olliver Liberty Center in 2010 as President. 

[Ollie]

Police secure the crime scene of the San Bernardino Attack in San Bernardino, California on December 2, 2015. (Credit: SBSun)

 

With Crime on the Rise, Congress Must Act

A feature by Larry Coleman (@LRColeman) 

 

In recent years, America has been grappling with a sobering reality: the alarming surge in murder rates. The years 2015 and 2016 witnessed a large spike in homicides, centered mainly in the 30 largest U.S. cities mostly ran by Democrat Mayors, sending a rippling effect of fear and concern in communities across the nation. This crime surge and the implications from it demands not just attention but decisive action, and it's high time for Congress to step up to the plate and act to quell the chaos.

 

The statistics paint a grim picture. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the murder rate rose by a staggering 10.8% in 2015, followed by another 8.6% increase in 2016. These aren't just numbers on a page; they represent lives lost, families shattered, and communities torn apart by violence. But it's worse than that as police officers face more danger as well. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 14 police officers were killed in 2016 in "ambush killings." An example is two police officers in Iowa who were ambushed and shot by an assailant while on patrol.

 

In Democrat run cities, the picture is even more bleak. Chicago alone accounted for more than 40% of the murder rate increase in 2016 resulting in the deadliest year in recorded history, with Baltimore and Washington D.C. trailing close behind. This represents a catastrophic failure on policy and in addressing the core issues resulting in crime, as well as an increasing lack of dedicated resources for law enforcement to address growing gang violence, all the while being under enhanced threat of death or violence.

 

 

 

 

Now it's up to Congress to act on this alarming growth in murder and crime overall. There's a litany of things Congress can achieve if they came together to pass measures that would curb the rising crime rate. But most paramount is increasing resources for local police departments, putting more cops on the street, and addressing the core issues of crime, including the out of control drug epidemic, personal responsibility in our youth, and the disparity in our education system. But let's start with how Congress can do the bare minimum, by assisting police officers on the ground, and putting an end to the lackadaisical approach by local Democrat leadership.

 

1. DRUG TRAFFICKING: A SCOURGE ON COMMUNITIES

Drug trafficking is a scourge on American communities, leading to overdoses in our youth, gang crimes in our urban centers, and crimes committed by people using drugs or seeking drugs, including theft, murder, rape, and home invasions. The only way to stop the massive amount of drug trafficking in the U.S. is to stop the flow of drugs coming from Mexico. This requires a real effort to secure our border, which includes enhanced funding for more border patrol agents, advancing the technology available to border patrol agents, and reforming our immigration system to ensure would-be traffickers or existing traffickers are not allowed to ingratiate themselves inside the United States. A good option is to pass the Secure the Border First Act of 2017. This bill contains a number of innovative solutions to address drug trafficking and curb the flow of drugs from Mexico into the United States. 

 

2. TOUGHER SENTENCING LAWS: CONSEQUENCES MUST MEET THE CRIME

Implementing stricter sentencing guidelines for violent offenders and drug traffickers can serve as a deterrent to would-be criminals. Congress should consider legislation that imposes mandatory minimum sentences for individuals convicted of violent crimes, particularly repeat offenders. At the moment, if you manufacture or distribute drugs that result in the death of someone else, the mandatory minimum sentence is just 20 years. This crime should be considered on the same level as premeditated murder. The mandatory minimum for using a firearm to commit a felony is just 5 years. Our sentencing laws can and should be tougher, especially for repeat offenders. 

 

3. BRING POLICE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY WITH MORE RESOURCES

Far too often, police departments have fallen behind in technological resources thanks to a lack of resources. Law enforcement departments across the country face shrinking budgets and are forced to partner with non-profits and surplus stores to get proper equipment. This is unacceptable. Our police officers shouldn't have less of a technological capacity than the Apple Store down the road. Congress can enact measures to enhance police access to new technology, including drones, computer systems, gunfire analytics equipment, and more. Congress could also consider expanding the 1033 Program which provides surplus military equipment to local police officers by rolling back Executive Order 13688 and allowing more advanced technologies for police use. 

 

4. STOP DEMONIZING THE POLICE IN THE MEDIA

The media and social media companies have allowed the demonization of the police to infect our culture, as police officers as a whole have been accused of being racist, prejudice, and outright abusive to communities. The reality, however, is that an overwhelming majority of police officers put their lives on the line day in and day out to protect their communities. Widows and children who have lost a parent who worked as a police officer can testify this. Not only do they have to live with losing their loved one, but they have to live with their loved one being villainized even in death. Those who believe in the police and their purpose must help repair this perception.

 

These are just a few ways Congress can act to assist law enforcement officers on the ground and curb the growing rate of violent crime and murders. But we cannot overlook the importance of personal responsibility. While government policies can certainly create an environment conducive to reducing crime, ultimately, it's up to individuals to make the right choices and abide by the law. Instilling a sense of personal responsibility and accountability is essential to fostering a law-abiding society. Our schools and our community leaders must do better in encouraging children, especially high-school aged children, to not pursue criminality and rather offer them other outlets.

 

This is why Congress must also look at school choice, expanding voucher programs, and expanding vocational training offered by community colleges and private institutions. In addition, Congress must encourage family stability and responsible fatherhood. At the end of the day, the surge in murder rates demands urgent attention from Congress. By embracing principles that align with our law enforcement agencies and departments across the country, and enacting commonsense policies aimed at addressing the root causes of crime, we can work towards a safer, more secure America for all its citizens.