About The National Security Project

Over the past several years, political activist, philanthropist, real estate developer and entrepreneur, Constance Milstein, has become increasingly concerned about the drift of U.S. foreign and national security policy away from the political center and toward the extremes. As a result, in 2004, Ms. Milstein established the National Security Project Inc. (NSP), an ongoing non-profit enterprise (527 organization) seeking to build centrist support among moderates in both the Republican and the Democratic Parties for sensible and effective national security policy. Through a variety of new research, original programming, polling, and common-sense advocacy, the NSP hopes to create new opportunities for centrist Americans to contribute to the dialogue over national security choices made by our leaders. The NSP and this website will become primary tools to attract, cultivate, and enlist like-minded centrists form both parties to begin a fresh dialogue on national security in the face of new and changing threats to our safety and security.

Upcoming Projects

The National Security Project's first official activity was to organize, conduct and publish a non-partisan and comprehensive poll measuring the attitudes and feelings of the American people about national security. This poll, brought to you exclusively on this website, represents a baseline against which similar polls in the future will be organized and analyzed. And while we will continue to commission annual polls in the future, the NSP will also focus on the following activities:

1. Hosting dialogues and debates with some of the newest and most provocative civilian and military thinkers in the area of national security in order to generate new centrist ideas and new approaches to the field.
2. Editing a book by these new thinkers to be available in 2006.
3. Hosting discussion groups with members of the US Armed Forces coupled with visits to US bases and troops around the country and the world.
4. Organizing an ongoing dialogue between military and defense experts and our nation's governors.

National Security Survey: Key Findings

In late 2003 and 2004, the National Security Project sponsored a series of nationwide focus group sessions on the issue of U.S. National Security. This effort culminated in a telephone survey among 1,200 likely voters in August, 2004. Respondents were engaged in an extensive open-ended probe of their basic attitudes toward national security and America's future, as well as a series of traditional closed-ended questions on national security and foreign policy. The findings are reported exclusively through this new website. Key findings include:

1. The majority of voters see the Democratic Party as being weak on national security. It is the "mommy party." When asked to compare cars to each of the two major political parties in terms of national security, voters likened Republicans to "Hummers"; Democrats to "Yugos."
2. The history of the Democrats and their leaders doesn't mean much. Although the Democratic Party has a proud tradition of addressing international crises in an aggressive manner under such Presidents as Roosevelt, Truman, and Johnson, the majority of voters consider this tradition totally irrelevant when choosing a president today.
3. The Bush administration is a little too eager to use military force, but it offers the best way to overcome terrorism. Most voters are concerned with Bush's inflexible worldview and his "go it alone" foreign policy. A majority of voters doesn't trust Bush's motives in Iraq or the Middle East, and feels that the Republicans are too willing to use military force as a solution for international conflicts. At the same time, the majority of voters believes that Bush is our best hope to defeat terrorism and keep America safe.
4. Most voters feel pessimistic about the direction of our country. However, a solid majority of voters thinks America has become more secure since 9/11.
5. Voters rank energy independence as among the top priorities for national security policies.
6. A plurality of voters feels that the Iraq conflict has not been worth the cost in lives and money.