U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) speaks to AEI on the Constructive Conservatism approach to poverty.

 So instead of abdicating the field we should be applying conservative principles to the problems of our day in a pragmatic, commonsense, constructive way, tackling issues from the bottom-up rather than the top down with proven methods that have worked before and will work again. There are several key elements to a constructive conservative approach at the federal level in my view. Those would certainly include using the best research available and insisting on evidence based programs. Best practices, taking what works around the country and spreading those practices  to all communities. Leveraging federal dollars using short term federal matching funds to leverage more support and more buy in, locally. Outcome analysis, simply put, making sure that we are measuring performance and that it is required to report on that performance measurement. We know these tools work, but we are not using them in an effective way to help those the most vulnerable communities, the most vulnerable neighborhoods.