Pence announces $20 million American Solutions Project to promote conservatism

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Former Vice President Mike Pence and the Advancing America Freedom conservative political advocacy organization intend to spend $20 million to emphasize conservatism over populism and socialism.

The funds will fuel the new American Solutions Project, which The Hill reported has three primary objectives.

One is to create a platform that conservative candidates can use to move away from populism while countering what it calls the "embrace of socialism" by the left.

Another is to promote conservative laws and policies that the group says will restore the United States as a global leader, confront China, promote free trade and limit government spending.

The final objective is to protect the conservative principle of limited government and spending.

"Our nation was founded on conservative principles that have stood the test of time. The Constitution and this great American experiment must not be swayed by movements or personalities, but must hold fast to the time-honored principles that have made America strong and prosperous and free," Pence told RealClearPolitics in a statement that also was published on the Advancing American Freedom site.

Pence in October withdrew his candidacy for the GOP nomination for president, which has boiled down to a race between former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump.

"Donald Trump, along with his populist followers and imitators ... often sound like an echo of the progressive they would replace in the White House," Pence said during a speech in September. "Like progressives, the Republican populists insist government should dictate how private businesses operate."

Marc Short, Pence's chief of staff, told RealClearPolitics that Trump wants to impose a 10% tariff on all goods imported to the United States, which runs counter to the conservative notion of free trade.

He also said many conservative policy analysts abandoned defending Ukraine in favor of sympathizing with Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Pence wants the $20 million American Solutions Project to help grow the Advancing American Freedom group by adding more staff, improving its infrastructure and promoting its efforts to affirm conservative policies while opposing populism and socialism, The Hill reported.