Manhattan Institute Honors Herman Badillo with Alexander Hamilton Award

On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research honored Herman Badillo at the annual Alexander Hamilton Award Dinner. The Alexander Hamilton Award recognizes New Yorkers who exemplify Hamiltonian values: civic leadership, fiscal restraint, entrepreneurial spirit, and energetic public debate. Badillo, a former U.S. congressman, deputy mayor of New York City, and Bronx borough president, was introduced by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The first U.S. congressman of Puerto Rican origin and the first Puerto Rican to be elected Bronx borough president, Herman Badillo has had a long and distinguished career in public service, helping to pave the way for a generation of Puerto Rican and other minority political leaders in New York. Currently a Manhattan Institute senior fellow writing on immigration issues, his 2007 book One Nation, One Standard: An Ex-Liberal on How Hispanics Can Succeed Just Like Other Immigrant Groups, challenges the received wisdom of liberal social policy and urges the Hispanic community to embrace self-reliance and assimilation. His book stresses the need for American Hispanics to place as much emphasis on education as other successful immigrant groups have done.

Badillo proudly accepted the honor, saying in his acceptance speech, “With just one standard for all we can truly be one nation—a goal that I believe would be enthusiastically approved by Alexander Hamilton.”

The Alexander Hamilton Award was created to celebrate New York and honor those individuals helping to foster the revitalization of our nation’s cities. The Manhattan Institute chose to name the award after Hamilton because, like the Manhattan Institute, he was a fervent proponent of commerce and civic life, and he believed the health of the nation hinged upon vibrant cities.

Previous award recipients include Rubert Murdoch, former Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Edward Koch, author Tom Wolfe, former Governor Hugh Carey, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and philanthropists Roger Hertog, Chuck Brunie, and Walter Mintz. More information is available online at www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ah_2008.htm.

Full video of the award dinner will be available on the Manhattan Institute website, www.manhattan-institute.org.

The Mission of the Manhattan Institute is to develop and disseminate new ideas
that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.