Winter 2014
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Vol. 35
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No. 1
1/23/14 11:37 AM
February 1, 2014
Dear Friends,
E
ver since Young America’s Foundation saved Ronald Reagan’s Presidential home, the Reagan Ranch, I am asked, “What would Reagan say?” about an issue of the day. The safest answer is to quote Ronald Reagan on point or note the factors and approaches Reagan was known to look at when he addressed an issue. However, I usually reverse the question and ask what he or she thinks the President would say. The current controversy, of course, centers around the Obama Administration leading the IRS and HHS to take over all Americans’ health-related decisions. There is little doubt about what Ronald Reagan would say to that. We can “go to the tapes!” Reagan spoke plainly and with deep concern in his voice: One of the traditional methods for imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can’t afford it. But, Reagan went on to make clear that you cannot have government intervention in this profession without great loss to the doctor and the patients. What can we do about this? Well, you and I can do a great deal. We can say right now that we want no further encroachment on these individual liberties and freedoms. And at the moment, the key issue is, we do not want socialized medicine.
Reagan urged action, including writing House and Senate members, and talking to your friends as well. If you don’t [there will be] federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country...[then] one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children, what it once was like in America when men were free.
I suspect Ronald Reagan would sound a lot like the speakers we feature in this issue of Libertas: Dr. Ben Carson, Senator Mike Lee, and Senator Ted Cruz. Reagan might even suggest they are understating the threats to our freedoms posed by Obamacare. Reagan would certainly call us to action: not wait, not make feeble attempts to rewrite the law, not acquiescence.
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Sincerely,
Ron Robinson
President
1/28/14 7:36 AM
LIB ERTAS Winter 2014
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Volume 35
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Number 1
8 Huizenga, Pavlich, Folsom, and Campos-Duffy Inspire High School Students
By Katie Taran, Conference Director
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What’s Next For Conservatives?
By U.S. Senator Mike Lee, Utah
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Cruz, Carson, Bachmann, Santorum, Lee, and George Headline 35th Annual National Conservative Student Conference
By Brendan Njam, YAF Chapter Chairman, Canisius College
21 Teaching Freedom and Free Enterprise: An Interview with Dr. Burt Folsom
By Jessica Jensen, Editor
27
Millennials Rapidly Falling Off Obamacare Bandwagon
By Ashley Pratte, Program Officer, Public Relations
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McClintock, Tancredo, Phillips, and Shapiro Reach High School Audience at the Reagan Ranch
By Katie Taran, Conference Director
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YAF Activist Hones Her Journalism Skills at the Washington Examiner and Fox News
By Anna Giaritelli, National Journalism Center Alumna
On the Cover: President Obama told the American people, “If you like your [health care] plan, you can keep it.” Millennials are realizing that is simply not true. (Photo credit: WhiteHouse.gov)
Also in This Issue: 4 5 6 7 14 33 39
Sekulow, Martin, and Kookogey Headline Tax Cut Celebration Royce, Rohrabacher, Donatelli, and York Address Capitol Hill Interns Congressman Sean Duffy Hosts YAF Capitol Hill Reception Reagan Ranch Roundtable Features Attorney Cleta Mitchell 2014 Reagan Ranch Getaway Weekends Announced Road to Freedom Seminars Feature Moore, Ebenstein, Ma, and Reed Cruise the Mediterranean with Pawlenty, Allen, O’Sullivan, and Ma
Libertas, the Latin word for liberty, is a publication of Young America’s Foundation which highlights the programs, events, students, staff, and supporters of the Foundation. You may contact Libertas and Young America’s Foundation by writing to: Young America’s Foundation, National Headquarters, 110 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170; calling 800-USA-1776; or visiting yaf.org. Editor: Jessica Jensen; Publisher: Ron Robinson; Publication Design: Jonathan Briggs; Assistant Editors: Amy Brooker, Cheri Cerame, Patrick Coyle, Amy deVenoge, Nicole Hoplin, Chris Miranda, Ashley Pratte, Morgan Shields, Katie Taran, Kirby Wilbur; Washington, D.C. event photographer: Face to Face Photography; California event photographer: Jacqueline Pilar. This document and all herein contents, images, stories, graphics, and design, fall unto copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Young America’s Foundation, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Any use of Libertas’ content without the written permission of Young America’s Foundation is prohibited.
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Young America’s Foundation Board Of Directors Ron Robinson President of the Board Ronald Pearson Vice President of the Board Frank Donatelli Secretary and Treasurer of the Board T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Wynton C. Hall Thomas L. Phillips Peter Schweizer James B. Taylor Reagan Ranch Board Of Governors Frank Donatelli Chairman Edwin Meese Co-Chairman Robert F. Agostinelli Governor George Allen John Barletta Dr. Suzanne Becker Lisa M. Buestrin Robert Cummins Becky Norton Dunlop Robert Giuffra, Jr. Timothy S. Goeglein Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold Eric & Nicole Hoplin Marty Irving Harold Knapheide Mark Larson Rebekah Mercer Al & Bette Moore Governor Bill Owens Doug & Pat Perry Thomas Phillips Fred & Ruth Sacher Richard & Jane Schwartz Lee Shannon Craig Shirley Owen & Bernadette Casey Smith Barbara S. Waddell National Journalism Center Board Of Governors Thomas Phillips Chairman Kellyanne Conway Terry Eastland Rich Lowry Alex Marlow Alex Mooney Matt Robinson Tom Winter
1/28/14 9:24 AM
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Sekulow, Martin, and Kookogey Headline Tax Cut Celebration at the Reagan Ranch On August 13, 1981, Ronald Reagan signed into law the largest tax cut in American history. Reagan chose to sign the Economic Recovery Tax Act, legislation which launched the Reagan Revolution, at his beloved Rancho del Cielo. To commemorate this significant event, Young America’s Foundation supporters, friends, and students gather each year at the Reagan Ranch to celebrate and remember the importance of Reagan’s commitment to reducing the size of government. In 2013, we were honored to have leaders in the fight against the recent IRS targeting scandal join us at the Ranch to discuss the importance of preserving our freedoms. Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice; Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Jenny Beth Martin discusses the need to amend the Constitution to change our current tax code. Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea-Party Patriots; and Kevin Kookogey, founder of Linchpins for Liberty, each shared their personal testimonies. Their stories encouraged those in attendance to stand up against the wrongful targeting of Americans and the encroachment of government on our liberty. “This [IRS scandal] is outrageous,” said Sekulow, whose organization is currently suing the IRS on behalf of 41 clients. “It would be just as outrageous if they had only targeted liberal groups. The targeting is abhorrent, unconstitutional, and illegal.” Guests at the tax cut celebration also enjoyed a barbecue lunch on the lawn, tours of Rancho del Cielo, and fellowship with like-minded friends. Attendees left inspired by our speakers and encouraged to take part in restoring our country to ensure that future generations will remain free.
Speakers at the Foundation’s celebration of President Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts—the largest in our nation’s history—include (from left) American Center for Law and Justice executive director Jordan Sekulow, Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin, and Linchpins for Liberty founder Kevin Kookogey.
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Royce, Rohrabacher, Donatelli, and York Address Capitol Hill Interns Interns from Capitol Hill and across the Conservative Movement gathered for Young America’s Foundation’s panel, “Can Reagan’s Principles Be Applied in the Obama Era?” Congressman Dana Rohrabacher makes a surprise appearance and addresses the young Foundation Vice President Ron Pearson helped organize people attending Young America’s Foundation’s Capitol Hill panel. the event, which drew a large, standing-room-only crowd. Since 2005, Young America’s Foundation has hosted this annual program near the anniversary of President Reagan’s passing. The panel included remarks from Congressman Ed Royce from California’s 39th district, who was a YAF member during his college days at California State University at Fullerton. Congressman Royce was joined by T. Kenneth Cribb, Young America’s Foundation director and an advisor to President Reagan, and Byron York, chief political correspondent for the Washington Examiner and a Fox News contributor. Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Chairman Frank Donatelli, who served as a senior administration official in the Reagan White House, moderated the panel and underscored that Ronald Reagan’s vision of limited government is needed now more than ever. For the second year in a row, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher surprised interns by making an impromptu address about his days as a young activist and meeting Reagan, the soon-to-be governor of California, after camping on Reagan’s lawn.
Congressman Ed Royce speaks to a capacity crowd of Capitol Hill interns during the Foundation’s annual panel on Ronald Reagan. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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Congressman Sean Duffy Hosts YAF Capitol Hill Reception Young America’s Foundation, along with Congressman Sean Duffy of Wisconsin, hosted a reception on Capitol
Vice President Ron Pearson (right) speaks with Congressman James Lankford from
Oklahoma. Hill to introduce more members of Congress to the Foundation’s mission and programs. More than two dozen members of the House of Representatives attended the program, held in the Longworth House Office Building. Congressmen attending included Raul Labrador from Idaho, Adam Kinzinger from Illinois, Tom Graves of Georgia, Patrick McHenry from North Carolina, and James Lankford of Oklahoma, among others. Congressman Duffy, who first visited the Reagan Ranch with his family in 2011, welcomed the attendees and urged them all to get involved, as he has done, with Young America’s Foundation. Foundation President Ron Robinson offered remarks on the history, mission, and success of Young America’s Foundation. He detailed the organization’s special role in preserving the Reagan Ranch and encouraged the congressmen to visit this historic Presidential property. (From right) Foundation President Ron Robinson meets with Congressmen Several members did just that with a visit to the Ranch a few Richard Hudson and Marlin Stutzman. weeks later. Other attendees included Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Chairman Frank Donatelli, Vice President Ron Pearson, and several members of the Foundation’s team.
Congressman Sean Duffy welcomes his fellow members of Congress to the Foundation’s Capitol Hill reception.
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Attorney Cleta Mitchell Discusses the Targeting of Conservative Groups By the IRS Cleta Mitchell, one of the lead attorneys representing conservatives who have been targeted by the IRS, gave an insider’s account of the Obama administration scandal to a group of students and supporters at the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon. Special guests included several estate planning attorneys, whose clients support Young America’s Foundation, and a group of Alliance Defending Freedom allied attorneys. Mitchell explained that the IRS improperly harassed conservatives and delayed the approval of organizations’ tax exempt statuses for years. The abuse is ongoing; some conservatives are still waiting for IRS approval. Mitchell explained, “Ninety-percent of the groups that were put on surveillance were conservative, and from those, some of them were referred for audit. One-hundred-percent of those referred for audit were conservative groups.” Part of the scandal that has been underreported is the auditing of conservatives who support conservative causes. Mitchell asked the audience how many of them had been audited in the past few years. Dozens of attendees raised their hands! When asked how to prevent future targeting of conservatives, Mitchell identified Young America’s Foundation’s work with young people as essential. She said, “It should not surprise us that these people think it is okay to mistreat conservatives and think it is okay to single them out as somehow odd and dangerous, because it starts on the college campus.” She asked the students in the audience to raise their hands if they had been singled out or harassed because of their conservative beliefs. Almost all the students raised their hands! “Young America’s Foundation helps these young people,” Mitchell said, “by telling them that they are not alone.” Mitchell thanked Young America’s Foundation for giving students the strength, courage, and support they need to speak up and advance conservative ideas.
Cleta Mitchell headlines the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable at the Reagan Ranch Center. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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16th Gratia Houghton Rinehart National High School Leadership Conference
Congressman Bill Huizenga, a Foundation alumnus, encourages the young audience to stay true to their convictions.
Huizenga, Pavlich, Folsom, Wilbur, and Campos-Duffy Inspire High School Students at Annual Conference By Katie Taran, Conference Director
Rachel Campos-Duffy discusses the need for conservatives to have a voice in pop culture.
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ore than 120 attendees from 20 states and 67 high schools gathered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, for the 16th Gratia Houghton Rinehart National High School Leadership Conference. The young participants—many of whom are members of YAF chapters at their schools—enjoyed three days of meeting like-minded friends and learning from leading conservative authors, activists, professors, and public policy officials. Before the conference officially began, 46 of the students traveled with National Journalism Center Executive Director Kirby Wilbur to Gettysburg where they toured the historic battlefield just days after the Battle of Gettysburg’s sesquicentennial. The opening dinner banquet featured Congressman Bill Huizenga, who was involved with the Foundation when he was a student at Calvin College. As a young activist, the congressman hosted Attorney General Ed Meese on his campus. Congressman Huizenga stressed the importance of remaining true to one’s principles. He told the young audience, “Stand up and do the right thing—whether no one is watching or if everyone is watching.” The next day, students broadened their knowledge of (continued on page 11)
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16th Gratia Houghton Rinehart National High School Leadership Conference
Bestselling author and Foundation alumna Katie Pavlich discusses the importance of protecting the Second Amendment.
National Journalism Center Executive Director Kirby Wilbur teaches the young audience about the steadfast faith of our nation’s Founding Fathers.
Longtime conference faculty member Dr. Burt Folsom engages the young audience in a lively discussion about American history and the entrepreneurs who built our nation. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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16th Gratia Houghton Rinehart National High School Leadership Conference
C-SPAN covers Foundation President Ron Robinson’s speech live.
Students from around the country attend the National High School Leadership Conference.
Program attendees gather near the U.S. Capitol during Young America’s Foundation’s annual National High School Leadership Conference.
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16th Gratia Houghton Rinehart National High School Leadership Conference
Kayla Jones from Grosse Pointe North High School introduces herself at the conference’s opening session.
Students Ali Blando from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and John Wood from Upland, California, recite the Pledge of Allegiance prior to a dinner banquet at the National High School Leadership Conference.
(continued from page 8)
Bay Buchanan, 37th treasurer of the United States (under President Reagan) and president of The American Cause, instructed the students on the importance of having strong convictions and honing their leadership skills. Catherine Rodriguez, director of lectures at the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute, spoke about who really represents women, and Rachel Campos-Duffy, national spokesperson for the Libre Initiative and wife of Congressman Sean Duffy, discussed the need for conservatives to have a voice in pop culture. Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle concluded the conference with a lively presentation on how to advance conservative ideas in schools. The final evening of the conference featured a special twilight tour of the national monuments in Washington, D.C. The high school students left inspired by the conservative ideas they heard and eager to share them with their peers. Student Toria Stevens from North Carolina noted, “This conference helped strengthen my knowledge of [the importance of] limited government, lower taxes, and a strong national defense. It also helped me to want to spread and promote conservatism!”
American history after hearing from author and Hillsdale professor of history Dr. Burt Folsom, who discussed the failures of big government in our nation’s past, and Kirby Wilbur, who addressed the strong faith of the Founding Fathers. Additional speakers throughout the day included Fox News contributor and author Kate Obenshain; bestselling author and fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute Chris Horner; and bestselling author and YAF alumna Katie Pavlich. Students also watched the Foundation’s film, Still Point in a Turning World: Ronald Reagan and His Ranch. Later that evening, the young participants enjoyed remarks from the national co-chair of the Project 21 Black Leadership Network, Cherylyn LeBon. Lebon discussed the Obama administration’s many scandals and lack of genuine leadership. The next morning, Foundation President Ron Robinson enlightened the students with his presentation: “What is the Conservative Movement?” C-SPAN aired Robinson’s speech live on CSPAN.org. Students also heard from Dr. Larry Schweikart, professor of political science at the University of Dayton, on “48 Liberal Lies,” the topic of his bestselling book.
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Senator Mike Lee addresses Young America’s Foundation 2013 National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C.
What’s Next For C By U.S. Senator Mike Lee, Utah
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n the wake of the effort to protect Americans from the harmful effects of Obamacare, conservatives around the country are wondering where do we go from here. One of conservatives’ defining virtues is our insistence on learning from history. In our own history, conservatives today can not only find hope and encouragement but also an urgent challenge. The ideas that defined and propelled the Reagan Revolution did not come down from a mountain etched on stone tablets. They were forged in an open, roiling, diverse debate about how conservatism could truly meet the challenges of that day. That debate invited all conservatives, and as we now know, elevated the best. There was Jack Kemp, advancing supply-side economics to combat economic stagnancy. There were James Buckley and Henry Hyde, taking up the cause of the unborn after Roe v. Wade. There was Milton Friedman, promoting the practical and moral superiority of free enterprise. There were Cold Warriors like Irving Kristol and Jeane Kirkpatrick, challenging the premise of peaceful coexistence and moral equivalence with the Soviets. 12
Together, that generation of conservatives transformed a Movement that was anti-statist, anti-communist, and antiestablishment and made it pro-reform. What that generation did—comprehensively re-expressing conservative convictions to fit the time—the GOP has not done since. Instead of emulating those earlier conservatives, too many of today’s leaders mimic them, still advocating policies from a bygone age. The gaping hole in the middle of the GOP today—the one that separates the grassroots from establishment leaders—is precisely the size and shape of a new, unifying conservative reform agenda. For years, we have tried to bridge that gulf with tactics and personalities and spin. But it doesn’t work. To revive and reunify our Movement, we must fill the void with new and innovative policy ideas. It’s time for another Great Debate, and we should welcome all input. Grassroots and establishment, conservatives and moderates, libertarians and traditionalists, interventionists and non-interventionists, economic conservatives and social conservatives, all are part of our Movement, vital to our success, and should be welcome in this debate. The great challenge of our generation is America’s growing
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Senator Lee meets with young people from around the country at the Foundation’s annual conference at The George Washington University. (From left: Ryder Selmi, Katherine Sodeika, Senator Lee, Crystal Clanton, and Michael Marrow.)
Conservatives? crisis of stagnation and sclerosis—a crisis that comes down to a shortage of opportunities. This opportunity crisis presents itself in three principal ways: immobility among the poor trapped in poverty; insecurity in the middle class where families just can’t seem to get ahead; and cronyist privilege at the top where political and economic elites unfairly profit at everyone else’s expense. Conservatives should tackle these three crises head on. First, we need a new, comprehensive anti-poverty, upwardmobility agenda designed not simply to help people in poverty, but to help and empower them to get out. Second, we need a new, comprehensive anti-cronyism agenda, to break up the corrupt nexus of big government, big business, and big special interests. The third essential piece of our new agenda should be a new conservatism of the working and middle class. Bold ideas unite and inspire conservatives, and the leaders of Reagan’s generation understood that. We must, too. Especially in the wake of recent controversies, many conservatives are more frustrated with the establishment than ever before. And we have every reason to be. But however justified, frustration is not a platform. Anger is not an agenda. Successful movements are about identifying converts, not
heretics. This, too, is part of the challenge before us. In his 1977 CPAC speech, effectively kicking off that era’s great conservative debate, Ronald Reagan said, If we truly believe in our principles, we should sit down and talk. Talk with anyone, anywhere, at any time.... Conservatism is not a narrow ideology, nor is it the exclusive property of conservative activists. Do we have the same spirit of charity and confidence in our ideas today? If we do not, this moment and opportunity will pass us by. We will lose, and we will deserve to lose. And rest assured, in that unfortunate event, it will not be the indifferent establishment that profits from our failure. It will be a parade of progressives who will continue to lead our country, unabated, further away from our hopes and our values and our ability to do anything about it. If our generation of conservatives wants to enjoy our own defining triumph, our own 1980—we are going to have to deserve it. That means sharpening more pencils than knives. To deserve victory, conservatives have to do more than pick a fight. We have to win a debate. And to do that, we need more than just guts. We need an agenda. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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• • Ronald Ronald Reagan Reagan at His Ranch cho d
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You are cordially invited to an exclusive weekend getaway at Ronald Reagan’s mountaintop home, Rancho You areincordially invitedCalifornia. to an exclusive weekend getaway at intimate Ronald Reagan’s home, Rancho del Cielo, Santa Barbara, You will be joined by an group ofmountaintop six other couples from del Cielo, Santa Barbara, California. You willhosted be joined by an America’s intimate group of six other couples around theincountry for a weekend experience by Young Foundation President Ronfrom around the country for a weekend experience hosted by Young America’s Foundation President Ron Robinson and his wife, Michelle Easton. Robinson and his wife, Michelle Easton. you arrive in Santa Barbara, your every need will
When When youonarrive in Santa Barbara, your every need will be met based an all-inclusive price, including:
2014 retreat dates 2014 retreat dates
May 23 to 25 May 23 to 25 July 18 to 20 July 18 to 20 October 17 to 19 October 17 to 19
be met based on an all-inclusive price, including: • Complimentary transportation to the Biltmore Four • Seasons Complimentary transportation to theairport) Biltmore Four Resort (from Santa Barbara ResortRoundtable (from Santaluncheon Barbara airport) • Seasons Reagan Ranch featuring a • notable Reagan Ranch Roundtable conservative leaderluncheon featuring a notable conservative leader • Two-night, five-star accommodations at the historic, • oceanfront Two-night, Biltmore five-star accommodations at the historic, Four Seasons Resort Biltmore at Four Seasons Resort oceanfront • VIP visit experience Ronald Reagan’s “Western • White VIP visit experience at Ronald House, ” Rancho del CieloReagan’s “Western House,” Rancho Cielo • White Behind-the-scenes tourdel of the Reagan Ranch Center • and Behind-the-scenes Exhibit Gallerytour of the Reagan Ranch Center andmeals Exhibit Gallery two luncheons, two receptions, • All including • two All meals including twobreakfast luncheons, two receptions, dinners, and a full dinners, and a full breakfast • two Trolley tour of historic, downtown Santa Barbara, th • including Trolley tour historic, downtown Santa Barbara, theof19 Century Santa Barbara Mission th including the 19 Century Santa Barbara Mission
A- : $2,350 (excluding airline travel) S L Sx Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. reserve your space today, please call Jason Barbour
at (336)286-1701.
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Dr. Ben Carson addresses the opening dinner banquet at Young America’s Foundation’s 35th annual National Conservative Student Conference.
Cruz, Carson, Bachmann, Santorum, Lee, and George Headline 35th Annual National Conservative Student Conference By Brendan Njam, YAF Chapter Chairman, Canisius College
Y
oung America’s Foundation’s 35th annual National Conservative Student Conference proved to be one of our most exciting programs to date. With all-star speakers, an inspiring setting, and more than 400 participants from across the country, there was no better time to be part of one of the premier events for college students. Throughout the conference, Conservative Movement leaders shared inspiring messages for the young participants to take back to their schools. Senator Ted Cruz headlined the conference’s annual Ronald Reagan banquet. The new senator from Texas has been leading the conservative charge against Obamacare on Capitol Hill, and he explained to the student audience how Obamacare was the number one killer of job opportunities in
America. He also had some strong words about the national debt, stating, “The national debt and level of spending is fundamentally immoral.” In addition to Senator Cruz, the young audience enjoyed hearing from some of the top conservatives on Capitol Hill including Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Senator Mike Lee, Congressman Jim Jordan, and Congressman Sean Duffy. Speaker Newt Gingrich, who regularly addresses this annual conference, described liberal policies and their banner-carrying elites as “prison guards of the past.” He underscored how the tenets of liberalism inhibit innovation and stifle progress. He told the conference attendees that they had a responsibility to be “pioneers of the future” in order for prosperity to flourish. Speaker Gingrich also had Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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some strong words regarding Obamacare, explaining how its implementation will create a nation of part-time employees. He urged current lawmakers to have the courage to do whatever is necessary to repeal the legislation. Dr. Ben Carson, the renowned neurosurgeon who spoke out against Obamacare during the National Prayer Breakfast, also gave a rousing address during the conference’s opening dinner banquet. Another highlight of the conference featured a friendly debate between legendary businessman T. Boone Pickens and Stephen Moore, senior economics writer for the Wall Street Journal. The discussion focused on America’s energy future and the policies that would best usher in an era of American energy independence. Pickens encouraged the students to get “acquainted with the oil and gas industry,” noting, “It is unbelievable what it can do for us.” Pickens also defended the safety of the fracking process and insisted that natural gas is the key to putting America on top. Moore echoed this sentiment with the classic line, “Drill, Baby, Drill.” The conference attendees also heard from a wide variety of leading academics and authors including Dr. Robert George of Princeton University, Dr. Burt Folsom of Hillsdale College, and Dr. Larry Schweikart of the University of Dayton. In his address to the students, Senator Rick Santorum said Obama’s America is one without hope for the future. He added that the current administration is to blame for a “trickle-down cynicism.” Highlighting economic policy, Senator Santorum denounced the targeting of conservatives by the IRS. Senator Santorum challenged the students to have the passion and sacrifice to bring America back to its founding principles. Rachel Campos-Duffy was among several new speakers at the summer conference. The wife of Congressman Sean Duffy showed entertaining clips featuring the two of them on The Real World and Road Rules on MTV. Not only did she insist conservative students stand up for their values, she explained how important it is for young people to promote their ideas in the popular culture. National Review Online Editor Jonah Goldberg and economist Dr. Walter Williams, who are both featured in YAF’s film, The Conservatives, provided interesting and informative commentary. Goldberg explained some of the Left’s most frustrating clichés that conservative students might hear while defending freedom at their schools and how to combat them. Williams highlighted some of the institutional barriers to conservative principles, including racial preferences. For the tenth year, a delegation from the Young Briton’s Foundation (YBF) joined their YAF counterparts at this conference. YBF also helped secure conference speaker Conor Burns, a British Member of Parliament and friend of the late Margaret Thatcher. Burns shared details about the special relationship between Ronald Reagan and the Prime Minister. These speakers joined a host of others throughout the week who offered a balanced education on conservative
The Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Moore (left) and businessman T. Boone Pickens (right) discuss energy policy during a forum moderated by Frank Sesno, director of the school of media and public affairs at The George Washington University.
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann gives a passionate address on the importance of protecting our great nation.
Senator Mike Lee delivers the opening address at the National Conservative Student Conference.
(continued on page 20)
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Senator Ted Cruz speaks at the Ronald Reagan Banquet at Young America’s Foundation’s 35th annual National Conservative Student Conference.
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More than 400 participants from around the country enjoy the annual week-long student conference in Washington, D.C.
Author and Princeton University Professor Dr. Robbie George is among several leading academics addressing the annual conference in Washington, D.C.
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Speaker Newt Gingrich shares insightful remarks on the dangers of leftist policies, emphasizing Obamacare in particular.
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Students meet with Fox News contributor and Weekly Standard columnist Steve Hayes.
Senator Rick Santorum discusses economic policy and denounces the IRS’s targeting of conservative organizations.
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Viktoriya Mukha speaks during the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute’s women’s luncheon at the National Conservative Student Conference.
Mukha meets conference speaker Dr. Ben Carson.
Dear Friends,
Mukha’s enjoys time in Washington, D.C., during her internship with the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute.
“Thank You”
As I look ahead to the fall and prepare to return to my studies at University of California – Berkeley, I would like to personally thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend the National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C. My family and I fled to America from the former Soviet Union in search of greater opportunities and religious freedom. I understand the importance of a free market society and the reasons why America has become the greatest nation of all time. But as President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Even though I have always had strong convictions about speaking up about my views, I was terrified to do it by myself on my campus. This YAF conference could not have come at a better time. I have been inspired by listening to remarkable speakers, including Senator Ted Cruz, Dr. Ben Carson, Bay Buchanan, and more. They encouraged me to stand strong and keep fighting the good fight on my college campus because America depends on strong conservatives of my generation in order to remain the greatest nation on earth. Now is definitely not the time to give up. It is no secret that the left’s presence is very strong at UC Berkeley, and I wish all my classmates could attend this conference. But the next best thing is having me attend, so I can go back to my campus and spread the truth about conservative ideas. This past week, my passion for conservative values has been reignited and strengthened. It is because of generous conservative supporters like you, that we are able to challenge the left on our campuses. Thank you so much.
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ideas and principles. Additional leaders addressing the 2013 National Conservative Student Conference included activist and author Bay Buchanan, pollster Kellyanne Conway, Young America’s Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle, comedian and Fox News contributor Steven Crowder, Weekly Standard columnist Stephen Hayes, American University professor Chris Malagisi, author and Fox News contributor Kate Obenshain, Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe, bestselling author and YAF alumna Katie Pavlich, Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute Lecture Director 20
God Bless You and Your Family, Viktoriya Mukha
Catherine Rodriguez, Regnery Publishing President Marji Ross, and New Jersey Assemblyman Jay Webber, among others. In addition to hearing from more than 40 speakers, the conference participants connected with like-minded friends from around the country. They returned to their campuses eager to share the ideas they learned. “This week has been a life-changing experience because I have been exposed to conservative arguments and ideas that are not taught on my college campus,” noted Texas Christian University student Kathleen D’Urso.
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Dr. Burt Folsom addresses students attending Young America’s Foundation’s 2011 National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C.
Professors You Need to Know
An Interview with Dr. Burt Folsom By Jessica Jensen, Editor Libertas: What sparked your interest in the Conservative Movement? ————————————————————————————————
BF: In high school I read Barry Goldwater’s Conscience of a Conservative, and I was hooked. My parents were inclined to be conservative, and that helped, but Goldwater, with his book and his Presidential campaign, captured my imagination.
Today’s young people are rarely introduced to conservative ideas in their classrooms and on their campuses. Most will go their entire academic careers without meeting or hearing from a conservative professor. While the outlook seems grim on most campuses, there is a glimmer of hope among the faculty at several schools. Over the next few issues of Libertas, Young America’s Foundation will highlight some of the country’s top conservative professors. These are individuals directly reaching today’s young people with the importance of free enterprise, individual freedom, and limited government. Their teachings extend beyond their classrooms: through their own writings, their involvement with Young America’s Foundation, media appearances, and nationwide lectures. They are steadfast in their beliefs and dedicated to ensuring today’s young people receive the education they deserve. We begin this series with an interview with Young America’s Foundation’s longest-serving faculty member: Dr. Burt Folsom, Charles Kline Professor of History at Hillsdale College.
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Dr. Folsom speaks at the 1981 National Conservative Student Conference.
Libertas: How did you first become involved in Young America’s Foundation (YAF)? ————————————————————————————————
BF: I was an eager young professor, and Jim Taylor, then the program director at YAF, called me and asked me to speak at the YAF summer conference for college students [now the National Conservative Student Conference]—which had only been going for two summers. I was delighted at the chance to reach a national audience of students who were eager to learn and to build upon Ronald Reagan’s recent Presidential victory. Libertas: You have been working with Young America’s Foundation for more than 33 years. What are some of the highlights and experiences from the Foundation’s conferences that stand out in your mind? ————————————————————————————————
BF: Ideas have consequences, and when you bring students together [who are] passionate about ideas, great things can happen. In my first year at the National Conservative
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Student Conference, I was an agnostic, and a Christian girl at the conference witnessed to me whenever she could. Her relationship with God was remarkable and touched me. Two weeks after the conference, with a big assist from my wife, I converted and have been a strong believer ever since. The next year, 1982, YAF led off the conference with a powerful speaker, who spoke firsthand about Soviet brutality in Afghanistan. The next day, several students at the conference led a march on the Soviet embassy, and some were arrested. The results of that freedom of expression case led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision vindicating the students. In 1983, my wife, Anita, wanted to come and see this exciting student conference for herself. Unfortunately, as a prank, a leftist pulled a fire alarm late at night in the dorm where we all were staying. My wife sprained her ankle leaving the dorm and was carried back to our room in the arms of a man who wrestled professionally under the name “Dr. Death.” Anita did recover and enjoyed the speeches, if not the facilities, that year.
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The Foundation’s longest-serving faculty member, Dr. Folsom inspires young people attending a seminar at the Reagan Ranch Center.
Those were some of the highlights of just my first three years, and I am glad to have been invited to return for the next 30 summers after that. During those three decades, I’ve had the chance through YAF, to hear, and sometimes talk with, most major leaders in the Conservative Movement. Libertas: You write about and often speak on liberal textbook bias. What are some of the worst cases of bias you have come across? ————————————————————————————————
BF: Most historians have the notion that entrepreneurs and free markets create problems; government then comes along and solves those problems. That’s the textbook boilerplate. But the facts don’t fit the boilerplate, and that’s where the bias comes in. Let’s look at the use of language. In the old Arthur Schlesinger textbook, The National Experience, for example, in his chapter on the rise of America to being a world power, he selects the title, “The Ordeal of Industrialization,” as his chapter title. Most Americans of the late 1800s saw triumph
through new jobs and opportunities, but to Schlesinger it was an “ordeal.” However, Schlesinger and most historians see the 1930s as a wonderful period even though unemployment was in double digits and the economy was in depression. Why? Because FDR increased the power of government over the economy. FDR was, in Schlesinger’s textbook words, “a real choice.” In the 1880s, President Grover Cleveland was also a real choice, but Schlesinger calls him a “stubborn conservative.” Not a principled conservative, but a “stubborn conservative.” The use of language is where much bias occurs, but sometimes historians flat-out misuse evidence. On the tax cuts of the 1920s, for example, which helped make the 1920s roar, Schlesinger criticizes Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon: “It was better, he argued, to place the burden of taxes on lower-income groups…” But Mellon did no such thing. In fact, he cut tax rates on lower incomes more than he did on upper incomes. FDR, by contrast, raised the tax rates on lower incomes. After Mellon, fewer than five percent of Americans paid any income tax, but during Roosevelt’s Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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years as President, the number of Americans who paid taxes on their incomes steadily rose to about 65 percent—and the starting rate was 24 percent. But almost no history text, except for Dr. Larry Schweikart’s A Patriot’s History of the United States, tells that story. Libertas: What advice do you have for students who come across such bias in their assigned readings? ————————————————
BF: We are in a battle of ideas. Informed students must be bold in class when possible, but they must always be courteous. I don’t recommend open confrontation with your teachers. Private conversations with teachers about textbook bias have a chance to win them over. If you are in class, however, and your teacher is, say, praising FDR for his good intentions, you might gently ask, “I wonder why he put a lowly tailor in jail for giving discounts to customers under the NRA?” Or, if you are daring, you might ask, “I wonder if FDR’s income tax increase to almost 80 percent for wealthy entrepreneurs kept them from investing more? Do you think that high tax might have helped keep unemployment at 20 percent by the end of FDR’s second term?” Those kinds of questions reorient the discussion, and they are not directly offensive to a liberal teacher. Libertas: Young America’s Foundation published your book, Dr. Burt Folsom is the The Myth of the Robber Barons, author of New Deal or which highlights the role of key Raw Deal and The Myth entrepreneurs in the economic of the Robber Barons. growth of our nation from 1850 to 1910. What can today’s students learn from these early, successful entrepreneurs? ————————————————————————————————
BF: The big lesson from The Myth of the Robber Barons is that freedom works, and that government intervention, while well intentioned, usually fails and retards economic and social progress.
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In the late 1800s, the U.S. became the major economic power in the world, and that happened because we freed up entrepreneurs to invent and succeed in steel, oil, and railroads. Our most successful men—Vanderbilt, Hill, and Rockefeller—had few advantages in life, but they did have the freedom to try and the chance to succeed. The story of Rockefeller, a strong Christian from a broken family, is especially inspiring. Students, and adults, too will come up to me and tell me how much they liked learning the Rockefeller story. Libertas: You teach at Hillsdale College—an institution known for passing on the importance of limited government, traditional values, and free enterprise. What advice do you have for the majority of today’s young people who are attending colleges and universities where they might go four years without hearing from a conservative speaker or professor? How can they best defend conservative ideas? ————————————————
BF: Use the abundant resources now available and do so creatively. When I was a college student, conservatives and libertarians had no Heritage Foundation, no CATO Institute, no Rush Limbaugh, no Fox News, and no Internet. We could read National Review or go to a summer conference at the Foundation for Economic Education. That was about it. Young America’s Foundation emerged to give students another way to learn the conservative ideas that were absent in their classrooms. Today, however, conservative ideas are much more mainstream, and we have many ways to learn and to popularize our ideas. We need to win the popular culture battles through social media and elsewhere. I am optimistic. This is our moment, and students have more resources at their disposal to advance conservative ideas than any generation before them.
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Dr. Folsom meets with students Katie McNiel and Galen-Marie Crittenden-Armstrong during the 2010 High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch.
Libertas: Young America’s Foundation has launched our Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise (see page 35). Why do you believe it is important to popularize free enterprise among today’s young people? What are the challenges of doing so? ————————————————————————————————
BF: What Young America’s Foundation is doing with its Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise is crucial. If young people today don’t buy into the idea that free enterprise works, then the American experiment with individual liberty is over. This is a battle for the hearts and minds of students and young adults, and YAF wants to play to win. In my teaching at Hillsdale College, I can see in my classes a deeper sense of purpose in my students since 2008. YAF believes, and I agree, that right now is the time we must win the battle of ideas to preserve the freedom our country has enjoyed for more than 200 years.
Libertas: What do you think is the best way to convey the importance of free enterprise to the next generation? ————————————————————————————————
BF: Tell students the truth, and let’s do so by telling them effective stories. That’s what I tried to do in The Myth of the Robber Barons and New Deal or Raw Deal? Stories can penetrate our inner being and resonate with our hearts. Students don’t want to hear our talking points or our point-of-view, but they do want to learn what happened in history, and who showed what kind of character under pressure. We are wired to learn through storytelling. Much of the history of the United States is the story of entrepreneurs using freedom to create products—from air conditioning to iPhones—that have improved the quality of our lives. Poor people become richer people through freedom, not socialism. Let’s use the best examples we can find to tell that story. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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Learn the truth about our nation’s great entrepreneurs Read how private enterprise beats out government subsidies time after time The Myth of the Robber Barons describes the role of key entrepreneurs in the incredible economic growth of the United States from 1850 to 1910. This breakthrough book contrasts “market” entrepreneurs and “political” entrepreneurs and clearly shows the superiority of those who do not depend on government subsidies. It concludes by highlighting common history textbook bias and exposing authors who misread business history. Get your copy now by calling Young America’s Foundation at 800-USA-1776.
“Revises in important ways many misperceptions that historians have imposed upon the record.” — Forrest McDonald
“Perhaps the best, most readable, entertaining and informative business history ever written.” — Lawrence Reed, President, Foundation for Economic Education
“Provocative and cogent…” — Journal of American History
“This book is the perfect supplement to most standard economic and business history textbooks…” — Dr. Larry Schweikart, Best-Selling Author
“Classic…” — Dan Henninger, Wall Street Journal
Dr. Burt Folsom is a popular speaker at Young America’s Foundation programs nationwide. He is available to speak at your event or on your campus as part of our Free Enterprise Lecture Series. Please call Patrick Coyle at 800-USA-1776 or visit www.yaf.org for more information.
Get your copy today! Available through Amazon.com or by calling 800-USA-1776 National Headquarters, F.M. Kirby Freedom Center, 110 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170, 800-USA-1776 Reagan Ranch Center, 217 State Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101, 888-USA-1776 © Copyright 2014 Young America’s Foundation
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Millennials Rapidly Falling Off Obamacare Bandwagon By Ashley Pratte, Program Officer, Public Relations
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involvement is crucial to Obamacare’s success. During ince its launch on October 1, there have been the “Youth Summit,” the President even encouraged many failures with the Obamacare rollout, bartenders to host a happy hour to get young people especially when it comes to the website, Heathcare. signed up in the exchanges. gov. However, perhaps of most concern to the White The White House has known what the mainstream House is the declining support among young people media is finally starting to for the President’s signature report: without enrollment legislation. Given the fact that young people from at least 30% of healthy, According to YAF’s young people, all those that latest poll, only 18 percent were among the President’s most avid signed up in the exchange of millennials are likely to fans, their waning support is more will see extremely high sign up for Obamacare. A deductibles. Obamacare Harvard study also reported than just a problem for the White needs young people. that only 13 percent of 18 to House—it is also an opening for Given the fact that young 29-year-olds are opting to conservatives to advance our ideas. people were among the enroll in Obamacare. President’s most avid fans, In a desperate attempt their waning support is more to regain youth support, than just a problem for the White House—it is also an the White House scheduled a variety of events opening for conservatives to advance our ideas. targeting this important demographic and even held The aforementioned polls show that young people a “Youth Summit.” These events aimed to encourage are becoming more and more disenchanted with young people to sign up and promote governmentthe Obama administration and its policies. This run healthcare, since the administration knows their Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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young people are not going to be attracted to a website that doesn’t work. And, unfortunately for the President, navigating Heathcare.gov has been far more difficult and much less secure than “shop[ping] for a plane ticket on Kayak or a TV on Amazon.” The real issue, however, is many young people feel let down by President Obama and his administration. Obamacare has been full of nothing but broken promises. Healthcare is not free under the exchange, and there is no incentive for young, healthy people to enroll. The costs are too high and plans include coverage most young people don’t need or want. This White House should take a long, hard look at the polls and realize that millennials are informed, distrusting of big government, and not buying what they are selling. And conservatives should use this as an opportunity to provide the market-based and limited government solutions today’s young people are looking for. Young America’s Foundation created this image, playing off of an official White House photo promoting Obamacare, to ensure young people don’t fall for the President’s lies about his signature legislation.
disenchantment also seems to be leading to a distrust of government, as well as government programs, among millennials. In a recent survey launched by Young America’s Foundation and conducted by the polling company, Inc., more than 60 percent of college-age students feel that government should not take an active role in their day-to-day-lives, and half of respondents believe that the federal government is mostly hurting economic recovery. Today’s young people are experiencing, firsthand, the failures of socialist policies, and they are eager for pro-freedom, limited government solutions. The White House and Obamacare architects claim that young people aren’t enrolling in the exchange because it has lacked a strong public relations campaign. This claim couldn’t be further from the truth. Obamacare has been one of the most publicized programs and has earned an abundance of free media. Young people are not signing up for Obamacare because they don’t want it—not because they don’t know about it. Today’s youth have been saturated with information on Obamacare for more than three years, but that seems to have little effect on their support for the government program today. Millennials are tech savvy and enjoy surfing websites that are convenient and accessible. Ever since its launch, Heathcare.gov has been a failure. No matter what kind of public relations campaign the White House runs, 28
This Young America’s Foundation infographic tells the disastrous truth about Obamacare.
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Tancredo, McClintock, Phillips, Pavlich, and Shapiro Reach High School Students at the Reagan Ranch
High school students from around the country walk in Ronald Reagan’s footsteps at Rancho del Cielo.
By Katie Taran, Conference Director
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ore than 200 attendees gathered at the Reagan Ranch Center for the summer 2013 High School Conference and Reagan Ranch Roundtable at the Reagan Ranch. Participants included students from 15 states and 58 schools who came to learn more about conservative ideas and walk in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan at his beloved Rancho del Cielo. The conference—made possible with support from an anonymous lead sponsor—began with a reception on the Mr. and Mrs. Alwal Anheuser Beims Moore Rooftop Terrace, immediately followed by an opening dinner banquet in the David Louis Bartlett Outreach Center. Congressman Tom Tancredo headlined the dinner and urged the young audience to appreciate how blessed we
Congressman Tom McClintock from California discusses the disastrous consequences of the Obama administration’s policies. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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Congressman Tom Tancredo urges the audience to understand the importance of protecting the U.S. Constitution and American values.
Actor and author Joseph Phillips discusses political correctness and how to best communicate minority issues.
are to be Americans. Congressman Tancredo said every high school student in America should be able “to articulate an understanding of and appreciation for American exceptionalism and the U.S. Constitution.” Following the dinner banquet, students enjoyed a “bull session,” also led by Congressman Tancredo, where they discussed a number of pressing topics and shared activism ideas.
Columnist Ben Shapiro teaches the high school students how to successfully debate liberals.
On Friday morning, students heard from Foundation President Ron Robinson; actor, author, and small business owner Joseph Phillips; and bestselling author and YAF alumna Katie Pavlich. Friday’s luncheon featured Breitbart.com editor Ben Shapiro who engaged the students with ten rules for arguing with a liberal. That afternoon the students heard from Hillsdale professor of history, author,
Students enjoy the weekend-long program at the Reagan Ranch Center.
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Dr. Jake Jacobs, founder of the Politically Incorrect Institute, addresses students.
Bestselling author and YAF alumna Katie Pavlich discusses the need to protect our Second Amendment rights.
and popular Foundation speaker Dr. Burt Folsom and author and founder of the Politically Incorrect Institute Dr. Jake Jacobs. The second evening featured a stirring address by Congressman Tom McClintock to an audience of students, parents, and Foundation supporters. With the rampant corruption occurring in the Obama administration,
Foundation President Ron Robinson offers insights on the basic tenets of conservatism and free enterprise.
Congressman McClintock said the next few months could be a turning point for our country. “If you look at the broad span of American history, nine generations have passed since our founding,” the congressman noted. “But, only two of these generations literally held the balance of freedom in their hands: the Founding generation and Lincoln’s generation. I believe that the generation here
Students (from left) Halie Evans, Sedar D’Haiti, Connor Phillips, Fatima Cacho, and Abigail D’Haiti enjoy a reception on the Mr. & Mrs. Alwal Anheuser Beims Moore Rooftop Terrace at the Reagan Ranch Center. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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Young leaders from around the country meet like-minded friends at the High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch.
today will be the third generation to literally hold the future of American liberty and freedom in their hands.” The evening concluded with a screening of the Foundation’s short film, Still Point in a Turning World: Ronald Reagan and His Ranch. The final day of the conference began with a memorable trip to the Reagan Ranch, where the students toured the adobe ranch house, tack barn, Secret Service Command Post, and recently restored hay barn. Following the tour, the group participated in a special Freedom Lake dedication ceremony at the Ranch. It was particularly special for conference attendee Ray Kearin, who watched proudly as his grandparents, Ray and Susie Screbant, were recognized for their generous gift to Young America’s Foundation to sponsor Freedom Lake. The program continued with a panel of conservative college leaders making the case for their respective schools. Moderated by Foundation Program Officer Hillary Cherry, the panel featured Bracy Bersnak of Christendom College; Dr. Paul Bonicelli of Regent University; Dr. Jim Carr of 32
Harding University; and Dr. Jerry Davis of The College of the Ozarks. The luncheon was followed by some one-on-one time with the panelists and a screening of the Foundation’s film, The Conservatives. Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle concluded the conference with a presentation on how students could advance conservative ideas at their schools, which the students left excited and eager to do. “This conference has made me more confident of my conservative views and has inspired me to spread these ideas,” remarked Kelly Kaufman of Burbank, California. Rosa Volpe of Leonia, New Jersey, noted, “I came to this conference unaware of what the Conservative Movement really stood for. Now, after attending my first YAF conference, I realize that the Movement’s main tenet is freedom. Thanks to this conference, I will continue to fight for freedom for the rest of my life.” Young America’s Foundation especially thanks David and Carol Van Andel for sponsoring a select group of students to attend this program.
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Ebenstein, Ma, Moore, and Reed Headline Road to Freedom Seminars By Brendan Pringle, Development Officer
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oung America’s Foundation welcomed students from around the country to the Reagan Ranch Center for two Road to Freedom seminars in 2013. The participants gathered in Santa Barbara in the summer and fall to learn about President Reagan’s economic policies and the economists who most influenced him. They also learned concrete strategies to advance free enterprise among their peers. The seminars, part of the Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise (see sidebar on page 35), featured top economists, journalists, and professors from around the country. Lanny Ebenstein, author of Friedrich Hayek: A Biography, addressed both programs with an intriguing speech on the philosophical roots of Reagan’s fiscal policies. Ying Ma, Foundation alumna and author of Chinese Girl in the Ghetto, also inspired the audiences at each seminar with a captivating speech comparing the foreign and tax policies of the Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Obama administrations. Patrick Linstrom, president and CEO of Linstrom Corporation, discussed how markets function and engaged the students in a lively presentation on how free markets work. During the summer Road to Freedom seminar, Stephen Moore, senior economics writer for the Wall Street Journal, offered his thoughts on how Reaganomics changed the world. “Getting rich is a virtuous thing and not a vice,” Moore clarified for a student when asked how to defend free enterprise. Larry Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education and YAF alumnus, focused on seven key principles of sound public policy. “Free people are not equal, and equal people are not free,” Reed said when discussing economic equality.
University of California, Santa Barbara professor Dr. Lanny Ebenstein discusses economist Freidrich Hayek and how his ideas influenced Ronald Reagan.
Wall Street Journal Editorial Board Member Stephen Moore teaches the students winning arguments to defend the free enterprise system. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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Seminar participants enjoy a rooftop reception during the program at the Reagan Ranch Center.
Stephan Pitts from Mississippi College, enjoys the weekend-long program at the Reagan Ranch Center.
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Ken Malloy, adjunct professor at Randolph Macon College, discussed Milton Friedman’s work to advance freedom. In addition to hearing from Ebenstein, Ma, and Linstrom, attendees at the fall Road to Freedom Seminar enjoyed remarks from Sally Pipes, president & CEO of Pacific Research Institute. Pipes discussed the disastrous consequences of Obamacare and offered her plan for a market-based alternative. Documentary film director Ann McElhinney exposed the hypocrisy of the radical environmentalist agenda and showed examples through clips of her new film, FrackNation. George Harbison, CFO of I Drive Safely, explained the complex nature of current United States tax policy and contrasted it with the effectiveness of President Reagan’s tax strategy. He also debunked the “Buffet Rule.” The young attendees also heard from Cleta Mitchell, activist and attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP, as part of the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable Series (see page seven). A highlight of both seminars was the groups’ visits to Ronald Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo, where they gained a greater appreciation for President Reagan and the values he espoused. Both programs concluded with a screening of the Foundation’s short film, The Conservatives, and a talk from Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle on how to spread conservative ideas on campus. Alexis Allen of Hillsdale College reflected on her experience at the Road to Freedom Seminar: “This program allows young conservatives, like myself, to learn more about liberty, freedom, and conservative values and enables us to go out and spread these almost forgotten values.” Samantha Jackson from Saginaw Valley State University echoed those sentiments: The exposure to free market economics and ideas that YAF has provided me though this seminar has had a substantial impact on me. I appreciated hearing the various speakers and interacting with active, intelligent, and humble students from across the country….I feel much better equipped to engage in effective conversations about policy and economics, and I am energized to initiate conservations about these vital topics with my family, friends, and peers.
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(From left) Patrick Linstrom, George Harbison, Dr. Lanny Ebenstein, and Ying Ma wrap up the Road to Freedom Seminar with a panel discussion moderated by Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle (right).
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise Young America’s Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise is a bold effort to popularize these ideas among young people. Polls routinely suggest that young people are buying into leftist schemes of redistribution, the welfare state, and subsidies. Building on our more than 50 years of experience, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise includes some of the most time-tested and impactful strategies for educating young people. Lectures, seminars, reading materials, and activism initiatives targeting college students, including those in business school, will teach about the importance of freedom and an entrepreneurial spirit in this country.
Seminar participants from the University of California, San Diego (from left) Julie deVenoge, Rowlynda Moretti, Austin Peters, Jesus Cisneros, and Marco Vasquez visit Rancho del Cielo during the weekend-long program in California. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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YAF Activist Hones Her Journalism Skills at the Washington Examiner and Fox News By Anna Giaritelli, National Journalism Center Alumna
At 20 years old, Gabriella Morrongiello is quickly making a name for herself in the media. The Young America’s Foundation student activist and National Journalism Center alumna recently concluded an internship at Fox News’s Special Report with Bret Baier and has made strides as a young conservative in Washington, D.C. At Fox News, Morrongiello is responsible for filing original reporting content on the blog and news site, transcribing video footage for editing, and compiling packets for the program’s panelists and regular correspondents.
Gabby Morrongiello and her fellow National Journalism Center classmate, Giuseppe Macri, enjoy a speaker session.
What surprised her the most about the broadcast internship is the amount of work that goes into a one-hour show. The job entails sorting through countless emails for news tips and comical kickers to place in-between longer segments. The California native first visited the nation’s Capitol two years ago to attend Young America’s Foundation’s National Conservative Student Conference.
“At the Examiner, I saw the time and effort that esteemed columnists, including Byron York and [NJC alumnus] Tim Carney, put into each of their pieces, and I realized that having the general population actually seek your opinion and rely on it to make conclusions of their own is one of the greatest achievements one can make as a writer,” noted Morrongiello. Morrongiello participates in a question-and-answer session at the NJC office in the National Press Building.
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Morrongiello (front row, third from left), joins young people from around the country for the National Journalism Center’s 12-week internship program in Washington, D.C.
“I had never been to D.C., but I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t been to that conference. The people [there] propelled me forward as a young aspiring journalist, and I am forever indebted to them,” Morrongiello noted. It was at that conference, among passionate young conservatives, that Morrongiello realized her vocational desire was to inform the public through a career in media. She returned to her campus at Oregon State University (OSU) with motivation to voice beliefs that were rarely mentioned by professors and classmates. Morrongiello quickly stepped up on her liberal campus as the founding Young Americans for Freedom chapter chairwoman, determined to rally together other like-minded students.
“Students aren’t getting stories from both sides; it’s been detrimental to our generation,” she explained. During her freshman year, Morrongiello recalled being given seven textbooks for her introduction to political science class. The literature covered bizarre and leftist topics including why America needs a single-payer system and “crashing the Tea Party.” Unhappy with the lack of diversity in higher education, Morrongiello confronted her professor, and eventually the administration, about her dissatisfaction with the curriculum. Coincidentally, the professor went on sabbatical the following semester, and Morrongiello never heard back from the administration on the issue. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2014
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Eager to jumpstart her career in journalism and reach more people with the facts, Morrongiello applied to and was accepted into Young America’s Foundation’s National Journalism Center (NJC) in Washington, D.C. Over the course of the 12-week program, the young writer learned valuable skills through NJC’s weekly speakers and her internship at the commentary desk at the Washington Examiner. “At the Examiner, I saw the time and effort that esteemed columnists, including Byron York and [NJC alumnus] Tim Carney, put into each of their pieces, and I realized that having the general population actually seek your opinion and rely on it to make conclusions of their own is one of the greatest achievements one can make as a writer,” noted Morrongiello. “It gives me something incredible to work toward and something to look forward to.” Morrongiello was inspired by the writers she met during her internship, saying they motivated her to become a well-rounded reporter. The best advice she took away from Tim Carney was that writing a column is important, even if you only inform the reader of one new fact that had not previously been known. Following her NJC internship, Morrongiello transferred to The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she is pursuing a double major in political science and journalism.
Morrongiello (center) distributes the Foundation’s materials to her peers to ensure they understand the importance of freedom.
In her internship at Fox News, Morrongiello pursued stories relating to immigration reform, an issue which she is most passionate about. She says she is considering getting her master’s in immigration law in order to learn more about why people immigrate to the U.S., what can be done to reform the law, and how the issue impacts other aspects of our government. Regardless of where her career path takes her, this YAF and NJC alumna has already proven she has the drive and motivation to make a difference as a reporter and activist.
Morrongiello—along with fellow YAF activists (from left) Stephan Pitts, John DiGiacobbe, and Langston Bowens—brief Young America’s Foundation’s supporters on their uphill battles to advance conservative ideas at their schools.
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You are invited to join a distinguished group of speakers as we travel in luxury to exotic ports of call in the Mediterranean.
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Ed Meese
Michelle Easton
John O’Sullivan
Ad d i t i o n a l
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Governor Tim Pawlenty
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George Allen
Susan Allen
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Young America’s Foundation | Libertas magazine | www.yaf.org
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID HERNDON, VA PERMIT NO 6551
Winter 2014 Volume 35 • Number 1
National Headquarters F.M. Kirby Freedom Center 110 Elden Street Herndon, Virginia 20170 800-USA-1776 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
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r. Ben Carson, the renowned neurosurgeon who spoke out against Obamacare, addresses the opening dinner banquet at Young America’s Foundation’s 35th annual National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C.
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