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Inside: Ben Shapiro, YAF’s Leading Speaker
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February 1, 2018 Dear Colleagues,
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dear Foundation supporter from the mid-America plains taught me to examine today’s controversies over a longer period of time—perhaps a lifetime’s—perspective. During my late teenage years, the Left promoted LBJ’s “Great Society.” Government programs expanded, government-run housing rose high at sites—modeled on Chicago’s Cabrini-Green and St. Louis’s Pruitt-Igoe— and poverty was to be eliminated in America via this “War on Poverty.” Nelson Rockefeller embarked on similar big government schemes in my native New York State. To say the least, these “progressive solutions” were no solutions at all. Big government seized a disproportionate share of our earnings and squandered it, creating a dependency culture that was a disservice even to its intended beneficiaries. Progressives “robbed Peter to pay Paul,” and both Peter and Paul were worse off. The Left saw their policies failed. Sadly, they changed their tactics—not their policies. The Left took up Saul Alinsky’s tactic of vilifying anyone who stood in their way. Ronald Reagan saw this coming. He said, “We have so many people who can’t see a fat man standing beside a thin one without coming to the conclusion that the fat man got that way by taking advantage of the thin one.” It was those vilification tactics that allowed the Left to advance their class warfare motivated by envy and covetousness. Rather than examining their ideology, leftists doubled down and sought to silence anyone questioning them. In our schools, free speech receded, and balanced points of view were abandoned for courses dominated by “race, class, and gender.” Labeling disbelievers as “racists” and exhibiting “white privilege” covered up a leftist ideology with no policy solutions other than divide and conquer with personal attacks. Enter Ben Shapiro. Shapiro refuses to let name-calling stop a policy debate. He is drawing record crowds on campuses where “politically correct” administrations and faculties recently dominated. Ben Shapiro has the Left in a panic. Along with Young America’s Foundation’s legal arm and other lecturers—including Dr. Arthur Laffer, Lt. Col. Allen West, Katie Pavlich, and Dinesh D’Souza, among others—students now have a chance to examine which policies provide solutions. It is an encouraging opportunity and an exciting time for the students we reach!
Sincerely,
Ron Robinson President
LIBERTAS Winter 2019
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Volume 40
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Shapiro, Laffer, Rubio, Short, and Gutfeld Headline 40th Annual National Conservative Student Conference By Kevin McMahon, William & Berniece Grewcock Intern Scholar and Chairman, University of Virginia YAF
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YAF Scores Major Free Speech Victories at UC – Berkeley and Kennesaw State By Mark Trammell, Esq., Acting General Counsel
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When Ben Shapiro Comes to Campus By Elle Lamb, Chairman, Ohio State University YAF
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“Facts Don’t Care About Your Feelings” An Interview with Ben Shapiro By Jessica Jensen, Editor
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A Life of Learning and Teaching Economics Dr. Arthur Laffer’s Influence on the Next Generation By Raj Kannappan, Director, YAF’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise
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Are Donor Advised Funds Safe for Conservatives? An Interview with Kimberly Begg, Esq. By Jason Barbour, Director of Development
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What YAF Means to One of the Conservative Movement’s Leading Families An Interview with Rachel Campos-Duffy and Jack Duffy By Jessica Jensen, Editor
On the Cover:
Also in This Issue:
Daily Wire Editorin-Chief Ben Shapiro—speaking at the University of Southern California in 2018—is YAF’s most sought-after campus speaker, reaching capacity audiences at schools nationwide and millions more online. (Photograph by Jacqueline Pilar)
4 Young America’s Foundation Opens Capitol Hill
VOL. 40
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, Inside: Ben Shapiro YAF’s Leading Speaker
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Townhouse 5 YAF Organizes Largest Nationwide Campus Initiative to
Remember 9/11 6 Young Americans for Freedom Chapter Leaders Gather at the Reagan Ranch 7 Annual Cruise Includes Foreign Dignitaries and a Visit to Ronald Reagan’s Statue in Budapest 34 You’re Invited to an Exclusive Weekend Getaway at the Reagan Ranch 35 Join YAF’s 2019 Cruise: Panama to New Orleans
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, 11480 Commerce Park Drive, Sixth Floor, Reston, Virginia 20191; calling 800-USA-1776; or visiting yaf.org. Editor: Jessica Jensen; Publisher: Ron Robinson; Publication Design: Jonathan Briggs; Assistant Editors: Jolie Ballantyne, Amy Brooker, Spencer Brown, Patrick X. Coyle, Kyle Ferrebee, Clare Hinshaw, Kelleigh Huber, Haley Jones, Raj Kannappan, Chris Miranda, Emma Morris, Tom Robinson, Mark Trammell, Emily Washler; Washington, D.C. event photographers: David Keith and Bob Updegrove; California event photographer: Jacqueline Pilar. This document and all herein contents, images, stories, graphics, and design, fall unto copyright © 2005 to 2019 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.
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 Emily Jashinsky Kate Obenshain Keeler Peter Schweizer James B. Taylor Thomas L. Phillips Director Emeritus
Reagan Ranch Board Of Governors Frank Donatelli Chairman Edwin Meese Co-Chairman Robert F. Agostinelli Governor George Allen Reagan Ranch Presidential Scholar Dr. Suzanne Becker Lisa M. Buestrin Robert Cummins George & Becky Norton Dunlop Richard Gaby & Barbara Van Andel-Gaby Robert Giuffra, Jr. Timothy S. Goeglein Michael W. Grebe Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold Eric & Nicole Hoplin Mark Larson Rebekah Mercer Al Moore Dennis & Nancy Moore Doug & Pat Perry Thomas L. Phillips Rear Admiral JJ Quinn Ruppert & Cheryl Reinstadler Richard & Jane Schwartz Lee Shannon Craig Shirley Owen & Bernadette Casey Smith Barbara S. Waddell Tonette Walker Jay Webber
National Journalism Center Board Of Governors T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chairman Chris Bedford Terry Eastland John Gizzi Emily Jashinsky Rich Lowry Alex Marlow The Honorable Alex Mooney Gabby Orr Katie Pavlich Ronald Pearson Kirby Wilbur Tom Winter Thomas L. Phillips Chairman Emeritus
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Young America’s Foundation Opens Capitol Hill Townhouse Young America’s Foundation welcomed friends, alumni, supporters, and leaders to an open house unveiling our new Capitol Hill Townhouse. The 3,600 square-foot townhouse—located just steps from the United States Senate and House of Representatives office buildings—provides an ideal meeting location for our students, alumni, supporters, friends, and allies in Congress and the White House. Guests at this location will enjoy dinners, receptions, book signings, roundtable discussions, and other intimate gatherings and fellowship with key conservative leaders and like-minded friends. The prime location of this property allows the Foundation to expand our reach to the thousands of young people who live and work in the District of Columbia throughout the year. Governor George Allen, who serves as the Foundation’s Reagan Ranch Presidential Scholar, and his wife, Susan, cohosted the evening reception, which included remarks from the Allens, Foundation President Ron Robinson, and Chief of Staff Jessica Jensen.
Governor George Allen and President Ron Robinson stand near a painting by artist Patrick O’Brien which depicts an early riverfront scene in the District of Columbia.
Guests included key Capitol Hill staffers and YAF alumni as well as Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Chairman Frank Donatelli; Congressmen Patrick McHenry and Richard Hudson of North Carolina; Regnery Publishing President Marji Ross; Deputy Assistant to the President Steve Munisteri; Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon; and Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute President Michelle Easton; among others.
Members of the Foundation's staff and leadership gather in the living room during the open house celebrating YAF’s new Capitol Hill Townhouse.
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YAF Organizes Largest Nationwide Campus Initiative to Remember 9/11 Young America’s Foundation once again organized the largest nationwide campus initiative, the 9/11: Never Forget Project, which saw students on hundreds of college and high school campuses participate by displaying nearly 3,000 American flags to represent the individuals murdered by radical Islamists on September 11, 2001. Since the Foundation began this program in 2003, thousands of schools and communities have organized Never Forget displays, resulting in more than ten million flags displayed in remembrance of the lives lost. In fact, the project has grown organically and gained so much momentum that many schools and communities organize 9/11: Never Forget memorials without officially notifying the Foundation. In most instances, the displays are created by college and high school students—not school administrators or faculty. Indeed, if not for the actions of patriotic students, many of whom were too young to remember the attacks, most schools would ignore the anniversary. As is often the case during this annual initiative, campus leftists’ intolerance was on full display. At Ripon College, Los Medanos College, Loyola Marymount University, and several high schools, students and teachers were upset that Young Americans for Freedom activists displayed the Foundation’s iconic “Never Forget” poster, which features images of attacks by Islamic extremists against the United States. The unsettling photographs are meant to remind us of the dangers of radical Islam and why we must be evervigilant in the face of an enemy which despises—and hopes to destroy—the values upon which our nation was founded. At many of these schools, leftist administrators and students took it upon themselves to tear down and destroy the posters because they felt the posters were too “offensive” to them and their fellow students. Young America’s Foundation shared these attacks with media outlets nationwide, resulting in coverage by the Daily Wire, College Fix, Fox News, and others. Despite these incidents, thousands viewed the moving displays of American flags, and thousands more saw their impact through the Foundation’s social media channels. One Twitter user wrote, “Thank you YAF for filling my page today with pics of schools displaying such patriotism. Makes me feel optimistic about our future leaders.”
Young Americans for Freedom activists at Hillsdale College set up a moving sea of American flags on their campus.
Wyatt Germaine, YAF chapter chairman at Rancho Campana High School, creates his school’s 9/11: Never Forget flag display.
YAF campus leader Katie Cupp places American flags in the ground at the University of Central Missouri.
Students at Fauquier High School in Virginia ensure their peers remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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Young Americans for Freedom Chapter Leaders Gather at the Reagan Ranch In early fall, Young Americans for Freedom activists, representing 18 colleges and universities, attended a Chapter Training Seminar sponsored by Wendy P. McCaw at the Reagan Ranch Center. Throughout the weekend, YAF activists received the best youth activism training in the Conservative Movement. Steve Hilton, host of Fox News Channel’s The Next Revolution, kicked off the program. Hilton—who also headlined the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon for local supporters—introduced students to new economic ideas, describing what he called “positive populism,” a method for encouraging American ingenuity and empowerment. Kyle Ferrebee, the Foundation’s program officer for YAF chapter services, followed, providing the students with chapter fundamentals: the best techniques for marketing their chapters, recruiting new members, and exposing their peers to conservative ideas. No other organization helps students bring conservative leaders and experts to their schools with such great effect and influence as Young America’s Foundation. To that end, Foundation Vice President Pat Coyle instructed the students on how to maximize their impact with campus lectures. Coyle explained how to promote these programs
University of Wisconsin YAF leaders Abby Streu and Mitchell Muller tour President Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo.
Students from 18 schools visit the Reagan Ranch during YAF’s Chapter Training Seminar.
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Fox News’s Steve Hilton addresses a capacity audience during the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon held in conjunction with the training seminar at the Reagan Ranch Center.
and how to prevent leftist student groups from blocking conservative events—a crucial topic, as leftists have attempted to shut down more than 40 percent of YAF events since President Trump took office. YAF Spokesman Spencer Brown offered insights on how to use the media to promote Young Americans for Freedom’s reach and influence on campus. Brown offered writing techniques and avenues to create media contacts, underscoring the pivotal role public relations can play in a campus environment. Concluding the training seminar, journalist and documentary film director and producer Ann McElhinney detailed her experiences producing her latest film, Gosnell: America’s Biggest Serial Killer. McElhinney inspired students to stand up for life and urged the young audience to use popular culture to advance their ideas and values. During their time in Santa Barbara, the YAF student leaders also enjoyed what has become a rite of passage for all young conservatives: a memorable visit to Ronald Reagan’s Presidential home, Rancho del Cielo.
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Annual Cruise Includes Foreign Dignitaries and a Visit to Ronald Reagan’s Statue in Budapest Young America’s Foundation hosted its largest annual cruise ever in 2018. More than
Foundation President Ron Robinson enjoys time with Ambassador Patricia Herbold, Ambassador Helene von Damm, Margie Niehaus, and Robert Herbold during YAF’s annual supporter cruise.
110 supporters, friends, and colleagues of Young America’s Foundation participated in a river cruise on the Danube. Despite historically low water levels, preventing the boat from sailing to all anticipated port stops, the group enjoyed the camaraderie of like-minded conservatives and the stellar seminar sessions led by talented speakers on board. 2018 cruise speakers included YAF alumnus and economist Todd Buchholz; Foundation Director & Chairman of the National Journalism Center Board of Governors T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr.; President of the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute Michelle Easton; Hillsdale College Distinguished Fellow Dr. Burt Folsom and the Free Market Forum’s Anita Folsom; U.S. Ambassador to Singapore (2005 to 2009) Patricia L. Herbold; Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft (1994 to 2001) Robert J. Herbold; Wells Fargo’s Head of External Affairs Eric Hoplin; 75th U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese; and Foundation President Ron Robinson. In addition, Vice President and Director of the Reagan Ranch Andrew Coffin, Vice President Nicole Hoplin, and Director of Development Jason Barbour participated in a
panel to discuss YAF’s current activities and impact. Participants enjoyed a special classical concert at a Viennese palace; a 20-mile scenic bike ride along the River Danube; and a stop at Liberty Square, home of the statue honoring Ronald Reagan in Budapest. A highlight of the cruise included a surprise visit by Ambassador Helene von Damm in Vienna, Austria. Ronald Reagan appointed von Damm ambassador to Austria in 1983, after she also served as his assistant for personnel in the White House. Ambassador von Damm, now a resident of Austria, welcomed the group to Vienna and shared how she came to know and admire Ronald Reagan. A post-cruise tour of Budapest included a dinner organized by Development Officer Haley Jones and hosted by the founder and president of the Danube Institute John O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan has served in various capacities throughout his career, including as Lady Margaret Thatcher’s speechwriter and advisor; editor-in-chief of National Review; and as author of The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister. O’Sullivan assembled a special program for the guests which included Hungarian leaders Balázs Orbán, Hungary’s deputy minister of the Prime Minister’s office, and Péter Szabadhegyi, Hungary’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. The next annual cruise for Young America’s Foundation supporters will take place from October 15 to 25, 2019, through the Panama Canal (see page 35).
YAF supporters visit the statue of Ronald Reagan in Budapest. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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Shapiro, Laffer, Rubio, Short, and Gutfeld Headline 40th Annual National Conservative Student Conference
Foundation President Ron Robinson presents recent White House Legislative Director and YAF’s first Reagan Ranch Director Marc Short with YAF’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
By Kevin McMahon, William & Berniece Grewcock Intern Scholar and Chairman, University of Virginia YAF
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his summer, more than 1,000 participants converged on Washington, D.C., to attend Young America’s Foundation’s 40th annual National Conservative Student Conference. “This experience deepened my own belief in conservatism and made me more passionate about sharing it with others. This was truly a life-changing experience,” exclaimed Alexis Pawlowski from New York University. Speakers ranged from White House officials and New York Times bestselling authors to leading professors and United States senators. Reaching beyond Washington, the annual program was streamed live online and also aired on C-SPAN—reaching 100 million homes nationwide. Just days after stepping down as White House director of legislative affairs, YAF alumnus and previous Reagan Ranch Director Marc Short headlined the opening dinner banquet, where Foundation President Ron Robinson presented him with YAF’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Short encouraged the audience of students and YAF alumni to be steadfast in their work to advance conservative ideas, noting, “The greatest lessons I learned were those being involved in campus activism.” From his time in the White House, Short shared that “despite the way the media covers this administration…it’s promises made and promises kept.” The Foundation’s longest-serving faculty member, Dr. Burt Folsom, also brought a burst of energy to the stage as one of the (Continued on page 11) 8
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Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan Ranch Center interns (from left) Alex Cortez, Mary Wishing, and Reagan Lundstrom Warner participate in “Freedom Karaoke” at the end of a conference day.
Senator Marco Rubio delivers an inspiring message on the importance of protecting and preserving the American Dream.
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More than 1,000 young people attend Young America’s Foundation’s 40th annual National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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Steven Crowder delivers enlightening and entertaining remarks to close out the week-long program.
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Blogger and podcast host Allie Stuckey urges the young audience to defend their conservative values and beliefs.
Fox News host and National Journalism Center alumnus Greg Gutfeld shares his experience working in the media and offers career advice to the young audience.
Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro meets with the Foundation’s summer interns following his remarks at the Foundation’s signature summer conference.
(Continued from page 8) first speakers. In the first of his two sessions, Dr. Folsom gave a historical analysis of the failure of government subsidies. Daytime sessions continued with business leader Andy Puzder, who made the case that free market entrepreneurship is an unparalleled force to yield prosperity for the most people and praised President Trump’s economic policies. Lt. Col. Allen West outlined the ideological differences between conservatives and liberals, and National Review Editor Rich Lowry addressed the myths and narratives surrounding nationalism, arguing that it is an essential ingredient for American unity and liberty. National Journalism Center alumnus Greg Gutfeld, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of Fox News’s The Five, shared his experience working in the media and also provided the students with signed copies of his latest book, The Gutfeld Monologues: Classic Rants from the Five. Students gained knowledge about the legacy of Senator Barry Goldwater through his son, Barry Goldwater Jr., who discussed his own time serving as a United States Representative as well as the past, present, and future of the Conservative Movement. YAF alumnus Steve Munisteri, currently serving in the White House Office of Public Liaison as deputy assistant to President Trump, recalled stories from his time as a Young Americans for Freedom activist, commenting on how students today are “continuing the fight, and it’s an important fight.” Senator Marco Rubio delivered an optimistic message about the future: “The heart and the soul of our nation is in our young people.” He noted, “There is no generation better to lead this Movement than yours. In fact, there is no other generation but yours who can lead this Movement.” Allie Stuckey, a conservative millennial, blogger, and podcast host, delivered a message that many college students across the country desperately need to hear: “This country wasn’t founded on making people happy or comfortable. It was founded on making people free.” The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles, host of the Michael Knowles Show, underscored how using humor with activism can help change hearts and minds. Irish entrepreneur and businessman Declan Ganley provided insight into a significant threat to free markets: “Crony corporatism.” Longtime YAF ally and professor Dr. Paul Kengor spoke on the dangers of progressive socialism. Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute Program Officer Elizabeth Campbell complemented Kengor’s remarks with an historical review of progressive feminism and its ties to the Russian Revolution. Finally, Heritage Foundation Distinguished Fellow Lee Edwards and Washington Free Beacon Editor-in-Chief Matt Continetti headlined a panel discussion which explored the beginnings of Young Americans for Freedom and its founder, William F. Buckley Jr. The second dinner banquet featured an electrifying (Continued on page 13) Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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Princeton University professor Dr. Robert George discusses the dangers of leftist intolerance at our nation’s schools, which he describes as “campus illiberalism.”
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National Review Editor Rich Lowry exits the stage following his remarks at the annual YAF gathering in Washington.
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One of YAF’s 2018 William & Berniece Grewcock Intern Scholars, Tiffany Berkley, introduces herself at the National Conservative Student Conference.
Senator Tim Scott takes a group selfie with students at the 40th annual National Conservative Student Conference.
(Continued from page 11) entrance from Senator Tim Scott, who ran into the audience to greet the students. During his remarks, Senator Scott detailed his journey of growing up and becoming a conservative. Discussing current policy, Senator Scott said, “The Trump economy…is on fire…The American people said we want change, and now the administration, along with a little help from Congress, is delivering the type of change that puts dollars in your pockets, not pennies.” The conference continued with instructive remarks from 37th Treasurer of the United States Bay Buchanan; author, screenwriter, and commentator Andrew Klavan; and Todd Starnes, host of the Todd Starnes Show. Students also gained further insight into the Trump administration from longtime Foundation friend Paul Teller, special assistant to the President for legislative affairs. Young America’s Foundation’s most popular campus speaker, Ben Shapiro, entered the ballroom to a rock star-like greeting from his young fans. The Daily Wire editor-in-chief educated the audience on the failures of “Democratic Socialism,” noting, “Socialism seeks to destroy the system of actions and consequences.” The third dinner banquet featured Dr. Arthur Laffer, who served on President Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board. Dr. Laffer—who regularly speaks on behalf of the Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise—ensured the young audience had a proper understanding of free market economics. The final full day of the conference featured Dinesh D’Souza, who unveiled his new movie, Death of a Nation; Liz Wheeler, host of One America News’s Tipping Point; Princeton University Professor Dr. Robert George; Distinguished Professor of Economics Dr. Walter Williams; and crowd favorite Dr. Christina Hoff Sommers—the “factual feminist.” To close out an eventful week, students gathered for the final dinner banquet featuring a stand-up comedy routine from conservative commentator and host of Louder with Crowder Steven Crowder. Students enjoyed Crowder’s entertaining performance but also gained knowledge and inspiration from his commentary on crucial social issues, including the right to life. The 40th annual National Conservative Student Conference provided students from four countries, 40 states, and 223 schools with knowledge and inspiration from leading conservatives who outlined the truth about conservative principles and why they work. Freedom-loving students networked and shared in the joys of the ideas of limited government, a strong national defense, free enterprise, individual freedom, and traditional values. Adrienne Conley from Ave Maria University noted the impact of this essential student program: “Because of YAF’s commitment to the ideas and principles that make our country strong and beautifully unique, hundreds of young conservatives were able to receive knowledge and training to equip them to carry on the torch of freedom.” Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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YAF Scores Major Free Speech Victories at UC-Berkeley & Kennesaw State “Berkeley got taken to the woodshed.” — Washington Examiner By Mark Trammell, Esq., Acting General Counsel
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t is a new day for conservative students at the University of California, Berkeley. After more than 18 months of litigation, YAF beat Berkeley! On December 3, 2018, Berkeley caved, agreeing to YAF’s demands. The result is a settlement that guarantees real First Amendment protections for all students on Berkeley’s campus, not just those expressing politically correct progressive ideas. Now, in addition to paying YAF $70,000 in damages, Berkeley is making serious changes to school policy:
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Berkeley’s unconstitutional “High-Profile Speaker Policy” is gone! Before our lawsuit, Berkeley imposed an arbitrary 3:00 p.m. curfew on conservative guest speakers. They also used this policy to heavily regulate advertisements for YAF-sponsored lectures by prohibiting any mention of time or location on flyers promoting our events. But now, these speech-stifling policies are no more. Berkeley’s viewpoint discriminatory security fee policy is gone! In its place is a new YAF-approved policy that treats all students equally. In fall 2017, Berkeley administrators charged conservative students roughly $15,000 in security fees to host Ben Shapiro as part of YAF’s Fred Allen Lecture Series. This was three times more than the fee the University charged others for hosting Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
in the same auditorium. Under the new policy, there will be no security fees on guest lectures—meaning YAF can bring any speaker to Berkeley without a security fee.
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Berkeley’s hecklers’ veto is gone! School administrators can no longer give protestors the authority to deny conservatives equal access to University facilities. Before our lawsuit, Berkeley blocked lectures featuring conservative guest speakers if there was the potential for protests—claiming that these lecture halls were not “securable.” Now, all lecture halls will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to all groups.
YAF’s big win is already being heralded as a landmark victory for free speech. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board credited YAF’s victory for “A Free Speech Rebirth at Berkeley.” The WSJ states, The settlement sets the expectation that Berkeley will treat speakers and students equitably and transparently. Even better, it sends a message that protestors can’t use the threat of mayhem to price Berkeley’s conservatives out of exercising their First Amendment rights. Continued on page 16
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Continued from page 14 The Trump administration praised YAF’s victory, too. In an interview with the New York Times, Justice Department official Jesse Panuccio “applauded” YAF’s victory, describing it as a “win for protecting free speech on public college campuses.” Jesse Watters used his platform on Fox News’s The Five to congratulate YAF on its “big free speech victory over… UC-Berkeley” and to declare to the millions watching that “Berkeley lost, free speech won.” But perhaps the Washington Examiner stated it best, noting, “Berkeley got taken to the woodshed.” YAF’s win at Berkeley is significant, but it is just the beginning. It is part of a national movement, led by YAF, to restore students’ First Amendment rights on campus. YAF broke Berkeley’s censorship blockade and is beating similar unconstitutional policies at other schools too.
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n October, YAF scored a major victory for free speech at Kennesaw State University (KSU). YAF’s lawsuit challenged a university policy that institutionalized viewpoint discrimination against conservative students. Shortly after YAF filed suit in federal court, KSU quickly sought a settlement. For months, YAF worked with KSU to fix its unconstitutional policy, so that all students could benefit from free speech on campus. As a result:
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KSU’s viewpoint discriminatory policy is now rescinded! Before YAF sued KSU, it was school policy for school administrators to classify student organizations into a hierarchical four-tiered ranking. Student organizations assigned to higher tiers received greater access to school resources— including funding.
Not surprisingly, school administrators relegated the Young Americans for Freedom chapter to the lowest tier while progressive student groups received high rankings. But now, because of YAF’s lawsuit, all student organizations have equal access to University resources.
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KSU will no longer burden student speech with large security fees! When the Young Americans for Freedom chapter at KSU hosted New York Times bestselling author and YAF alumna Katie Pavlich for a YAF-sponsored lecture, University administrators charged students a security fee because they subjectively determined Pavlich to be “controversial.” Now, because of YAF’s lawsuit, only objective criteria are considered when assessing fees—subjectivity and discretion have been removed from the process.
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oung America’s Foundation is leveraging the momentum from our wins at Berkeley and Kennesaw State to advance free speech on college campuses nationwide. In November, YAF’s attorneys advocated in federal court for conservative students at the University of Minnesota. YAF sued the University of Minnesota after administrators refused to allow Ben Shapiro to speak on the University’s main campus in Minneapolis. This case is ongoing. And, on December 3, 2018, YAF sent a letter to the University of Pittsburgh threatening litigation if University
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administrators did not immediately rescind a $5,546.52 viewpoint discriminatory security fee that they imposed on students just two days before Ben Shapiro was set to take the stage as part of YAF’s Fred Allen Lecture Series. YAF continues to monitor this situation closely. ————————————————————————————————
To learn more about Young America’s Foundation’s work to protect student rights or for information on how you can support this important work through a gift to YAF, please contact Mark Trammell, acting general counsel, at 800-USA-1776.
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BEN SHAPIRO COMES TO CAMPUS By Elle Lamb, Chairman, Ohio State University YAF
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he goal of Young Americans for Freedom at The Ohio State University (OSU) is to share conservative values with all students, so they receive a well-rounded education. Ben Shapiro articulates the ideas of the Conservative Movement in a factual, common sense way which resonates with college students. OSU YAF wanted to host Shapiro because we knew he would reach a significant number of students, including our liberal and apathetic peers, on our campus. Thanks to Young America’s Foundation and the Fred Allen Lecture Series, we brought Ben Shapiro to OSU! We would not be able host such great speakers and advance the Conservative Movement among our peers without Young America’s Foundation and its generous supporters. The lecture was very successful. We sold out our 800-person venue in less than four minutes! Our 300-person overflow room was also packed, with hundreds more turned away. In addition, hundreds of thousands have watched the lecture online, ensuring Shapiro’s remarks reached far beyond our campus. This event also initiated campus-wide conversations regarding what Ben Shapiro and other conservatives stand for. Young America’s Foundation offered advice and help throughout the entire process of bringing Shapiro to OSU, 18
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and our YAF chapter learned a great deal about what it takes to organize and run a successful campus event. Not surprisingly, OSU administrators tried several times to prevent Shapiro from coming to campus. For four months they stalled on confirming a venue and also denied our requests for event funds. We kept pushing to find a space, eventually securing a location. We also faced pushback when advertising for this event. Every time we put up posters, they were ripped down and replaced with anti-Shapiro and anticonservative flyers. However, this only underscored that leftists would rather tear down our posters in protest than respectfully debate Shapiro in person at our lecture. In true form, on the night of our lecture, leftists protested outside our venue—marching in masks and yelling “John McCain is dead,” among other derogatory phrases. Young America’s Foundation recorded these antics and shared the videos online, where they received nationwide media attention. These leftist protesters tried to shut down Ben Shapiro, but they only succeeded in looking ridiculous, drawing negative attention to themselves and their cause. In fact, several students told me how they didn’t necessarily agree (Continued on page 20)
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Ben Shapiro speaks to a capacity audience of 800 students at The Ohio State University.
Shapiro’s lecture is broadcast to an overflow room, reaching 300 additional students on the OSU campus and millions more online.
Leftist protesters fail at their attempts to disrupt the YAF-sponsored Shapiro lecture at OSU.
Elle Lamb, chairman of OSU YAF, introduces Ben Shapiro to the campus and online audience.
Shapiro’s remarks are streamed live on YAF’s YouTube channel, YouTube.com/ YAFTV. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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A student participates in the question and answer session with the Daily Wire’s editor-in-chief.
Shapiro meets with his fans following his remarks at OSU.
Members of The Ohio State University’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter gather on stage to celebrate a successful campus lecture.
(Continued from page 18) with all that Shapiro stands for, but they were glad we hosted him to balance the dialogue on campus. This exciting evening was made even more remarkable because of the personal attention Shapiro gave to the students in attendance. Following his remarks, Shapiro stopped by the overflow room and took questions. He also joined me and my fellow YAF chapter leaders for dinner, where the memorable conversation ranged from President Trump to the 2018 midterms to Game of Thrones! 20
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Ben Shapiro is one of the first, and by far the biggest, conservative speakers Ohio State University has ever hosted. Young America’s Foundation made this possible! Our YAF chapter is ready to welcome more speakers, and we are energized for this semester’s activism. On the heels of Shapiro’s visit, we have already seen an increase in our membership and growth in our social media following. With Young America’s Foundation’s help, we are eager to continue spreading the conservative message at The Ohio State University.
R ICHARD V IGUERIE , D AVE K EENE , F RANK D ONATELLI , K IRBY W ILBUR , M ICHELLE E ASTON , A LAN G OTTLIEB , A RNIE S TEINBERG , J AMES V. L ACY , D ANA R OHRABACHER , D AN M ANION , T OM C HARLES H USTON , R OGER R EAM , D AVID B OAZ , F RAN G RIFFIN , M ICHAEL W ALLER , E D R OYCE , R ON P EARSON , C HRIS L ONG ,
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“Facts Don’t Care About Your Feelings”
An Interview with Ben Shapiro By Jessica Jensen, Editor
Young America’s Foundation excels at bringing the biggest names in the Conservative Movement to campuses nationwide. We have done so
for decades, and we have worked with hundreds of speakers, including some of the Movement’s key leaders: William F. Buckley Jr., Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Ed Meese, Newt Gingrich, and Lt. Col. Oliver North, among many others. The Foundation also has a track record of identifying, developing, and promoting emerging talent—including our most popular speaker now, Ben Shapiro. Today, Ben Shapiro is a household
name among young conservatives. He is editor-in-chief of the Daily Wire, and his weekly podcast, the Ben Shapiro Show, is the most popular conservative podcast nationwide (and ranks among the most popular podcasts overall). Indeed, Ben Shapiro has achieved rock star status among his young fans. And he is, without a doubt, YAF’s most highly-requested campus speaker. (We received more than 1,500 inquiries from students hoping to bring him to their campuses in 2018!) Young America’s Foundation has been working with Shapiro since 2013, bringing his fast-talking, no-nonsense
Ben Shapiro speaks at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2017—a landmark YAF lecture which resulted in the Foundation’s successful free speech lawsuit against the California campus (see page 18).
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Addressing a capacity audience at the University of Southern
conservatism to more than 50 campuses and numerous YAF conferences and seminars. His reach extends beyond the lecture halls, as tens of millions have watched his YAF speeches online. This school year, Shapiro is speaking at 12 campuses exclusively through Young America’s Foundation’s Fred Allen Lecture Series (see page 25). From California to Pennsylvania, students line up for blocks hoping to score a seat at one of Shapiro’s lectures. Young America’s Foundation’s team and our dedicated student activists work tirelessly to ensure students hear factbased conservative principles from one of today’s most articulate commentators and writers—despite campus leftists’ attempts to disrupt, thwart, and protest Shapiro’s appearances. Shapiro is the author of seven nonfiction books, including the New York Times bestseller Bullies: How the Left’s Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences America. His next book, The Right Side of History, will be released later this year.
California, Shapiro kicks off the first of 12 campus lectures sponsored exclusively by YAF as part of the 2018-2019 Fred Allen Lecture Series.
At the age of 17, Shapiro became the youngest nationally syndicated columnist when he was hired by Creators Syndicate. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA in 2004 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007. We are honored to partner with Ben Shapiro, and we hope you enjoy this interview with YAF’s most popular campus speaker. Libertas: Wow! Students line up for blocks to hear you speak on campus. You are Young America’s Foundation’s most sought-after campus speaker. To what do you attribute your popularity among college students? ————————————————————
Shapiro: I think students are looking for an intellectually rigorous way of listening to the issues: cutting out the feelings talk, avoiding ad hominem attacks, focusing instead on how to debunk the various lies and myths they hear on campus. And I think people
culture is upstream of politics and that communication is about more than merely the ideas: it’s the manner of conveying those ideas.
love hearing the back-and-forth with students during our lengthy Q&As. Libertas: You are speaking on campus exclusively through YAF this school year. Why YAF? ————————————————————
Shapiro: YAF is the most vital student group in America. I’ve met thousands of young conservatives—and young liberals looking to hear new ideas—thanks to YAF. And students know, when they go to a YAF event, they’re generally going to be hearing the best ideas conservatives have to offer. Libertas: Which key leaders have profoundly impacted your career thus far? ————————————————————
Shapiro: Andrew Breitbart was a key mentor for me. I met Andrew when I was 16, and he was instrumental in helping to connect me with a lot of other conservative thinkers. Andrew understood better than anyone that
Libertas: What advice do you have for young conservatives hoping to break into the media via writing and commentary? ————————————————————
Shapiro: Everybody has a perspective, but the real question is whether you can bring facts that no one else can. Figure out your area of expertise and dig in. People begin to take you seriously not only when you can articulate an argument well but also when you’re the source for new information. Libertas: What is the most challenging question you have gotten while addressing student audiences? ————————————————————
Shapiro: The most challenging question is always the same: why aren’t you more cordial? I try to be as cordial as I can Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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when I’m speaking with students, but I’m not always perfect in adhering to my own code of conduct. Libertas: What is the weirdest question? ————————————————————
Shapiro: I’ve been asked whether opposing abortion is akin to supporting veganism. That one was odd. Libertas: Which conservative leaders do you most admire? ————————————————————
Shapiro: Ronald Reagan, William F. Buckley, Charles Krauthammer, Winston Churchill, and Abraham Lincoln. Libertas: What advice do you have for students who may be hesitant to bring a high-profile conservative to campus for fear of retribution from their professors, leftist administrators, and fellow students?
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Shapiro: You’ll be shocked at how many people are actually open-minded about hearing from someone on the other side. Sure, there are obstacles, but that’s where the folks at YAF are so incredibly helpful—they never back down from a fight. Libertas: YAF’s Shapiro speaks at the University of Minnesota to a sold-out supporters make our audience, despite the fact that administrators pushed the event off the main campus. programs possible. What would you say to someone considering making a gift to Young ensuring that entire campuses aren’t America’s Foundation? closed to conservative thought. ————————————————————
Shapiro: Your gift truly makes a difference not only in giving resources to campus conservatives, who are the single greatest advocates for a conservative worldview for their peers, but also in
University of Connecticut students pack a lecture hall to hear Shapiro speak in early 2018.
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Libertas: If you could go back in time, what is one piece of advice you would give Ben Shapiro in 2009? ————————————————————
Shapiro: Think before you tweet.
The Fred Allen Lecture Series Young America’s Foundation’s Fred Allen Lecture Series empowers conservative students to share their ideas of individual liberty, personal responsibility, and a strong national defense with their peers. The 2018 Fred Allen Lecture Series featured Ben Shapiro at six campuses last fall, including the University of Southern California, Ohio State University, and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, among others. The lecture series will also include six campuses in the spring of 2019. Since 2015, the Fred Allen Lecture Series has brought
exciting speakers—including Shapiro, Lt. Col. Allen West, Katie Pavlich, Robert Spencer, and Senator Rick Santorum—to schools nationwide. Live streaming also makes select lectures available to millions more people across the country. Noting the success of the Fred Allen Lecture Series, Ben Shapiro called Fred Allen “a hero of the Movement.” Ron Robinson, president of Young America’s Foundation, said, “We are deeply grateful to Fred Allen for his strong commitment to reaching young people and advancing freedom. Through the third Fred Allen Lecture Series, thousands of new students will attend exciting campus events and hear a spirited defense of conservative ideas. Millions more will watch online. The lives of the student organizers will never be the same. Mr. Allen is inspiring the next generation of conservative leaders!” To learn more about sponsoring YAF’s campus lectures and our many other student programs, please call 800-USA1776.
(Right) Fred Allen, sponsor of YAF’s Fred Allen Lecture Series, meets with Ben Shapiro at the Foundation’s Capitol Hill Townhouse in Washington, D.C.
Libertas: What do you do for fun? ————————————————————
Shapiro: I hang out with my wife and kids. I read three or four books a week, and my wife and I are TV addicts, so we get through series at a relatively brisk pace. I also play violin with my father, who’s a professional pianist. Libertas: What is your favorite movie? ————————————————————
Shapiro: Wow. I might have to go with Amadeus, although my top five would include the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, A Man for All Seasons, and The Lives of Others.
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Shapiro: California State University, Los Angeles was certainly memorable, if only because students nearly rioted, others pulled the fire alarm, and conservatives attempting to attend my lecture were physically prevented from doing so by leftists. UC–Berkeley was memorable in that it required hundreds of police officers simply to allow me to speak. In terms of lectures I’ve enjoyed giving, it’s simply too many to count. I love interacting with students. Libertas: What is one book all young conservatives must read? ————————————————————
Libertas: What has been your most memorable campus lecture?
Shapiro: I always recommend starting with Economics in One Lesson by
Henry Hazlitt. It’s an easy, user-friendly introduction to macroeconomics. Libertas: What book would you recommend to a student who is just beginning to consider conservative ideas? ————————————————————
Shapiro: My new book, The Right Side of History, when it comes out this year! Libertas: Keeping with this theme of questions, what is the last book you read to your kids? ————————————————————
Shapiro: I just read Half Magic by Edward Eager to my daughter. She loved it. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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A Life of Learning and Teaching Economics Dr. Arthur Laffer’s Influence on the Next Generation
By Raj Kannappan, Director of Young America’s Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise
An energetic voice booms from the
America’s Foundation’s Free Enterprise Lecture Series featuring Dr. Laffer. Laffer is known as the “Father intently-listening college students. of Supply-Side Economics” partly The speaker asks, “Why does the for developing the economic model government enforce speed limits?” demonstrating that increasing tax rates A few students in the audience yell beyond a certain point actually reduces out, “So people don’t speed!” government revenues. The speaker continues, “And why does He often conveys such economic the government put taxes on cigarettes?” realities by using himself as the example. A larger number of students— For instance, he tells public officials seemingly exasperated with the whom he advises that Americans vote obviousness of the answer—respond, “So with their feet—that is, when faced people don’t smoke!” with harmful economic policies such Then Dr. Arthur B. Laffer, the as high taxes and burdensome business economist who most influenced Ronald regulations, they will simply move to Reagan’s 1981 and 1986 growth-spurring Arthur Betz Laffer appears in his 1958 University School yearbook photo. another part of the country that provides tax cuts, makes his point by asking, “And a more favorable economic climate. why does the government tax income?” To make this point, Laffer recalls the story of his own Silence ensues among the students for an extended family and business, Laffer Associates, an economic research moment, as though they think this is a trick question, before and consulting firm. Laffer breaks it with a punchline. “If you tax people who work Some might find it prohibitively challenging to pick up and pay people who don’t work, don’t be surprised if you find and move their business across the country, particularly with a lot of people not working!” a large family and after having lived in one place for 30 years. This sort of lesson, woven into a narrative of Ronald Yet, in 2006, Laffer did just that, leaving Rancho Santa Fe, Reagan and Margaret Thatcher stories, typifies Young
front of the packed lecture hall of
The Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise Young America’s Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise leads the Conservative Movement in educating and inspiring young people to champion free market principles. We are able to achieve this goal because of our excellent speakers who help us influence millions of students with our ideas. Since its founding in 1960, YAF has maintained a rich history of
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identifying and promoting the most accomplished and articulate free enterprise speakers. These include such leaders as Nobel Prize-winning economists Milton Friedman, Vernon Smith, and James Buchanan; intellectuals Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell; and CEOs Steve Forbes and Andrew Puzder. Today, we are partnering with Dr. Arthur B. Laffer, arguably the
most influential economist of the last four decades, to reach students across the country. This profile of Laffer reveals the impact such a leader can have on young people. To learn more about Young America’s Foundation or to make a gift to support YAF's Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise’s programs, please contact Raj Kannappan at 800-USA-1776.
Dr. Arthur Laffer speaks at Young America’s Foundation’s 2017 National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C.
California, for Nashville, Tennessee—because he was drawn spring, clearly conveyed the benefits students reap when they by the allure of Tennessee’s lack of an income tax and repelled have the opportunity to learn from Laffer: by California’s irresponsibly expanding state government and its destructive tax policies. Hosting Dr. Art Laffer on my campus for a sold-out As Laffer puts it, the economic environment he found in lecture was a once-in-a-lifetime experience…While many Nashville was so favorable that he bought his home there with administrators and faculty members work to create a false his first year’s tax savings. narrative about the dangers of Since the beginning of 2018, free markets, we students have —————————————————— Young America’s Foundation has been able to loudly and proudly sponsored Laffer to barnstorm dismantle the argument for a “If you tax people who work the nation’s colleges and socialist utopia that many young universities and provide realitypeople believe will solve all of and pay people who don’t based economic thinking to our challenges. students—who, on campuses, work, don’t be surprised may learn about something only Young America’s vaguely resembling economics Foundation’s Free Enterprise if you find a lot of people through the likes of Bernie Lecture Series has already not working!” Sanders, Paul Krugman, and brought Laffer to Florida Gulf Thomas Piketty. Indeed, many Coast University, the University —————————————————— faculty members at our top of Notre Dame, Patrick Henry educational institutions are College, Yale University, and teaching that taxing the rich and redistributing wealth is Kennesaw State University. We are primed to continue seemingly America’s best path forward to prosperity. Laffer’s campus tour in the years ahead. On each of Laffer’s campus stops, the Foundation provides Laffer’s journey to economics stardom began during his an immersive experience for students. Participants have the own years as a student. opportunity to discuss important economic issues with Laffer He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1940 and early in in small discussion groups, share lunch and dinner with him, his childhood, moved with his family to the Shaker Heights engage with him during a guest appearance in their economics neighborhood in Cleveland’s suburbs. or business courses, and hear from him during a public lecture. Laffer speaks with fondness about his youth and the Danny Polk, the president of the Stevens Institute of important influence that both of his parents had on his Technology campus conservative club that hosted Laffer last growth and ambition. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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Dr. Arthur Laffer delivers a Young America’s Foundation campus lecture at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
He shares that his dad, William G. Laffer, was successful in his professional career, eventually becoming the president of the Clevite Corporation, a leading manufacturer of bearings and bushings. Laffer’s father served as the head of manufacturing for Clevite during World War II, a key role given that the business was a supplier for America’s defense efforts. Laffer also talks about the strong nature of his mother, who was heavily involved with the Western Reserve Women’s Republican Club in northeast Ohio and ran for office multiple times despite being well aware that she was not going to win as a conservative in the greater Cleveland area. She thought it was important to stand for her values and principles despite facing the prospect of defeat. Yet, it was when Laffer matriculated to Yale University that the future ardent proponent of tax cuts began to dip his toes into the field of economics. Laffer was a self-described “terrible student” in college and was in danger of failing. With the advice of a dean—which Laffer briefly sums up as “taking some time off to grow up”—Laffer went to Europe for a year, where he worked in both England and Germany and was a full-time student at the University of Munich. Although he was a mathematics major through his junior year, Laffer switched to economics after studying in Munich, where the university did not offer any of the mathematics courses he needed to complete. Upon returning to Yale for his senior year, Laffer managed to turn his academics around, making the dean’s list and beginning to gain appreciation for the work of Milton Friedman, the 20th 28
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century’s most well-known and articulate advocate of free markets. Laffer went on to earn an MBA at Stanford University and then moved to the economics department there, where he completed his PhD coursework. This helped to launch his successful academic career, during which he gained tenure in the University of Chicago’s renowned economics department at the age of 28. Later, he was invited to teach at the University of Southern California’s School of Business Administration. It was during his graduate career that Laffer’s affinity for Ronald Reagan grew. Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech in 1964 seems to have been the starting point. Regarding the speech that catapulted Reagan’s rise to national prominence, Laffer says, “That was such an amazing speech. Barry Goldwater lost, but that speech did not lose.” From that speech—which made the case for prosperity based on the rights of Americans as sovereign people—and Reagan’s growing profile, Laffer had found a kindred spirit who looked at the world with optimism and clarity. Laffer’s first formal role with Reagan came about unexpectedly in 1979. Justin Dart, a businessman and close personal friend of Reagan who had helped persuade Reagan to run for the Presidency in 1980, asked Laffer to join the Reagan Executive Advisory Committee, which was tasked with supporting Reagan’s policy priorities. The challenge was that Laffer was 35 years younger than the next youngest person on the committee, and the rest of the group was dismissive of Laffer’s entry into the group. To get past this roadblock, Dart
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asked the group which one of the members would maintain minutes for meetings. As it turned out, none of them were much interested in note-taking duties, and Laffer found an opening. This initial commitment led Laffer to greater heights, most prominently helping President Reagan cut top income tax rates by nearly 60 percent. When speaking about Reagan, Laffer cannot help but convey his absolute admiration for the man. Laffer remarks, “Reagan truly was a genius. The genius wasn’t that he was born such, but he was one of the very few people on earth who actually learned from the consequences of his own actions. He didn’t become entranced with himself that he refused to learn lessons. He was always learning, even as President.” Laffer, too, kept learning and achieving more. Following his success with tax cuts and economic growth in America, Laffer was invited to England, where he advised British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with her efforts to slash tax rates. Since then, he has advised countless prominent American leaders, including Governors Scott Walker, Matt Bevin, Pat McCrory, and Henry McMaster; Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz; and, of course, President Donald Trump. Indeed, Laffer played a key role in helping the Trump administration develop the 2017 tax cuts that, among other benefits, cut individual income tax rates for all Americans and reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. When asked what, from throughout his accomplished life, brings him the most pride, Laffer begins to list off item after
item. “My tenure at the University of Chicago…working with Reagan…helping Margaret Thatcher.” He pauses and then adds, “And owning a successful business and growing my family.” On this last item, Laffer states, “It’s not just one night. It’s a lifetime of hard work. Six kids, thirteen grandkids, three great grandchildren. But it makes me damn proud.” As for what more he would like to accomplish, Laffer laughs and then says with all seriousness, “Everything! I’m just starting out. It’s like I’m in kindergarten. There’s so much more to learn and do. We need to get the economy back on track from the disastrous years under Obama and Bush. California, Connecticut, Illinois, West Virginia, and Kentucky are collapsing before our very eyes.” There indeed remains a long list of economic challenges for Laffer to tackle. As he says, “If, at 78 years of age, the President of the United States still calls you, then you’re still in the thick of it.” Laffer is undoubtedly a skilled performer in front of audiences, but the passion he exudes for economics and educating Americans about economics is no show. It is the reason he says he still maintains a robust TV schedule. “I love debates in a civil sense,” Laffer states. “That’s why I do CNN and MSNBC as much as I do Fox. I debate issues. I want to help people learn. I’m not interested in attacking anyone.” With the energy and clarity Laffer brings, there is hope for our young people. Young America’s Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise is pleased to support students across the country to host Dr. Laffer for sold-out lectures on their campuses. Laffer himself offers, “I’ll go wherever students need to hear some economic reality. They always ask such good questions. And they’re a lot more interested in learning than are many of our country’s leaders.” Young America’s Foundation is deeply grateful for the Thomas W. Smith Foundation Free Enterprise Lecture Series, The Ken & Janice Shengold Advancing Freedom Lecture Series, and The Irving Brown Lecture Series, which have given students nationwide the once-in-alifetime opportunity to learn from America’s leading free Dr. Arthur Laffer draws the Laffer Curve, which shows the relationship between tax rates and tax revenues collected by market economist. governments. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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Are Donor Advised Funds Safe for Conservatives? An Interview with Kimberly Begg, Esq. By Jason Barbour, Director of Development
Libertas: Donor advised funds are the fastest-growing recipient of charitable dollars in the United States. Some of Young America’s Foundation’s most generous supporters give through donor advised funds—and many more are incorporating donor advised funds into their estate plans. At the same time, many independent advisors raise serious donor intent concerns about this popular giving vehicle. As a Young America’s Foundation vice president and general counsel, you served as director of planned giving, working closely with supporters and their legal and financial advisors, for nearly 15 years. In your experience, should conservatives be cautious about giving through donor advised funds? ————————————————————
Kimberly: Yes. Donor advised funds are attractive financial products for institutions that administer them, generating significant income and fees on assets that can remain under management in perpetuity. Although many conservatives have used donor advised funds to successfully advance their ideas, reliance on these unique giving vehicles could lead to gross violations of donor intent and the hijacking of millions of dollars intended for conservative causes. Libertas: How? What is a donor advised fund? ————————————————————
Kimberly: A donor advised fund is a separately held account that is maintained, operated, and controlled by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, called a
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sponsoring organization, that must use the assets for tax-exempt purposes. Individuals give a tax-deductible gift to a donor advised fund (and if they give appreciated stock, they avoid capital gains tax) and become “advisors” to the account, instructing sponsoring organizations to send gifts to non-profit organizations at will. Sponsoring organizations handle all of the paperwork. Gift-giving is easy, and it can be anonymous. Libertas: That all sounds great. What is the problem? ————————————————————
Kimberly: You don’t own “your” donor advised fund! When you give to a donor advised fund, you relinquish control of your assets. Period. You may have a great experience with the sponsoring organization during your life. The sponsoring organization may never refuse to honor your intent during your life—after all, the goal is to encourage you to continue to give, currently and through your estate—but your lack of ownership of the fund may jeopardize your clearlystated wishes, especially once you are no longer able to monitor use of your donated assets. Nearly all sponsoring organizations market donor advised funds as estate planning vehicles, through which to either make “pass through” gifts or to build “intergenerational philanthropy.” To make “pass through” gifts, advisors bequeath assets to a donor advised fund and, after gifts are reduced by a fee,
they are considered for distribution per advisors’ wishes. Increasingly, sponsoring organizations encourage advisors to consider their donor advised funds as a means of continuing a family tradition of philanthropy. Many conservatives—who wish to pass on to their heirs a spirit of entrepreneurship, not entitlement— question whether it is wise to establish a tradition of future generations spending money that is earned and set aside by older generations. Libertas: Do you have an example of a sponsoring organization refusing to honor an advisor’s wishes? ————————————————————
Kimberly: Yes. A few years ago, a sponsoring organization told Young America’s Foundation we did not “have a seat at the table” for discussions regarding a gift intended for Young America’s Foundation upon the death of a longtime supporter. Legally speaking, the sponsoring organization was correct. But we persisted—for more than a year—in attempting to have the intent of our supporter honored because his wishes were clear. It was not until United States Attorneys General Ed Meese and John Ashcroft encouraged the sponsoring organization to honor our supporter’s intent that a full and immediate distribution was made. Libertas: Why was the sponsoring organization in your example reluctant to honor the donor’s intent? ————————————————————
Kimberly: This gift involved a substantial amount of money, capable of generating significant income and fees. Institutions rarely act against their self-interest, absent external influences. In this case, there was no legal obligation for the sponsoring organization to honor the gift, and there was no fear of our deceased supporter objecting to his intent not being honored. The sponsoring organization was a community foundation created to benefit a particular geographic area—not to advance our supporter’s conservative ideas. It is a mistake to think an institution with no history of supporting conservative ideas
will begin doing so upon receiving a gift from an individual who cannot monitor the use of that gift. Libertas: Should conservatives be concerned about leftists interfering with donor advised funds to block support of conservative causes? ————————————————————
advised funds are particularly dangerous because they are owned and controlled— not by the donor—but by the institution benefiting from the growth of fund assets. Furthermore, most donor advised funds are not managed by conservatives, so they are vulnerable to leftist pressure to discriminate against conservatives. For that reason, the Bradley Impact Fund, National Christian Foundation, and DonorsTrust are better options than financial institutions and community foundations.
they can follow up with the sponsoring organization when you are gone. If your goal is to avoid having gifts spent all at once, choose endowments at organizations you trust over donor advised funds controlled by third parties. Ask organizations to report on the use of your endowment to future generations of your family.
Kimberly: Yes, the Left is investing Libertas: Ronald Reagan said, substantial resources to pressure “Freedom is never more than one businesses to discriminate against generation away from extinction. We conservatives and interfere with didn’t pass it on to our conservative philanthropy. children in the bloodstream. Recently, the $450 million The only way they can Southern Poverty Law Center inherit the freedom we succeeded in pressuring three have known is if we fight companies to block gifts to for it, protect it, defend it reputable conservative groups and then hand it to them it slandered as “hate groups”: with the well thought AmazonSmile refused to lessons of how they in their honor gifts to one group lifetime must do the same.” and Vanco Payment Systems How can conservatives and Wells Fargo stopped pass on a tradition of processing donations for advancing freedom through another group. philanthropy? The $14 million Human —————————————— Rights Campaign is in th Kimberly: Conservatives its 16 year of pressuring businesses to discriminate can pass on a tradition of against conservatives through advancing freedom through its Corporate Equity Index, philanthropy—not by which rates thousands of setting aside an account for publicly traded and privately heirs to spend over time but held businesses and law firms by setting an example of on compliance with its radical Kimberly Begg is pictured at the Reagan Ranch with Fred Allen, one of the sacrificial giving to respond Conservative Movement’s most joyful givers—and greatest heroes—who agenda. Most businesses— to contemporary challenges. supports current programs with direct gifts. including affiliates of three We must do all we can to of the largest donor advised protect freedom today. Libertas: What is the best way for funds—receive a perfect 100% score for Many of America’s most dedicated conservatives to protect their intent? implementing “internal requirements” conservatives partner with Young ———————————————————— for prohibiting philanthropic giving to America’s Foundation to ignite in young Kimberly: Give directly, not through conservative organizations. Several law people a passion for freedom. There is no firms have cited fear of jeopardizing their third parties. Make current gifts better way to inspire future generations and straightforward bequests to 100% Corporate Equity Index score as of Americans—and members of your organizations with a track record of the reason for blocking the pro bono own family—than by making current advancing your ideas. representation of attorneys seeking to gifts to Young America’s Foundation and Exercise your influence as the help a reputable conservative group. the Reagan Ranch and leaving a legacy “advisor” to make gifts to spend down through your estate! ———————————————————— your donor advised fund. Include Libertas: Should conservatives avoid a sunset provision to dissolve your donor advised funds? Kimberly Martin Begg, Esq. is a member ———————————————————— fund after a set number of years. of Young America’s Foundation’s planned Designate trusted organizations as the Kimberly: Generally, yes. Any giving giving advisory council, which helps beneficiaries of your account—and arrangement that delegates decision conservatives create a legacy that advances inform beneficiaries of your plans so making to a third party is risky. Donor their ideas and protects their intent. Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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What YAF Means to One of the Conservative Movement’s Leading Families An Interview with Rachel Campos-Duffy and Jack Duffy By Jessica Jensen, Editor
Young America’s Foundation has been honored to work with Rachel Campos-Duffy and her husband, Congressman Sean Duffy, for many years, welcoming the Duffys as speakers at our student and supporter programs nationwide. Today, the Duffys’ involvement has truly become a family affair, with the oldest two of their eight children attending Young America’s Foundation’s high school conferences and leading YAF activism efforts at their own high school. We are honored to feature Rachel and her son, Jack, in this issue of Libertas to share their perspectives on what Young America’s Foundation means to their family.
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limited government, entrepreneurship and self-reliance. Rachel’s debut children’s book, Paloma Wants to Be Lady Freedom (Regnery Kids, 2019), is a story about a little girl’s adventure inside the U.S. Capitol inspired by real life events where she learns about patriotism, courage, and her immigrant father’s journey to citizenship. She has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Arizona State University’s Honors Program and a master’s degree in international affairs from the University of California, San Diego. Rachel lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Congressman Sean Duffy, and her eight awesome kids. Libertas: You and your husband, Congressman Sean Duffy, have been actively involved with YAF for a number of years. What first attracted you to our programs, and why do you continue to be involved? —————————————————————
Rachel Campos-Duffy
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achel Campos-Duffy may have gotten her start as one of the stars of the iconic show, MTVs The Real World: San Francisco, but today she is ranked one of “Newsmax’s 50 Most Influential Latino” leaders and sought after for her honest, insightful, and often humorous real-world view of the news cycle and American public policy. Rachel is a published author, communications consultant, and television personality. She is a Fox News and Fox Business contributor and a recurring guest host on hit shows, Fox & Friends and Outnumbered, offering her unique view on public policy, parenting, and everything in between. Rachel has also appeared as a frequent guest on NBC’s Today Show and ABC’s The View. In 2008, she co-hosted the series Speaking of Women’s Health on the Lifetime Network with the legendary Florence Henderson.
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Her advocacy work has included serving as the national spokesperson for The LIBRE Initiative, a non-profit group that advocates for the economic empowerment of Hispanics through
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RCD: I first learned about YAF through my sister, Leah Campos, who attended a conference 25 years ago and ended up interning for the organization. Years later, I was honored when YAF asked me to speak. By then, I was a mom, and I was much more attuned to how formative the YAF experience was for young people. As soon as my kids were old enough, I made sure I introduced them to the conferences. Today, my son, Jack, is a Young Americans for Freedom chapter leader at his high school. Many of his YAF events have been so successful that he’s been featured on our local news. We’re so proud of what he is doing. He’s learned so much about conservatism and leadership from YAF. Libertas: You regularly speak for the Foundation on campuses nationwide and at our conferences. What do you most enjoy about these opportunities? —————————————————————
RCD: I love speaking at YAF conferences because I truly love the quality young people YAF attracts. I am inspired by their
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courage and hunger for knowledge. It’s not easy being a conservative in today’s culture. I love that they are not deterred by our liberal culture and that they seek the truth at all costs. I have also met a fair number of kids who genuinely are undecided in their ideological viewpoints and come to YAF with an open mind and lots of questions. That’s also courageous. I met a young Latino man at a YAF conference who learned about Ronald Reagan in his high school classroom. He told me, as a young Hispanic immigrant, Reagan’s message of freedom, anti-communism, and opportunity really resonated with him. His teacher recognized that and recommended he look into YAF. He did and ended up starting his own YAF chapter at his school. When I asked him how many other students were in his YAF chapter, he said, “It’s a liberal school. So far, just me.” Then he showed me the cuts on his fingers. He said that he had just completed the YAF 9/11: Never Forget Project on his own, placing almost 3,000 American flags on his school lawn in honor of the victims of America’s deadliest terrorist attack. I gave him the biggest hug! This young patriot gave me so much hope for America’s future. YAF helped this young man put his patriotism into action, and the conference helped him see he wasn’t alone! Libertas: You have sent your own children to YAF’s high school conferences at the Reagan Ranch. What do you hope they take away from each YAF program they attend? —————————————————————
RCD: My kids are constantly hearing the messages of the Left at school and in popular culture. YAF gives them an opportunity to hear conservative, freedomminded speakers, to ask questions, and to interact with other curious young people searching for the truth. As a YAF chapter president, my son, Jack, is getting a first-hand lesson on the intolerance of the Left. Administrators,
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Rachel Campos-Duffy addresses students at the 2017 annual National Conservative Student Conference.
teachers, and some students and their parents have felt threatened by YAF’s presence at his school. They have actively tried to shut his club down by saying it is alt-right and other untruths. Jack is learning about the tactics used by progressives to silence conservatives. He’s also learning to lead and organize other students to defend their rights. The Left is very threatened by articulate, informed young conservatives. Libertas: What did your first visit to the Reagan Ranch mean to you? What stood out from your time at Rancho del Cielo? —————————————————————
RCD: My first visit to the Reagan Ranch was life-changing. You truly
can’t understand the essence of Ronald Reagan until you see his ranch. It’s difficult to express the simplicity and beauty of the place. I tell everyone who asks me that it is an American treasure. It’s something that must be seen and experienced as a serious conservative. My favorite item at the Ranch is the Liberty Bell shower head. To Reagan, freedom was everything, and he wanted to be reminded of it first thing in the morning! Mostly, I love that the Ranch is frozen in time. I love interior design, so this ranch is extra special to me in that regard. It’s totally retro and totally American. In short, from a design point of view, it’s timeless. A classic. Like freedom, it’s never out of style!
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have met great friends. Thanks to social media, those relationships continue after the conference. Libertas: What has surprised you about your children’s involvement with YAF? —————————————————————
RCD: At conferences I have attended as a speaker, I noticed YAF encourages students to do some public speaking, whether it’s leading a prayer before a meal or asking questions in front of the group. I have been impressed by how confident my kids have become with public speaking and with speaking their mind in general in a professional manner. Some of that comes from parenting, but some of it is definitely YAF. Congressman Sean Duffy and Rachel Campos-Duffy address Foundation supporters and friends at the 2017 Rawhide Circle retreat in Charleston, South Carolina.
Libertas: What are some key insights your children had after their first visit to Rancho del Cielo? —————————————————————
RCD: Ronald Reagan is a hero in our family. He’s a legend. For my kids who visited the Ranch, seeing his humble and beautiful home completed the picture. It’s formative to know and understand so much history happened there.
The quality and diversity of the speakers are incredible. Students leave with books and resources to continue their inquiry into conservative philosophy. YAF has been an invaluable resource to me as a parent. Plus, my kids
Libertas: There are a number of conservative organizations organizing conferences for students. Why did you choose YAF’s conferences for your own children? What makes YAF different? —————————————————————
RCD: No other conservative organization has the same level of resources and experience with educating
Libertas: How does YAF help supplement the conservative values and ideas you share with your children at home in Wisconsin? —————————————————————
RCD: You are your child’s first teacher, but it’s important for your values to be edified outside of your home. YAF treats young people with intellectual respect. They are never infantilized by YAF. They are treated to a very grownup conference. They are expected to dress business casual and behave with class and dignity. They are given the facts and trusted to come to their own conclusions.
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Campos-Duffy speaks to students at the High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch in March 2018.
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young minds as YAF. Everything is so professional, and they take care of so many details others miss. It is a superbly run organization. Libertas: How would you advise students (and parents of these students) who are just starting to consider getting involved with YAF and campus activism? ————————————————————
RCD: I recommend a YAF conference, especially in Santa Barbara, to all the conservative parents I meet. It took a few conferences before my son was ready to start a chapter. But once he did, his YAF experience multiplied. He went from a passive listener to a real activist and happy warrior. Thank you, YAF! Libertas: What do you and your husband do to instill your values in this next generation of Duffys? ————————————————————
RCD: In the Duffy house, we accept that our kids are not going to get the conservative point of view from school or culture. If we want our kids to consider the conservative, free market perspective, we have to talk about it at dinner, in the car, and whenever the opportunity arises. Our kids love these conversations. They don’t agree with everything, but we are teaching them to think, consider, and debate and to be tolerant of other points of view. YAF has been a resource and partner with us in this endeavor. Libertas: Who are the next Duffys in line to attend future YAF conferences? ————————————————————
RCD: Our soon-to-be 15-year-old daughter is next in line to attend her first YAF conference. She has been hearing about them for years from her older siblings and is anxious to experience it for herself. It’s sort of like a rite of passage in our house!
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Jack Duffy
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ack Duffy—the second oldest of the Duffy’s eight children—is a junior at Newman Catholic High School (Wausau, Wisconsin). His favorite subjects include government, art, American literature, and current affairs. He also plays soccer and freestyle skis. Jack is the leader of his Young Americans for Freedom chapter, which he also considers “a sport” because it is a “lot of hustle.” He especially enjoys listening to Ben Shapiro’s podcasts and designing YAF posters for his school.
speakers, including Shapiro, and I met some awesome friends. The energy in the room was so intense. As for other speakers, Christina Hoff Sommers is super fun, Bay Buchanan is always so inspiring, and I owe my initial interest in Hillsdale College to Dr. Burt Folsom.
Libertas: You have attended four high school conferences at the Reagan Ranch—the first in October 2016 with your older sister, Evita. What do you most enjoy about YAF’s conferences? —————————————————————
JD: I enjoy the diversity. As conservatives, no one is tied down by party platforms. We’re all free thinkers who may have different ideals and solutions to problems. The dinner tables at YAF conferences have never been a place (at least the ones I’ve sat at) where policy differences are put aside. Instead, discussions spur debate and some arguments develop, but the best part is you aren’t ashamed for having different opinions—unlike what might happen on a campus. YAF is a place where ideological differences can be discussed without the emotional victimhood of the Left. We can share our views without others viewing that as a personal attack. Libertas: Who have been some of your favorite speakers (in addition to your mom, of course!)?
Jack Duffy attends his first YAF conference at the Reagan Ranch Center in October 2016.
Libertas: What advice do you have for students attending their first YAF conference? —————————————————————
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JD: That is a really hard question! There are so many amazing speakers at every YAF conference. This past June, I saw Ben Shapiro speak, and it was amazing. That program was my favorite conference mostly because of the great
JD: I was actually nervous to attend my first conference, which seems ridiculous looking back. Whenever I suggest a YAF conference to friends or take new chapter members to a program, I always reassure them that it is a fun environment, and there is nothing to be worried about. YAF conferences have been some of the most formative experiences I have had.
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new from every a memorial service. We had our school’s visit to the Ranch. chaplain say a prayer, one of our chapter The importance members sang the national anthem, the of reading or the Knights of Columbus did the pledge, value of distancing and Kevin Hermening—former Iranian yourself from hostage from 1979 to 1981—gave a politics at times have speech about the threat radical Islam all been prominent poses. Our local fire department, first impressions from responders, local news outlets, and our the Ranch. state senator all joined us. A big lesson However, the our chapter learned is that people in biggest takeaway your community love projects like this; from visiting the all it takes is the initiative to reach out. Ranch has to be that being a conservative Libertas: Did you face any pushback goes beyond policy. or obstacles from your school when Ronald Reagan lived organizing this event? ————————————————————— like a conservative. Jack Duffy meets Ben Shapiro at the June 2018 High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch. He was frugal with JD: Our school gave so much pushback. money, had a strong I wasn’t permitted to speak at the event Libertas: Share a little about your first relationship with God, was faithful to his that I coordinated, the administration visit to the Reagan Ranch. What did wife, and treated everyone with respect. tore down our 9/11: Never Forget that mean to you? The little details you pick up about posters, we were not allowed to hold ————————————————————— Reagan around the Ranch are virtues the prayer service in front of the school JD: I remember my first time seeing the and morals that make you realize what by our 3,000 flags (because it was Ranch my freshman year. It was right kind of a man he was. With each visit, I “distracting”), and the pamphlets we before the 2016 Presidential election. take away a lot of personal lessons. had on our YAF sign-up table (stating The executive branch was all people were quotes from the Quran and statistics on talking about, and that made the role Libertas: You helped organize YAF’s terror) were deemed Islamophobic and seem larger than life. 9/11: Never Forget Project at your offensive. It was so humbling to visit the Ranch school. What did you do to make this Shortly after the event, our YAF and realize one of the greatest Presidents project a success? chapter actually had our official lived such a simple lifestyle. The quaint ————————— ranch house stood out most to me JD: It was a big during my first visit. Here was the most project to take on influential and powerful man in the at first, but the world, who had a little ranch and did not reward was great. mind working with his hands. It’s pretty We decided, as a cool to see the personal side of such an chapter, we wanted amazing leader. our school and our peers to see Libertas: How have your visits to the YAF as a club just Reagan Ranch impacted your own like any other club, opinions of Ronald Reagan? so we went big ————————————————————— with it. Getting JD: In my recent visits to the Ranch, our community someone has always leaned over during involved in the the tour and said something to the 9/11: Never Forget local news outlet interviews Jack Duffy for his YAF chapter’s successful effect of how the Ranch must be getting project is one of the A celebration of Freedom Week, Young America’s Foundation’s campus boring for me after all these visits. But best approaches. activism initiative which commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall and honestly, I have taken away something Veterans Day each November. We organized it as 36
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recognition withdrawn. We still scratch our heads as to why, assuming we brought good publicity to the school. We don’t let it stop our efforts, however. In November, to celebrate YAF’s Freedom Week initiative, we rented out the city square to hold our mock Berlin Wall teardown. We outsource when the school won’t work with us, and when our projects are successes, it only makes the school look sillier for banning our presence on campus. Libertas: What’s the best thing about attending YAF conferences? —————————————
JD: Getting so much pushback from the school can be stressful and hard, but these conferences Foundation President Ron Robinson and Jack Duffy discuss the tenets of conservatism during the October 2018 High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch. have evolved for me into a YAF retreat. I free market, and use them to develop promoting YAF on a larger campus. In learn, express my opinions, talk strategy my own opinions. My parents and I high school, my goal is to show people with YAF’s great staff, and always come have some long discussions on issues on these traditional conservative values, back to my school with more drive to which we don’t see eye to eye, and it’s since many kids in high school don’t promote conservative ideas on campus. always fun to see the two generations of know the difference between capitalism conservatives debate various topics. and socialism. In college, more people Libertas: Your parents are prominent have formed opinions, so the fight is one conservatives. How has YAF helped that involves changing minds. In general, supplement the values and ideas shared Libertas: What do you hope to accomplish as a YAF leader at your high though, I hope YAF stays a part of my by your family? school and beyond? life. It is a really cool organization. ————————————————————— ————————————————————— JD: YAF has really helped my opinions Libertas: What would you say to a JD: I really just want to see this club become my own. I think, up until my high schooler considering attending a locked down and functioning by the freshman year, I had opinions that I YAF program? time I graduate. I strongly believe knew were correct solely because they ————————————————————— sending chapter members out to YAF were based in religion or my family. JD: I would encourage anyone to conferences is the way to make sure kids YAF has opened my perspective attend a YAF conference. They are fun, stay motivated, passionate, and willing of conservatism as a whole. Now educational, and an overall awesome to continue the fight for free speech and I understand the fundamentals of experience. It’s fun to watch Ben Shapiro thought diversity. being a conservative and can take the debate on YouTube, but it’s even better to Beyond high school, I’m really understanding of ideas, such as limited take that fight to your own school. looking forward to college and government and the importance of the Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2019
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tudents line up for blocks to attend Ben Shapiro’s YAF-sponsored lecture at the University of Southern California in 2018. Since 2013, Young America’s Foundation has brought the Daily Wire editor-in-chief to more than 50 campuses nationwide. This school year, Shapiro is speaking on campuses exclusively through YAF—an endeavor made possible through our Fred Allen Lecture Series.