Libertas 34.1

The Conservative Movement Looks to the Future

Vol. 34 • No. 1WiNter 2013

Governor Scott Walker Governor Bobby Jindal Senator Mike Lee Senator Marco Rubio

Senator Ted Cruz Senator Ron Johnson Senator Rand Paul Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Congressman Jim Jordan Governor Mike Pence Congressman Sean Duffy

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February 15, 2013

Dear Friends:

“T here is no better way to establish hope for the future than to enlighten young minds.” Ronald

Reagan proclaimed this sentiment in his famous Brandenburg Gate speech. It wasn’t a

throwaway line. Millions lived behind the Iron Curtain for a whole generation, and freedom’s

advocates needed a morale boost and a road map out of tyranny. Reagan urged them to look to their youth.

Those young people breached the Berlin Wall two years later!

This is a time when conservatives need new hope. Last year we were stung by a disastrous Supreme

Court decision on Obamacare, disappointed in November, and slammed with a New Year’s Eve tax

increase (in addition to the trillion dollar

increase in taxes for Obamacare).

Yet, as this issue of Libertas makes clear,

there are emerging, exciting, principled

leaders entering the prime of their careers:

Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Mike

Lee, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Ted Cruz, and

Bobby Jindal, to name a few! They represent

freedom’s principles, and they should give us

hope in the years to come.

Furthermore, a Young America’s Foundation supporter or activist should never be without hope.

From a spiritual stand point, our Lord said he would be with us always, even until the end of time.

However, the Obama machine has made great strides in reaching our young people, and we must

redouble our efforts to win the hearts and minds of today’s youth. There are more than 25 million

students in high school and more than 19 million students in college. That is an audience, if we reach its

most promising students, which can transform America and once again put us on the road to freedom.

You have an opportunity to make a difference for the ideas you believe in by partnering with Young

America’s Foundation. To be successful takes intelligence, hard work, dedication, and a financial

commitment. We know a commitment to election results alone is inadequate. We must also present our

ideas in classrooms and on campuses throughout our land.

That is Young America’s Foundation’s specialty; we run programs that present your principles to a

new generation. With your help, and God willing, 2013 will be a year when we set America back on the

road to freedom and establish a new hope for the future!

Sincerely,

Ron Robinson President

Sincerely,

Ron Robinson

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Young America’s Foundation Board Of Directors

Ron Robinson President of the BoardRonald Pearson Vice President of the BoardFrank Donatelli Secretary and Treasurer of the BoardT. Kenneth Cribb, Jr.Wynton C. HallThomas L. PhillipsPeter SchweizerJames B. TaylorKirby Wilbur

Reagan Ranch Board Of Governors

Frank Donatelli ChairmanJudge William Clark Co-ChairmanEdwin Meese Co-ChairmanGovernor George AllenJohn BarlettaDr. Suzanne BeckerLisa M. BuestrinRobert CumminsBecky Norton DunlopRobert Giuffra, Jr.Timothy S. GoegleinAmbassador Patricia L. HerboldEric & Nicole HoplinMarty IrvingHarold KnapheideMark LarsonAl & Bette MooreGovernor Bill OwensDoug & Pat PerryThomas PhillipsDr. Robert Ruhe & Lee ShannonFred & Ruth SacherRichard & Jane Schwartz Craig ShirleyOwen & Bernadette Casey SmithBarbara S. Waddell

National Journalism Center Board Of Governors

Thomas Phillips ChairmanJerry Norton Executive DirectorKellyanne ConwayTerry EastlandRich LowryAlex MooneyMatt RobinsonTom Winter

Libertas, the Latin word for liberty, is a publication of Young America’s Foundation which highlights the programs, events, students, staff, and supporters of the Foundation. You may contact Libertas and Young America’s Foundation by writing to: Young America’s Foundation, National Headquarters, 110 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170; calling 800-USA-1776; or visiting yaf.org.

Editor: Jessica Jensen; Publisher: Ron Robinson; Publication Design: Jonathan Briggs; Assistant Editors: Amy Brooker, Cheri Cerame, Patrick X. Coyle, Kate Edwards, Nicole Hoplin, Richard Kimble, Ana C. Lightle, Katie Taran. This document and all herein contents, images, stories, graphics, and design, fall unto copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 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.

9 Santorum, Cheney, D’Souza, and rove Headline Florida and ohio Freedom Conferences By Katie Taran, Conference Director

14 Arthur N. rupe Foundation Sponsors Great Debate Series By Patrick X. Coyle, Vice President

19 “the United States Will endure” By Senator Ted Cruz, Texas

27 rising leaders Cruz, Johnson, and Herrera Beutler reach Students and Supporters at rancho del Cielo By Hannah Jackman, Program Director, National Journalism Center

32 Where the Conservative Movement Goes From Here: An interview with Frank Donatelli By Jessica Jensen, Editor

37 tancredo, Folsom, ramirez, easton, and reagan Share Freedom Principles with High School Students at the reagan ranch By Ana C. Lightle, Program Officer

41 Alumnus Alex Marlow Advances New Media efforts at Breitbart.com By Patrick X. Coyle, Vice President

Also in This Issue:

4 Santorum and Forbes reach thousands at Yale

5 Students learn Successful Activism techniques

6 Goldberg Addresses Students and Supporters in Denver

7 reagan ranch roundtable Features Senator Mike lee

8 Patti Davis Highlights Her Father’s ranch in Town & Country

36 Spend a Weekend with like-Minded Friends at the reagan ranch

43 2013 Fall Foliage Cruise: Set Sail with top Conservative leaders

On the Cover:

Young America’s Foundation hosts the Conservative Movement’s rising leaders at our programs at the Reagan

Ranch Center and nationwide.

L IBERTASWinter 2013 • Volume 34 • Number 1

The Conservative Movement Looks to the Future

Vol. 34 • No. 1

WiNter 2013

Governor Scott WalkerGovernor Bobby Jindal

Senator Mike LeeSenator Marco Rubio

SenatorTed CruzSenator Ron Johnson

Senator Rand Paul Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler

Congresswoman Michele Bachman Congressman Jim JordanGovernor Mike Pence

Congressman Sean Duffy

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4 Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2013

With the help of generous supporters and top student activists, Young America’s Foundation hosted Steve Forbes and Senator Rick Santorum at Yale University. The 2012 Irving Brown Lecture at Yale, featuring Forbes, was sponsored by Foundation supporter Carole Brown. The program attracted a packed hall of students who gathered to hear Mr. Forbes speak on how free enterprise will save America. Young America’s Foundation is proud to work with Carole Brown who endowed the Irving Brown Lecture Series at Yale—an annual program named in honor of her father who was a 1929 Yale graduate. The purpose of the series is to ensure Yale students are exposed to conservative ideas and to generate debate and discussion on campus. Past Irving Brown Lecturers include Karl Rove, Dinesh D’Souza, Ann Coulter, and Attorney General John Ashcroft. A few weeks prior, the largest crowd in the history of Yale’s debate society, the Yale Political Union (YPU), turned out to hear Senator Rick Santorum speak on “How the Government is Destroying the Family.” The event’s organizer, student activist Harry Graver, previously hosted Ann Coulter, Stephen Moore, and Christopher Horner. Based on his success organizing those events, he convinced the YPU to host Senator Santorum at the first meeting of the school year. Because Yale is not known for funding conservative speakers, Young America’s Foundation secured Senator Santorum’s appearance through the support of the Wendy P. McCaw Lecture Series. More than 1,700 students turned out to hear Senator Santorum, and following the event, Graver noted:

In front of the largest audience the Yale Political Union has ever had, Senator Santorum’s remarks were passionate, engaging, and he was able to intellectually prompt an audience that largely did not share his worldview….The event was an absolute success, not only during the debate...but also—and more importantly—for the profound impact his appearance has already had on the campus dialogue. We cannot thank enough Young America’s Foundation and the Wendy McCaw Lecture Series for this opportunity.

Santorum and Forbes Reach Thousands at Yale University

I N B r I e f

Senator Rick Santorum speaks to students at Yale University as part of the Wendy P. McCaw Lecture Series.

Carole Brown, Foundation supporter and sponsor of the Irving Brown Lecture Series, meets with Steve Forbes following his address at Yale University.

More than 1,700 students attend Senator Santorum’s speech to the Yale Political Union.

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Young America’s Foundation | Libertas | Winter 2013 5

StudentS from acroSS the country gathered in Santa Barbara for Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan Ranch Activism Training Seminar to learn how to become more effective at promoting conservative principles at their schools. The seminar began with the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon featuring author and Berkeley School of Law Professor John Yoo who discussed “Obamacare and the Constitution: What Conservative Revolution?” Pacific Research Institute President Sally Pipes followed the luncheon with a discussion on how to dismantle Obamacare and achieve accessible and affordable healthcare for all Americans. Investors’ Business Daily Editor Michael Ramirez and author and activist David Horowitz rounded out the day discussing media bias and the importance of not backing down from the Left on campus, respectively. On day two, Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle, Program Officer Ana Lightle, and Development Officer Brendan

Pringle taught the students how to organize successful events on campus—from fundraising to attracting publicity to combating the Left’s dirty tricks. Young America’s Foundation is grateful to the Outhwaite Foundation for generously sponsoring this important student program.

Yoo, Pipes, Ramirez, and Horowitz Teach Students the Keys to Successful Campus Activism

I N B r I e f

Activism seminar attendees (from left) AnneMarie van Hofwegen, Tyler Barrier, Sara Callahan, and Kevin Ahnert enjoy the Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon in the David Louis Bartlett Outreach Center.

Students from 18 campuses gather for Young America’s Foundation’s Activism Training Seminar at the Reagan Ranch.

UC Berkeley School of Law Professor John Yoo discusses the disastrous consequences of Obamacare.

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young america’s foundation supporters, students, alumni, and friends gathered at the Independence Institute in Denver, Colorado, for a reception and program featuring National Review’s Jonah Goldberg and a screening of the Foundation’s latest short film, The Conservatives. Special guests included Congressman Tom Tancredo and his wife, Jackie, and Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute. Goldberg, who regularly addresses students through the Foundation’s campus lecture program, discussed the importance of always fighting for conservative ideas—no matter the outcome of any given four-year cycle. “Be the happy warriors,” he said. Foundation President Ron Robinson updated the attendees on Young America’s Foundation’s nationwide efforts to inspire today’s students with the importance of

freedom and free enterprise. Attendees also enjoyed a screening of The Conservatives, featuring Goldberg, Mark Levin, Monica Crowley, Stephen Moore, Dr. Walter Williams, Peter Schweizer, and Michelle Malkin. Young America’s Foundation is grateful to the Independence Institute’s staff and leadership for their assistance in making this program a success.

Jonah Goldberg Addresses Students and Supporters in Denver

I N B r I e f

Goldberg greets Alyssa Khamma from Goddard Middle School during the Denver, Colorado, screening of Young America’s Foundation’s film, The Conservatives.

National Review’s Jonah Goldberg addresses supporters and students in Denver, Colorado.

(From left) Congressman Tom Tancredo meets with the Independence Institute’s Pam Benigno and Foundation President Ron Robinson.

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Senator Mike Lee Headlines Reagan Ranch RoundtableYoung AmericA’s FoundAtion welcomed senAtor mike lee oF utAh to the Reagan Ranch Center for the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon. Senator Lee has spent his career defending our basic liberties and founding Constitutional principles. He spoke of his deep respect for the Constitution, which was instilled at an early age. His father, Rex Lee, served as the solicitor general under President Ronald Reagan and would often discuss aspects of judicial and constitutional doctrine around the kitchen table. Lee attended most of his father’s arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court, giving him an even greater appreciation for the United States Constitution. Senator Lee addressed an audience of Foundation supporters, community members, and young people about the importance of asserting our God-given rights, which puts limits on governance. He said we have seen our rights as citizens diminish, our taxes go up, and the debt incurred by the federal government increase. Shifting the focus to Obamacare, Senator Lee discussed a book he is currently writing, Why John Roberts Was Wrong. He also underscored the importance of having strong conservative leaders in Congress who can fight to overturn Obamacare. “This is why we are so fortunate to have organizations like Young America’s Foundation,” Lee noted. “I especially like Young America’s Foundation because its focus is on helping young people to see the skin in the game that they really have, to see why it is important, why it should be so important to them to worry about these things.” Senator Lee concluded his remarks by underscoring the importance of American exceptionalism and said he believed we will usher in a second great “Reagan Revolution.” He quoted Ronald Reagan, noting, “It is morning again in America.”

Senator Mike Lee discusses the importance of protecting and upholding our Constitution at the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon.

I n B r I e f

Senator Lee hosts a special dinner with some of the Foundation’s most loyal friends and supporters at the Reagan Ranch Center.


the november 2012 cover story in Town & CounTry magazine featured the Reagan Ranch in an article by President Reagan’s daughter, Patti Davis. A Town & Country contributor, Davis visited the Ranch in 2012—her first time back since Young America’s Foundation saved the Ranch in 1998. The article included several photographs of key moments in Ranch history, including the 1981 signing of the Economic Recovery Tax Act. It also features Davis’ personal anecdotes from her time spent at the Ranch. As she notes, the article tells the “story of a daughter returning to a place her father loved with all his soul.” Davis recalled the Ranch as her “father’s refuge, his sanctuary; [the place that] fed his soul.” She also underscored the Foundation’s preservation efforts, noting, “The house has been maintained exactly as it was when my parents owned it.” Like so many of Young America’s Foundation’s visitors, Davis was struck by how the Ranch continues to embody her father’s spirit and character: “This is how he comes into my dreams, I thought—in ranch clothes, whistling softly while he tends to the horses. I almost believed I could walk out the door of the tack room and find him there, boots crunching on the gravel, horses tethered to the railings.” At the end of her visit, Davis concluded, “I remembered what I’d always known about the ranch, and what my father knew as well: It goes with you. It’s impossible to leave it behind and not hold fast to it in your memory and your heart.”

Patti Davis Highlights Rancho del Cielo Visit in Town & Country Magazine

I N B r I e f

The November 2012 issue of Town & Country magazine features Patti Davis’ article about her return visit to Rancho del Cielo.

Patti Davis visits her father’s beloved ranch home for the first time since Young America’s Foundation saved the Reagan Ranch in 1998.

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Through the generosity of the late Russell “Dale” Phelon and his wife, Debra, Young America’s Foundation held four Freedom Conferences throughout 2012. The final

two conferences of the year were held in Columbus, Ohio, and Orlando, Florida. These programs—in addition to the earlier conferences in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin—provided attendees with inspiring, pro-freedom messages and speakers to counter the big government philosophy of the Obama administration. All four conferences armed students with the facts and arguments necessary to make the case for limited government and free enterprise—ideas disregarded by the majority of today’s college faculty and administrators. More than 200 participants from 22 states and 40 schools attended the Freedom Conference in Columbus. The audience also included the National Journalism Center’s fall intern class and generous Foundation supporters and members

Santorum, Rove, D’Souza, Cheney, Hayes, and Buchanan Headline Ohio and Florida Freedom ConferencesBy Katie Taran, Conference Director

2 0 1 2 f r e e d o m C o n f e r e n c e s

King’s College President Dinesh D’Souza discusses the topic of his bestselling book, The Roots of Obama’s Rage.

Fox News contributor and former state department official Liz Cheney delivers the opening address at the Ohio Freedom Conference.

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of the Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Rick and Jane Schwartz. Fox News contributor and former State Department official Liz Cheney headlined the opening banquet, offering a solid assessment on the turmoil in the Middle East and the current administration’s mishandling of the terrorist attack in Libya. Cheney stressed the importance of maintaining a strong national defense and standing firm for American values. After Cheney’s address, students were treated to a special screening of the Foundation’s newest film, The Conservatives,

2 0 1 2 f r e e d o m C o n f e r e n c e : C o l u m b u s , O h i o

featuring Mark Levin, Monica Crowley, Dr. Walter Williams, Stephen Moore, Michelle Malkin, Peter Schweizer, and Jonah Goldberg. The next day began with a panel featuring student activists who shared successful activism techniques they have utilized on their respective campuses. YAF Chapter Services Program Officer Kate Edwards moderated the panel which included Sam Bain from Sinclair College, Grant Strobl from Grosse Pointe North High School, Amanda Swysgood from the University of Missouri, and John Twarog from Canisius College.

Senator Rick Santorum delivers an inspiring address during the Freedom Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Sinclair College student Sam Bain and YAF Chapter Services Program Officer Kate Edwards participate in a student activism panel.

Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell energizes the Freedom Conference attendees.

Students (from left) Savanna Buckner and Cristina Ramos from Franciscan University enjoy the weekend-long program.

Foundation President Ron Robinson uses the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines to highlight leftist bias in the mainstream media.

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2 0 1 2 f r e e d o m C o n f e r e n c e : C o l u m b u s , O h i o

Students also heard from Townhall.com contributor and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Foundation President Ron Robinson, bestselling author and professor Dr. Larry Schweikart, and Weekly Standard senior editor and Fox News contributor Stephen Hayes. Hayes shared his experiences as a young conservative and how he got involved in the Conservative Movement. He also discussed the consequences of the Obama administration’s policies, and encouraged the young audience to get involved in the fight for freedom. “This all matters most to you,” Hayes explained to the

students, “because you all are going to have to solve these problems….The only way things will change is if you all step forward and change them….I hope some of you will consider a life in public service…or, especially, work in the Conservative Movement to defend these ideas we hold most important.” The program’s luncheon featured an inspirational address by Senator Rick Santorum, and the conference concluded with a rousing call-to-action by Bay Buchanan, 37th Treasurer of the United States (under President Reagan) and founder of The American Cause.

Students from around the country gather in Columbus, Ohio, for Young America’s Foundation’s Freedom Conference.

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Afew weeks after the Ohio conference, more than 200 participants attended Young America’s Foundation’s Freedom Conference in Orlando. Students from 21 states and more than 45

schools gathered to hear from leading conservative speakers on how big government policies are a big problem for them. A number of loyal Young America’s Foundation supporters also attended, including Mel and Linda Teetz of Vero Beach, Florida—members of the Foundation’s Rawhide Circle. Bestselling author and Foundation director Peter Schweizer headlined the opening banquet and offered a solid assessment of what is wrong with Washington and how conservative leadership will save our country. He highlighted

a number of examples from his New York Times bestseller, Throw Them All Out. After Schweizer’s address, students enjoyed a screening of The Conservatives. The next day began with author and Foundation alumna Katie Pavlich who provided an inside look at her New York Times bestseller, Fast and Furious: Barack Obama’s Bloodiest Scandal and Its Shameless Cover Up. Students also heard from Foundation President Ron Robinson, Bay Buchanan, bestselling author and Foundation alumnus Jason Mattera, and King’s College President Dinesh D’Souza. Like the Columbus program, the Orlando Freedom


2 0 1 2 f r e e d o m C o n f e r e n c e : O r l a n d o , f l o r i d a

Lauren Clark from Arizona State University participates in a speaker question and answer session at the Orlando Freedom Conference.

Bestselling author and Foundation alumnus Peter Schweizer speaks on government corruption.

Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle instructs the conference attendees on how they can best advance conservative ideas at their schools.

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Conference also included a panel featuring students who shared successful campus activism techniques. Kate Edwards moderated the panel which featured Ben Smith from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Jolie Stuart-Davis from Penn State Law, John Twarog from Canisius College, and Jiesi Zhao from the University of Michigan School of Law. The Freedom Conference’s luncheon featured an inspirational address by Fox News contributor and senior advisor to President George W. Bush Karl Rove who spoke on the importance of standing up to the Left and fighting for conservative ideas. During the question and answer session following his lecture, Mr. Rove spoke passionately about the

Obama administration’s lack of leadership, especially as it relates to the situation in Libya. Students left both conferences eager to fight for our shared cause on their campuses. “Young America’s Foundation is doing the work our high schools and colleges are not: namely, promoting thought about key topics which will affect our generation,” remarked Ohio conference attendee Ed Burns. “YAF works to foster conservative ideas where we need them most.” “This conference inspired and equipped me to better fight for the Conservative Movement,” exclaimed Susannah Snavely from the University of Central Florida. “Thank you for making a difference for our country!”


2 0 1 2 f r e e d o m C o n f e r e n c e : O r l a n d o , f l o r i d a

Nathan Brand, chairman of Hillsdale College’s YAF chapter, meets with former White House Senior Advisor Karl Rove prior to Rove’s luncheon address in Orlando.

Vincent Martini from the University of Central Florida meets with author and activist Bay Buchanan.

Students from around the country meet with bestselling author and Foundation alumna Katie Pavlich (third from left) after her speech at the weekend-long program in Florida.

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Young America’s Foundation has a long history of reaching new audiences, and our campus lecture series has led the effort to send prominent conservatives—from Steve Forbes to William

F. Buckley Jr. to Michelle Malkin—to college campuses nationwide. The Foundation introduced the idea of using speakers with a national reputation to attract large audiences. Students want to hear from policy makers, celebrities, and newsmakers, as opposed to obscure academics. The large audiences our speakers draw show the college and outside community that students are eager to hear conservative ideas. These events enhance students’ understanding of America’s first principles and generate discussion on campuses, and they are only made possible through the generosity of Young America’s Foundation’s loyal supporters. In 2012, the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation stepped forward to enhance our lecture program through the sponsorship of the Great Debate Series. This specific program offered students opportunities to participate in key campus events focusing on critical issues affecting our country. Young America’s Foundation received applications from students nationwide who were interested in bringing a debate to their campus. Selected schools included the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, Cornell University, University of Virginia, Marquette University, and Ball State University. Each debate focused on “The Role of Government in a Free Society.” In the days and weeks leading up to each Great Debate, Young America’s Foundation worked with student leaders at each school to select appropriate speakers and ensure successful events. More than 500 students turned out for the first debate at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill featuring Fox News’s John Stossel and Governor Howard Dean. Throughout the debate the two speakers differed on many issues. When Stossel was asked about what government’s role in health care should be at the local, state, and federal levels, he responded, “None, none, and none.” Stossel championed the free market and the Constitution, underscoring the need to return to founding principles to restore America to greatness. The Great Debate Series continued with former State Department official Liz Cheney debating former Obama administration Press Secretary Robert Gibbs at Ball State University. In front of more than 1,100 people, Cheney underscored the Founding Fathers’ ideas on democracy and said there is very little that the federal government does well today. At Cornell University, 1,200 students filled the lecture hall and another 100 crowded into an overflow room to

continued on page 16

—— INTRODuCTION ——

By Andrew Coffin, Vice President

This fall marked the beginning of an exciting partnership between Young America’s foundation and the Arthur N. rupe foundation. Mr. rupe, a groundbreaking record producer and music industry executive, has devoted his foundation to encouraging “civil and reasoned public debate” in educational and civic forums across the country. Mr. rupe has a passion for ensuring that young people have access to perspectives from all sides of important civic issues and inspiring them to think critically and to pursue debate themselves. Based in Santa Barbara, California, Mr. rupe has been active with the Young America’s foundation’s reagan ranch efforts for a number of years, but he became convinced that 2012 was a particularly important time to bring high profile debates to key college campuses. Subsequently, the Arthur N. rupe foundation Great Debate Series was born. Thanks to Mr. rupe’s generosity and active involvement in crafting this exciting program, Young America’s foundation pitted prominent conservatives against equally prominent speakers representing the leftist ideas that today’s students hear everyday in their classrooms. Through this series, thousands of students heard conservative ideas articulately and intelligently defended for the very first time.

Arthur N. Rupe Foundation

Sponsors Great Debate Series

Featuring Cheney, Santorum, Goldberg,

and StosselBy Patrick X. Coyle, Vice President

A r t h u r N . r u p e G r e a t D e b a t e S e r i e s

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Fox News’s John Stossel defends free enterprise and individual responsibility during the debate at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Senator Rick Santorum defends freedom during the Great Debate with Governor Howard Dean at Cornell University.

—— UNIveRsITY OF NORTh CAROlINA – ChApel hIll —— —— CORNell UNIveRsITY ——

Liz Cheney debates former Vermont Governor Howard Dean during the Arthur N. Rupe Great Debate at Marquette University in Wisconsin.


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watch Senator Rick Santorum take on Governor Howard Dean. The campus buzzed in anticipation as the event approached, and the two speakers didn’t disappoint, offering starkly different positions on the proper role of government. Senator Santorum stated, “I stand by the traditional American principles that made this country successful. The Constitution is a limiting document, not an empowering document.” In contrast, Governor Dean said he believed the Constitution was a “living document” and that it was meant to “evolve.” Event organizer Jessica Reif said the debate was a huge success, noting, “As the crowd filtered out of the auditorium, students discussed...which positions they agreed with and which they didn’t. Following the event, my group has taken part in several events. At each one, students raised questions about the debate and the role of government in a free society. [I am] confident that the debate made students question the size of government and reconsider its role.” Hundreds of students at the University of Virginia turned out to hear New York Times bestselling author Jonah Goldberg debate Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Peter Beinart. Event organizer Wendy Morrison said Young America’s Foundation was instrumental in making the event a success, and the dialogue that resulted from the program would not have occurred without the support provided. Marquette University’s YAF chapter organized the final debate which featured Liz Cheney and Howard Dean. During this program, an audience member asked about the murder of the American ambassador and three others in Benghazi. Liz Cheney delivered a passionate response, noting, “It cannot be the case that the United States of America, with the resources we have deployed around the world, is incapable of getting support to Benghazi during a seven-hour fire fight. Imagine the message that it sends to those terrorists that we weren’t able to provide reinforcements to our facility in seven hours.” The event was a resounding success, attracting more than 400 students and community members. Each debate was streamed live on the Foundation’s website, reaching thousands of people nationwide. Young America’s Foundation also worked with Fox News’s blog, Fox Nation, to carry the Ball State University, Cornell University, and University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill debates as well. Young America’s Foundation is grateful for the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation’s sponsorship of the Great Debate Series. The program reached young audiences nationwide and underscored the importance of individual responsibility and limited government—values not taught at most schools today.


—— MARqUeTTe UNIveRsITY —— —— UNIveRsITY OF vIRGINIA ——

During the Great Debate at Marquette University, Cheney criticizes the Obama Administration’s response to the terrorist attacks in Benghazi.

Liz Cheney debates former Obama Administration Press Secretary Robert Gibbs at Ball State University in Indiana.

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National Review’s Jonah Goldberg debates Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Peter Beinart at the University of Virginia.

Liz Cheney and Robert Gibbs headline the Arthur N. Rupe Great Debate Series with a lively exchange at Ball State University.

—— UNIveRsITY OF vIRGINIA —— —— BAll sTATe UNIveRsITY ——

John Stossel and Howard Dean debate the proper role of government in a free society at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.

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National HeadquartersF.M. Kirby Freedom Center

110 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170

The Reagan Ranch Center217 State Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101

The Reagan Ranch Center State Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101

www.yaf.org800-USA-1776

You can ensure Ronald Reagan’s ideas are passed on to today’s young people.To get involved, call 800-USA-1776 or visit www.yaf.org.

Rancho del Cielo was Ronald Reagan’s home for 25 years. It served as the Western White House for eight years. It is where President Reagan signed the largest tax cut in American history and hosted world leaders including Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher.

Since the 1960s, Ronald Reagan worked closely with Young America’s Foundation

because he understood that “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Given our

long history together, it was natural for the Foundation to step forward in 1998 to save the Ranch as a Presidential home and site

of inspiration for young people.

President Reagan’s freedom philosophy continues to inspire young people through the Foundation’s programs at the Reagan Ranch, Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, and nationwide. We have been honored to work with three generations of Reagans and to use Rancho del Cielo to reach young people with President Reagan’s values and lasting accomplishments.

“The house has been maintained exactly as it was when my parents owned it...”

— Patti Davis, Town and Country, November 2012

“The ranch was my father’s refuge, his sanctuary; it fed his soul...”

— Patti Davis, Town and Country, November 2012

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Senator Ted Cruz addressed Young America’s Foundation supporters and students at the Reagan Ranch Center in November 2012, just days following his election as the 34th U.S. Senator from Texas. Senator Cruz’s calling to public service is inspired largely by his first-hand observation of his parents’ pursuit of freedom and opportunity in America. He received national acclaim as the solicitor general of Texas. He was the nation’s youngest solicitor general, the longest serving solicitor general in Texas, and the first Hispanic solicitor general of Texas. Senator Cruz graduated with honors from Princeton University and with high honors from Harvard Law School. He served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court. He was the first Hispanic ever to clerk for the Chief Justice of the United States. We are honored to reprint his inspiring remarks in Libertas.——————————————————————————

Thank you, it is great to be with you. Heidi and I got married here in Santa Barbara, and, in fact, the day before our wedding, thanks to Frank [Donatelli], who has been a friend for

a long time, we took our wedding party for a picnic up at the Reagan Ranch. The entire wedding party will tell you it

was, by far, the most memorable aspect of the weekend. I spent probably 30 minutes standing at the chair at the President’s dining room table overlooking Lake Lucky. I would not for a moment presume to sit in the chair, but I just stood there, gazing out at the lake and thinking of the leadership of a President who changed this country and what that meant. And I am so proud and honored to be back here with you. I’m so proud of the leadership each of you represents. What I’d like to talk to you about tonight are three things. Number one: these are perilous times. Number two: the United States will endure. And number

three: we have to win the argument. Let’s talk about those one at a time. These are perilous times. Our country is going broke. A few months ago I had the privilege of speaking at the GOP Convention down in Tampa, and I talked about our national debt. I talked about our two little girls, Caroline and Catherine. When I got back to the hotel, it was about 1:30 in the morning, and I pulled out my iPhone and started looking at Twitter. Paula Poundstone, the comedian, was watching the convention that night, and she tweeted, “Ted Cruz just said when his daughter was born the national debt was $10 trillion, now it’s $16 trillion. What the heck did she do?” Heidi and I laughed so hard we almost fell out of bed. But you know, that really underscores the gravity of what

———————————————— a ————————————————

Senator Ted Cruz addresses Foundation supporters and students gathered for the Foundation’s November conference at the Reagan Ranch and President’s Club weekend.

“The United States Will Endure”Address at the Reagan Ranch Center

By Senator Ted Cruz


40712_YAF_19-26.indd 19 2/11/13 9:20 AM

we are facing. Our daughter, Caroline, is four years old. In her short life, our national debt has grown nearly 60 percent, and now, unfortunately, I think President Obama and Harry Reid are going to view the results of this disastrous election as a mandate. Sadly, I fear, in the next four years, we are going to look back at the last four years as the halcyon days of moderate Barack Obama. We’re at $16 trillion in national debt right now. If we simply continue at the same pace, we’ll exceed $20 trillion. If they accelerate, which I think that’s exactly what they’ll do, we’ll be even deeper [in debt]. There will come a time, one way or the other, when we will stop this, either voluntarily or involuntarily. We are galloping down the road to where Greece and Italy and much of Europe find themselves. The biggest difference is there are nations that can bail out Greece. There ain’t nobody big enough to bail us out. But it’s not just spending and the debt. You look at entitlements—at Social Security, at Medicare, and at Medicaid. They’re careening towards insolvency. And, at least so far, this Administration has shown zero interest in addressing any of them. You look at regulations, which are coming like locusts, descending on small businesses and destroying jobs. And this has been an Administration tempered by having an election coming up. That is not the case anymore. You look at taxes. The President has already said his objective is to raise taxes on everybody making more than $250,000 a year. If you’re a job creator, if you’re an entrepreneur, with an economy teetering on the edge of a recession, his solution is “let’s raise taxes.” You look at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is one Justice away from a radical five Justice liberal majority. You know, [dinner emcee] Mark [Larson] talked about some of the cases I litigated as solicitor general of Texas: upholding the Ten Commandments, upholding the Second Amendment, and upholding our sovereignty from the World Court and United Nations. Every one of those decisions

comes out differently if Barack Obama gets one more Supreme Court justice replacing any of the conservatives on the Court—just one. You think the Warren Court was bad? Baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Let’s take something like the Second Amendment, because it’s worth talking about just how radical this court will be. The Second Amendment case that I litigated was the D.C. gun case. I led a coalition of 31 states defending the individual right to keep and bear arms.

The position of the District of Columbia and the position of four of those nine justices was that the Second Amendment protects what is called a collective right of the militia, which is fancy lawyer speak for a non-existent right. The consequence of their position is not a single American, not a single human being, can ever claim any right whatsoever under the Second Amendment. I mean, it’s truly a radical position. Their position is, if Congress passed a law, no human being in the United States of America may own any fire arm whatsoever. You have no rights under the Second Amendment to do anything about it. These are radicals intent on erasing fundamental protections of the Bill of Rights—fundamental protections of Americans. These are perilous times. But what

I’m telling you, you already know. Everyone here knows. When it had gotten as bad as it could, it would get worse…But my second point is very simple: America will endure. As dark as these times are, we are a nation that has enjoyed providential blessing from the time of our founding. When this nation began, we fought a revolution; our framers fought a revolution first with bayonets. (And for the record, there are, today, more bayonets in the U.S. military than there were in 1960.) But then, even more fundamentally, it was a revolution of ideas. [It was] a revolution that said our rights don’t come from Kings and Queens or even from the President. They come from God Almighty, and that government was created and the Constitution was created to limit government and

Address At the reAgAn rAnch center

––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––

“I just stood there, gazing

out at the lake and

thinking of the leadership

of a President who

changed this country

and what that meant.

And I am so proud and

honored to be back here

with you. I’m so proud

of the leadership each of

you represents.”


40712_YAF_19-26.indd 20 2/4/13 10:42 AM

protect those rights. Our country began with a rag-tag band of soldiers fighting the most powerful military force on the face of the globe. Throughout the course of our history, we prevailed when, by no ordinary measure, we had any right to hope. You look at the Civil War, which ripped this country apart. Any other nation would have suffered permanent damage, and, yet, we came together nonetheless. You look at the Cold War—being told the United States couldn’t possibly compete with the Soviets... I was speaking with the young people [at Young America’s Foundation’s conference] this afternoon. I said, “Look: you’re probably taught in schools now that ‘of course the Cold War ended, the Soviets could never keep up, everyone knew that, and we, collectively, won the Cold War.’” That is amusing. Who is “we”? It reminds me of an old joke my dad used to tell me about the Lone Ranger and

Tanto. They’re riding along when a huge group of Apaches chases them to the edge of a cliff. And they’re behind them—a thousand Apaches on the warpath—ready to kill them. The Lone Ranger turns to Tanto and says, “Well old friend, it looks like we’re done for.” Tanto looks at him, and he asks, “Who is ‘we,’ white man?” You have all of these liberal professors who say, “We won the Cold War.” Now, those of you with a little bit of historical memory know, in 1970, we were being told by every smart academic that we could never prevail, the Soviet Union was unbeatable, and that we needed to accept a sophisticated approach of détente, which is French for “I’m too scared to do anything.” All the academics and all the [leftists] in Congress asked President Reagan, “What is your philosophy on the Cold War?” He said, “Very simple: we win, they lose.”


––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––

Senator Cruz discusses the importance of adhering to our conservative principles.


40712_YAF_19-26.indd 21 2/4/13 10:42 AM

What was their reaction? “Who is this cowboy? You can’t say such things.” When he said that Communism will end up on the ash heap of history, they said, “Oh, what an ignorant man.” He uttered the most important words that a President has uttered in our lifetime, standing in front of the Brandenburg Gate, when he said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Repeatedly, the State Department had deleted that line from the speech. That was against the advice of all the greybeards because this Philistine believed in good and bad, Providential blessing, and defeating evil. You weren’t allowed to say such things—until the Soviet Union crumbled, and we won the Cold War without firing a shot. We live in an extraordinary country, and as dark as things seem right now, the United States will endure. Now, how do we do it? Let’s talk practically. This is a room of practical, serious people. How do we turn it around? I will suggest to you a very, very simple way: We have to win the argument.

Margaret Thatcher famously said, “First you win the argument. Then you win the election.” Listen, we are going to win the argument for one simple reason: we’re right, and they’re wrong. Our ideas work, and their ideas don’t. For ages, the basic battle has been a battle between liberty and tyranny—a battle about how to organize our society. Is it a system that protects free enterprise and entrepreneurship and individual responsibility and liberty? And that [system], I might note, has produced the most unparalleled prosperity and opportunity of any system in the history of the world. Or [is it] the other approach of government control, collectivism, and socialism, which, invariably, has produced an equal sharing of misery and suffering and poverty? That’s what this fight is about. The problem is we are not very good at making the argument. Now, we’re all hearing this. It happens every time we lose an election. Instantly, the talking heads go on TV, and


––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––


Senator Cruz delivers a rousing speech in the David Louis Bartlett Outreach Center at Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan Ranch Center.

40712_YAF_19-26.indd 22 2/4/13 10:42 AM

they say, “The problem is these pesky conservatives. If they’d just shut up and become squishy liberals and agree with the [Left], that’s the key to winning.” …In 1980, Ronald Reagan didn’t stand across from Jimmy Carter and say, “You know what? I am virtually identical to Jimmy Carter. There are imperceptible differences. There are none whatsoever, except I’m just marginally, slightly, a tiny-tiny-tiny bit to the Right.” Ronald Reagan drew a line in the sand. He said, “Listen. President Carter and I have fundamentally different visions of this Earth. We have fundamentally different visions for America—of what we can be, who we are, of what our values are.” Elections are about choices. We hear a lot about demographics. We’re going to hear lots and lots about demographics, about young people, about women, about Hispanics. This is Young America’s Foundation—a good place to talk about young people. I think every young person walking out of the polls on November 6 should have turned to their parents and their grandparents and should have slugged them. We’ve got a $16 trillion dollar debt. Who the heck do you think is going to pay for this stuff? But what did we do to communicate that? What did we do to go make the case to young people that your parents and grandparents are bankrupting this country? What we are talking about is whether you inherit a country where the majority of your taxes go to pay our bill. We’ll have spent the money, by the way, and we will stick our kids with the bill. We didn’t make that argument. We didn’t make it to young people. We didn’t go and say, “Listen. If you want opportunity, don’t let your parents and grandparents bankrupt the country.” Now let’s talk about women. How many people heard about the “War on Women”? How many people heard that conservatives want to take away contraceptives? What utter and complete nonsense….This was an attack that was deliberate mendacity… What this question was always about is can the federal

government force Catholic charities and Catholic churches to pay for health services that are contrary to their faith? And the position of this Administration is truly radical. We live in a nation where our ancestors fought a bloody war for the right to worship God free of government interference… Let me ask you something. What would an Al Smith or a John F. Kennedy say to a President of the United States who says to the Catholic Church, “Change your religious beliefs, or I will use my power as President to shut down your charities and shut down your hospitals?” That’s truly a radical position, and it has nothing to

do with preventing anyone access to contraceptives. It has everything to do with respecting the rights of religious conscience. Let me tell you something even more staggering: Barack Obama won 50 percent of the Catholic vote. Fifty percent! We hear a lot about Hispanics. Hispanics in this country are overwhelmingly Catholic. Did we once go and make the argument, “Why is the President trying to order the Catholic Church to submit to the coercive power of the President?” We were scared of it because we argue these things like we don’t believe what we believe….We need to stand up. It’s deceptive. If you ask women all

across this country, “What’s your number one concern?” It inevitably is economic anxiety over their families, over the futures of their kids, and over the security of their households going forward. The policies of this Administration aren’t working. Fifty-four percent of Americans leaving the polls on November 6 said George W. Bush was responsible for all the economic malaise of this country. But you know what? Barack Obama said that every single day. When did we ever dispute that proposition? We are scared to mention George W. Bush’s name. So instead, we’d say, “Well, listen. Everyone we know understands how much nonsense that is. So let’s not bother to even explain.” Let’s take Hispanics: Barack Obama got 71 percent of the Hispanic vote nationwide. Here’s a statistic very few


––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––


“When you put

regulation and taxes and

government burdens in

the way of entrepreneurs,

you destroy jobs, and

those that are hurt the

worst are those struggling

to climb the economic

ladder.”

40712_YAF_19-26.indd 23 2/4/13 10:42 AM

conservatives told you: there are 2.3 million Hispanic small business owners. There are roughly 50 million Hispanics living in the United States, assuming two per household. That means one in ten Hispanic households are small business owners. Hispanics are an incredibly entrepreneurial community. When my grandfather was a teenager in Cuba, his father died when he was 17. My grandfather was working on a sugar cane plantation in Cuba. It was a company town where they wouldn’t pay you a salary. Instead, they would give you a credit at the company store. What that meant, as a practical matter, is it was generational slavery. You couldn’t save anything; all you had were credits at the store. Generation after generation would just work at the plantation. When my grandfather was a teenager, a bus came by trying to gather people for a political rally. They offered people five dollars and a sandwich to come to the rally. My grandfather said, “I’ll take it, and I’m never coming back.” He got on the bus [and] went to a beach town that had a fruit stand. My grandfather got a job selling fruit on the beach. Over the next couple of years, he slept on the floor of that fruit stand. Eventually, the owner built a larger store, and my grandfather had saved up enough working at that fruit stand. He bought the fruit stand and was an entrepreneur in the 1920s and 1930s in Cuba. Now, fast forward a few years later. My dad, at the age of 14, began fighting in the Cuban Revolution. He was fighting alongside Fidel Castro. Now, he didn’t know Castro was a

Communist, but he knew that Batista was a cruel and evil dictator. My dad fought four years in the Revolution. When he was 17, he was thrown in prison and tortured. He was beaten almost to death. To this day, his teeth are not his own because they were kicked out of his mouth at a Cuban jail when he was a kid. My dad fled Cuba in 1957, and he fled to Texas. He was

18. He couldn’t speak English. He had nothing but $100 sewn into his underwear. He went and got a job washing dishes, making 50 cents per hour. He worked seven days a week, paid his way through school, and he and my mother ended up starting a small business—a seismic data processing company in the gas business. When I was a kid growing up in Houston—the son of two small business owners—my dad used to say to me over and over again, “When we faced oppression in Cuba, I had a place to flee to. If we lose our freedom here, where do we go to?” Listen, that’s why we’re all here. That’s why

every one of you is giving sacrificially to Young America’s Foundation; that’s why we’re standing up for this country. That’s what the fight is about: preserving the incredible freedom and opportunity of this country. The policies of this Administration have been extraordinarily destructive. Two-thirds of all new jobs come from small businesses. And, by the way, those hurt the worst by the policies of this Administration are those at the bottom of the economic ladder. Under Barack Obama, Hispanic unemployment exceeded ten percent; African American unemployment climbed above 14 percent. When


––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––


Senator Cruz speaks on the importance of promoting the conservative message in Hispanic communities.

40712_YAF_19-26.indd 24 2/4/13 10:42 AM

you put regulation and taxes and government burdens in the way of entrepreneurs, you destroy jobs, and those that are hurt the worst are those struggling to climb the economic ladder. Let me ask you this: how often did we make that case? We lost the Hispanic community 71 percent. How many times did we go into the Hispanic community and say, “You know what? These policies are failing. It’s not George W. Bush who caused it; it’s the policies that are killing small businesses and killing jobs.” We didn’t even try to make that argument. And if you don’t make the argument, we can’t turn the country around. Sadly our universities and schools are not teaching young people the principles that work… What is so maddeningly frustrating is we’re right, but it seems like we don’t understand it, and we don’t make the argument. When my dad came to this country, he had

nothing—not two nickels to rub together. Thank God some well-meaning government bureaucrat didn’t come and put his arm around him and say, “Raphael, let me help you. Let me make you dependent on government. Let me write you a check. Let me destroy your self-respect. Let me destroy your self-sufficiency, and while you’re at, it don’t bother to learn English. Stay trapped in a language ghetto where you can’t communicate with the educated, with the business class.” That would have been utterly destructive. One of the incredible things about our nation is that every one of us has a story just like my dad’s. My dad’s been my hero my whole life. In fact I had two heroes: my dad and Ronald Reagan. What I find most incredible about my dad’s story is how utterly commonplace it is. Every single person in this room could come up here one at a time to the podium and relay a story—whether it’s us or our parents or our great-great grandparents. We’re a nation to where, for generations, our


––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––


(From left) Senator Ron Johnson, Jane Johnson, Senator Ted Cruz, and Foundation President Ron Robinson enjoy an afternoon at Ronald Reagan’s ranch home, Rancho del Cielo, during Young America’s Foundation’s annual November conference in Santa Barbara.

40712_YAF_19-26.indd 25 2/4/13 10:42 AM

families have fled oppression and come seeking freedom. That’s our legacy, and it’s what has produced unparalleled economic prosperity. What was the finest moment of Mitt Romney’s campaign? The first debate. You practically can’t find a person who disagrees. It was the one time in the whole campaign when we were engaging in ideas—when we were making the argument. And what happened after that? There are always these voices in Presidential campaigns who advise caution. [They] say, “No, no, no. Don’t say anything controversial. Don’t disagree with the other guy.” When we stop making the argument, that’s when we let the other side run away with it. We’ve got to make the argument. Does anyone here happen to remember 1978 and 1979? You remember double digit unemployment, 22 percent interest rates, and gas lines going around the block. Do you remember stagflation? It was not a good thing. And yet, a very different President was elected in 1980. Like Barack Obama, he inherited a lousy economy. But President Reagan, unlike Barack Obama, cut taxes instead of jacking up taxes. Instead of exploding spending and the debt, Ronald Reagan reduced spending. Instead of releasing regulators to destroy small businesses and kill jobs, Ronald Reagan restrained regulation and allowed entrepreneurs to create jobs. The result was the most incredible burst of economic productivity we have ever seen. In four years under Barack Obama, our economy has grown an average of 1.5 percent per year—less than half the historical average. The fourth year of Reagan’s Presidency, 1984, precisely corresponds to right now, the fourth year of Obama inheriting a lousy economy. Does anyone know what the rate of GDP growth was in 1984? It was 7.2 percent versus [today’s] 1.5 percent. One set of policies work. One set of policies does not.

Notice, it’s the young people [in this room] who know it. You want to know the impact of Young America’s Foundation? It’s right here—the young people who are going to go to their classmates [and share these facts]. …About a month ago, Jay Leno said, “So, the Obama campaign is targeting first-time voters. Well, of course he is! The second-time voters have all graduated and can’t find jobs.” Now it’s funny, but there’s a lot of truth to it. These young

people can now go to their friends and colleagues. [They can say,] “You know what? If you’re tired of an economy that doesn’t produce jobs when you’re coming out of school, that’s killing opportunity, there’s another approach—another approach that works. Every time it’s been employed it works, and it is exactly the opposite of what we’re doing now.” That’s how we turn this around. It’s not going to come magically like manna from heaven. If we don’t make the argument, no one will hear it. We saw, in 2010, a new wave of leaders come to Congress and start fighting. We’ve had senators, like Ron Johnson, fighting a lonely battle, and I’m sorry to say it’s gotten lonelier. But I’m looking forward to joining [him] in the foxholes and tossing grenades in every direction. But we’ve got to make the argument. That’s how we win.

And let me close with a final word of encouragement. Things look dark now, but things looked dark in 1979 when we had our hostages languishing in Iran for 444 days while the President impotently wrung his hands. My final word of encouragement is this: it took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan. And I’m am convinced the most long-lasting legacy of President Barack Obama is going to be a new generation of leaders who stand and fight for liberty and, together, stand with us to reclaim this nation. Thank you and God bless. ——————————————————————————Transcription by Amy de Venoge and Matt Shiney, Sarah T. Hermann Intern Scholars


––––––––––––––—————––––——–—––––––––––––––––– Senator Ted Cruz –––––––––––––––––——————————––––––––––––––––


“My final word of

encouragement is this: it

took Jimmy Carter to give

us Ronald Reagan. And I’m

am convinced the most long-

lasting legacy of President

Barack Obama is going

to be a new generation of

leaders who stand and fight

for liberty and, together,

stand with us to reclaim this

nation.”

40712_YAF_19-26.indd 26 2/4/13 10:42 AM


“You know, I think it’s fitting that we’re here at Reagan’s ranch,” Ted Cruz, Senator for the state of Texas said, addressing a gathering of more than 200 participants on a brisk afternoon at

Ronald Reagan’s Presidential home. “Because if you look at the last [conservative] who really inspired young people, it was Ronald Reagan.” Cruz’s remarks were a fitting conclusion to Young America’s Foundation’s November conference, which drew young conservatives from across the country to Santa Barbara, California, to be inspired by the core principles that President Reagan championed. The program—which was combined with the Foundation’s annual President’s Club weekend at the Reagan Ranch—also provided an


Cruz, Johnson, Herrera Beutler, Bossie, and Marlow Headline Conference at the reagan ranchBy Hannah Jackman, Program Director, National Journalism Center

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler speaks to Foundation supporters and students during the opening dinner banquet at the Reagan Ranch Center.

Senator Ted Cruz addresses Foundation supporters and students gathered in Santa Barbara for the student conference at the Reagan Ranch and annual President’s Club weekend.

40712_YAF_.indd 27 2/4/13 10:26 AM


Sean Buckley from Notre Dame listens to one of many speakers during the student conference at the Reagan Ranch Center.

Senator Ron Johnson addresses students and supporters during a special luncheon on the lawn of the Reagan Ranch.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 28 2/11/13 9:25 AM


Students meet like-minded

friends during the weekend-

long program in Santa Barbara,

California.

opportunity for Foundation supporters and students to discuss where the Conservative Movement goes from here. The Senator’s stirring address at the Ranch was preceded by speeches from an impressive line-up of influential conservative leaders, beginning with the president and chairman of Citizens United Foundation, David Bossie. Bossie, a Foundation alumnus, opened the conference by discussing the lesson conservative leaders must take away from the 2012 election cycle. “[C]onservatives have to make the case for free markets and smaller government—especially to you, the younger people,” Bossie said. “We have no choice. We have to have an optimism like Ronald Reagan had. Our principles are best for future generations, and [we have to] find a way to communicate that to the youth.” The panel which followed sought to answer the question weighing heavily on many conservatives’ minds in the wake of November 6: “Where do we go from here?” Moderated by Frank Donatelli—chairman of the Reagan Ranch Board of Governors—the panel included Kirby Wilbur, chairman of the Washington State GOP; Ron Robinson, president of Young America’s Foundation; Nicole Hoplin, vice president of Young America’s Foundation; and Chris Malagisi, president and founder of the Young Conservatives Coalition. Each participant shared their thoughts on the future of the Conservative Movement. Hoplin stressed that the future of the Conservative Movement depends on solidifying a strong presence on college campuses. “For the past four years, [the Obama administration] has been focused on college campuses,” Hoplin said. “Conservatives have to be organized on college campuses….We need to play the game just as well as liberals do.”


Citizens United Foundation President and Foundation alumnus David Bossie discusses the need for today’s young people to understand the importance of limited government and free enterprise.

Young people from around the country gain inspiration as they walk in Ronald Reagan’s footsteps at his beloved Rancho del Cielo.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 29 2/11/13 9:25 AM


(From left) Elena Reynolds, Cece Vahedy, and Tyler Flesner from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo learn about the freedom principles President Reagan championed.

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, Foundation alumna and the youngest woman currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, headlined the program’s opening banquet and also hosted a special President’s Club briefing for Foundation supporters. She had attended this program ten years earlier and had a unique perspective. The conference also included a student activism panel moderated by YAF Chapter Services Program Officer Kate Edwards. The panel featured students from across the country, including Erin Shumaker from Colorado Christian University, Isabella Foxen from La Reina High School, Robert Oliver from Ithaca College, and Jolie Stuart-Davis from Penn State Law School, who shared their advice for how to effectively fight the Left at school. “Use this time [at Young America’s Foundation’s conference] to engage in intellectual discussion and take it back to your campuses,” said Stuart-Davis. Alex Marlow, Foundation alumnus and managing editor at Breitbart.com (where he was the late Andrew Breitbart’s first hire), addressed the advantages new media can offer young conservatives as they work to advance a conservative message on their campuses. (See article on page 41.) Foundation supporters joined the students for a luncheon at the Reagan Ranch which included an address from citizen legislator Senator Ron Johnson. The group also enjoyed tours of President Reagan’s ranch home and surrounding buildings. At the program’s conclusion, attendees expressed excitement at the prospect of returning to their campuses and effecting real change at their schools. “This conference has not only lifted my hopes by putting me in touch with conservatives and conservative thinkers, but it was very thought-provoking and encouraging towards activism,” said Micah Sapienza of Westmont College. “This conference has honestly inspired me to take charge…and start making a change.”

Foundation Vice President Andrew Coffin speaks to supporters and students gathered in the David Louis Bartlett Outreach Center at the Reagan Ranch Center.

(From left) Foundation President Ron Robinson, Washington State GOP Chairman Kirby Wilbur, Foundation Vice President Nicole Hoplin, Young Conservatives Coalition President Chris Malagisi, and Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Chairman Frank Donatelli discuss the future of the Conservative Movement.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 30 2/11/13 9:26 AM


Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler—also a Foundation alumna—inspires conference attendees Nicole Heath from Texas A & M University and Emily Reilly from Furman University.

During the President’s Club weekend, Foundation President Ron Robinson, Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Chairman Frank Donatelli, Senator Ron Johnson, Jane Johnson, Foundation supporters Susie and Ray Screbant, and Vice President Andrew Coffin enjoy an early look at Freedom Lake which is sponsored by the Screbants at Rancho del Cielo.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 31 2/11/13 9:26 AM


Where the Conservative Movement Goes From HereAn Interview with Reagan Ranch Board of Governors Chairman Frank DonatelliBy Jessica Jensen, editor

Frank Donatelli addresses students at Young America’s Foundation’s 1993 National Conservative Student Conference in Washington, D.C.

I N T e r V I e W

libertas: How did you first get involved in the Conservative Movement?—————————————————————

Donatelli: Like many, I became involved in college, which is exactly why Young America’s Foundation is so important. It was during the anti-Vietnam protests and violent student radical demonstrations in the early 1970s. I had grown up in a working-class, Democratic family and, of course, reacted negatively to the violence and anti-Americanism being expressed. Later, however, I began to study the issues and concluded that a market economy, low taxes, and a strong America were the necessary building blocks to a better society. In other words, conservatism would be the wave of the future.

Young America’s Foundation has been loyally served by a number of top conservatives, and Frank Donatelli leads that list.

A long-time activist, Donatelli served as president of Young America’s foundation from 1973 to 1977. He is also a founder of CPAC and initiated Young America’s foundation’s relationship with ronald reagan through our sponsorship of his radio program in the 1970s. Donatelli currently serves as chairman of the reagan ranch Board of Governors and is a member of Young America’s foundation’s Board of Directors. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and the American University Law School, he is also executive vice president and director of federal public affairs for McGuireWoods Consulting and serves as counsel to McGuireWoods LLP. Donatelli’s previous appointments include serving as an assistant to President ronald reagan for political and intergovernmental affairs and as deputy assistant to the President for public liaison at the White House. He served on the White House team that negotiated Presidential debates in 1984 and was also a senior advisor to Bob Dole in 1996, representing his campaign in debate negotiations. Donatelli chaired the Christopher Columbus Quincentennery Commission which celebrated the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the New World. During the 2008 Presidential race, Senator John McCain tapped Donatelli to serve as deputy chairman of the rNC. In March 2009, he was elected chairman of GOPAC. Donatelli has more than 20 years of experience in public policy advocacy and has appeared on numerous public affairs programs on fox News, MSNBC, and CNN. He is a noted writer whose articles have been printed in the Washington Post, the Washington Times, and the New York Daily News. Young America’s foundation has been honored to work with frank Donatelli since our founding, and we thank him for his continued leadership and investment in our shared cause.

40712_YAF_.indd 32 2/4/13 10:27 AM


libertas: What was it like to serve as a senior advisor in the reagan Administration? —————————————————————

Donatelli: Working in the White House can be demanding and tense. To survive, you have to have a strong belief in your boss and feel that he is making a real difference for our country. We never had any doubt that President Reagan was a consequential leader. President Reagan was really the same in private as he appeared in public—friendly, cheerful, and someone who had a way of putting all visitors to the White House totally at ease. These qualities also served him well when he lobbied Congress on behalf of his major programs. Unlike our current President, who loves giving speeches and appearing on TV, Ronald Reagan worked closely with Congress to ensure adoption of his agenda.

libertas: What advice do you have for young conservatives who may, one day, want to work in high-level government positions?—————————————————————

Donatelli: Establish the basics. Get an education, find a profession, and then go into government. Get involved in public affairs in your community. Most importantly, understand the conservative philosophy and how you can best spread the word. You can work on behalf of conservatism in many ways no matter your occupation or station in life. At

the right time, make the jump to public service either as an elected official or as an appointee in the executive branch. Always think about what you can do to spread the conservative message.

libertas: What are some lessons you think we can learn from this last election cycle?—————————————————————

Donatelli: Obama has been revolutionary in his ability to use technology to identify and turn out the Left in record numbers. Conservatives must close the technology gap if we are going to do better in the future. Hispanics and single women are two groups I would also single out for special attention.

libertas: What do you think conservatives can learn from the Left’s success in winning over young people to their cause? —————————————————————

Donatelli: The Left has won the youth vote since 1988. Young people tend to be more idealistic and susceptible to utopian rhetoric like Obama’s.

Donatelli, who also serves as chairman of the Reagan Ranch Board of Governors, interviews Vice President Dick Cheney at the Reagan Ranch Center during Young America’s Foundation’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth.

“We never

had any doubt

that President

Reagan was a

consequential

leader.”

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Nevertheless, this Administration’s policies have made it more difficult for young people to find good jobs after they graduate from their (often) overpriced colleges. With their huge deficits, the Obama Administration is throwing a party, and it’s the next generation that will have to pay the bill. We need to do a better job of explaining how young people are the ultimate victims of this Administration’s disastrous economic policies.

libertas: You, more than any other person, helped associate Young America’s foundation with ronald

reagan, from helping us sponsor his radio addresses in the 1970s to ensuring our conference attendees were hosted at the reagan White House each year of his Presidency. What was it, in your mind, which made ronald reagan preeminent and so attractive to younger Americans?—————————————————Donatelli: Young people were attracted to Ronald Reagan for many of the same reasons so many are (mistakenly) supportive of Obama; namely, he offered hope for a better future and made people believe that a better life was achievable. In other words, young

people bought into what he was saying. You cannot underestimate the importance of “hope.” Reagan offered hope for an entire country, especially young people, who were looking for an alternative to the economic disaster that was the 1970s in America. I hope I’m wrong, but Obama has no earthly idea how to grow this economy, and our job is to tell the country that free markets and lower taxes will make life better for everyone in America.

libertas: You are known on the foundation’s Board of Directors as the conscience of fiscal conservatism. How did you come to that approach?————————————Donatelli: The seminal issue since the founding of our country almost 220 years ago is this: What is the proper size and scope of the federal government and what is the proper role of the states? Do we follow the European welfare state model (Obama’s

I N T e r V I e W

choice) where government emphasizes security at the expense of freedom, or do we adhere to the traditional American view of a federal government with limited powers and the balance reserved for the states and the people (the conservative answer)? It is why Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is always one generation away from extinction.” Our first task must be to get this rapidly expanding federal government under control of the American people.

libertas: Who do you believe are the most effective conservative leaders on Capitol Hill?—————————————————Donatelli: It’s hard to single out just a few. Of the new members, Senators Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Pat Toomey are doing very good work. I am looking for great things from Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. I have always admired Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham for their uncompromising stance to protect America’s interests abroad. Senator Tom Coburn has been a true champion of fiscal reform.

Donatelli moderates a panel of conservative leaders during an annual Foundation briefing for Capitol Hill interns.

“Our first task

must be to get this

rapidly expanding

federal government

under control

of the American

people.”

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Donatelli speaks to Capitol Hill and Conservative Movement interns during a Young America’s Foundation forum featuring members of Congress and other top leaders.

In the House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor work very hard to keep the caucus together. Representatives Jeb Hensarling and Paul Ryan and Senator Tim Scott are all leaders in spreading the message of limited government and lower taxes.

Libertas: Of today’s young conservative leaders, who do you most admire? What characteristics do you see in these individuals that have made them so successful?—————————————————Donatelli: I really admire the current crop of conservative governors and state legislators who are not just talking but actually making major changes in their state governments. While the Obama Administration hires more bureaucrats and spends more money, young conservative governors, including Scott Walker in Wisconsin, Bobby Jindal in Louisiana, and John Kasich in Ohio, are reforming the way their states deliver important public services without raising taxes or growing the government. Also, our state legislative ranks are full of up-and-comers, including house speaker T.W. Shannon of

Oklahoma, the first African American Speaker in the state’s history; Anitere Flores, the new majority whip in the Florida Senate; and state representative Marilinda Garcia, a key conservative leader in New Hampshire. Our ultimate hope is that these

state leaders will eventually have the chance to bring reform to Washington, D.C. After all, it was only eight years ago that Barack Obama was an obscure state senator from Illinois. Things can change awfully quickly in America.

A key participant in Foundation events, Donatelli addresses supporters and students gathered for the annual November conference at the Reagan Ranch.

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R

ancho del

C i e l o

ncho

R

ancho del

C i e l o

Meet •Ronald Reagan at His Ranch• an experience you’ll never forget

•Meet •RonaldReaganat His Ranch• an experienceyou’ll neverforget

You are cordially invited to an exclusive weekend getaway at Ronald Reagan’s mountaintop home, Ranchodel Cielo, in Santa Barbara, California. You will be joined by an intimate group of six other couples fromaround the country for a weekend experience hosted by Young America’s Foundation President Ron Robinson and his wife, Michelle Easton.

When you arrive in Santa Barbara,your every need willbe met based on an all-inclusive price, including:

•Complimentary transportation to the Biltmore Four Seasons Resort (from Santa Barbara airport)

•Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon featuring a notable conservative leader

•Two-night, five-star accommodations at the historic, oceanfront Biltmore Four Seasons Resort

•VIP visit experience at Ronald Reagan’s “Western White House,” Rancho del Cielo

•Behind-the-scenes tour of the Reagan Ranch Center and Exhibit Gallery

•All meals including two luncheons, two receptions, two dinners, and a full breakfast

•Trolley tour of historic, downtown Santa Barbara, including the 19th Century Santa Barbara Mission

A-A- : : $2,275 (excluding (excluding airline airline travel)

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May 17 to 19July 19 to 21

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2013 retreat dates

R

ancho del

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Meet •Ronald Reagan at His Ranch• an experience you’ll never forget

You are cordially invited to an exclusive weekend getaway at Ronald Reagan’s mountaintop home, Ranchodel Cielo, in Santa Barbara, California. You will be joined by an intimate group of six other couples fromaround the country for a weekend experience hosted by Young America’s Foundation President Ron Robinson and his wife, Michelle Easton.

When you arrive in Santa Barbara,your every need willbe met based on an all-inclusive price, including:

•Complimentary transportation to the Biltmore Four Seasons Resort (from Santa Barbara airport)

•Reagan Ranch Roundtable luncheon featuring a notable conservative leader

•Two-night, five-star accommodations at the historic, oceanfront Biltmore Four Seasons Resort

•VIP visit experience at Ronald Reagan’s “Western White House,” Rancho del Cielo

•Behind-the-scenes tour of the Reagan Ranch Center and Exhibit Gallery

•All meals including two luncheons, two receptions, two dinners, and a full breakfast

•Trolley tour of historic, downtown Santa Barbara, including the 19th Century Santa Barbara Mission

May 17 to 19July 19 to 21

September 20 to 22

2013 retreat dates

40712_YAF_.indd 36 2/4/13 10:27 AM

n October, students from across the country gathered in Santa Barbara for Young America’s Foundation’s High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch. Sponsored by the Gaby Foundation—which has generously supported

this program since 2008—this conference was the second high school conference held at the Reagan Ranch in 2012. Students and parents enjoyed an opening reception in the Reagan Ranch Center’s Exhibit Gallery which highlights President Reagan’s time at his beloved Santa Barbara Ranch. Participants took pictures with the evening’s opening dinner banquet speaker—author and son of President Reagan, Michael Reagan—and explored the Gallery’s exhibits, including the table where President Reagan signed the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act and the President’s blue Jeep Scrambler, among others. The next morning students assembled in the Reagan

I

H I G H S C H O O L C O N f e r e N C e At t H e r e A G A N r A N C H


tancredo, folsom, ramirez, easton, and reagan Inspire High School Students at the reagan ranchBy Ana C. Lightle, Program Officer

Congressman Tom Tancredo meets with students attending Young America’s Foundation’s High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 37 2/11/13 9:26 AM

Ranch Center’s classrooms for sessions featuring Foundation President Ron Robinson who discussed “What is the Conservative Movement?”, Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute President Michelle Easton who addressed “The Left’s War on Women,” and UCLA professor Dr. Tim Groseclose who spoke on “Liberal Media Bias.” At lunch, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist and senior editor for Investor’s Business Daily Michael Ramirez spoke to the students and Foundation supporters about current events and the state of media. The young participants also enjoyed a trip to President Reagan’s ranch, Rancho del Cielo, where they gained a

Author and Hillsdale College professor Dr. Burt Folsom delivers a rousing address on the importance and history of free enterprise in our nation.

greater appreciation for Ronald Reagan and his lasting accomplishments. “Ronald Reagan is my idol,” said Charles deBoisblanc from New Orleans, Louisiana. “The trip to his ranch was amazing. I learned so much from the tour.” The students concluded the day with a dinner banquet featuring Congressman Tom Tancredo. The former teacher asked the students, “Who are we as Americans? Why do we love America?” Congressman Tancredo urged the young audience to not only think about those questions but to also learn how to articulate the answers.


UCLA’s Dr. Tim Groseclose teaches the young audience about liberal media bias.



40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 38 2/11/13 9:26 AM

Students from around the country enjoy an afternoon at Rancho del Cielo during Young America’s Foundation’s High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch.

Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute President Michelle Easton speaks about “The Left’s War on Women.”


Investor’s Business Daily’s Michael Ramirez addresses students, parents, and supporters on current events and the media.

University of California, Santa Barbara economics professor Dr. Lanny Ebenstein introduces the students to the teachings of Friedman and Hayek.

40712_YAF_.indd 39 2/4/13 10:28 AM


Parents and other family members joined the students for lunch where Dr. Folsom discussed “FDR’s Three Biggest Mistakes.” Foundation Vice President Patrick Coyle concluded the program by teaching the students how they could share the ideas they just learned with their peers. Coyle instructed the participants on how to host conservative speakers, start Young Americans for Freedom chapters, and defend and promote conservative principles. The young audience left Santa Barbara inspired by the ideas and principles they learned throughout the weekend-long program. Claire Marks from Golden River, California, wrote, “Before the conference, I aligned myself with conservatives but never really knew what conservatism was really all about. After the conference, I not only learned the core principles of the Conservative Movement, but I was equipped with the tools and arguments to stand up for these principles in school.”

(From left) Alesha Neumann from Grover Beach, California; Anastasia Clark from Linden, Virginia; McKenzie Beckstead from Las Vegas, Nevada; and Lauren Windburn from Las Vegas, Nevada, learn about Ronald Reagan’s ideas and values as they tour Rancho del Cielo—the Western White House.

The final day of the program included Hillsdale College history professor Dr. Burt Folsom discussing the importance of the free enterprise system. Bestselling author Andrew Klavan addressed the “Power of Culture” and the role it has in shaping people’s opinions, and University of California, Santa Barbara economics professor Dr. Lanny Ebenstein offered an introduction to the ideas of Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek.

High School conference participants Quinton Grounds and Nolan Kendall explore Ronald Reagan’s adobe ranch home.


40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 40 2/11/13 9:26 AM


alex marloW is currently the managing editor of BreiTBarT.Com. As the late Andrew Breitbart’s first hire, Marlow has helped launch all four of Breitbart’s websites. He has been involved in breaking and developing numerous stories of national significance, including the ACORN prostitution scandal and “Weinergate,” which led to the resignation of former U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner. However, it was not long ago that Alex Marlow was working hard to spread the conservative message at one of the most liberal schools in the country, the University of California, Berkeley. Through his involvement with Young America’s Foundation, this up-and-coming conservative leader made a difference on his campus and became one of the Foundation’s top student activists. Marlow’s activism at Berkeley helped him join the ranks of one of the most influential websites in the country, where, today, he continues to advance freedom by challenging the mainstream media’s leftist narrative.

libertas: What first spurred your interest in conservatism? —————————————————————

Marlow: My parents always had talk radio on in the car. I came to appreciate

YAF Alumnus Advances Conservative Ideas Through New MediaBy Patrick X. Coyle

Larry Elder. I read his first book, The Ten Things You Can’t Say in America, and it was truly enlightening. The book, like much of talk radio, highlighted many truths that aren’t discussed in schools. This is when I realized how traditional American values and their triumphs are not communicated to the American people through the news media, the entertainment

media, or the school system. I found this cosmically unjust. libertas: What was your first involvement with Young America’s foundation, and how did the foundation help you advance your ideas at your school?—————————————————————

Marlow: YAF found me when I was at the Berkeley campus and helped my club host Dinesh D’Souza, Star Parker, and Col. John Reitzell. The Foundation also put on a very successful 9/11: Never Forget Project memorial. One of the highlights of my college experience was attending at least three YAF conferences where I heard the best possible speakers, planned activism events, and made contacts I still use to this day. Most importantly, without YAF, I wouldn’t have my current job where I get to fight for conservative and American values daily.

A L U M N I P r O f I L elibertas: How did you first get involved with Andrew Breitbart?—————————————————————

Marlow: I met Andrew Breitbart and was essentially hired at the Foundation’s Club 100 Reagan Ranch Retreat. Andrew spoke to a select group of top YAF activists in Santa Barbara at the Reagan Ranch Center. His thesis was that politics is down-stream from the culture and not the other way around. Translation: it’s the entertainment media that influences policy-makers and society more than it reflects them. I grew up in Los Angeles (where I live currently) and went to the best private high school in town. Several celebrities had children attending my school, so I had first-hand knowledge of these people and their visions for America. I told Andrew that my family had a background in the entertainment industry and that his speech was on the money. We struck up a conversation, and a couple days later, I was hired. libertas: What one book would you recommend young conservatives read?—————————————————————

Marlow: I think all young conservatives should read Breitbart’s Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World. Breitbart’s final book documents a compelling history of the institutional Left and its roots in European social

YAF alumnus Alex Marlow was a top student activist at the University of California, Berkeley and now serves as the managing editor at Breitbart.com.

Marlow attends Young America’s Foundation’s 2007 National Conservative Student Conference.

40712_YAF_.indd 41 2/4/13 10:28 AM


Marlow returns to Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan Ranch Center as a conference speaker and teaches today’s students how to use new media to advance conservative ideas at their schools.

Marxism. It also lays out a vision for the future of new media and activism. libertas: How can young conservatives use new media to advance their messages?—————————————————————

Marlow: Every college conservative group should have a blog that’s updated in real time. (If you have a campus conservative magazine and it helps you wrangle supporters, there’s no need to discontinue that.) Blog on local and campus issues and circulate those posts to people on campus and in the media. Post any syllabi, assignments, or campus flyers that you believe are newsworthy. Use Facebook and Twitter to promote your events and challenge professors, administrators, people in student government, and especially, your friends. libertas: You are a big proponent of utilizing twitter. How can students utilize twitter most effectively?———————————————

Marlow: My biggest recommendation is that

you choose tweets that are as newsy as possible. People are generally on twitter for breaking news and analysis, so confining a high percentage of your tweets to the news or your expertise (i.e. what’s happening on your campus) will make your news feed sharper and will boost the number of followers. No one really cares if you just ate Chipotle or took a nap; those types of tweets will turn people off. Be precise. Every tweet is like a bullet that can’t be put back in the chamber. Once it’s out, it cannot be edited or deleted. Also, attacking allies should only be done in rare instances. Make sure to use Twitter to hold people on your campus accountable.

libertas: You attended one of the most liberal campuses in the country, the University of California, Berkeley. What advice do you have for today’s campus conservatives attending left-leaning schools?—————————————————————

Marlow: The first key to being a conservative on a liberal campus is to understand, if you speak your mind, left-wingers won’t like you. This is a sad fact. Listen to the way leftists speak. They will much sooner say “I’m offended” by your [conservative] values and actions than “I disagree, and here’s why...” Once you embrace that, you become the punk-rockers on your campus. Academia is the most left-wing institution in our country

(rivaled only by Hollywood and the mainstream media). If you are conservative, by nature you are the counter-culture. If you understand that, then you can really have some fun. Be controversial, aggressive, and have a great time, since left-wingers aren’t going to like you anyway.

Alex Marlow is featured online at www.breitbart.com/Columnists/Alexander-Marlow.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 42 2/11/13 9:26 AM

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Young America’s Foundation | Libertas magazine | www.yaf.org

Winter 2013Volume 34 • Number 1

Artwork by Joel Aaron Carlson

Despite claiming to be advocates of “diversity,” Ivy League faculty and staff members gave 96% of their donations to Obama in the

2012 Presidential campaign.

40712_YAF_01-18,27-44.indd 44 2/11/13 9:26 AM

Libertas 34.1

Documents

Transcript of Libertas 34.1