Hundreds of supporters of libertarian ideals gathered in Las Vegas to hear speakers and see exhibits espousing what organizers call “the freedom philosophy” at the second annual FreedomFest conference.
The event, which occurred May 13-15, had some 40 exhibitors, 80 speakers and listed 94 different panels or lectures on topics ranging from all sorts of investment ideas to social, political and international issues addressed from libertarian and conservative viewpoints.
Young America’s Foundation spread its wings to help fund the conference.
“We operate a big tent,” said the group’s president, Ron Robinson.
Author Mark Skousen, conference producer, stressed other similar conferences are too expensive, inconvenient or too specifically focused. Consequently, “we cover everything,” he said. “We are not just conservative or libertarian; we are a freedom movement.”
John McKay, CEO of Whole Foods Company, was the opening speaker.
“I believe the freedom movement has done a terrible job of ‘branding’ itself,'” he said. “Libertarians need to be known for more than decriminalizing drugs, prostitution and guns. … Unless the freedom movement expands its message to address the concerns of today’s youth, it will continue to be a small and unimportant part of society. … By branding the freedom movement in a positive way, it can succeed as never before.”
Highlighting the second evening was a debate, “Should America be an Empire Builder?” between former Libertarian Party presidential candidate Harry Browne and author Dinesh D’Souza.
Browne explained his belief that if the U.S. had not intervened in World War I, there would have been a compromise peace without the impoverishment of Germany and Europe from the Versailles Peace Treaty and consequent rise of Stalin and Hitler. Browne argued that debates about exporting freedom by relying on imperialistic policies, however well meaning, could only end in disaster because “government never works.”
D’Souza presented an explanation of the National Review-neoconservative public justifications for attacking Iraq and argued that all advances in freedom came by force, such as from the American Revolution and Civil War. Judging by the applause, the audience was about 65 percent for Browne and 35 percent for D’Souza.
Exhibitors, included major think tanks such as Heritage Foundation, the Adam Smith Institute in London, Fund for American Studies, Independent Institute, Timbro (from Sweden) and Young America’s Foundation. Laissez Faire Books was the official bookstore.
Top speakers included Rep. Ron Paul, James Bovard, Grover Norquist, Ben Stein, John Stossel, Alan Bock, David Boaz, Ivan Eland, Alan Reynolds, Charles Murray, David Friedman, John Fund, Dan Mitchell, Richard Bishirjian, Doug Casey, Greg Rehmke, Tibor Machan, George Gilder and Arthur Laffer.
Foreign speakers included Parth Shah, who runs a think tank in India, Roberto Salinas, Mexico’s leading TV programmer for free markets, and Peruvian free marketer Alvaro Vargas Llosa. Charles Murray was the keynote speaker Saturday night, discussing “The Inequality of the Creative Genius” based on his new book, “Human Accomplishment.” He said that “religiosity” was the foundation for Western civilization’s achievements.
Concurrent seminars and lectures covered many economic and political topics such as Jim Bovard on “Tyranny and Terrorism,” “The Center-right Coalition,” David Boaz on “Why Big Government is Non-Partisan in Washington,” and many more.
Ron Robinson and Floyd Brown of Young America’s Foundation held two popular sessions, “Is Bush Really Like Reagan?” and “Libertarian Influences on Ronald Reagan.” Brown predicted President Bush would lose in November because he had abandoned his naturally conservative constituency with his “big-spending policies.”
On a panel about terrorism, author and international financial guru Doug Casey decried the operation in Iraq and said the only way out was for the U.S. to apologize, say we learned our lesson and withdraw with the hope that the hate against us in the world would gradually die down. He feared current policies would lead soon to nuclear terrorism against the U.S., our retaliation and then the end of the world order.
Browne added that, while the United States has the most terrifying offensive weapons, it has little defense. He said Americans need to understand the reason for 9-11 – or otherwise “we are just stirring up hornets’ nests.” He said the U.S. should withdraw from most of the 700 offshore bases where troops are stationed and that many people in government benefit from war. He argued missile defense should be mainly privatized to become more effective at a lesser cost.
Ivan Eland of the Independent Institute explained al-Qaida was not like a nation enemy and that nukes were the only real weapon of mass destruction that could threaten the U.S. He said deterrence wouldn’t work if our enemy had no home address and that “Americans don’t understand how hated we have made ourselves.”
Eland stated that U.S. policies toward Muslims are “exactly what bin Laden wanted us to do.” He said the federal government’s list of terrorist organizations was a “political list of people we don’t like,” not a realistic one.
Rep. Paul spoke on “One Bush Policy I Did Support.” He said it was when Bush declared before becoming president: “If America becomes an arrogant nation, than the rest of the world will hate us.”
Paul spoke on how he could survive in Congress for so long while voting against the majority. He said many congressmen would tell him privately how they agreed with his positions on limited government, constitutional laws, spending and foreign policy, but were afraid to do so publicly. However, he argued, “American voters are sick and tired of being lied to.”
The congressman stated all we have done is to “feed the frenzy of bin Laden and his followers” and that America now has “many more enemies and is much less secure than before our invasion of Iraq.”
The FreedomFest conference will be held every year from now on, usually in May, organizers said.
Jon Utley is a fellow with the Ludwig von Mises Institute and co-ordinates the Atlas Foundation’s Russian Think Tank programs. He was a former foreign correspondent for Knight Ridder in South America and has written widely on development economics, including for the Harvard Business Review.
