I
was pleasantly surprised that the majority of attendees were young people under
the age of 30. The theme was a perfect fit: “America’s Future: The Next
Generation of Conservatives.”
In
the Potomac Ballroom, the American Conservative Union chairman, Al Cardenas,
introduced the first speaker of note, the Virginia Attorney General, the
Honorable Ken Cuccinelli. Running for Governor of Virginia, Cuccinelli
emphasized his pride of our American exceptionalism, of the sacrifices made by
many Americans who have built the greatest nation in the “history of the world,”
a nation in which “hard work is rewarded and success is a good thing.” We are a
nation that “defends our freedoms and our God-given rights.” Our history must
be shared aggressively and articulately with our fellow Americans because we
have a duty to preserve our Constitutional Republic.
The
Honorable Allen West, former U.S. Representative and 22-year Army veteran, LTC
Allen West took the podium under thunderous applause. He recognized all the
veterans in the house, the defenders of our freedom. As conservatives, we must
not change our message to fit the times, it is “malarkey,” he said. “A bended
knee never was and shall never be a conservative tradition.”
The power that binds poor and rich alike is the power of compassion, freedom, and the opportunity of poor and rich alike to grow. Nobody believes that America, with its opportunity to succeed for all, was built by rich men “dipping their hands in the pockets of the poor.” We believe in humility, independence, “the magnificence of freedom,” compassion, integrity, and “are bound together under God.” We have a Constitution that was written “to control and regulate the government, not the people.”
We
should not ask what “freebies” our country can give to us but what we can do
for our country. LTC West uses California as an example of depression, from which
citizens flee to escape confiscatory taxation that enslaves them to the state. We were told that “Compassion comes not from
generosity but from compliance.” “We are tired of these insufferable lessons
from progressivism – compassion comes from a choice, not the liberal definition
of choice.”
“We
are tired of liberals dividing this country into little groups,” setting them
up at odds with the majority, and “accusing conservatives of hate.”
Conservatives give more to charity than liberals although their paychecks may
be smaller. Conservatives volunteer their time to churches, hospitals,
organizations, and other groups, while liberals whine about their “fair share.”
“I
am a conservative because I believe in peace, real peace, and not peace of
mind. I am a conservative because I believe and understand that real peace
comes from the Marine Corps not the Peace Corps.”
We
are a nation of builders that needs future conservative leaders to pick up the
torch of freedom and carry it with pride. “Freedom comes from God, not the
White House.” “We will persevere” but we must understand what our duties and
responsibilities are to our country. Endless entitlements cannot continue if
our country is to survive economically. We want America to shine and be the
shining city on the hill. “Deeds not words will paint this country grand.”
LTC
West speech was interrupted by thunderous applause and ended in a standing
ovation.
Between
movie screenings, book signings, media interviews, special invitation
receptions, and smaller groups breakout sessions, a panel of experts composed
of Dr. Whit Ayers, Dan Garza, Helen Krieble, Jenny Korn, the Honorable Raul
Labrador, and the moderator Helen Aguirre Ferre, discussed immigration issues
based on the theme, “Respecting Families and the Rule of Law: A Lasting Immigration
Policy.”
Smaller
group discussions included military voting, challenges and solutions, business
in America, small business: the economic engine of America, expanding the
conservative movement with the Hispanic community, saving America from Congress
with a federal balanced budget amendment.
Sen.
Lindsey Graham, Honorable John Hannah, Senior Fellow at the Washington
Institute, Honorable Buck McKeon, Chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, Honorable Otto Reich, Otto Reich Associates, LLC, and moderator
Cliff May, President of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies discussed
“Iran and the Islamist Threat to America and the West: What is – What Should Be
– Our Strategy.”
Sen.
Ron Johnson, Honorable Roger Noriega, Fellow at the American Enterprise
Institute, Joel Pollak, Editor-in-Chief, Breitbart.com, John Solomon, Editor,
Washington Guardian, and moderator Honorable Ernest Istook, Distinguished
Fellow, the Heritage Foundation, discussed “Benghazi and Its Aftermath: U.S.
Middle East and Southwest Asia Policy.”
Moderator
Alexander Skouras, former Washington State Director of Ron Paul 2012 led a
panel discussion of Derk Jan Eppink, member of European Parliament, His
Excellency Vytautas Landsbergis, member of the European Parliament, Iain
Murray, Vice President of Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Honorable Mike
Pompeo, U.S. Representative, Honorable Tom Price, U.S. Representative on
“Lessons They Have Learned and We Haven’t: The Europeanization of America.”
Tom
Fitton, President of Judicial Watch led a discussion on “Are We Back on the
Road to Serfdom.”
Interesting
discussion panel by Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for
Marriage, Ben Shapiro, Editor-at-Large of Breitbart News Network, Hans von
Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, and moderator Cleta
Mitchell, Partner at Foley and Lardner on the topic “Stop THIS: Threats,
Harassment, Intimidation, Slander & Bullying from the Obama
Administration.”
Dr.
Michael Farris, Chancellor of Patrick Henry College presided over an
interesting discussion on the topic of “The United Nations vs. the United
States: The End Run Around the American Way of Life.”
Senator
Marco Rubio took the stage early in the afternoon. He energized the packed room
of young attendees. His speech recounted the events of three years ago when he
had as much chance of winning the Senate seat as a “papal conclave.” He talked
about the global economy which impacts our hard working people. He criticized
the banking crisis, the bubble that burst and left people who paid their
mortgages on time holding the bag.
Sen.
Rubio described how Washington creates every week some man-made crisis that
keeps the population in turmoil. Who is fighting for free enterprise and the
hard-working middle class? They are what made this country great. Few countries
in the world have the large middle class that we do. Limited government and
constitutional principles should be our guiding light.
“Just
because I believe that states should have the right to define traditional
marriage, does not make me a bigot.” Rubio believes that “life, all life, all
human life is worthy of protection at every stage of its development.” Closed-minded people “love to preach about
the certainty of science in regards to our climate, but ignore the absolute
fact that science has proven that life begins at conception.”
Sen.
Rubio continued that the government has the responsibility to create jobs, a
real growth energy policy, a monetary policy that does not distort our economy,
a tax structure that does not take from producers and give to takers, and to
solve our $16 trillion national debt which hurts job creation.
Government
should allow “citizens to help themselves” and every parent should have the
option to send their children to the school of their choice. Career education
is important, not everyone should go to a four-year liberal arts college.
The
breakdown of the American family should not be underestimated. Government
should not be surrogate parent to every child born out-of-wedlock. Communities,
churches, and voluntary organization can help save our families.
“The
cost of living is real” and so is the next bubble to burst, college loan debt.
That is why we need a healthcare reform. But not a healthcare reform that
injects the federal government in a takeover of the world’s highest quality health
care industry.” Sen. Rubio wants Americans to be “empowered to purchase
healthcare from any company in America that is willing to sell it to them.”
Sen.
Rubio talks about a family who struggles economically and why they may believe
that their only salvation is the promised Democrat cradle to grave welfare.
“They are not free loaders, they are not liberals.” They are a family who needs
help to better themselves educationally and professionally in order to be able
to better themselves economically without the expectation of government
welfare.
The
“China dream” is the goal to race to become the champion of the world. China is
going to supplant us in this century. Some Americans may be agreeable to our
demise from the top because “We are tired of solving the world’s problems.”
The
Chinese government uses forced labor, forced abortions, forbids access to the Internet,
keeps prisoners without any rights, tortures people, coerces them, forbid them to
assemble, and forcibly returns people who flee. If they do this to their own
people, what would they do to the rest of the world if they become number one?
In
spite of our problems, millions of people around the world are still inspired
by America, by its freedom; “they may hate us, but they sure want to be us.”
Rubio received a long ovation from the standing room only crowd.
Rand
Paul took the podium next and delivered a stellar speech. Since he was allowed only
ten minutes to the podium, Senator Paul joked that he prepared 13 hours-worth
of material to the delight of the roaring audience. He explained why he
filibustered the President’s pick for Defense Secretary – giving $250 million
to Egypt in foreign aid, a country whose mobs attacked our Embassy, burn
American flags while chanting “death to America,” while closing the oh, so
expensive White House tours to school children, the cost of which is less than
the cost of one White House dinner honoring the President of Mexico.
He
had a message for the President, “No one person gets to decide the law, no one
person gets to decide your guilt or innocence.” Referring to the killing of Americans on
American soil with drones, Senator Paul asked the question, “Does the
President’s power have limits?” Quoting Lincoln, Sen. Paul recounted that
respect for civil liberties is supreme. Having good intentions to respect them,
or saying that he will respect them, is not enough. “If you want to test a man,
give him power.” We want to know, Mr. President, will you or won’t you respect
the Constitution?”
Sen.
Paul explained that his filibuster was more than just about drones; it was
about the Bill of Rights, about the Constitution and about our right to defend
it. If our God-given rights are denied, freedom shrinks. “Our Bill of Rights
defines us; it is what makes us exceptional.” Our soldiers who have sacrificed
to protect our Bill of Rights want to know that their sacrifice was not in
vain. http://townhall.com/tipsheet/danieldoherty/2013/03/14/rand-paul-at-cpac-this-government-is-totally-out-of-control-n1534538
The
right to bear arms (the 2nd Amendment), means nothing if Americans
are not secure in their homes and papers (the 4th Amendment). We
must “jealously guard all our liberties.”
Appealing
to the Facebook Generation, Sen. Paul criticized the wasteful solar panel industry
loans and crony capitalism, the Wall Street bailouts, and other bailout
schemes. “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Sen.
Paul offered examples of his proposed five year budget, eliminating the
Department of Education and giving money back to the states, cutting corporate
income tax in half, a 17 percent flat income tax, and cutting regulations that
strangle American businesses. The only stimulus is leaving more money in the
hands of those who earned it, using the Constitution as our guide. “We are the
party of jobs and opportunity, the ticket to the middle class.” The GOP of old “has
grown stale and moss covered.” The new GOP must have a “broad message.”
The
Tea Party, citizen action groups, the media, the legacy of Andrew Breitbart,
the NRA, the Heartland Institute, Newsmax, two presidential dinners,
receptions, and other events concluded the first day’s activities.
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