2010 Students For Liberty
Southern California Regional Conference
Saturday, October 23
Pepperdine University
Hosted by the Pepperdine College Libertarians
Click Here to Register
“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”
-Benjamin Franklin
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Students For Liberty is proud to announce the first annual Southern California SFL Conference! Come to Pepperdine University on Saturday, October 23rd in the beautiful Malibu, California (just NW of Los Angeles) to join students who want to hear and expand their beliefs of individual liberties, free markets, and less government. Improve your knowledge about what it is to believe in liberty and freedom, while meeting like-minded students and some of the biggest names in the liberty movement who have volunteered to come speak on behalf of you, the high-potential student.
Now is the time to create a network of liberty-oriented people, professors, organizations, and more. Most importantly, leave with the skills and tools necessary to promote liberty on your campus. Take up the mantle and join the next generation of young, liberty-minded leaders. We hope to see you at the conference!
- Benefits of Attending -
- FREE registration
- FREE meals throughout the day, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- FREE books, stickers, pamphlets, and other resources
- Amazing and engaging speakers
- Numerous networking opportunities with many pro-liberty organizations, speakers, professors, and students.
- And, of course, an evening social with FREE drinks!
- Keynote Speakers -
Gary Johnson, Former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson is the former Governor of New Mexico and a long-time advocate of liberty. He has been called a libertarian-republican and recently he formed Our America Initiative to advocate for limited government and more freedom. He has been an outspoken advocate for efficient government, lower taxes, protection of civil liberties, revitalization of the economy and promoting entrepreneurship and privatization.
In 1994, Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico despite having little experience in politics. He defeated the incumbent Democratic Governor Bruce King in the general election by 50% to 40% as well as a former Republican Governor in the Republican primary election. In 1998, Johnson was re-elected as governor, defeating Democratic Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez by a 55% to 45% margin. As Governor of New Mexico, Johnson was known for his common-sense and pro-liberty approach to governing. He eliminated New Mexico’s budget deficit, cut the rate of growth in state government in half and privatized half of the state prisons. Johnson also shifted state Medicaid to managed care (which led to better healthcare by creating a statewide healthcare network that previously did not exist and which saved money) and reduced state employees by over 1000, with no firings. During his term, New Mexico experienced the longest period without a tax increase in the state’s history. While in office, Governor Johnson vetoed 750 bills (which was more than all the vetoes of the other 49 Governors in the country at the time). He has also advocated the decriminalization of drug use and possession calling the war on drugs an “expensive bust”.
Gary Johnson was term limited and could not run for a third consecutive term as Governor in 2002. He currently lives in New Mexico and has remained very active, competing in numerous athletic competitions. He is an avid skier, adventurer, and bicyclist who abstains from alcohol. In 2003, he climbed Mount Everest.
Tom G. Palmer, Senior Fellow at the Institute and Director of Cato University Not enough can be said about Tom Palmer. He is everywhere in the liberty movement. Not only is he a senior fellow at the Cato Institute (a huge libertarian think-tank) and Director of Cato University (Cato’s educational arm), Tom Palmer is also the Vice President of International Programs at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation.
In addition to sitting on several more board of trustees as an advisor and active member, Tom Palmer travels all around the world, literally, as an active advocate and lecturer for liberty.
He is also an accomplished scholar. He has published reviews and articles on politics and morality in scholarly journals such as the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Ethics, Critical Review, and Constitutional Political Economy, as well as in publications such as Slate, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Die Welt, Washington Post, and The Spectator of London. He received his B.A. in liberal arts from St. Johns College in Annapolis, Maryland, his M.A. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and his doctorate in politics from Oxford University. He is the author of Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice, published in 2009.
– Speakers -
Dr. James Lark, Chairman of the Advocates for Self-Government and former Chairman of the U.S. Libertarian Party
James (Jim) W. Lark III, Ph. D. served as the United States Libertarian Party National Chairman from 2000 to 2002. Lark is a professor of systems engineering at the University of Virginia where he spends much of his time coordinating LP activity on college campuses. He is currently the Region 5-South representative to the LNC.
Dr. Lark is the recipient of the 2008 Thomas Jefferson Award (the Libertarian Party’s highest honor, for lifetime achievement) and the 2004 Samuel Adams Award (the Libertarian Party’s award to the most outstanding activist).
Dr. Lark, who is seemingly everywhere in the liberty movement, now sits on the board of numerous liberty-minded organizations, especially the Advocates for Self-Government, of which he is the chairman.
Dr. Lark will be speaking about economic fallacies and unfair criticisms associated with free trade, and how an unhindered market is necessary for the advancement of a free society.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Former LAPD Deputy Chief Stephen Downing During his final years with the LAPD he was a Deputy Chief in the Bureau of Special Investigations, where he supervised city-wide narcotic, vice and criminal intelligence functions. He was also a Deputy Chief in the Personnel and Training Bureau, where he oversaw operations involving the Police Training Academy, recruitment, personnel management and affirmative action and chaired the Department Shooting Review Board.
After twenty years in law enforcement witnessing the futility of our current drug laws, Stephen has concluded that this approach just isn’t working. He explains, “We need an exit strategy to the War on Drugs. We keep trying to to stop addicts from shooting up or potheads from taking a toke by building more and more prisons to stuff with people, while human and fiscal costs skyrocket. We need a new approach.”
Since leaving the LAPD, Stephen has been a writer and producer in the entertainment industry. He has remained in close touch with law enforcement through his membership in the Police Historical Society and his volunteer work, serving on various law enforcement related advisory boards in addition to his involvement with LEAP.
Nigel Ashford, Senior Program Officer at Institute for Humane Studies
Nigel Ashford is senior program officer at the Institute for Humane Studies. He joined IHS from the United Kingdom where he was professor of politics and Jean Monnet Scholar in European Integration at Staffordshire University, England. Dr. Ashford has also directed the Principles for a Free Society Project at the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation in Sweden, and was a Bradley Resident Scholar at the Heritage Foundation and Visiting Scholar at the Social and Philosophy Policy Center in Bowling Green. He is a recipient of the International Anthony Fisher Trust Prize for published work which strengthens public understanding of the political economy of the free society.
Dr. Ashford was also Chairman of the American Politics Group of the United Kingdom. He has lectured in 16 countries. He is author of Principles for a Free Society (Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation, 1999, 2003), which is available in six languages. He is co-author of US Politics Today (Manchester University Press, 1999); Public Policy and the Impact of the New Right (St Martin’s Press, 1994) and A Dictionary of Conservative and Libertarian Thought (Routledge, 1991), and numerous articles on how ideas influence US politics.
Dr. Ashford works on many of the Institute’s educational programs, teaches at summer seminars, liaises with the IHS faculty network, produces regular academic newsletters for faculty and graduate students, and provides academic career advice to graduate students.
Student Panel
Student Panel/Breakout Sessions The conference will consist of breakout sessions run by students and different organizations.
Koch Foundation will be running a breakout session on careers in liberty, so be ready to bring your resume!
Advocates For Self-Government will be teaching students on how to communicate liberty.
In addition, we will have a student panel of young leaders who will talk about their experiences trying to spread liberty on their campus and the mistakes and successes they have been through.
If you are a student and you want to be a part of the student panel or breakout session, please contact Ankur (information listed below).
- Student Organizing Team -
Michelle Fields, Pepperdine University
Ankur Chawla, University of California, San Diego
– Contact Info -
For any comments or concerns, you may contact Ankur at achawla@studentsforliberty.org or (404) 889 2593.
Remember, registration is quick, free, and easy. Click here to register now.
Both students and non-students are invited. Make sure to RSVP and invite your friends on Facebook too!
