Leadership Institute News

From Campaign Loss to Student Body President Win

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EST

Have you heard the famous proverb: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again?”

For Lee Cohen, trying again proved very successful.

In 2012, he ran for student body president at Indiana University South Bend and lost by just 57 votes. This year, running against two other candidates, Lee received 55.9 percent of the vote, while the second place person received 35.9 percent and the last received 8.2 percent. In other words, Lee overwhelmingly won 1.5 times more votes than the second highest candidate and 6.5 times more votes than the third.

So, what changed?

Rep. Justin Amash (MI-3) to speak at LI tomorrow morning

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EST

Representative Justin Amash (MI-03) will speak at the Leadership Institute's Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast on Wednesday, June 5 at 8:00 A.M. Rep. Amash will discuss his election to Congress in the Tea Party wave of 2010 and his experience as an advocate for limited government.

"Congressman Amash is part of the next generation leading the fight for limited government -- no small feat in Washington, D.C.," said Morton Blackwell, Institute president. "Conservatives are likely to enjoy his remarks."

Update: Watch online Representative Amash's speech at LeadershipInstitute.org/speakers/

Teenage Voice Making (Air)Waves

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EST

Jayson Veley, 19, already has done so much: he's been a spy; he's founded Junior Factor Nation -- a network of radio programming, video clips, and columns all created by teens and 20-somethings; he's appeared as a guest on Glenn Beck's show (in 2010); he's authored a book, called The Other Side; and he just finished his freshman year in college.

�Politics Addict� Goes Online

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

So you think you’re a politics addict?

Leah Courtney says she’s one.

Leah was raised in a conservative, military family who idealized Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Oliver North. However, it wasn’t until college that these ideas spurred action and developed into her career calling: online communications.

IRS targeted Leadership Institute in growing scandal

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

At the same time the IRS was bullying tea party and conservative groups, it was auditing the Leadership Institute. After a year investigation and  23,430 pages of records, the IRS accepted the Institute's tax return as filed.

"The IRS’ indefensible behavior is worse than we first thought, as it targeted both new and existing conservative groups in politically motivated attacks," said Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute.

Read more to see the timeline and some of the questions the IRS asked.

The 22Q: Jarrett Ray, Director of Online Fundraising at The Prosper Group

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

Jarrett Ray, Director of Online Fundraising at The Prosper Group, explains his obsession with to-do lists and three things he'd tell every political junkie to read in this week's 22Q, an informal interview series featuring young conservatives connected to LI.

Politics & Trucking!

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

Today, 1992 LI graduate Mike Howe filed to run for the district two position of the Sequim, WA School Board. He is the communications and government relations manager for a major utility company, a radio show host, blogger for PolitiTruck.com, an elected board member to the University of Wyoming Alumni Association, a former advisor to two governors, and former president of the local chamber of commerce.

LI's Newest Initiative -- "Issues That Unite: Latinos & Conservatism"

Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

LI's Issues That Unite: Latinos & Conservatism event training was held last week in Las Vegas, Nevada -- the first city out of eight the Leadership Institute and its partnering national organizations will visit this summer and fall. Partners include: The Heritage Foundation, Libre Initiative, New America, Red Card Solution, Tea Party Patriots, and VOCES Action.

23-Year-Old Kazakh Changing Her Country

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

Darya Nenakhova, from Kazakhstan, believes real change starts with young people -- and free markets. And that's why she founded in 2011 a think tank, the Institute for Development and Economic Affairs (IDEA), and the Young Entrepreneurs Club in December 2012. Kazakhstan, a country of 16 million people in central Asia, borders Russia to the north, China to the southeast, and Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to its south. It was the last country in the former Soviet Union to become independent, a process finalized in December 1991. That’s part of what makes Darya’s work so important and exciting.

The 22Q: Gabriella Hoffman, Twitter Activist and LI Staffer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST

Gabriella Hoffman, Twitter activist and Regional Field Coordinator for the Leadership Institute, describes her job in 10 words ("rewarding" is one of them!), the element of politics that most surprised her, and advice for college students in this week's 22Q, an informal interview series featuring young conservatives connected to LI.