Lars Christensen, CEO of Saxo Bank in Denmark, is touring the U.S. this week and meeting with many groups and media to share his experience of European-style socialism.Yesterday he spoke to D.C. conservatives at the Heritage Foundation."Our prosperity and security is to a much larger degree than we realize due to the U.S., and both are threatened by the U.S.' extreme acceleration towards chaos. A chaos that to a large extent is caused by Obama's economic measures that damage and indebt Americans -- and the rest of the world." Op-ed in Danish newspaper Berlingske, February 2009"His indictment of European-style socialism is stunning. His command of history and free-market principles make his presentation enthralling," Leadership Institute President Morton Blackwell said. "As America stands at a crossroads between capitalism and prosperity or European-style socialism and economic decline, his message could neither be more timely nor more important. That's why I hope you'll join me on this speaking tour to hear Lars Seier Christensen, CEO of Saxo Bank in Denmark, discuss his country's socialist policies and why we don't want them."For more information on Lars and his America tour this week, please click here. >

“This message is of hope—it's also of despair,” began conservative pundit Jack Hunter at Wednesday's Wake-Up Club Breakfast at the Leadership Institute. The breakfast, held the first Wednesday of each month, brings a leading conservative to speak to LI supporters.Jack encouraged the audience of 70 at this month's event to responsibly vote and hold elected officials accountable. Jack is a columnist for The American Conservative and the Charleston City Paper, and is a Contributing Editor to Young American Revolution. He also regularly appears on Sirius XM and is involved with many other organizations.“The core definition of conservatism in the United States is something I like to call—and I didn't coin this—the Goldwater-Reagan legacy. The idea that the government that governs least governs best,” Jack said. “The idea that government is bad: that is American conservatism.”Jack echoed Reagan's 1981 inaugural address, “Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem.”This is the main ideological discrepancy between true conservatives and their liberal counterparts, Jack argued.“The conservative grassroots desperately want that limited-government champion Republicans have always promised—and yet so many times, time, time and again, have never delivered,” Jack lamented. “They want the real deal.”Jack wants conservative politicians who fight for a decrease in the size of the government.“I do think things are finally getting better. You know, the term ‘conservative' used to be something very unique in our politics,” Jack said. “If you go back to the time of Barry Goldwater, or even right before that, to be a conservative was something sort of out there. It meant something specific.”“Nowadays, especially in the Republican party, the term ‘conservative' is widespread,” Jack said. “Everybody, from the most moderate (or I would dare say ‘liberal') Republicans to the actual conservatives like to call themselves conservatives. It's good branding. It helps get you elected.”“The term ‘conservative' is as popular as it ever was, but actual conservatism still hasn't got the job done,” Jack said.He proposed a solution to this problem.“The Leadership Institute has been instrumental in carrying these conservative ideas forward,” Jack said. “I think, moving forward, whether it's the TEA Party, or pushing forward these conservative candidates—this is, in a large part, a youth revolution. It's just like Barry Goldwater of 1964, and Mr. Blackwell was there.”Jack continued, “We all know that those young ‘damn Goldwater people'—those kids—became the modern American conservative movement. And they changed this country, and they changed American politics. Well, I dare say it's happening again. It's not only the TEA Party, but it's sort of this youth up swell that is represented by groups like the Leadership Institute who are going to reclaim conservatism in the way that Ronald Reagan meant it, and are going to push it forward in the way Barry Goldwater always dreamed it could,” Jack said.Jack ended on a high note, “I'm so excited about the future—despite how much big government we have now. I think we can finally really begin to turn things around.”For future LI Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfasts, please go here. >

Join the Leadership Institute's staff this weekend at the Values Voter Summit at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. and at the Liberty Political Action Conference at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Virginia.LI is partnering with Family Research Council for the Values Voter Summit and with Campaign for Liberty for the Liberty Political Action Conference.For information and schedules for the Liberty Political Action Conference, please go here.For information and schedules for the Values Voter Summit, please go here.Some LI highlights at the Values Voter Summit include:- LI's VP of Programs David Fenner will introduce Senator Jim DeMint (LI trained his campaign manager, his speechwriter/senior communications advisor, and even his son in law!) Friday morning during the general session.- LI's ConservativeJobs.com Job Fair is Saturday from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. where 14 employers will be hiring.- LI's Grassroots Get-Out-The-Vote Workshop is from 3:15 – 5 p.m. and in partnership with the Faith and Freedom Coalition- Morton will be given Vision and Leadership Award at their Saturday night Gala.- This dinner is being held in his honor. Four speakers will introduce him: - Becky Norton-Dunlop, Vice President, External Relations, The Heritage Foundation - Dr. Michael Farris, Chancellor, Patrick Henry College - Dr. Ronald Godwin, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, Liberty University - Lila Rose, President, Live Action >

As Morton Blackwell wrote, now is the time for you to work hard for the candidates of your choice. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.But if you're new to activism or brand new to political volunteering, where do you go and what do you do? How do you get in touch with a campaign and find out how to help?Follow this simple, easy, and quick five-step process -- and you'll be well on your way to helping the candidate of your choice win and spending Election Day 2012 knowing you did your part for your principles.1. Find the campaign HQ or offices online. Call the number listed, introduce yourself, and say you'd like to help.Every campaign website should have a page called "Volunteer," "Take Action," or "Get Involved" that will provide information. Alternatively, you can click on a page labeled "Contact" to get a phone number. If you'd like to volunteer for a presidential or statewide race (e.g. a campaign for governor or Senate), try to find the contact information for the campaign office closest to you.Then punch in the numbers and give the office a call. Here's a simple script: "Hi, my name is [Name]. I would like to get involved with your campaign. Is there someone I can speak with?"Your call likely will be forwarded to the volunteer coordinator, who directs the activities of volunteers like you. He or she can explain the best times to stop by and answer any questions you have.2. Walk into the office, smile (of course!), and say you want to volunteer. You'll be directed to the right person.Campaign headquarters are always in motion. Don't be intimidated, especially if this your first time walking into a campaign office.Smile and say hello to the first staff member you see. If you explain you're there and you're happy to help, you'll be welcomed with open arms.3. If possible, bring a friend or two. It's more fun for you and more help for the campaign -- win-win!Most events in life are more fun with a friend. Volunteering for a campaign is no exception.Children in middle school and high school may also enjoy volunteering with you. Check with the campaign office when you call and see if there will be age-appropriate activities. It's a free family night out -- and a great way to model civic engagement.But if you don't have friends or family to bring with you, don't worry. Volunteering for a campaign is a great way to meet like-minded, engaged people like you. Plus, spending the coming days and weeks hard at work for a common campaign will help you forge new friendships.4. Be flexible and ready for anything. The work may not be glamorous, but it's important (and you'll learn a lot).You may be asked to stuff envelopes, walk door-to-door, call voters, set up for or clean up from an event, or much more. Campaign work is as unceasing as it is varied. It will help you to be ready for anything and walk into the office with an open mind.Always give a good try at whatever you're asked to do. But if -- for example -- you've spent 45 minutes calling voters and you know it's just not for you, kindly ask the volunteer coordinator how else you can help the campaign. There's always another job that needs to be done.5. Ask questions about your tasks, especially if you're new. There's no such thing as a stupid question.No one is born a campaign pro; the knowledge and skills are built over time through political training and first-hand experience.So don't be afraid to repeat the instructions to make sure you understand. It's much better to ask questions beforehand than to apologize for a mix-up or misunderstanding later.Pass on your new knowledge with this handy graphic. Download the image, and email, tweet, share, or pin it across the web. >

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld met with friends and supporters of the Leadership Institute this morning at the monthly Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast. Secretary Rumsfeld was America's 13th and 21st U.S. Secretary of Defense serving in the Bush and Ford administrations.“Let me just thank the Leadership Institute for all you folks do,” Secretary Rumsfeld said. “This is a terrific organization and what LI is doing is enormously important…LI is something that deserves recognition.”In his remarks for breakfast attendees, Secretary Rumsfeld gave his thoughts on current affairs and answered many questions from the audience.“I worry about intelligence,” Secretary Rumsfeld shared today at the Leadership Institute. “I worry about the fact that we live in a dangerous and difficult world and there are a number of closed societies. It's very difficult to have a good grip on what's taking place in the world. It's even more worrisome that weapons have become increasingly lethal and the proliferation of highly lethal weapons has increased.”He continued, “What worries me most is American weakness. Throughout my adult life, the United States has been an important presence in the world. The fact that we've existed and the fact that we've behaved responsibly with respect to how we've managed our economy…that provided stability in the world, a deterrent. It suggested to people that the United States was there, we were part of the rib cage in the world, the structure, and people had to take account of that.”He then recounted a phone call he received from a statesman in Southeast Asia: “Don, I never dreamt I'd live to see the day when adults in the White House would be modeling America after Europe, a failed model. And of course, that's basically what we're doing,” Rumsfeld said.“You cannot accumulate and incur, what is it today or yesterday, $16 trillion of debt and not place an almost impossible burden on the next generation,” he said. “We have demonstrated to the world and this statesman that we as a nation are not behaving in a responsible way from the management of our economy. And that signal goes out across the globe and it's registered in people's heads and it gives them the freedom to know they can do things that they otherwise wouldn't be able to do.”When Secretary Rumsfeld served in the Navy during the Eisenhower administration and then in Congress, the United States spent 10 percent of its GDP on defense, he explained. Today, we spend less than 4 percent.“The debt and the deficits have not been a result of defense budgets, but a result of entitlements,” he argued.He added, “Throughout our history, when things got bad, good people changed their priorities, got out of their chairs and did more than they were doing previously. They were energized by their concern…If there's ever been a time in my 80 years where good people needed to get out of their chairs and push that pendulum back, this is it. And it is particularly important for the coming generations that we do not leave them a country where youngsters coming along will have to look forward to a future that was not as bright and not as optimistic as it has been for each of us in this room.”Mr. Rumsfeld recently completed writing his number one New York Times bestselling memoir, Known and Unknown. The book spans his career and includes extensive primary documentation, much of which has been made public on a supporting website, www.Rumsfeld.com.To watch the full video remarks from today's breakfast, please go here.For more on Secretary Rumsfeld's bio, please go here.For future LI Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfasts, please go here. >

If you want to learn more, register for the Leadership Institute's Get-Out-the-Vote Workshops in battleground states, or for a free webinar this Wednesday at 7pm EST on voter targeting. Winning an election does not require winning 100% of the vote – only enough votes necessary to win. In many cases this is a plurality of the vote. In other cases when a runoff election is involved, candidates may set a vote goal of reaching a clear majority when it would avoid a runoff election. In any case, the campaign must determine an exact number of votes it plans to reach to win the election. (Learn how to do this in a free, live webinar this Wednesday night, August 15.) Voter contact is then aimed at building to the specified vote goal. Why target? Campaign resources, particularly time and money, are limited. Voter targeting makes you more efficient and more effective. You're more effective because you get the right message to the right voters. You're more effective because you target your resources at the voters you're most likely to persuade to vote. Think of the process. You start by targeting voters who always vote, either your way or they're swing (i.e. undecided) voters. Then you target people who sometimes vote, either your way (encourage them with get-out-the-vote messages) or are swing voters (help persuade them your candidate is the one). Only after you've thoroughly exhausted your contacts with those groups of voters should you target voters unlikely to turn out to the polls. It wouldn't make sense to the do the reverse, would it? How is targeting done? One set of factors involves who exactly can vote in the election. While in a general election any registered voter may cast a ballot, different rules typically apply in primary elections (e.g. closed primary elections based on party registration). Voter contact is aimed at voters who can actually vote in the election. A second set of factors involves which voters are likely to vote in the election. Voter turnout rates are typically highest in a general election in a presidential year. General elections in non-presidential years see lower turnout rates, as do primary elections. The lowest turnout rates are often seen in special elections. Campaigns can determine how voters plan to vote through several means, each with varying levels of accuracy. Voter identification refers to the practice of contacting individual voters and asking them if they plan to support a particular candidate in the upcoming election. The practice is similar to telephone polling, but differs in two ways. First, a much larger number of calls is involved because the purpose is to identify with certainty how each targeted person plans to vote, rather than extrapolating based on a limited sample size. Second, with voter identification programs, each voter's responses are recorded and stored in a database. Polling can also be used to determine segments of the electorate that should be targeted for persuasion and turnout efforts. The practice can be less costly than voter ID programs, but accuracy is diminished because assumptions are used to determine the sentiment of large groups of voters. As the campaign engages in voter contact, the first step normally involves building a level of familiarity with voters who are part of the campaign's target universe. This involves building name recognition and credibility that is vital for future persuasion and turnout messages to be effective. Voter identification programs take place once voters have received some level of contact (or have pre-existing familiarity with the candidate). Voters positively identified as supporters become targets of future turnout messages as Election Day approaches. Voters who are in the target universe but are undecided become targets for persuasion messages. Voters who are firm opponents are usually removed from future contact. Want to learn more? The Leadership Institute will offer a free, live webinar this Wednesday at 7pm EST on voter targeting. If you can't watch it then, you'll find the replay on the website here later in the week. >

Whether you're watching the news, volunteering at a local campaign office, or organizing your own run for office, it's helpful to know who's who -- and who's doing what! -- on the campaign trail. So what's the work involved? No matter the size of the campaign, it must focus on 11 key activities, some of which you'll learn about in more detail in the coming weeks: - planning and strategy- day-to-day management- fundraising- communications- research and polling- issues and messaging - voter contact- volunteer coordination- coalitions- scheduling- advance The structure of the campaign and the roles of the staff are based on dividing up responsibility for these 11 key activities. Before the campaign is underway, the leadership team must decide -- and write down in the campaign -- which person is responsible for what activities. What activity is the responsibility of a volunteer or a paid staff member? Will each activity be assigned to a different person or will one person handle multiple campaign activities? On smaller campaigns, people may fill multiple roles and volunteers may take on substantial responsibilities. But on larger campaigns, this is the general breakdown by job title. Campaign Manager The campaign manager is the CEO. He or she is responsible for all campaign activities, including management of the candidate, and making sure that daily operations and programs are completed on time and within the budget. On smaller campaigns, the campaign manager may play multiple roles: political strategist, fundraiser, media contact, and volunteer coordinator. But on larger campaigns, he or she oversees the campaign staff and consultants in their day-to-day work. Finance Director The Finance Director is responsible for the campaign's fundraising programs. He or she develops a fundraising plan and oversees the campaign's fundraising efforts through mail, online, and at in-person events. The Finance Chairman and Finance Committee support the Finance Director. The chairman is ideally a person with strong ties to the local community who can help the campaign reach beyond donors who have a direct relationship with the candidate. The Finance Committee is composed of similar people, whose networks can be tapped to raise funds for the campaign. Communications Director The Communications Director is responsible for the campaign's messaging and communication to internal groups (i.e. donors, volunteers, and supporters) and external groups (i.e. media). He or she is responsible for determining when, how, and in what terms the campaign's message is shared and spread. He or she also responds to inquiries, from the press, the community, or supporters, about the campaign. The Communications Director also is responsible for the prioritization of campaign issues. A campaign is always about the candidate's ideas and issues. The Communications Director helps the candidate determine the most important messages and the most effective way in which to deliver them. On larger campaigns, the Communications Director will work with a Press Secretary, who maintains regular contact with the media. Political Director The Political Director oversees a wide range of areas: voter targeting, outreach, and identification; coalitions; endorsements; and work with surrogates to speak on behalf of the campaign in the media. On larger campaigns, the Political Director will oversee a Field Director, who manages day-to-day voter identification and outreach efforts “in the field,” and a Volunteer Director, who recruits and deploys volunteers to support the campaign's efforts. Consultants Professional consultants may be hired to manage entire campaign activities (e.g. fundraising or research and polling) or to part of a campaign activity (e.g. producing radio or television ads). The role of consultants on the campaign should be clearly delineated in their contracts. In addition to these paid staff, campaigns rely heavily on volunteers – motivated by the candidate or the candidate's issues – to complete their day-to-day work. >

Morton Blackwell's piece, The Real Nature of Politics, is at the core of the Voting Is Not Enough project. As he explains, the winner in a political contest over time is determined by the number and the effectiveness of the activists and leaders on the respective sides. The mission of the Leadership Institute, and this project, increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists. What I am about to share with you is probably the most important lesson you will learn at any time in your life about success in the public policy process. Conservatives did not understand the real nature of politics for many years and certainly did not begin to teach it systematically until the early 1970s. Many conservatives today haven't learned it yet. Please bear with me as I begin with the important historical background. I'll get to the key concepts soon enough. What was the greatest difference between conservatives who supported Barry Goldwater in 1964 and those who supported Ronald Reagan in 1980? Most people don't know the answer. The majority today aren't old enough to remember the 1964 presidential campaign, but Barry Goldwater's book, The Conscience of a Conservative, is still available and widely read. Fortunately, most people still remember Ronald Reagan and his conservative principles. Anyone who supported Goldwater in 1964 and Reagan in 1980 can tell you that there was no significant difference in philosophy between Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. You can see this for yourself. If you read The Conscience of a Conservative, published in 1960, you will see that Barry Goldwater's positions on public policy issues then were very close to those of Ronald Reagan in 1980. I can tell you from my personal experiences in the 1964 Goldwater campaign and in the 1980 Reagan campaign that there was one great difference between the approach to politics of the Goldwater supporters and the Reagan supporters 16 years later. The difference was that we Goldwater supporters tended to believe that being right, in the sense of being correct, was sufficient to win. We firmly believed that if we could prove we were right, if we could logically demonstrate that our candidate was of higher character and that his policies would be better for our country, somehow victory would fall to our deserving hands like a ripe fruit off of a tree. That's not the real nature of politics. I call that misconception the Sir Galahad theory: "I will win because my heart is pure." Do you know what was the most used slogan of the Goldwater campaign? It was this: "In your heart, you know he's right." Unfortunately the real world doesn't work that way, as we who supported Goldwater found out when Lyndon Johnson trounced us. Johnson got 41 million votes and Goldwater got 27 million votes. To this day I'm convinced Barry Goldwater would have been a better President for the United States than Lyndon Johnson, but Lyndon Johnson won big. Some Goldwater conservatives were so shocked and disappointed that they dropped out of politics and were never seen again. But not all of the Goldwater people left. Many of us stayed involved. Lots of us travelled similar paths and wound up working together. In 1964, I had served as the youngest elected Goldwater Delegate to the Republican National Convention. The next year, 1965, I came to Washington to be executive director of the national College Republicans. Others with solid Goldwater pedigrees moved into the national scene at about the same time. A young Goldwater supporter named Richard Viguerie came to Washington in 1965 and created his direct mail firm. He soon became the nationally dominant consultant in political direct mail and is still a leader in that field today. Another notable young conservative, Ed Feulner, also came to Washington in 1965, to work for a think tank. Then he became a leading conservative congressional staffer. Now he is president of the massive and effective Heritage Foundation. Another young Goldwater supporter, Paul Weyrich, came to Washington the next year, in 1966, to serve as press secretary for a conservative U.S. Senator from Colorado. Weyrich soon became the key conservative expert on politics on Capitol Hill. He later became America's most successful organizer of conservative organizations and institutions, playing a key role for more than 40 years in founding important new groups. All of us had supported Goldwater, but none of us was prominent in his campaign. In fact, none us even knew each other until we got to the D.C. area and began to build our own national reputations as fighters in different ways for conservative principles. But in those days, our past support of the Goldwater campaign was a priceless credential among fellow conservatives. Lee Edwards, a friend of mine who served as Director of Information in the 1964 Goldwater campaign had founded in 1965 what was probably the D.C. area's only conservative public relations firm. Now Dr. Edwards, he has become the nation's foremost historian and biographer of the conservative movement. In May 1972, Edwards introduced me to Richard Viguerie. A week later Viguerie hired me away from the conservative think tank where I then worked in D.C. He said, "Morton, I want you to come help me build a conservative movement." Richard Viguerie meant what he said, and his words were music to my ears because building a conservative movement was exactly what I wanted to do. Soon, with my help as his political assistant, Richard began to gather frequently a small group of experienced, totally reliable conservatives who were serious about trying to figure out how to win for conservative principles. Included in our meetings were those I have named, including Lee Edwards, and others whom we believed shared our conservative principles and our determination eventually to win for those principles in government, politics, and the news media. We were tired of losing. We discussed what had worked well for the political left, why conservatives had lost so many political battles, and what conservatives might do to win in the future. It came down to this: What is the real nature of politics? Here was our first great conclusion: Being right in the sense of being correct is not sufficient to win. You don't win just because your heart is pure, even if you can prove logically that you are right. What, then, does determine victory? In our frequent meetings and discussions, we came to our second great conclusion: The winner in a political contest over time is determined by the number and the effectiveness of the activists and leaders on the respective sides. That fundamental understanding changed our thinking. It explains why the side that's right doesn't necessarily win. Next we considered the vital question of what determines the number and effectiveness of the activists and leaders on a given side. Clearly, numbers and effectiveness do not depend on which side is right. Our third great conclusion was: The number and effectiveness of the activists and leaders on a given side in a political contest is determined by the political technology used by that side. That explains a lot of political history, including why bad causes, like communism, attracted a lot of activists. The people on the political left used effective political technology. In contrast, most conservatives had relied on proving we are right. Political technology can be roughly divided into communication technology and organization technology, with no neat line of separation between communication and organization. Most political technology is philosophically neutral. Techniques which work for the left can work for conservatives. Techniques which work for Republicans can work for Democrats, and vice versa. Similar techniques can work whether a public policy battle is an election or a legislative battle over tax rates, the right to keep and bear arms, abortion, or any other issue. In the 1970s, when we made what were for us these discoveries about the real nature of politics, we saw this new understanding as a terrific insight which could lead to victory for conservative principles in the public policy process of government, politics, and the news media. But because most political technology is philosophically neutral, most people who are deeply committed philosophically tend to disdain to study or use political technology. Instinctively, people devoted to their political principles tend to think learning mere skills is beneath their dignity because techniques are philosophically neutral. Such people are, after all, thinking about and proving their wonderful, deeply held views on important public policy questions. Is abortion the murder of tiny babies? What must be done to stop the spread of worldwide communism? What must be done to keep big government from destroying economic liberty and prosperity? "They will take my gun only by prying it from my cold dead fingers. God made man, but Winchester made men equal!" Serious questions. Serious people can get very excited about issues and philosophic differences, but they instinctively tend to think poorly of the study or practice of philosophically neutral skills. Political technology is composed of a universe of specific techniques. Of course, not all political techniques are philosophically neutral. Terror is an evil technique used most commonly by the left. Communists famously and effectively use terror to grab power and keep it. But most political technology has no inherent philosophical content. How you design a piece of political literature, how you raise funds, how you organize a precinct, how you attract a crowd to a political event, how you communicate to a mass audience online -- those techniques can work for anybody. You may wonder now what I mean by techniques. Most of the most useful techniques don't involve complex computer programming. Let me use, for example, the techniques available for something as simple as a nametag. How often have you seen pre-printed nametags which begin, in big letters, with "HELLO, MY NAME IS"? That's a bad technique. The printed message is useless, and it takes space on the nametag which could be used for communication. How many times have you attended meetings where someone has thoughtfully printed nametags for everyone in advance, in letters about the size a typewriter would produce? That's a bad technique because it wastes space which be used for communication. How many times have you had to write your name on a nametag with a thin-line ballpoint pen? That's a bad technique because a name written by a wide-line, felt-tip pen is easier to read. Often people print or write names on nametags in all capital letters. That's a bad technique because capitalizing only the first letters makes the nametag easier to read. The name on a nametag should comfortably fill the entire space available. Where do you place a nametag? Most people instinctively place their nametags on their left shoulders. Wrong. The best place for your nametag is on your right shoulder, where people can most easily read it when you extend your right hand to greet them. Thousands of known techniques work. Very few techniques in politics are as complex as rocket science. Most are as simple as learning the types of print font which are easiest to read or what I have said about nametags. The right techniques can make you more effective in everything you work to achieve. Each good technique you use in politics makes it more likely that you will win. But many philosophically committed conservatives tend to believe that being right, in the sense of being correct, is sufficient to win. Those of us who began to meet in 1972 discovered the real nature of politics: The winner in a political contest over time is determined by the number and the effectiveness of the activists and leaders on the respective sides, and, The number and the effectiveness of the activists and leaders on a given side is determined by the political technology that side employs. We knew that many of our conservative allies thought otherwise and that we would have to persuade them differently. Here is how we convinced many of them. We shared with them our analysis of the real nature of politics, and then said, "If that is true, you owe it to your philosophy to study how to win. You owe it to your philosophy to study how to win. You have a moral obligation to learn how to win." If you allow your opposition to learn better how to organize and communicate than you do and they implement that technology, they will beat you no matter how right you are -- and you don't deserve to win. That is a persuasive argument. When you talk in terms of a moral obligation, you're talking in terms people can understand if they have a strong philosophical commitment. We began to have success teaching committed conservatives this, the real nature of politics, and it had a remarkable and sudden impact. New groups begin to spring up in a wide range of issue areas. A wide variety of specialized organizations: educational foundations, legal defense foundations, lobbying organizations, and political action committees. Conservatives began to study how to win. Existing conservative organizations also began to grow very rapidly. For example, in 1972, one of the biggest, most effective, most famous, most respected and even most feared organizations on the conservative side was the National Right to Work Committee. In 1972 they had 25,000 members, and they were thought of as really big stuff. Then they began to study and use communication and organization technology. They began to grow throughout the 1970s, from 25,000 members in 1972 to 1.7 million National Right to Work Committee members in 1979. Then they really were big and could affect policy in a major way. At first a handful of new conservative groups started. Then dozens. Then conservatives started hundreds of new national and local groups. Each new or newly large group contributed an increase in the number and the effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders. By 1980 conservatives had the political muscle across the country not only to nominate Ronald Reagan for President but to elect him. That wasn't the first time Reagan had run for President. I was a Reagan alternate Delegate in the presidential campaign of 1968, when he made his first, brief run for President. Again I was a Reagan alternate Delegate in 1976, when he ran against President Ford for the nomination and almost won. By 1980 the conservative movement had grown remarkably. Reagan won nomination convincingly and then won election. And I got to serve three years on the Reagan White House Staff. All of this is of central importance for you because the potential for growth of conservative political strength still exists. The rapid, spontaneous growth of grassroots conservative activity in 2009 and 2010 proves that. It turns out that the more groups you have and the greater the number of people you activate and teach how to be effective, the more power that you have to impact on the public policy process. I don't have to tell you how often Supreme Court decisions on liberal versus conservative issues are now decided on a five to four basis. The next Congress is likely to be closely divided between conservatives and the left, with many congressional elections decided by only a handful of votes. The next presidential election is likely to be very close. The margins of victory in the American public policy process may be smaller now than at any other time in American history. You can make a difference, now and in the future. The number of American conservative activists and leaders is certainly growing. To grow in effectiveness, they must study how to win. My Leadership Institute now offers 40 types of training schools in the public policy process. You can review those 40 types of schools at LeadershipInstitute.org. For the first time, political training for conservatives is available online, on demand, and free 24 hours a day. Other conservative organizations also offer worthwhile training you should consider. Nothing would be more disappointing politically than for conservatives to lose because of avoidable mistakes. So I urge you, remember the real nature of politics and the clinching argument which has revived the power of conservative principles in America: You owe it to your philosophy to study how to win. You have a moral obligation to learn how to win. Morton C. Blackwell is the president of the Leadership Institute. Having worked actively in politics for more than forty years, he has probably trained more political activists than any other conservative.>

Yesterday the Leadership Institute hosted more than 60 conservatives for the August Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast with Mallory Factor, president of an independent merchant bank and financial relations consultancy firm and author of Shadowbosses: Government Unions Control America and Rob Taxpayers Blind.Mr. Factor, a longtime businessman and conservative activist reported, “On average, 60 to 70 percent of public sector employees are unionized.”He went on to say, “[The late] Albert Shanker, president of the United Federation of Teachers, was once quoted saying, ‘When schoolchildren start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of schoolchildren.'” Mr. Factor said that unionized federal government employees are often paid – with taxpayer-funded money – to do union work, which could entail anything from union recruitment to campaigning for union-friendly candidates. “This union work includes an annual 23 million man hours and more than $1 billion in costs, not including benefits,” Mr. Factor told the audience. “Their ultimate goal is to unionize anyone that receives any government funding.”Praising the Leadership Institute, Mr. Factor said, “Teaching people how to win, which this Institution does, is what it will take to make us stronger.”Shadowbosses, set to release on August 21, has been praised by Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, and Steve Forbes as a must-read.Mr. Factor chaired the Economic Roundtable for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and led the 2009 Economic Summit for the U.S. House Republican Conference and Policy Committee. He served as a senior fellow from 2007 to 2011 for the House Republican Policy Committee. Mr. Factor was a member of the Board of Governors of the New York State Banking Department from 2001 to 2007 and from 1987 to 1988, he was a member of the Federal Savings and Loan Advisory Council for the Federal Home Loan Bank.He was chairman of the New York Public Asset Fund from 2002 to 2006 and vice chairman of Governor's Island Preservation and Education Corporation from 2006 to 2007. Mr. Factor is the founder and co-chair of The Monday Meeting, a nationally-recognized gathering of elected officials, journalists, business leaders, and conservative authors in New York City, and a similar gathering in Charleston, S.C. Previously, he served as chairman of the Free Enterprise Fund.LI's Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast is held the first Wednesday of each month and is an excellent opportunity for LI friends to meet leading conservative speakers and hear their thoughts on current affairs over good food and fellowship with conservative friends. Annual memberships are available for just $100. Receive 12 breakfasts for the price of 10!September's speaker is the 13th and 21st U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. For more information, please go here. >

I have reached the inevitable point of no return at which everyone asks, “Are you ready for school?” and “How was your summer?” Both questions cause a flood of emotions for me.I am excited to go back to school, but I'm sad to leave this summer behind.From the sunny day in May when I packed my dorm room into my grandma's convertible, bought a suit at Brooks Brothers, and headed to DC, to living with 11 other interns in one house (think Real World: DC, minus the drama), I have had so many amazing experiences and opportunities.It has been humbling and crazy – a summer like no other. I traded sleep, exercise, and healthy eating to maximize my time in the nation's capital, where there is always an event waiting for an RSVP. There is no such thing as a free lunch, unless you're a DC intern. Just make sure you dress the part.Was it worth the sacrifice? Without a doubt, it was.So, what have I learned this summer?1. Someone is always watching you. So be good for goodness sake! The golden rule should be your guiding principle. Write it on your hand as a constant reminder...or, at least, keep it at the forefront of your mind.2. Step out of your comfort zone. Just like Bristol Palin on Dancing with the Stars, try something new in spite of any criticism you might receive. Haters gonna hate. To keep yourself grounded, you should have some consistencies in your life like breakfast, church, and calls to mom and dad, just to name a few. But you need to challenge yourself, too.3. Ask questions and listen to the answers. Be an active learner. I have learned a lot by just listening to my fellow interns and leaders within the conservative movement. Some of my views have changed, while others are now stronger.4. Be professional. Always carry business cards with you, and keep your resume updated to the gold standard – second only to the Bible and the Constitution. Also, keep in mind that you have an online resume. Use Facebook and Twitter appropriately.5. Dress for success. Get a fashion mentor. This could be a friend, your mom, or even GQ. It doesn't have to be expensive, either. Take your wardrobe in strides. Start with at least one nice suit and then piece the rest together through various consignment shops and occasional steals (and by that I mean really good buys).6. Stay connected and follow up. Keep in contact with friends and leaders you've met during your internship. You never know where they might end up! Possibly the most important question you can ask is, “How can I help you?” Conversely, Benjamin Franklin said, “If you want to make a friend, ask them for a favor.” Helping others and asking them to help you establishes strong connections.7. Surround yourself with people you admire. This includes the influences of the books you read, shows you watch, and music you listen to. Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.Finally, in all of it, have fun, and don't be afraid to fail. You're an intern, so now is the time to make mistakes. But remember you're not just an intern. You're more than that! Act like it!Shameless plug: The Leadership Institute offers the best internship in Washington, D.C. I am now a walking example. I received free housing, established an instant network of conservatives, attended free LI trainings, got free books, and attended several conferences. I also met great conservative rockstars like Star Parker, James O'Keefe, Lila Rose, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Rebecca Kleefisch, and many more! If you want to have an unforgettable experience, I highly recommend you apply for the LI intern program.>

We've all heard it: "D.C. is built on networking!" But my first few [forced] networking events in D.C. made for painful memories. Thrown into a room full of people I had never met, I would work up the courage to talk to one or two attendees before making a beeline for the refreshments and enjoying a few moments of refuge. When you hear the word "networking," is this the type of experience that comes to mind?Attending events in D.C. and meeting new people is important (and, trust me, it gets easier!), but there's more to building a network than simply adding new people to it. Your network is already larger than you think.I was once asked to write down the names of 100 people whom I consider to be part of my network. Daunting! But after struggling for a while, I was given categories to consider: family, friends, classmates, teachers, co-workers, teammates, Happy Hour crew … and the list went on. Thinking of 100 people was suddenly quite easy. When looking for a job in D.C., it's common to only think of the "big fish," the people with clout who you assume will help you get where you want to go. I meet with many jobseekers who want to work on specific Capitol Hill committees, but they aren't sure how to get there due to their lack of Hill experience and connections. They do have valid concerns, but many of them also make the common mistake of underestimating their networks. Think about your ideal position and work backward. To continue with the Congressional committee example, learn who serves on the committee and figure out their connections. Then follow the chain backward until you find a personal connection of your own. Approach that person about making an introduction for you to the next person up the chain. It's true that D.C. is built on networking, but you may already have a stronger network than you realize. Don't let it go to waste. >

The Leadership institute recently hosted more than 90 students at the July Youth Leadership School. The Institute's flagship training brought many young conservatives together from all over the U.S.Dan Quiggle, a faculty member at the Leadership Institute (LI) and a business entrepreneur by trade, kicked the training off with the “The Real Nature of Politics” lecture, which confronts a popular misconception of conservative activists. “You're not going to win just because your heart is pure,” Dan stated. “The fact is that political technology determines political success.”The lecture titled “Prepare for Leadership” was taught by Peggy Grande, a ten-year staff member to President Ronald Reagan during his post-presidency years. During the lecture, she discussed developing a written plan, adhering to a timeline, initial organizational activities, youth campaign headquarters, and senior campaign relations were regarded in great depth. In her opening remarks Peggy gave some advice to the many aspiring politicos in the room.“I didn't come from a political family,” Peggy said. “The way that I achieved my goals was by being constantly available and always arriving earlier and staying later than anyone else. If you make that effort to stand out through excellence you will find success.”Matt Kneece, LI's director of the Youth Leadership School (YLS) department and a veteran of six campaigns, also delivered several lectures throughout the weekend.Many students found his talk on building a conservative organization especially insightful. Megan Lowe, a rising senior and founder of Young Women for America at Cedarville University in Ohio, said: “I learned so many new ways to get my message out – whether with balloon posters, flash flyers, or special projects. These are methods that can be easily done on campus.”LI YLS Intern Pamela Meyerhofer delivered her first lecture on how to effectively organize high schools for the conservative cause. “High schoolers are different than college students,” Pamela said. “In order to be successful in utilizing them, you must understand the differences.”In fact, one of the young high school attendees hopes to use her training to organize the youth vote at her at school.Martha Crosby, a soon-to-be U.S. citizen and passionate conservative leader generously described her experience:“After taking the YLS, I am devoted in becoming an exemplary leader for my university and as a U.S. citizen. With the knowledge I have absorbed, I know I can get there.” >

Last week 985 conservatives celebrated Independence Day at the 41st National Fourth of July Conservative Soiree at Bull Run Park in Centreville, Virginia. From first-time attendees to decade-long friends in the conservative movement, all found something to enjoy at the Soiree – whether it was the petting zoo, face painting, and moon bounce for the kids or great food and barbeque, field games, and patriotic speeches, fun for all ages.Cal Thomas, a conservative columnist and Fox News Watch panelist, delivered a moving keynote speech about the true meaning of independence, and how it must be fought for and defended by each generation.The day's other speakers continued on that theme.“The ultimate meaning of the Fourth of July,” said Morton Blackwell, Leadership Institute president, “is the independence of the United States, which certainly is one of the great events in world history.”In his speech to the audience, George Allen, former Virginia governor, said, “The spirit of our country is the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal and that we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... And those are the enduring principles of our country that we need to rededicate ourselves to every Independence Day.”Public figures and conservative leaders joined the Soiree celebrations, including Jim Gilmore, former Virginia governor; George Allen, former Virginia governor and senator; Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia Attorney General; and Pat Mullins, Virginia Republican Party chairman. (Note that the Leadership Institute does not endorse or oppose candidates for public office.)Southern California college student Maurice Lewis was especially inspired by the Soiree.“This whole experience is giving such inspiration for my conservative newspaper,” said Maurice Lewis, a college student in southern California. He attended a Youth Leadership School at the Leadership Institute just three days later. “Great people on a great day with a great message.”The soiree had many conservative organizations as partners.Grand patron included 60 Plus Association, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Fairfax Christian School, Generation Opportunity, Government Is Not God, Leadership Institute, Let Freedom Ring, Morgan, Meredith & Associates, National Right to Work Committee, Regent University, and the Washington Examiner.Patrons included: Eagle Forum, The Family Foundation, Family Research Council, and Stephen Clouse & Associates.Co-sponsors: Heritage Foundation, National Rifle Association, Science and Environmental Policy Project, Trimark Corporation, Restoration America 2012, and Young America's Foundation.>

Last Thursday the Leadership Institute hosted its largest ever on-site training: 149 DC summer interns from 60 organizations, including 16 Capitol Hill offices, from around DC came for the free, day-long Conservative Intern Workshop. From 9 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. conservative interns from various organizations around the DC area took part in thorough training encompassing many areas from networking to proper professional attire. Eight faculty spoke throughout the day. The first was LI's Vice President of Development Steve Sutton, a former chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 14 years. Steve spoke about how to find job opportunities in public policy, and railed against a popular trend he often sees. “So many people come to DC wanting to work on the Hill,” Steve said. “They end up waiting tables, and then go home. Don't go home! There are so many opportunities off of the Hill!”Among the many Conservative Intern Workshop speakers, Conservative Leadership PAC Executive Director Lance Wheeler stood out in his commentary about making a positive first impression.“A good first impression is a good lasting impression,” Lance said. “An internship is just an extended interview. Always be putting your best effort forward.”Liberty Consulting, Inc. Intern Anna Shoffner described the workshop as, “Extremely beneficial! They really rolled out the red carpet for us interns to equip us as activists, and I feel like I learned from wonderful people--both other interns and Leadership Institute staff!”After attending the workshop, Campaign for Liberty Intern Sarah Harvard said: “After completing the LI Intern workshop, I feel more confident than ever to follow my political ambitions. It is such an honor and privilege to have prominent individuals to enlighten my knowledge of careers in politics. From resumes to first impressions, from dressing for interviews to networking, and from the principles of excellence to the nature of politics, I was able to understand the world of politics. I encourage all interns to take the intern workshop -- it may change the way you see DC for the better!”Additional training opportunities with LI were detailed. LI reinforced its leading role as the go to place for conservative career advice. Interns were given tours of LI's facilities including LI Studios, given comprehensive Program Catalogs of all LI's course offerings, introduced to LI's Employment Placement Service, given resume advice, and taught how to become an indispensable asset as an intern and beyond.Workshop organizer Heather Homan, LI's political training coordinator, said: "I am pleased 149 interns took advantage of the opportunity to network with other liberty-minded conservatives in the DC area at our Conservative Intern Workshop. We brought in seasoned political veterans to share their tips and secrets on how to survive DC and stand out as an intern. The information these interns learned such as networking effectively and understanding the REAL nature of politics are lessons I hope they continue to use well past their current internships."LI also offers internships each fall, spring, and summer. Go here for more information. >

Earlier this week, more than 30 students attended the Leadership Institute's Public Relations School where they learned branding, mass communications, media relations, one-on-one communication, and pitching.Advantage, Inc. Vice President of Operations Jim Eltringham kicked off the training by teaching message development and hammered home the importance of emotion in crafting messages. “There has to be emotion,” Jim said. “It has to tug on your heart strings. You don't win elections on ideas and politics alone.”He emphasized the need for politicians to identify with the voters: “People don't want labels. They want leaders. They want solutions. The audience wants to know what you are going to do to solve their problems.”Leadership Institute Director of Digital Communications Abby Alger spoke about how to promote messages through social media. “We expect people to be relatable and real,” she said.Scott Hogenson, senior vice president for Dezenhall Resources, began the second night of training with a lecture on public relation strategies.“The world of journalism is changing, and it is changing fast,” Scott told attendees.He emphasized the importance of learning how to handle negative information correctly. If you can't get around releasing the negative information, then you need to make sure you have a plan ready and in place.Lindsey Mask, founder of Ladies America & Ladies International, closed the second night off by telling attendees her personal experience with branding an organization.Lindsey expressed that being passionate about your job and the work you do is the key to success. In addition, there is also a strong need for focus. She encouraged the students to write down their biographies and reflect on their goals.“Know thyself,” Lindsey encouraged attendees. “Accept your strengths and weaknesses.”Leading the final night of the school, Mark Pfeifle, communication and outreach strategist with S4 Inc., spoke on crisis management.Mark taught how to deal with crises in a live-action role play where students were divided into two groups, Democratic leaders versus Republican leaders, and had to craft messages for their side assuming Obamacare was ruled unconstitutional.David Daum, who portrayed Speaker of the House John Boehner, found this activity very insightful.“By competing and acting out the crisis strategy of President Obama and Mitt Romney, I felt like I had privileged insight into the minds of their respective public relations teams,” He explained.Garrett Kamp, acting as President Obama, also found value in the activity. “By role-playing as the president, I learned not only how to manage a crisis, but I learned how to predict and respond to my opponent's behavior.”The final speaker, Ian Ivey, senior management advisor at the General Services Administration, taught about one-on-one communication styles.After having the class figure out their own personality style, he had the students partner up and analyze each other's personality style. He then compared the different communication methods used within each group, and taught attendees how to relate to people who are completely opposite.Many students enjoyed this activity and felt their future interactions would greatly benefit from learning these communication techniques. Summer intern for Susan B. Anthony List Santina Scarcella said, “Now I realize there are ways to approach people and I feel more comfortable doing so.”LI's next Public Relations School will be held September 24-26. Go here to register.>

Earlier this month more than 50 conservatives gathered to learn more about online activism.Republican National Committee Digital Victory Director Matt DeLuca started off by teaching the class the basics.Matt hammered home that online grassroots activism is about relationships and authenticity, “You want them to share it. You want them to be involved.”He said that if students only took one thing from his lecture it should be the “importance of recognizing platforms and how to use them to get your message out. Be creative!”President of Braynard Group, Inc. Matt Braynard shared the methods and strategies involved with online fundraising.He talked about the technology behind online fundraising and explained the advantages and disadvantages of each method to attendees.Matt also taught about security strategies and keeping donor information safe, explaining, “Never store credit card numbers. Ever.”Finishing off the evening was the Leadership Institute's Director of Digital Communications Abigail Alger.Abby tied the night together by giving students an outline for putting together their own digital campaign strategy.She covered a variety of topics including: online budgeting, the importance of a database, buying domain names, settingup a good website, email campaigns, using social media, and more. Students who attended the class benefited greatly.“Superb new media workshop – a wealthof information,” said John Bianchi of Hartsdale, NY.Another attendee, Adrian Guillory of Lake Charles, LA, said he “really enjoyed the program and would strongly recommend it to others!”LI's next New Media Workshop will be July 19. Go here to register.>

The Leadership Institute hosted more than 50 conservatives at its rigorous four-day Campaign Management School, part of LI's monthly campaign training series. Lectures ran eight to 10 hours Monday through Thursday, covering everything from political research to buying and developing effective paid media.Adrian Guillory, who recently worked on the Ron Paul 2012 campaign in Louisiana as an intern, was one conservative who attended. The budding activist said, “This was a fun training from leading conservative campaign experts who provide invaluable lessons to achieve election victory.”Day One:Topics included: campaign research, writing a campaign plan, campaign finance, developing a message, polling basics, and campaign structure/organization.Jason Torchinsky, a partner at Holtzman Vogel PLCC, lectured on campaign finance. The lecture explored concepts such as finance-related steps to building a successful campaign, limits, rules, reporting, record keeping, and handling filed complaints.Fred Mullner, an environmental engineer with Eastman Chemical said, “Jason's experience was very obvious and lent a practical aspect to an otherwise very dry subject.” Fred hopes to use the teaching to gain knowledge on how to raise campaign funds successfully.Day Two:Topics included: vote targeting, handling negative information, building coalitions/recruiting volunteers, and contacting voters with phones.Shannon Burns, CEO of Victory Solutions, has dedicated himself and his company to developing technology that empowers conservative causes. In his lecture, Shannon demonstrated the essential nature of phones, how to set up a phone bank, and how to write scripts for volunteers to use when making campaign calls.Governor John Kasich's Regional Liaison Sandra Brasington, a training attendee, found his lecture helpful.“Shannon helped the audience understand clearly the power of phones and voter contacts in campaigns – an aspect that cannot be ignored no matter the size of the race,” Sandra said.Day Three:Topics included: fundraising with events, building a fundraising machine, writing a finance plan, funding a campaign with direct mail, voter mapping, developing a get out the vote effort, and door-to-door strategies.Dan Morgan, president of Morgan, Meredith & Associates, a full-service fundraising firm he founded in 1987, delivered the lecture titled, “Writing a Finance Plan.” During his lecture, Dan emphasized the importance of creating event committees, who to invite (as donors) to a fundraiser, and ways to make a campaign stand out.Day Four:Topics included: latest campaign technologies, compelling voter mail, new rules of paid media, hiring and firing consultants, basics of paid media, tips on handling earned media, and fine tuning a campaign strategy.Tim Wesolek, an executive account manager for NBC25/WHAG-TV, lectured on buying paid media and advice on how to do candidate versus issue ads.Tom Grimes, a Tea Party affiliate from South Bend, Indiana, is no stranger to LI trainings. “This is my fifth LI workshop,” Tom said. “I'm looking forward to building my knowledge to increase my credibility when working with candidates.”Another attendee, Jim Knowlton, said, “This is probably the best training available.” Jim plans on using what he learned to help local state senate and house campaigns. If you are interested in taking LI's monthly campaign trainings, please contact Political Training Coordinator Heather Homan at Heather.Homan@LeadershipInstitute.org>

Just like a Jillian Michaels workout, networking can be tough. Similar to staying in shape, your network is something that can whittle away if you don't actively work at it.And if you're anything like me, networking does not come naturally. I used to be extremely shy, and I didn't see myself ever changing. But I have changed, and so can you! Here are some tips I've found helpful in maximizing my networking skills.1. Practice "let's pretend."Ask yourself, "What would the ideal networker do in this situation?" Pretend that you are that person, and do it. As you consciously emulate good networkers, you can reinvent yourself. You'll never be perfect, but you can make steps that take you closer and closer to becoming a networking guru.2. Adopt a role model.Best case scenario, your role model is also your mentor, helping you, advising you, guiding you, even lending you his network as you build your own. If you can, ask her how she got to where she is now. Attend events with him and take mental notes.3. Take lessons.You're taking one now as you read this blog, but there are other educational opportunitites that are helpful for overcoming shyness and inexperience. Attend lectures and trainings, such as the Conservative Intern Workshop and the Conservative Career Workshop run by the Leadership Institute, to learn tips for feeling more comfortable in networking situations.4. Join up.Just about any group or organization offers opportunities to make contacts and grow personally and professionally, which you can tailor to your career and your personal hobbies. Join political groups, teach Sunday school, and, of course, take a fitness class at your local gym. Surround yourself with people you aspire to be more like. Networking doesn't just happen at stuffy cocktail parties. Look for fun opportunities to meet other people.5. Have a little faith......in yourself. Dale Carnegie summed it up well: "You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Which is another way of saying that the way to make a friend is to be one." Remember that networking is a two-way street. Your motivations do not have to be selfish. Focus on establishing relationships.I send you off with a maxim from networking expert Harvey Mackay: "The more you exercise your networking muscles, the stronger they get - and the easier networking becomes." Give yourself opportunities to practice, and have patience while learning.>

The Adam Smith Awards Dinner is Wednesday, June 6 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium at 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW in Washington, D.C.The dinner will recognize two individuals who are “2012 Champions of Free Enterprise” by bestowing two awards. The first is the Public Official Award, which will be given to Honorable Harold D. Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He will be introduced by Honorable Haley Barbour, former Governor of Mississippi.The second is the Business Citizen Award, which will be given to Bernadette Budde, senior vice president of political analysis at BIPAC. Bernadette will be introduced by Bob LaBrant, senior vice president of political affairs and general counsel at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.The sponsors reception begins at 6 p.m. with the supporters reception at 6:30 p.m. and the dinner and program beginning at 7:15 p.m.Dress is business attire and valet parking is available.The dinner is sponsored by Friends of Adam Smith Foundation, BIPAC, Verizon Communications, CQRoll Call, Brown-Forman Corporation, National Association of Manufacturers, and many others at the silver and bronze sponsorship levels.For more information and sponsorship opportunities, call 703-761-1505 or email FOAS@hayespr.com.Adam Smith “believed that ‘wealth' is not an accumulation of gold, but the development of farms, factories, cheap fuel, good streets, good schools and efficient transportation,” the invitation says. “In effect, the ‘wealth' of a nation is made up of the productive energies of its people. The influence of his work is so great that Smith is considered the founder of the study of economics and is widely credited with defining and establishing the concept of free market capitalism.”The Leadership Institute is the sole producer and distributor of Adam Smith ties and products in the United States.Dubbed by Time Magazine, “the neckpiece of conservative Washington,” the Adam Smith tie's distinguished history goes back to 1968. Men may purchase ties and cuff links and for women, LI offers scarves.If you are interested in purchasing this attire, please go here or contact Cathy Graham at CGraham@LeadershipInstitute.org >

Peggy Hutt is an all-American woman. Born in Ohio, she was raised in Southern California, stationed to Utah by the military, then moved in 1985 with her husband to Seattle, Washington for his job, and she's been in Washington state ever since.Previously, Peggy was a U.S. Air Force fighter jets electrician, a development laboratory researcher in the Department of Defense division of a major equipment and electronics company, and a stay-at-home mom of two.Now, Peggy recruits and organizes conservatives in the state of Washington as the state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots and co-founder/coordinator of the Tacoma Narrows Tea Party. On Tuesday, Peggy and the Tacoma Narrows Tea Party (TNTP) hosted their annual Tax Day Rally in their community with around 150 people present. Peggy dressed as a peasant and greeted people saying, “Taxed enough already, me lord!”TNTP's mission is to serve the community by first, bringing candidates and elected officials together with the people; second, motivating citizens to elect their choice candidate; third, educating citizens on the process—caucuses and primaries—to get involved; and fourth, building coalitions with the community.“Leadership Institute training is a must if you want to be successful in any political endeavor, and they make it fun! One thing I learned is that a canvass is not something to paint on,” Peggy said. She continued, “Heck, I took Leadership Institute training and one week later I was asked to be a state coordinator for Tea Party Patriots! So if you hear about LI coming to your town, jump at the opportunity!” Peggy has taken two LI trainings, Fundraising Workshop in Charleston, South Carolina in January 2012 and Campaign Management Workshop in Tacoma, Washington in January 2012. She also watched training videos at LI-hosted LibertyCentralTraining.org in 2011.“The first thing I learned was that LI has wonderful instructors that make learning fun! I came away with numerous concepts to put into play such as the value of networking to grow our groups and build coalitions,” she said.In just the few, short months since TNTP's inception, the group has doubled membership each month.“Another thing we learned from LI training was how to conduct rallies. Rallies provide networking and allow us to build coalitions and work with other groups and businesses,” Peggy said. “We are now making contacts everywhere! Everything is growing and maybe even a bit faster than I thought possible.”TNTP recently hosted its first candidate forum with another group and on Tuesday organized its annual Tax Day Rally through the contacts the group has made.You too can take your life experiences like Peggy and apply them to public policy in your community.Go here for information on the dates for LI's upcoming trainings and locations.Please welcome Peggy as the Leadership Institute Graduate of the Week!To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org. >