August CEO Update
This week was a dynamic gathering of leaders and legislators, young and old, from both sides of the aisle.
What a week!
Right in the middle of the Mile High City, we experienced miles of excitement as our 51st Annual Meeting hit the high notes in downtown Denver, Colorado. Nearly 1,500 state lawmakers and business leaders from across the nation gathered to discuss policy solutions that will shape America’s future.
We opened Wednesday with an in-depth discussion on Universal Education Freedom with former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (who also happens to co-chair our Education Freedom Alliance with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds) and Center for Education Reform Founder & CEO Jeanne Allen. If Education Freedom isn’t a reality in your state, it should be at the top of your agenda for the next legislative session. We wrapped up the lunch with a round of applause, as Arkansas Representative Mindy McAlindon received an award from Consumers’ Research for her work battling the progressive agenda in the Natural State.
Thursday morning, the realities of the southern border crisis were brought to light by a panel of ALEC board members. Kansas Senate President and ALEC National Chair Ty Masterson, Texas State Senator Phil King, Michigan Leader Matt Hall, and Florida Representative Demi Busatta detailed their visit to Eagle Pass, Texas earlier this year. Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright then shared his vision for a return to energy independence with a focus on the reliable, affordable, options that America has at her fingertips.
That afternoon, we heard of the continuing assaults upon Israel and America’s Jewish population following the October attacks, as Aryeh Lightstone, Florida Representative Randy Fine, Texas State Senator Phil King, and Harvard student Shabbos Kestenbaum shared their first-hand experiences of abuse by supporters of Hamas.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt then brought the audience to their feet with a message of education freedom, energy independence, and cutting bureaucratic red tape. Though a tough act to follow, National Taxpayers Union’s Leah Vukmir (ALEC 2016 National Chair) did just that with a breakdown of the pitfalls found in 340B.
But Friday – Friday was something to see.
Following an opening prayer and a call for unity from former Texas Governor Rick Perry, ALEC members were treated to a conversation between Presidential Medal of Freedom award winner Dr. Arthur Laffer and Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Covering a wide range of policy issues including property taxes, education, and healthcare, the Governor highlighted his state’s success on hospital price transparency and reiterated his desire to eventually eliminate income taxes entirely in Colorado.
Closing as we opened, with Universal Education Freedom, I was honored to take part in a fireside chat with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Not only was she hands-on, boots on the ground during the recent floods, but she’s been at the helm at one of the greatest successes in education freedom that our country has ever seen.
This week was a dynamic gathering of leaders and legislators, young and old, from both sides of the aisle, as we continue our legacy of empowering today’s state leaders to shape America’s future through our unwavering commitment to limited government, free markets, and federalism. Our members worked through an ALEC-record 82 draft model policies. Our conversations were robust and diverse, addressing the innovation found in education freedom, pushing back against extreme progressive policies, and promoting policies to help American businesses to thrive.
For those who traveled near and far to Denver, excellent work! If you couldn’t make it, know that you were missed – and that you missed an invaluable opportunity to engage with critical issues and broaden your network. Either way, please make sure to join us in Washington, D.C., for our States and Nation Policy Summit later this year, and savor these final days of summer.
