Liberty Forum Of Silicon Valley

Damien Schiff It often feels like we are living through a never-ending series of national crises, and that each one provides a fresh justification for the expansion of government authority. But what can a private citizen do against the awesome power of government? How our courts treat constitutional liberties, including how they assure government power remains limited during an emergency, is as critical now as it has ever been. Damien Schiff, Senior Attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, will share how he fights burdensome and arbitrary government action taken during emergencies. His talk will focus on the constitutional basis of emergency powers, the California Emergency Services Act, and how the courts view emergency measures that infringe on property and contract rights. Hear Damien's compelling presentation on how he defends liberty against the power of an overreaching government.

June Gilliam One silver lining to the Covid-19 cloud is that the illusion of Chinese benevolence has been shattered. The world now knows that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will ruthlessly lie to advance its aims, regardless of the cost to others. June Gilliam knows this first-hand. A former member of the CCP, June moved from China to the United States more than twenty years ago. While living here, she discovered that America is a far better place than she had been taught in China. She now speaks regularly to groups across the state, to wake people up to the menace that the communists running China represent. She believes that knowledge is power. Hear June talk about the re-ordering of international relationships that will follow this pandemic and the unmasking of China. Below are two reference links included in the presentation: How the Specter of Communism is Ruling Our World: https://www.theepochtimes.com/how-the-specter-of-communism-is-ruling-our-world-list-of-chapters_2658181.html Editorial: Wherever Ties to the Chinese Communist Party are Close, the CCP Virus Follows: https://www.theepochtimes.com/where-ties-with-communist-china-are-close-the-coronavirus-follows_3268389.html

Why This Crisis is Like No Other ​The COVID-19 crisis hit shockingly hard and fast, and has upended every aspect of our lives, not least our liberties. In much of the United States, it's no longer possible to eat at a restaurant, attend a sporting event, worship at a church, or visit a loved one at a nursing home. In a darkly ironic twist, we are releasing convicted criminals from prison but arresting lone surfers and parents whose only offense is to visit a park to play with their children. Our First Amendment right to peaceably assemble (just for grins, look up the definition of "inalienable") is but a memory. We are told that it's for our safety, that to disobey is to risk spreading a relentless disease that ravages communities and kills indiscriminately. The result is a crisis like none we have experienced in our lifetimes. It has been compared to a war, albeit against an invisible enemy and with an objective we haven't defined. We've spent trillions of dollars, shuttered thousands of businesses, and destroyed millions of jobs in the battle. Our great-grandchildren will be paying off the new debt we've incurred. Surely we are now mired in recession, if not a new Great Depression the likes of which we haven't seen since the 1930s. ​Worried yet? UC Berkeley's Steven F. Hayward will share his thoughts on this unprecedented catastrophe. ​Mr. Hayward is a Senior Resident Scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, and a visiting professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy. He was previously the Ronald Reagan Distinguished Visiting Professor at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Public Policy, and was the inaugural visiting scholar in conservative thought and policy at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2013-14. From 2002 to 2012 he was the F.K Weyerhaeuser Fellow in Law and Economics at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC, and has been senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco since 1991. He writes frequently for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, National Review, the Weekly Standard, the Claremont Review of Books, and other publications. The author of six books including a two-volume chronicle of Reagan and his times entitled The Age of Reagan: The Fall of the Old Liberal Order, 1964-1980, and The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counter-Revolution, 1980-1989. His most recent book is Patriotism is Not Enough: Harry Jaffa, Walter Berns, and the Arguments That Redefined American Conservatism. He writes daily on Powerlineblog.com, one of the nation's most-read political websites.

Bill Gertz Internationally recognized national security expert, currently National Security Correspondent for The Washington Times. Author of eight books, including four national bestsellers. China's communist propaganda arm tagged him "the No. 1 anti-China expert in the world" in 2006!

Trevor Loudon The Communist Takeover of the Democrat Party For more than 30 years, Trevor Loudon has researched radical left, Marxist and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics. ​Mr. Loudon’s remarkable investigative work has revealed that what is commonly regarded as mainstream political policy is in fact driven and guided by hidden subversive elements. The Democratic party’s consistent defunding of the US military, Obamacare, the Iran Nuclear Deal, normalization of relations with Cuba, Islamic refugee re-settlement, $15 minimum wage, fracking bans, pipeline shutdowns and the push for illegal alien amnesty are all consistent with far-left and Islamist agendas. ​Mr. Loudon believes that these forces must be exposed and countered, as America’s continued role as a bastion of freedom is pivotal for the future of Western civilization.

Michelle Malkin Open Borders, Inc.: Who Is Funding America's Destruction? Until recently, a national consensus held that America should be in control of its border, and that the laws on the books should be applied fairly and dispassionately to determine who can enter the United States. No more. The modern Democratic Party seems to be all-in for open borders, and, until President Trump's insurgent candidacy of 2016 shocked the political world, Republicans were at best tepid in their defense of our borders. ​No country can survive if it doesn't control its own borders. This used to be considered common sense. But now, if you oppose open borders, you will surely be accused of racism if not worse. ​This change didn't happen in a vacuum. Powerful interests with substantial resources (and a penchant for secrecy) helped usher in a new age and new attitudes about immigration. Conservative super-star Michelle Malkin visited the Liberty Forum on Tuesday, Feb 11, 2020 to expose these shadowy actors and reveal who is funding America's destruction.

James Lileks The Midwest vs Coastal Elites: A Family Squabble - Or Civil War? If you ever feel like the United States is splitting into two countries, you aren’t alone. Attitudes in the “Blue” states along the coasts and the “Red” states in the heartland are diverging. It’s as though we can’t even agree on basic facts any more. And the folks who call themselves “tolerant” seem to get less tolerant of disagreement every day. Puzzled? Frustrated? Aggravated? Join the club! (Literally - we’re always looking for new members!) Nationally-syndicated pundit, best-selling author, columnist, podcaster, and blogger James Lileks will share his perspective on the split between the Midwest and the Coastal elites.

Nick Adams Founder, Foundation for Liberty And American Greatness (FLAG) Born and raised in Australia, Nick Adams developed a love and appreciation for America and its founding principles at a young age. He visited the United States for the first time in 2009, and immediately knew he was in a special place. His background has given him a unique perspective on American liberty. He has developed an inspiring message that he loves to share with audiences whenever he can. He has spoken at conventions, corporate meetings, military bases, universities, high schools and churches, in 30 states. Abroad, he has given major addresses in several countries, including England, Germany and South Korea. Nick has appeared on virtually every major television and radio program, and his work has appeared in newspapers around the world. His latest book, Green Card Warrior, detailing his journey to America, received special distinction in March 2017, with President Donald Trump declaring it “a must read.” It was the first time in the history of the United States that a sitting President has ever endorsed a book. Nick immigrated to the United States in 2016. He is the founder of the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness (FLAG), a patriotic group that has emerged as the leading voice for American pride. FLAG promotes American greatness and fights Anti-Americanism, educating the public on American history and patriotic principles. FLAG believes that every person can be enlightened to American greatness. With anti-Americanism growing and Americans fearful about the future, America needs principled, patriotic, and inspired defenders as never before. FLAG educates to meet this need.

John J. Miller Director of the Journalism Program at Hillsdale College Writer for National Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications "Living in the Age of Fake News" The age of Fake News is upon us. CNN has succumbed to Trump Derangement Syndrome. MSNBC seamlessly merges opinion with fact. CBS tries to take down a president with blatant lies, and calls their smears "fake but accurate" when they are caught. Can any reporter be trusted? Surely not every journalist is a biased hack...right? Hear Hillsdale Journalism Chair John J. Miller report on the state of Fake News - why it seems so prevalent; how you can detect it; and what ordinary citizens can do to fight back. Prof. Miller is known to be one of the best literary journalists in the country. He is a gifted speaker with remarkable insights.

Candace Owens BLEXIT! The Black Exodus from the Party of Dependency Superstar Candace Owens is leading the way in showing black Americans that liberty and economic opportunity is a better path forward than dependency on a government handout - and showing them which political party leads the way in the right direction. Candace Owens left the Democrat party in 2016 and launched the BLEXIT movement, showing black Americans that the Democrat Party does NOT have their best interest at heart. Watch her powerful testimony to Congress (along with an absolutely EPIC exchange here) explaining that the real problem facing Black America is not white supremacy (which is a tiny, fringe occurence), but rather the absence of fathers. She is single-handedly leading thousands off the Democrat plantation. Her Twitter exchanges with the likes of Kanye West and Donald Trump have become the stuff of legend. See Candace explain why the Left wants to keep racism alive!

Kay Coles James President of The Heritage Foundation "The Future of the Conservative Movement" Tuesday, September 10 Kay Coles James scared Google so badly, they disbanded an advisory board they created before it could even meet. As President of the Heritage Foundation, America's premiere conservative think tank, Ms. James is an articulate defender of the values of America's founding. Leftists threw a fit when Google put her on an advisory panel earlier this year. Rather than defend the decision to include someone who might not agree with the liberal party line, Google scrapped the panel altogether. (Nothing says "tolerance" like refusing to tolerate a black woman who thinks for herself.) She is no stranger to public policy and leadership. She has been making conservative solutions a reality in all levels of government and academia for over 30 years. She is a thought leader whose position at the helm of the Heritage Foundation cements her legacy as a leading light of the conservative movement.

Andrew C. McCarthy Senior Fellow, National Review "The Real Collusion: The Plot to Destroy the Trump Presidency" The hysteria brought on by the radical left in opposition to President Trump has done incalculable damage to the country. Credulous journalists were convinced that Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Trump administration would reveal collusion with a foreign government that would end his presidency – or at least cripple it, to prevent his policies from being enacted. Instead the Mueller probe ended with a whimper – no collusion. And yet the left persists in repeating its discredited accusations of scandal. Was Mueller's probe legitimate? Or was it, as some believe, a soft coup - an attempt to reverse the 2016 election and take down President Trump. Andrew McCarthy, the prosecutor who gained fame putting the blind sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and his cohorts in prison, has spent countless hours investigating the investigators. Mr. McCarthy is a senior fellow and columnist at National Review. Join us as Mr. McCarthy reveals what he has learned.

COL. Kathy Platoni (Ret.) War Trauma expert What Really Happened at Ft. Hood? Despite saturation media coverage of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, the truth of the event remains shrouded in mystery. War trauma expert Dr. Kathy Platoni witnessed the slaughter first-hand. She will join us to share what really happened the day an Islamic lunatic infiltrated the US Army and murdered his fellow soldiers en masse.

Marc Morano Founder, climatedepot.com "Climate Hustle" Debunking the Climate Change Hoax Tuesday, May 14, 2019 If you listen to liberals, you might think the Earth is constantly on the verge of destruction - and the only way to stop it is to give government more control over your life. Elite liberals are only too happy to sacrifice YOUR lifestyle choices to prevent the disaster on the horizon. And the threat has inexplicably evolved over the past several decades: remember nuclear winter, or global warming? Every time the data doesn't fit the desired conclusion, the rules of the game change. Marc Morano, founder of climatedepot.com, has done phenomenal work exposing the fraud. He is a prominent skeptic of the modern dogma that mankind (and especially the US) is making choices that are causing the climate to change. He is the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change. Learn how you can help defend liberty against the hoax known as Climate Change.

Robert Sirico Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy. Father Robert Sirico is the founder of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. In his popular book, Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy, Rev. Sirico shows how a free economy is not only the best way to meet society's material needs but also the surest protection of human dignity against government encroachment. Animated by a strong sense of social justice, he began a well-intentioned but ill-conceived career in leftist activism until a serious grappling with the principles of economics (and reality) led him to reevaluate his commitments, and discover the moral foundation of a flourishing society.

Rob Long Stop Whining and Start Rolling! How Conservatives Could Own the Culture If They'd Just stop Complaining About It How in the world did Hollywood lurch so comprehensively and sharply to the left? Why does it seemingly hate America and want desperately to change it? Who cares? Award-winning Hollywood writer / producer Rob Long says these are the wrong questions. If conservatives would stop complaining and refocus their energy, says Mr. Long, they could own the culture and take it back from liberals! Just what is it that conservatives need to do to effect this seemingly miraculous turnabout? Mr. Long explains with humor and insight.

Dennis Prager "The Bigger the Government, the Smaller the Citizen" Dennis Prager has long been a star of the liberty movement. His Prager University videos are absolute gems - conservative principles articulated in easy-to-understand 3-5 minute bites. Mr. Prager is a nationally syndicated columnist, a world-class radio host, and a distinguished author, most recently of The Rational Bible: Exodus, which shows how biblical principles are every bit as relevant today as they were when they were first put to paper centuries ago.

Pete Peterson "US Colleges: Irredeemably Leftist...Or Is There Hope?" It's no secret that the Left dominates college campuses in the United States. And this is at all levels - administration, faculty, and students. Administrators routinely help unhinged Leftists exercise a heckler's veto over conservative speakers - shouting them down, threatening violence, and rioting. (Nothing says "I'm fighting fascism" like punching people for disagreeing with you...) Colleges worship diversity, but only certain types: skin color, national origin, sexual preferences. Diversity of opinion? Perish the thought. But - there may be hope. Pete Peterson, Dean of Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy, is a leader of a growing "Viewpoint Diversity" movement that seeks to restore balance to college campuses. Hear his ideas on how "sanity" may soon be back on the syllabus. The following links were referenced in the video: Heterodox Academy Website: http://HeterodoxAcademy.org Passing on the Right (Shields & Dunn) Book: http://www.amazon.com/Passing-Right-Conservative-Professors-Progressive/dp/0199863059 The Righteous Mind (Haidt) Book: http://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777 Tribes & Political Correctness - Atlantic Article: http://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/large-majorities-dislike-political-correctness/572581 Pomona College Climate Survey: http://www.pomona.edu/public-dialogue/survey Partisanship in Social Sciences/Communications Faculty NAS Study: http://www.nas.org/articles/homogenous_political_affiliations_of_elite_liberal

"The Midterms: What the Heck Just Happened???" Andrew Klavan has many personalities: pundit, author, screenwriter, podcaster, but, most importantly, a hilarious commentator with a razor wit and a unique ability to see and convey the humor in today's events. In this video, Andrew shares his insights into the 2018 midterm elections, and helps us understand: what just happened???

David French The Threat of Intolerance How the First Amendment Can Keep the United States From Disintegrating The radical Left (nearly indistinguishable from the modern Democrat party) preaches tolerance but practices the opposite. Their philosophy is a short and dangerous syllogism: 1. Anyone who disagrees with me is a fascist 2. It's ok to punch fascists This is a recipe for disaster. Hear David French explain how the First Amendment can protect us from the dark path the Left would put us on. The "safety valve" of free speech is indispensable to maintaining a tolerable level of civility that may otherwise be lost. Mr. French is a National Review Institute Fellow, and a veteran of the Iraq war. He is one of the preeminent defenders of liberty in the United States, having argued First Amendment cases at the Supreme Court in which the boundaries of free speech and freedom of religion were at stake.

Dan Bongino is a former Secret Service agent who has gone on to become one of the most articulate and well-recognized critics anywhere of the corruption in the swamp known as Washington DC. He’s a regular commentator on Fox News, CRTV, and NRA TV, and is a top-rated podcaster. Dan’s commentary is heard and seen by millions of people every day.

Reihan Salam The Impact of Immigration - Melting Pot - or Civil War? Reihan Salam, the son of immigrants, asks the explosive question: will the America of the future be peaceful and united, or will it be wracked by the intense ethnic and class conflicts that have undermined once-prosperous countries in Europe? The answer, says Mr. Salam, hinges on how we as a society choose to manage immigration. If we continue on our current course in which immigration policy is dominated by wealthy insiders who profit from the status quo, argues Mr. Salam, the rise of a new ethnic underclass is assured. But if we have the courage to break with the past and to craft an immigration policy that serves our long-term national interests, the future will be brighter for America and the wider world.

Larry Elder The First 500 Days of the Trump Administration ATTENTION: DO NOT VIEW THIS LIBERTY FORUM EVENT IF: You suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome You kneel for the National Anthem You think you are fighting fascism when you punch people you disagree with You think America was never great For the rest of you - here is a chance to see international media star Larry Elder, the Sage from South Central! He gave us his unique spin on the first 500 days of the Trump administration. If you love liberty, think America is great, and stand for the anthem, you'll have a great time.

Brad Dacus Founder / President, Pacific Justice Institute Would You Want the DMV Raising YOUR Child??? Parental Rights and Other Civil Liberties The idea of the DMV raising your child sounds ridiculous. Who could possibly want that? But it may not be as far-fetched as it seems. The national lurch to the left under Barack Obama put the government in charge of your health care, your bank, your car - even your toilet. And even as President Trump begins to roll back the regulatory Leviathan, California's radical leftists continue to run (you might say "ruin") the state and push government into more areas it has no business in. So why not take over your role as a parent? Brad Dacus founded the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) to defend parental rights and prevent exactly the sort of nightmare scenario the Left desires. Under Mr. Dacus' brilliant and determined leadership, PJI has developed a stellar reputation as a staunch defender of civil liberties.

Mona Charen "The Feminine Mystique"? In the Age of the #MeToo Movement, "The Feminine Mistake" might be more apt. Nationally syndicated columnist and bestselling author Mona Charen shares her insights on the modern feminist movement and its disconnect with science, love, and common sense. Long before we knew of Harvey Weinstein and #MeToo, Mona Charen was researching the feminist movement - understanding its origins, laying out its inconsistencies, and warning of its pitfalls. Her keen wit and sharp eye have been entertaining and informing her audience for more than three decades. See for yourself!