Leadership Program of the Rockies

LPR 2008: Where we've been, where we're going

(Matt Arnold & Christine Mastin, President & Vice-President, LPR 2008)

It is a bittersweet feeling to be writing the final article of the 2008 LPR class session.  On the one hand, we can look back with a tremendous sense of appreciation for the outstanding speakers and discussions we've enjoyed, and the great opportunity to get to know a fantastic group of people in this year's class; on the other hand, we don't want it to end!  With that in mind, Christine and I would like to share a few thoughts on where we've been with this year's class, and where we're going (to infinity and beyond!).

LPR 2007-2008:  A Reflection (Christine Mastin)

From the first class, I knew I was in for an education that would change the way I would think about not only politics, but who we are as Americans and where we need to be as a nation.  The fact that we had classmates with the same commitment to learning and action provided a lasting encouragement and motivation for me.  Class discussions were lively, sometimes heated, but always intellectually challenging.  When I reflect on the class, I recall moments and words that I will always carry with me.  I will forever remember our first speak-out with the Honorable Bob Schaffer.  I will remember how I hesitated to speak yet felt the need to do so.  I will remember to fight the voices that tell me to stay seated and quiet.  The principles we have been reminded of are too important for us to stay seated and quiet.  Our reading of Atlas Shrugged was also a watershed moment for a number of us.  The book brought so many of the principles to life and was very instructive.  Not a day goes by that I fail to hear so many 'Jim Taggarts' and 'Lillian Reardons' in our present day and time.  However, it makes me doubly thankful to hear the Dagny Taggarts among us.  LPR has armed us all for the battle, the battle for the minds and hearts of our own people; the battle for our founding principles; the battle for the future of our nation.  I know I will see you all out in the field in the years to come; know that you have a friends in the foxhole!

President's view:

Looking back :

Hopefully everyone has taken advantage of the opportunity to be apprised of upcoming (political) events via LPR alum Dan Kopelman's excellent Colorado Events E-mail newsletter, if not, you can sign up by E-mailing Dan at events@dankopelman.com (a great way to find out about what's going on each week).  The newsletter is also a great source of information on local, regional, and topical clubs & organizations with an LPR-friendly flavor, take advantage of this superb (and free!) resource and get involved!

On a less serious note, LPR social events (both organized and informal) have been a highlight of more than a few late nights and long weekends (I think I achieved maybe 8 hours of sleep over the ENTIRE 1^st weekend of the LPR session).  Happy hours (and hours), pub crawls, trivia bowls (yes, it's true, your LPR leaders really are smarter than a college freshman) and the quarterly breakfast series provide entertainment, deep philosophical discussion and those all-important networking opportunities for future leaders.

Looking forward:

Perhaps we're just LPR junkies, but are hopefully not alone in wishing to capture and continue the unique experience of the program.  Whether formally or informally, we'd like to spur the development of regional LPR alumni chapters that get together more than once in a blue moon, and we'll be working on the next enhancement to the LPR website to facilitate this process.  Likewise, we'll be pushing for topical groups (affinity clusters) to develop some structure, organization, and a home on the website as well.

Although the LPR book club has gotten off to a rather slow start so far, I'm looking forward to pursuing that through the summer reading season and beyond, and, as always, am open to more suggestions for relevant, interesting, and topical book titles (in addition to the focused and directed discussion of the book club per se, we'll be adding a 'virtual bookshelf' section to, you guessed it, the LPR website).

In addition to the LPR 2008 class picnic (time/location to be announced, stay tuned!), I'm particularly proud to announce a major initiative coming to fruition this summer:

• The Summer Debate Series is a go! In the spirit of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and inspired by the movie �201C;The Great Debaters�201D;, LPR alums will have an opportunity to see their own in action �2013; taking on the hot-button topics of Energy, Healthcare, and Education policy (for starters) starting in July �2013; stay tuned for the exact times & locations of what promises to be a very informative and entertaining series of policy debates on a deeper level (no 30-second soundbites or redirects).

So although we close out this year�2019;s class with graduation this Friday the 13th, it is our fervent hope �2013; and plan �2013; to be seeing more of you at future LPR and other events. 

Best of fortune to you all �2013; it�2019;s been a great year!

Matthew Arnold and Christine Mastin,

President and Vice President, LPR Class of 2008

Dear ,

Best,

Shari Williams, President

APPLY NOW for the LPR Class of 2008-2009.  Visit our website to pull down a PDF or apply directly on line.  Applications are due by Friday, August 29, 2008.

Board of Directors

The Hon. Bob Schaffer-Chairman
Alex Cranberg
Helen Krieble
Ed McVaney
Mark Hillman
The Hon. Jeannie Reeser
Shari Williams-President

Recent Class Speakers

The Honorable John Andrews- John Andrews is a Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute and chairman of Backbone America, a national citizens alliance that champions the principles of the American founding.  Backbone America is based in Colorado and is sponsored by the Claremont Institute.

Peter Brooks- Peter Brooks is a Senior Fellow at The Heritage Foundation.  He develops and communicates Heritage's stance on foreign policy and national security affairs through media appearances, research, published articles, congressional testimony and speaking engagements.  He is a congessionally-appointed member of the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission, serving his second term. 

Troy Eid- Troy Eid is the United State Attorney for the Distric of Colorado.  He serves as Colorado's chief federal criminal prosecutor and represents the United State in civil cases where teh government is a party to a lawsuit.  Nominated by President Bush, Troy was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate and took office in August 2006.

Helen Krieble- Helen Krieble is the founder and president of the Vernon K Krieble Foundation, a private foundtion dedicated to public policy and Americ's Founding principles.  She has served on numerous boatds and commissions, is the recipient of dozens of awards and is active in many organizations working to support free enterprise and entrepreneurship nationally and internationally. 

Yaron Brook- Dr. Brook is a prominent advocate for Objectivism, the philosophy originated by novelist Ayn Rand.  As president of the Ayn Rand Institute, an educational organization based in California, he appears frequently on national TV and radio to discuss current events and issues from the Objectivist viewpoint.  He is a regular guest on CNBC and has made frequent appearances on Fox News, including on the O'Reilly Factor.  As an expert on foreign policy and the Middle East, he is interviewed for his answers to a range of questions related to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the war in Iraq, the Iranian threat and Totalitarian Islam and terrorism. 

Each month LPR�2019;s current leadership class explores a different series of current issues relative to both National and State policy.  Future leaders are encouraged to continually and practically apply the fundamental principles set forth in the U.S. Constitution and subsequently develop the ability to critically examine, defend and discuss the aforementioned virtues with knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  The following expose is a synopsis from the class focused on Empowering the Individual. 

Health Care & Education - Let's empower individual choice!

Lenina Close

Education and healthcare are amongst the hottest personal and political issues of our time. 

Each system is struggling against bureaucratic procedures while failing to meet the most basic of objectives.

Dr. Vernard Gant, Director of Urban School Services asserts that we have a moral obligation to educate all children, that all children are worth educating, and every child is worth saving.  �201C;For every child we fail to educate effectively, we all pay.�201D;  Most of us would agree whole-heartedly.

Dr. Gant went on to explain that the education system is a �201C;peculiar system�201D;, which he defined as a structure where the decision makers �201C;don�2019;t practice personally what they preach politically.�201D;  Comparing education and school choice to the civil rights movement, Dr. Gant described the children as voiceless, disempowered and trapped in a system that has let them down.  �201C;We are losing children every day because we are arguing policy while their schools fail them.�201D;  The status quo, the mediocre education the children are receiving can only be changed by a strong stand for parental choice �2013; the choice to educate all children in the best way for that individual child.

On the healthcare front, Dr. Rulan Stacey, President of the Poudre Valley Health Systems discussed similar concerns in a health care system where medical treatment is perceived as a right, instead of a privilege and new hospital beds cost approximately a million dollars each.  Medical management has become a colossal system of government regulations that has permeated every aspect of the business.  Competition and free market principles have been abandoned and health care is failing both patients and medical providers. 

Both Dr. Gant and Dr. Stacey espoused a strong challenge to get personally involved.  Individual freedom and choice has been curtailed in many (most) areas of American life.  The quintessence of liberty is the ability to make choices based upon personal responsibility for one�2019;s own good thus driving the market in the direction of results oriented service and competitive enterprise.   Get involved and stay involved�2026;your liberty depends on it.

Upcoming Events

Friday, August 29-  LPR Application Due for 2008-2009 LPR Class.