National Conservative Student Conference Young America's Foundation will host the 26th annual National Conservative Student Conference at George Washington University, August 1-7. Student activities during the six-day conference will include lectures, discussions, a White House and other policy briefings, and a workshop on how to detect textbook bias. Students will hear from such luminaries in the conservative movement as former Reagan Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III, Jeane Kirkpatrick, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Terence Jeffrey, editor of HUMAN EVENTS, Bay Buchanan, TV host and president of The American Cause, Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute, Walter Williams, professor of economics at George Mason University, Mark Skousen, Ph.D., author and editor of Forecasts & Strategies (a sister publication of HUMAN EVENTS), game-show host and author Ben Stein, and Ron Robinson, president of Young America's Foundation. For additional information call the Foundation at 1-800-USA-1776 or visit the YAF website. Report Backs Bush Tax Cuts Extension In order to sustain a strong recovery, the investment incentives of Bush's tax cuts must be renewed, while those that deal with social policy should receive lesser priority, says the Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation (IRET). Therefore, IRET suggests pursuing policies that encourage investment, citing the 50% special "bonus expensing" provision enacted in 2002 (which provided incentives for investment in equipment and software) as the most important element of Bush's tax cuts:
After Bush's tax cuts, real private investment in equipment and software grew from about $840 billion in 2002 to more than $960 billion today.
Conversely, areas unaffected by the expensing provision, namely investment in non-residential structures, saw investment steadily decline-falling from $260 billion in 2002 to less than $240 billion midway through 2004. IRET cautions, however, that tax cuts work to promote economic growth only if they improve incentives at the margin to work, save, and invest to earn more income. The social policy provisions of Bush's tax cuts like marriage penalty relief and the expanded child credit only consume revenue and do little to spur economic growth. Giving back a few hundred dollars to selected groups does not boost demand or GDP because the government ends up borrowing back an equal amount to fund the deficit. (Source: Stephen J. Entin, "Renew Bonus Expensing to Keep Recovery Strong," Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation, May 2004.) For the full text of this report, click here. National Right to Life Convention Over 1,000 pro-life grassroots activists gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Crystal City, Va., July 1-3, for the 32nd Annual National Right to Life Convention. The convention featured panels for teens, young adults, college/graduate school students, and others. A host of speakers addressed the convention, which included: Virginia Atty. Gen. Jerry Kilgore, Bobby Schindler (brother of Terry Schiavo), and several women who offered a post-abortion perspective on pro-life issues. Students attending had an opportunity to question post-abortive women of all ages about how to reach teen and college-age women on issues of fetal pain, the damage of abortion on the mental psyche of the mother, and the impact an abortion has on the life of the woman. The conference held seminars about legislation concerning fetal pain, Lacie and Connor's Law and euthanasia. For information on the 2005 National Right to Life Convention, visit the NRLC website. CWA Celebrates Silver Anniversary Concerned Women for America (CWA) will celebrate its 25th anniversary during the CWA national convention, September 17-18, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. Confirmed speakers include: Dr. Jerry Falwell, Chancellor of Liberty University, Dr. Ergun Caner, author of Unveiling Islam, Michael P. Farris, President of Patrick Henry College, and others. For more information, including additional details on registering for the convention, call: 1-800-458-8797 or visit the CWA website. Accuracy in Academia Annual Convention Over 65 students from across the U.S., France and other West European nations gathered at Georgetown University to attend the Accuracy in Academia annual convention from July 15-17. Attendees heard from speakers on panels that discussed the anti-military and anti-conservative bias on America's college campuses. Star Parker's address highlighted the fact that liberal welfare policies keep minorities dependent on the welfare state and federal subsidies. She argued that more and more minorities are beginning to see through that deception. African-American support for Democratic candidates for office has been steadily decreasing since Bill Clinton left office. Eagle Forum's Jessica Echard spoke on the failure of feminism to speak to all women by excluding women on the right in an address titled: You are not marching for me, in reference to the so-called "March for Women's Lives," held last year in D.C. She noted that abortions do more to hurt women than help and reminded attending youth that "Abortion stops a beating heart, and if the child is female, does nothing to help protect her life, her rights, or her well being."
