On October 1st, Washington Policy Center hosted it's Annual Dinner featuring 2008 Columbia Award Recipient Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic. 2008 Stanley O. McNaughton Champion of Freedom Award Recipient Phil Smart, Sr. was also honored. Commenting on the 2008 election was the Executive Editor of The Weekly Standard and FOX News Commentator Fred Barnes.
Our Annual Dinner Welcomed More than 1,000 People for a Night of Celebration and Insight. You can watch the dinner on TVW, October 13th at 12:00am, 8:00am and 4:00pm. Watch the video online here:
Transcripts of speeches:
Czech Republic President Václav Klaus
Phil Smart, Sr.
Fred Barnes
On Wednesday, October 1, more than 1,000 people gathered at the Seattle Sheraton for the Northwest's premier policy event: Washington Policy Center's Annual Dinner.
Master of Ceremonies Susan Hutchison graciously led the event, which began with FOX News commentator and Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes discussing the 2008 election.
Master of Ceremonies Susan Hutchison graciously led the event, which began with FOX News commentator and Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes
discussing the 2008 election.
"I'm not only familiar with Washington Policy Center and state free-market think tanks," Barnes said, "I'm a great admirer of them." "They have become crucial, indispensible, in influencing state governments in favor of freedom and against statism." "There are these think tanks in all 50 states, but of course Washington Policy Center was right at the forefront of this movement." "I congratulate Washington Policy Center for being a part of this tremendous movement across America."
WPC honored local entrepreneur and philanthropist Phil Smart, Sr., with the 2008 Stanley O. McNaughton Champion of Freedom Award. Phil, who volunteers countless hours helping sick kids at Children's Hospital in Seattle, gave an inspiring talk about the importance of selfless giving. In an age where people look more to the government for helping the less fortunate, Phil spoke to the heart of charity on an individual level.
He spoke of the time we have in our day-to-day lives, particularly our time that is free for us to use as we choose. "Those eight hours we can spend as we see fit, perhaps personal involvement in the eight areas of social pain which curse every village, town, city and metropolis in our world: the hurt, the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed, the young, the old, the illiterate, and the drugged." "As a dreamer, a visionary perhaps, I submit that if the millions in our world become involved in one of these eight areas of pain, one-to-one, together we might do what? Change the world."
Phil Smart's uplifting talk so moved President Klaus that he came over to personally thank him amidst the crowd's applause.
After being introduced by Charles Simonyi and receiving WPC's 2008 Columbia Award, Czech Republic President Václav Klaus spoke of three growing threats to democracy--one in his own country, one in Europe, and another that is sweeping the world (his remarks are available online here).
President Klaus told the enraptured audience about how the European Union is weakening democracy and free enterprise in Europe, and how global warming alarmism is expanding government power.
His insight into the European Union is particularly important because the Czech Republic is slated to lead the EU in 2009.
"Entering the EU did not increase our freedom, or democracy, or our sovereignty. It brought us more of regulation and more of extensive government intervention."
"The EU's welfare system, the EU's protectionism, the EU's legal and regulatory burdens on business, the EU's quasi 'competition policy', the EU's pension and health care systems, the European Single Currency arrangements, etc. are very real. They result in the losing of democracy in favor of pan-European bureaucratic organizations located in Brussels that tend to restrain freedom, democracy and democratic accountability, not to speak about economic efficiency, entrepreneurship and competition."
President Klaus' final remark on the European Union is hard-hitting: "The EU becomes the embodiment of postdemocracy, which is something the free people should never accept."
He cited another growing threat to democracy: the alarmist global warming ideology.
"I am frustrated that is has not been sufficiently challenged both inside and especially outside of climatology, he said. Many people have doubts about it but remain publicly more or less silent. We keep hearing one-sided propaganda regarding the greenhouse hypothesis, but do not hear serious counter-arguments."
President Klaus pointed out several factors in global warming alarmism that pose a threat to democracy:
1. The discussion of global warming and the process of dealing with it "is in the hands of a group of climatologists (and other related scientists) who are highly motivated to look in one direction only because a large number of academic careers has in the last couple of years evolved around the idea of man-made global warming."
2. It is "also in the hands of politicians who maximize the number of votes they seek to get from the electorate on the basis of whatever idea they could profit from. And the idea of man-made global warming is very seductive, politically promising and expedient."
3. As a consequence of political decisions, the process is controlled by "bureaucrats of national and more often of international institutions who try to maximize their budgets and years of careers regardless the costs, truth and rationality."
4. It is also greatly influenced by an industry spawned by global warming alarmism. This industry manipulates the policymaking process to obtain vast government subsidies and bolster its own interests.
The president also raised some important questions we ought to consider: "Should a moderate temperature increase bother us more than many other pressing problems we face and should it receive our extraordinary attention at the expense of many competing problems? Are current attempts to mitigate global warming the best allocation of our scarce resources?...If we want to change the climate, can it be done? And what will be the consequences of such ambitions of ours?"
The solutions to challenges posed by climate change, Klaus argues, will come from creative market forces and not from government regulation: "We know--with certainty--one thing. The consequences of climate changes--if there are any--will be solved, like any other changes and challenges in the past, by the market and human ingenuity, not by the government masterminding. They will be solved by technology, by growing wealth, by human adjustment, mobility and flexibility, not by government regulation and taxation."
Earlier in the day WPC chairman Greg Porter and president Dann Mead Smith accompanied President Klaus when he visited Starbucks headquarters and met with CEO Howard Schultz, attended a private lunch at the Rainier Club for WPC board members and supporters, and met with Microsoft executives at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond.
Special thanks to all whose efforts, support, and presence made Wednesday evening a fabulous success for Washington Policy Center.
About Our Speakers:
2008 Columbia Award Recipient
Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic
Since 2003, Vaclav Klaus has served as President of the Czech Republic. Previously he served as the country’s Finance Minister and Prime Minister, presiding over the peaceful post-communist separation of the Czechoslovak Federation into the modern Czech and Slovak Republics. He is the author of a provocative new book on environmental policy, Blue Planet in Green Shackles. His views on inflation, monetary and fiscal policies, comparative economic systems, and economic transformation have been published in many scholarly journals in his homeland and elsewhere. Beginning in 2009, the Czech Republic will be leading the European Union.
2008 Stanley O. McNaughton Champion of Freedom Award Recipient
Phil Smart, Sr.
Phil Smart, Sr. is best known as the founder of Phil Smart, Inc., the area’s first and most successful Mercedes-Benz dealership. But to thousands of hospitalized children in the area, he’s known as a friendly man with a good story. Mr. Smart has volunteered for more than 40 years at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, visiting with children, telling stories, and serving as “Santa” for 26 Christmases. Mr. Smart wrote Angels Among Us and The Real Angels Among Us, memoirs of his work at Children’s and the brave kids he met there.
His philanthropic work also includes extensive involvement with Seattle Rotary, serving as president in 1989, and with the Boy Scouts as Scout Master, Board Member and recipient of the Silver Beaver for volunteer service and the Scouts’ Distinguished Eagle Award. Since 1991, he has addressed more than 65,000 people with his thoughts on community service and the lessons he has learned from sick and dying children.
Commenting on the 2008 election, the Executive Editor of The Weekly Standard and FOX News Commentator
Fred Barnes
As Executive Editor of The Weekly Standard and a FOX News Commentator, Fred Barnes uses his skills as a journalist to map the political landscape and chart a course for the future. Mr. Barnes co-founded The Weekly Standard, the most influential political journal in politics today. As a regular panelist on The McLaughlin Group, he was an early participant in the now-crowded field of weekly political roundtables - a format that transformed the world of broadcast news.
Mr. Barnes has also served as senior editor and White House correspondent for The New Republic, was chief correspondent for PBS’ National Desk series and provided political commentary for CBS’ This Morning. He co-hosts FOX News’ The Beltway Boys and, moderates Issues in the News for Voice of America.