Young America’s Foundation • Libertas12

Overthepastyear,Ihaveengagedthousandsofyoungpeoplewhilevisiting

studentaudiencesnationwidethroughYoungAmerica’sFoundation’scampuslectureprogram.Collegecampusesareoftenhostileforconservativesandconservativeideas,buttheyprovidetremendousvenuesforintroducingyoungpeopletoconservativeideas—principlesthathaveadvancedfreedomandprosperitythroughoutournation’shistory. TheConservativeMovementhasenjoyednumerousvictoriesthesepastfewmonths,andIoffermythoughtsonourachievements—particularlyinregardtothehealthcaredebate—below. Recenteventsshowwhywemuststepupoureffortstoreachyoungpeoplewiththeideasoflimitedgovernment,traditionalvalues,freeenterprise,andastronganationaldefense.YoungAmerica’sFoundationdoesjustthat,anditisanhonortopartnerwiththisorganizationtoadvanceoursharedcause. DespiteCongress’recentactions,conservativeswonatremendousbattleforpublicopiniononhealthcare. Thisprovidesvaluablelessons—andimportantwarnings—fortheresurgenceofourmovement’sidealsinthe21stcentury.Lastspring,apopularnewpresidentandoverwhelmingDemocraticmajoritiesinbothhouses

heldtheupperhand.Itseemedliberalhealthcarereformwasinevitable.Eventhepublicfavoreditbymorethantwo-to-one,withsupportparticularlystrongamongseniors.YetconservativesinCongressandoutsidewerenotdeterred.RatherthanstayingsilentoracquiescingtotheactionsofthenewPresidentandhisCongress,conservativesactuallyreadthebillsbeingproposedandturnedabrightlightonobnoxiousprovisions. InthefaceofthePresident’shigh

approvalratingsimmediatelyafterhisinaugurationandthenaturaldesireofAmericanstogiveanewChiefExecutivethechancetopresshisagenda,ittookcouragetoopposehim,butopposetheydidwithrespect,patientattentiontothefacts,andrelentlessenergy. Fortunately,liberalshadill-preparedthecountryforsucharadicalchange.Instead,candidateObamahadruntelevisionadsthatcalled“government-runhealthcare…extreme.” Sowhenliberalssaidpeoplecouldkeeptheirexistingcoverageiftheylikeit,conservativesshowedthelegislationwouldencouragecompaniestodumptheirexistingplans. Whenliberalsclaimedlegislationwouldleadtobettercare,conservativesexplaineditwouldresultin

Winning the Battles Ahead By Karl Rove

Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush and popular campus lecturer Karl Rove offers words of wisdom to Foundation activists at a 2009 program in Washington, D.C.

Young America’s Foundation • Libertas 13

rationing,longlines,andpoorerqualityofcare. WhenliberalsarguedreformwouldextendcoveragetomoreAmericans,conservativespointedoutitwouldcomeatthecostofeveryotherfamily’sexistingarrangements. Whenliberalsimpliedtheirmeasurewouldnotaddtothedeficit,conservativesshoweditwasbuiltonahouseofgimmicksthatwouldsurelygenerateafloodofredink. Whenliberalssuggesteditstrengthenedthepowerofpatients,conservativesdemonstrateditinsteadgavemorepowertogovernmentattheexpenseofpatients,families,andtheirdoctors. Whenliberalsimplieditwouldbefinancedbytaxespaidbydrugcompaniesandmedicaldevicemanufacturers,conservativespointedoutthatpatientswhoneededthosedrugsanddeviceswouldpaythehighertaxes. Thishelpedflippublicopiniontoopposingtheliberalchangebytwo-to-one.Butasimportantly,whenliberalssaidconservativeshadnoideasorconstructiveproposals,wewerereadywithourownattractivereforms,basedsolidlyonconservativeprinciples. Conservativesadvocatedmakinghealthinsurancetrulyportable,soworkersaren’tstuckinajobtheyhateforfearoflosingbenefits,butcantaketheircoveragewiththem. Conservativesarguedfamiliesshouldbeabletosavemoremoneytax-freeforoutofpocketmedicalexpensesandpairahealthsavingsaccountwithalow-cost,highdeductibleinsurancepolicy. Conservativespointedoutthatallowingpeopletobuyinsuranceacrossstatelinesandpermittingsmallbusinessestopoolrisktogetthesamediscountsbigcompaniesreceivewouldexpandaccessandlowercosts.

Andconservativesmadeacon-vincingcasethatendingjunkandfrivolouslawsuitswithmedicalliabilityreformwouldreducethecostofhealthcareforeveryone. Conservativesadvancedourideaswithaone-twopunch:describingindetailwhatwaswrongwiththeliberalprescriptionandthendrawingonconservativeprinciplesofindividualfreedom,competition,andmarketstodescribeabetterway.DespitethepassageofthePresident’shealthcarebill,conservativesmustcontinuetofightthisimportantbattleforfreedom. It’shardtobesomethingwithnothing:conservativesopposedhealthcarebythoughtfulandpassionateadvocacy,notsimplyagainstwrong-headedliberalideas,butalsoforanswersarrivedatbyapplyingourtimelessconservativeprinciplestothechallengesAmericafaces. It’sastrategyworthusinginthemanyfightswehaveahead.———————————————— KarlRoveservedassenioradvisortoPresidentGeorgeW.Bushfrom2000to2007anddeputychiefofstafffrom2004to2007.HeisnowaFoxNewscontributor,writesaweeklyop-edfortheWall Street Journal,andisaNewsweekcolumnist.HeisalsoamemberofYoungAmerica’sFoundation’scampuslectureprogram. Hismemoir,Courage and Consequence: My Life as a

Conservativein the Fight (ThresholdEditions),isonsalenow.Formoreinformation,visitKarlonlineatwww.Rove.com.YoucanalsoconnectwithhimonTwitter(@karlrove)oronFacebook(www.Facebook.com/KarlRove). ToinquireaboutbringingKarlRovetoyourcampus,contactPatrickX.Coyleat800-USA-1776orpcoyle@yaf.org.

“Conservatives advanced our ideas with a one-two

punch: describing in detail what was wrong with the

liberal prescription and then drawing on conservative principles of individual freedom, competition,

and markets to describe a better way.”