For Immediate Release April 7, 2008
Contact: Sean Paige
(719-337-0355 or seanpaige@msn.com)

ABC’s John Stossel to headline Limited Government Week 2008

John Stossel, Award-winning journalist and author

Award-winning journalist and author John Stossel delivered the keynote address, “Freedom and its enemies,” during Limited Government Week 2008, which took place April 28, 29 and 30 at the Cheyenne Mountain Conference Resort in Colorado Springs. This year’s events -- co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual (CSGI), The Colorado Springs Gazette, and the Limited Government Forum -- also included a gallery show and multi-media presentation by nationally-syndicated editorial cartoonist Chuck Asay, a daylong examination of government’s role in America’s healthcare challenges and a “Civic Innovator’s Lunch,” where the competitive outsourcing of local government services will be discussed.

The purpose of Limited Government Week was to explore and debate the continued relevance of the country’s founding principles in the modern context.

Here is an event-by-event schedule of LGW 2008.

Monday April 28: “Prime Chuck: An evening with Chuck Asay”

• Longtime Gazette editorial cartoonist Chuck Asay brought America’s founding ideals to life, giving them fresh relevance, with his frequently humorous, sometimes pointed, always thought-provoking creations, projected on the big screen. Included reception, gallery show and the sale of Asay originals. Entertainment was provided by the Colorado Springs Conservatory.    

Tuesday April 29: American Healthcare in crisis: Is government the cause or the cure?  An all-day symposium, which included lunch, examined the issue from the national, state and local perspective.   

• Moderated panel discussion 1: The national perspective, 10:00 – 11:30 A.M. Panelists included:
  • Steve Hyde -- President of Hyde Rx Services Corp., the former CEO of Peak Health Care and a national authority on consumer driven health care. 
  • John Graham -- director of Healthcare Studies at the Pacific Research Institute and author of the U.S. Index of Health Ownership and editor of the book, What States Can Do to Reform Health Care: A Free Market Primer.
  • Michael Cannon -- Director of healthcare policy at the Cato Institute. 
• Luncheon: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
• Moderated panel discussion 2: The state perspective. Panel included
  • Linda Gorman – Independence Institute and Blue Ribbon Commission member.
  • Elinor T. Christiansen MD -- Immediate Past President, Healthcare for all Colorado.
  • William Lindsay – Chairman, Colorado’s Blue ribbon commission on healthcare. 
  • State Rep. Amy Stephens and State Rep. Michael Merrifield (invited)
  • Devon Herrick -- senior fellow, National Center for Policy Analysis.
• Moderated Panel discussion 3: The local perspective, 2:00 – 3:30 P.M.
  • Jay Fawcett – Western Strategies
  • Zelna Joseph – SET
  • Marcella Ruch, Clinic Manager and Church Liaison, Mission Medical.
  • Representatives of Memorial Health System and Penrose/St. Francis (not yet invited)
  • BJ Scott, president of Peak Vista 

April 29 Evening Event: ABC News’s John Stossel delivered LGW keynote address, “Freedom and its enemies.” [Event began at 6:00.]

John Stossel, who co-anchors the ABC news show 20/20, has won a shelf full of journalism awards and a huge following for his informative, fearless, frequently contrarian takes on today’s hottest topics. He is also the author of two national bestsellers, “Give me a Break” and, most recently, “Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidities.” His columns, which appear regularly in The Gazette and many other publications, are nationally syndicated.   

Stossel was introduced by former Colorado Senate president John Andrews, who is now chairman of the Backbone America Citizens Alliance and a fellow of the Claremont Institute. Entertainment was provided by the Colorado Springs Conservatory.

Wednesday, April 30: “Civic Innovators: a lunchtime conversation”, 12:00 to 1:30
A moderated discussion with Mr. Patrick Salerno, who for 14 years served as city manager of Sunrise, Florida, which has earned national recognition for its outsourcing of most municipal services, and Dr. Randy Simmons, director of the political science department at Utah State University and mayor of Providence, Utah, who has been deeply involved in both the theory and practice of outsourcing.

Ticket prices were as follows:

• Asay event: $30.00;
• Healthcare event: $75.00;
• John Stossel speech: $100;
• Civic Innovators Lunch: $45.

Tickets for all LGW events were available at a discount: $200.00
Tables for the Stossel dinner were $1,000.  More information about LGW and the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual can be found, at http://www.uccs.edu/~csgi/index.shtml.

Questions on this or future LGW events should be directed to Sean Paige at 719-337-0355 or seanpaige@msn.com.