Conservative Conference

This weekend, a small group of Columbia students—comprised mostly of members of the Columbia University College Republicans—will head down to Washington, D.C., for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

CPAC, which takes place from Feb. 26 to 28, is the nation’s largest gathering of conservative students, activists, and political leaders. The conference’s agenda promises speeches by prominent figures including several 2008 Republican Party presidential candidates: former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.), former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ariz.), and Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas).

CPAC’s popularity has grown significantly over the years. The organization was founded in 1973 and is not formally affiliated with the Republican Party. It attracts members from both nonpartisan and partisan political groups—such as the Libertarian Party—to its annual conference. The majority of conference attendees are college students.

Columbia students attended the conference last year. This year, a group of around 20 students from Columbia College, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies looks forward to another gratifying experience.

“It was fun for a weekend to hear from conservative speakers and students,” Lauren Salz, BC ’11 and executive director of the College Republicans, said. “Especially in contrast to my experience at school, it is good to hear a conservative viewpoint.”

Others echoed Salz’ sentiments. “I think that this event is a great way to learn more about conservative perspectives, and to meet students from all over the country who share similar attitudes about politics and life,” Dave Honeycutt, director of finances of the College Republicans, said.

As the nation faces a drastic political transition, moving from eight years of a Republican administration to the Democratic one of President Barack Obama, CC ’83, conservative students feel like more of a minority than ever. “Sometimes I forget that there are a lot of other conservatives out there,” Salz said.

“The recent shift with Obama becoming president has definitely changed the way that many Republicans are thinking about our futures,” Honeycutt said. He emphasized that many conservatives were unsatisfied with the direction the Republican party took after former President George Bush left office. “I feel that the goal of all Republicans is to prepare ourselves for the 2012 election since most, if not all, of what President Obama does will not be in our best interests,” Honeycutt said.

In addition to speeches from well known politicians, this year’s agenda includes workshops including “Al Franken and ACORN: How Liberals are Destroying the American Election System” and “Timeless Principals, New Challenges: The Future of the Conservative Movement.”

Salz said that last year, one her favorite programs was a “great panel” on taxes. “I definitely came away from it a lot more knowledgeable,” she said.

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