Written by: Ruthie Passmore
Even with summer kicking into gear, LEAP students have managed to stay active in furthering their understanding of public affairs! Recently, we were honored to hear former Vice President Mike Pence speak on his new book, What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience at an event hosted by The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston.
In his book, Pence advocates for enduring conservative principles over the appeal of big-government populism within the Republican Party, and we were all thrilled to receive signed copies at the start of the event.
The night began with Sandija Bayot, the Chief Development Officer of the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, introducing Kenneth Tubman, the Chairman and President of PPA Resources, who offered a glimpse into Mike Pence’s “multifaceted” career. Pence took the stage alongside exceptional Ronan O’Malley, Chief Programs Officer, who served as the moderator for this event.
Pence opened by highlighting the foundation 1960 Conservative text, The Conscience of a Conservative, by Barry Goldwater, which inspired his decision to write his new book. He discussed how politics in America are going through a dramatic change, and brought up modern marginalization of traditional values.
Pence reflected on his role as a member of the Republican Party, discussing how he went from being a Democrat to a Conservative after realizing that he wanted the values he grew up learning from his grandparents for himself. Pence also spoke about the importance of economic freedom and how he thinks that it is “morally wrong” to look at his children and grandchildren and say to them, “the debt is your problem, not mine.”
As the audience portion of the discussion began, Pence was asked what advice he would give to young people interested in politics. His answer was both simple and impactful, especially as students with an interest in the law: “Show up, don’t wait to get asked.”
Wrapping up, Pence reminded us that the American people are some of the most caring and innovative people, stating that America deserves to have a government just as good as its citizens.
The event ended on a memorable note as we were able to meet and take a photo with Mike Pence, who expressed his confidence in our generation by calling us the “future of politics.”
We concluded the evening with a delicious dinner and dessert from Katz’s Never Kloses, where we shared our thoughts and reflections from the event, a wonderful end to a fantastic and informative evening.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 