The students–hundreds of them–heard speeches by Marsha Blackburn, Bob Goode, Tom Emmer, Lauren Boebert, Tom Cotton, Jim Jordan, Andy Biggs, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Speaker Mike Johnson, and others.
New president, same old stuff.
Here is the Liberty website:
Hundreds of Liberty University students traveled to the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Thursday for the school’s Future Leader Symposium, where they had the chance to hear various federal politicians speak on the current state of the nation and the importance of living out one’s faith and principles in government.
A total of 13 U.S. representatives and five U.S. senators attended the event, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. The event was coordinated through the office of Senior Vice President for Business Engagement Dr. Dave Brat, who served as a U.S. congressman from 2014-18 representing Virginia’s 7th District.
Other featured speakers included Rep. Michael Cloud (Texas), Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), Sen. Mike Lee (Utah), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Rep. Warren Davidson (Ohio), Rep. Thomas Massie (Ohio), Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.), Rep. Bill Posey (Fla.), Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Rep. Bob Goode (Va.), Rep. Tom Emmer (Minn.), Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), Rep. Gary Palmer (Ala.), Rep. Burgess Owens (Utah), and Rep. Ben Cline (Va.), along with other former senior government officials.
Speaker Johnson, who has served as an adjunct government professor at Liberty through the online program, noted that he believes America is currently in a time of great division and turmoil.
“It’s like (America) is in uncharted waters and choppy seas as a nation and the skies are dark in the horizon,” he said. “When you’re in a scenario like that, you really need to know where the fixed points in the horizon are or you’re going to lose your way and be rudderless and adrift way out into the deep ocean.”
Speaker Johnson added that the country can be saved if it embraces what he called the seven core values of American conservatism: individual freedom, limited government, rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and human dignity.
“The seven core principles of conservativism are all grounded in the Word of God and are eternal principles that do not change,” he said. “The reason America is the most exceptional, powerful, benevolent, and successful country in the history of the world is not by happenstance. It’s because we tied ourselves to those truths.”
Paul spoke to the students about the importance of religion in establishing order and emphasized that laws alone cannot keep America in check. He also addressed questions about how to return governing power to state legislatures and how to limit the far-reaching power of the federal government.
“Our founding fathers looked at this nation and said that a republic requires a virtuous nation,” he said. “That means there’s not enough police to police everyone. You see this chaos in our cities in different places with thugs breaking into stores and stealing stuff. That is a breakdown in order. There have to be laws, but there also has to be religion, faith, and knowledge of right and wrong. As you begin your careers, become the leaders in your community and show by example. If we do, we will have a better place for all of us.”
Read the rest here: