Hillsdale College Hosts Free Market Forum
Forum addressed economics, immigration, constitutional law, the family, and more.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College hosted a Free Market Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, Oct. 24-25. Speakers and panelists discussed a variety of topics related to markets, government, and the common good.
The forum opened with an address from Andy Pudzer, former CEO of CKE Restaurants and author of “The Capitalist Comeback,” on economics and the 2024 election.
“If Americans have had enough economic misery over the past three and a half years and are ready for a return to prosperity, Trump has a plan for that. Harris does not.”
“Trump offers a proven pro-growth plan that will reinvigorate our economy benefiting all Americans. Harris offers growth-diminishing policies and political gimmicks. Rather than economic opportunity or American families, her policies are about political opportunity for herself,” Pudzer said. “If Americans have had enough economic misery over the past three and a half years and are ready for a return to prosperity, Trump has a plan for that. Harris does not.”
The second day featured panels on immigration, economic liberty and constitutional law, and economics and the family.
Panelists:
- Kevin Portteus of Hillsdale College
- John Steele Gordon, author of “An Empire of Wealth”
- Steven A. Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies
- Carson Holloway of the University of Nebraska Omaha
- Adam Carrington of Ashland University
- Guy F. Burnett of American University
- Brad Wilcox of the University of Virginia
- Helen Andrews of The American Conservative
- Jamie Bryan Hall of the Ethics and Public Policy Center
The forum concluded with an address from Mark Simon, managing director of the Lai Trust, titled “Hong Kong, Freedom, and Jimmy Lai.”
“The jailing of Jimmy Lai marked for many people in Hong Kong the end of an era. They shut down the largest news media company in Hong Kong and a driving force not only behind the democracy movement but the free market,” Simon said. “Corruption started to pick up; police brutality started to pick up; we had all kinds of other issues coming into society not addressed. Why is that? There’s nobody to shine the spotlight on it.”
The Free Market Forum Series, run by Hillsdale College’s Center for the Study of Monetary Systems and Free Enterprise, seeks to encourage the study of free enterprise by bringing scholars together for dynamic exchanges of ideas on topics related to free market economics.