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How to Bring 500 Students to FreedomFest: Ben Franklin Shows the Way!

By Mark Skousen
Editor, Forecasts & Strategies

01/29/2026

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Note: I have a very important announcement you will want to read at the end of this Skousen CAFÉ. 

For nearly 40 years, I’ve had the privilege of standing in front of classrooms, teaching college students the principles of free markets and individual liberty… from Columbia Business School in New York to Chapman University in California. 

Many of them have come to FreedomFest, which changed their lives forever. 

Chapman students holding an American eagle silver dollar, now worth a Benjamin ($100), next to the Adam Smith statue. 

I’ve watched generations of young people wrestle with big questions about inequality, social justice and human progress. 

My goal has always been simple: to give students a solid foundation in how to counter the socialist policies of today, and make better decisions in life. 

Ironically, my own journey into economics began with frustration. My high school economics teacher meant well, but what she taught didn’t line up with reality. 

That disconnect pushed me to search for better answers. It led me to earn a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in economics, to write real-life textbooks used by professors around the world and eventually to help build institutions devoted to liberty — including the Foundation for Economic Education and, later, FreedomFest. 

But one question kept nagging at me over the years: what happens to liberty-minded students after graduation? 

From the Classroom to the Real World: Why the Bridge Matters

Student organizations like Students for Liberty and the Foundation for Economic Education do extraordinary work on college campuses. They introduce young people to ideas that can change the course of their lives. But once students graduate, something critical often happens — they lose their natural on-ramp into the liberty movement. 

They’re no longer students. 
They’re starting careers. 
They’re looking for mentors, networks and real-world pathways. 

Where do they go next? 

Over the years, I brought some of my top students to FreedomFest, and a pattern became clear: 

FreedomFest is the perfect bridge from student life into professional life within the liberty ecosystem. It’s where ideas meet people. Where inspiration turns into opportunity.

That realization led directly to the creation of a pilot program we launched last year. 

The Bridge to Freedom: A Pilot That Changed Lives

In 2025, we introduced Bridge to Freedom, through the new Freedom360 Foundation, as a program designed to help students and recent graduates transition from campus-based liberty organizations into the broader liberty movement. 

The response was overwhelming. 

More than 170 students applied, but due to limited funding, we were only able to bring 25 students to FreedomFest. Those four days in Palm Springs proved to be genuinely life-changing. 

Here’s what some of those students told us: 

“Attending FreedomFest was an unforgettable experience that deepened my passion for liberty and personal growth. The Mentor Moments reminded me to value the humanity of everyone we interact with.”

“I realized how big the liberty movement really is and met like-minded people from across the country.”

“FreedomFest was a lifetime experience. I met filmmakers who inspired me to pursue liberty storytelling myself. I hope to return one day and screen my own film.”

“Go to make truly libertarian connections across the movement for future opportunities in education and leadership.”

Perhaps most telling of all: 100% of participating students said they would recommend the experience to a friend. 

And yet — this is the hard part — we had to turn away more than 150 qualified, motivated applicants simply because we lacked the resources to bring them.

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Discover the Trillion Dollar Triangle here.Benjamin Franklin and the Power of Private Giving

This challenge is not new. In fact, it’s one that Founding Father Benjamin Franklin understood deeply. 

Franklin was not only a Founding Father and inventor; he was also one of America’s great champions of private charitable action. He helped establish schools, libraries, volunteer fire departments, scientific societies and aid for the poor — almost always through voluntary associations rather than government mandates. 

John Bogle, founder the Vanguard Group of Funds, called Franklin “America’s finest businessman” because of his humanitarian efforts. And historian Lorraine Smith Pangle observed, “Franklin was a tireless supporter of volunteer associations and philanthropic projects.”

Franklin was a fundraiser extraordinaire; he was so successful in France that he singlehandedly raised all the funds, weapons, ammunition and uniforms, as well as commissioning two European generals to join in the cause of American independence. (See chapter 61, “On Fundraising,” and chapter 69, “On Giving and Charity,” in my Franklin book, available at a discount at www.skousenbooks.com.) 

Franklin believed that when individuals step up willingly to support causes they believe in, extraordinary things happen — not just materially, but morally. Giving wasn’t a burden; it was a civic virtue. 

That spirit is exactly what the Bridge to Freedom program embodies today. 

Bridge to Freedom in 2026: Bigger, Deeper, More Intentional

In 2026, Bridge to Freedom is expanding into a more intentional, high-engagement experience for students and early-career professionals who care about liberty, free markets and individual responsibility — and who want practical next steps. 

Through partnerships with Students for Liberty, the Foundation for Economic Education and other student-focused organizations, participants will gain direct exposure to the people and institutions shaping the liberty movement today. 

Key features of Bridge to Freedom 2026 include: 

• Student-focused sessions designed specifically for students and early-career attendees
• Small-group mentoring conversations with liberty leaders, builders and practitioners
• A dedicated student lounge for connection, collaboration and community
• Partner-sponsored social events prioritizing real relationships
• Facilitated networking sessions connecting students to peers and professionals
• A new Liberty Informational Hub in the exhibit hall — highlighting jobs, organizations and pathways across the liberty ecosystem
• Integration with select flagship FreedomFest sessions, with added student context and access

FreedomFest 2026 takes place July 8-11 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, and Bridge to Freedom will serve as a primary entry point for the next generation of liberty-minded builders and leaders. 

Our vision is bold: to bring 500 students into the movement through this program.

One Student at a Time: Your Opportunity to Help

Here’s the reality: students are eager to come — but most simply cannot afford the cost of travel, lodging, registration and program expenses. 

That’s where you come in. 

A gift of $1,776 will fully sponsor one student, covering: 

• Travel
• Accommodations
• FreedomFest registration
• Bridge to Freedom program costs

One student. One life changed. One future leader connected to the liberty movement. 

If Benjamin Franklin taught us anything, it’s that cheerful, voluntary giving has ripple effects far beyond what we can immediately see. 

If you believe in liberty, education and investing in the next generation, I invite you to help carry a student across the Bridge to Freedom. 

👉 Donate here: 
Freedom360 Foundation — Ways to Give. 

Together, we can ensure that hundreds of bright, motivated young people don’t just study liberty — but live it, build it and carry it forward. 

To start the ball rolling, I’m personally financing 10 Chapman students to come to FreedomFest this year. 

I hope you can join me and enjoy the thrill of meeting those students you sponsor by coming to FreedomFest. To sign up, go to www.freedomfest.com.

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And finally, as many of you know, this will be our last issue of the Skousen CAFÉ. After 45 years of writing Forecasts & Strategiesand 20 years writing Skousen CAFÉ, I am leaving Eagle Financial Publications for a new endeavor. Starting next Wednesday, you’ll be receiving The Deep Woods, written by Jim Woods, who I’ve worked with on Fast Money Alert since 2017. 

Keep in Touch Through My Books

It is with considerable emotion that I say good-bye to Eagle Publishing and my subscribers. Many of you have been with me for many years. I will continue to teach free-market economics at Chapman University, write books and articles for other publications, run FreedomFest and give investment advice. 

My bookstore at www.skousenbooks.com will still be available for you to buy my latest books, such as “The Greatest American,” “The Making of Modern Economics,” the latest edition of “The Maxims of Wall Street” and special reports, such as “Economics of Life Made Simple.” All on sale, autographed and mailed at no extra charge inside the United States. Keep in touch! 

Meet Me in Vegas!

It looks like I’ll be a regular at conferences in Vegas this year! I look forward to meeting you there. 

Las Vegas MoneyShow, Feb. 22-25, Paris Resort: Join me along with Jeffrey Hirsch, Louis Navellier, Steve Moore, Michael Sheppard, Kelly Wright, Jim Woods and a host of other experts. Sign up now at www.moneyshow.com, and use code 066433 to get a discount. 

Investment U, March 22-25, Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas: I’ll be speaking along with Alex Green, Marc Lichtenfeld, Karim Rahemtula and Nathan Bear. For more information and to register, go to Investment U 2026 — Oxford Voyager Club. 

Kennedy Gives FreedomFest a Shout Out on Fox News!

This July, FreedomFest (just think 7-11 in Vegas) is going to be an unforgettable event in celebration of the 250^th anniversary of our nation’s founding. 

Kennedy of Fox News is so excited she gave us a shout out in her entire “Kennedy Saves the World” broadcast on Fox News. Watch it here: Rediscovering Sin City: The 250th Anniversary of Freedom. 

She says, “I’m so excited that FreedomFest is coming back to Vegas… It’s going to be phenomenal.” 

FreedomFest will take place July 8-11, 2026, at Caesars Forum Convention Center. We will celebrate two historical events that changed the world: the publication of Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations,” the declaration of economic independence on March 9 and Thomas Jefferson’s declaration of political independence on July 4.

C-SPAN will be there to cover my major session, “Bestsellers of 1776,” how three books profoundly influenced us: “Common Sense,” by Tom Paine… “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” by Edward Gibbon… and “The Wealth of Nations,” by Adam Smith. Not to be missed! 

Join Steve Forbes, John Mackey, Kennedy and thousands of others, as well as all the major free-market think tanks and freedom organizations, in this incredible 3 ½ days at the five-star Caesars Forum Convention. Enjoy the Anthem Film Festival, the Trade Show for Liberty, the Comedy Show and many other events. 

We are starting to add new speakers, including Oxford Club’s Marc Lichtenfeld, value investor and top financial advisor Rob Arnott, coin dealer extraordinaire Van Simmons, mining expert Adrian Day, neurosurgeon Michael Ignor (author of “The Immortal Mind”), Skeptic publisher Michael Shermer and tech guru George Gilder. 

We have also arranged a panel discussion on the “Future of Financial Privacy,” with Noami Brockwell (Ludlow Institute) and Nicholas Anthony (Cato Institute). 

I’m also excited to announce a big “Capitalism vs. Socialism” debate between John Mackey and Marxist historian Andrew Hartman: “Resolved: Karl Marx’s critique of capitalism is fundamentally flawed; Free-enterprise capitalism is the greatest system ever invented to fulfill the needs of most members of society.” Mackey will take the affirmative, and Hartman the negative. The sparks will fly. 

Register now! The first 400 people to sign up pay only $400. It’s filling up fast. After the quota is filled, the price rises to $600 each. To register and get more information, go to www.freedomfest.com, or call Hayley at 1-855-850-3733, ext. 202.

I look forward to seeing you there and renewing our friendships. Fly there, drive there, bike there, be there!

Yours for peace, prosperity and liberty, AEIOU,

Mark Skousen
Doti-Spogli Endowed Chair of Free Enterprise, Chapman University
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FreedomFest

California Dreams Are Turning to Nightmares

By Mark Skousen
Editor, Forecasts & Strategies

My wife and I spent January through May teaching at Chapman University in Southern California. 

We love the people, the beautiful weather, the local theater, the restaurants and sports and cultural activities. 

But it seems that the government of California has a death wish, always pushing through regulations and higher taxes that encourage people to leave the state. 

The latest example is the referendum on the ballot later this year to impose a “one-time” 5% tax on billionaires living in California. In a recent survey, almost all of them are planning to leave the state because of this crazy idea. Some have already left. 

The new census shows the ongoing collapse of California compared to other states. 

New York and California are shrinking, while Texas and Florida are getting steadily richer. 

Florida and Texas gained a combined 1.7 million people from domestic migration so far this decade, while nearly three million people fled New York and California. 

California, New York and other states controlled by spendthrift Democrats are killing the golden goose by electing officials who can only make their states worse. They are also likely to lose seats on Capitol Hill. It only serves them right.

About Mark Skousen, Ph.D.:

Mark Skousen is an investment advisor, professional economist, university professor, author of more than 20 books, and founder of the annual FreedomFest conference. For the past 40+ years, Dr. Skousen has been investment director of the award-winning newsletter, Forecasts & Strategies. He also serves as investment director of four trading services: TNT Trader, Five Star Trader, Low Priced-Stock Trader, and Fast Money Alert.

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