Vol. XIV, No. VI Nov/Dec 2008

General Tommy Franks, former Commander-in-Chief of Central Command of the United States Armed Forces, has joined the NCPA Board of Directors.

“General Franks’s leadership and commitment to freedom and democracy will make him a key asset for the continued growth of the NCPA,” said NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont.

The Gen. Tommy Franks Leadership Institute partnered with the NCPA and Oklahoma Christian University earlier this year for the iDebate: Developing Leaders with General Tommy Franks youth leadership program.

Gen. Franks (at right with NCPA President John C. Good-man) was also keynote speaker at the NCPA’s 25th Anniversary Gala. Event chairs were Ann and NCPA Board Member Ray Wooldridge, and Honorary Chairs were Elise and NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont.

General Tommy Franks Joins NCPA Board of Directors; NCPA Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Steve Forbes Talks About the Financial Meltdown at Latest Sumners Distinguished Lecture Series Luncheon

Steve Forbes, Chairman and CEO of Forbes, Inc. and editor in chief of Forbes magazine discussed “Why this Election Matters” at the latest edition of the Hatton W. Sumners Foun-dation Distinguished Lecture Series luncheon.

The NCPA and the Sumners Foundation partnered with the Graduate School of Man-agement at the University of Dallas in sponsor-ing Forbes’ appearance.

Forbes told attendees to brace for sig-nificant hikes in the capital gains tax and the inheritance tax. “It’s taxation without respira-tion,” Forbes said in referring to the so-called death tax.

Forbes also noted that a Democrat-controlled Congress will have its own agenda regardless of who wins the election, and the conduct of the Iraq war, the specter of Iranian nuclear capability and the economic and cultural problems in Afghanistan will be hard problems for the next president to solve.

Photos from the NCPA’s 25th Gala — see insert, pages 3-6

National Center for Policy Analysis

NCPA Senior Fellow Devon Herrick addressed an international conference on employer-sponsored health benefits in Sao Paulo, Brazil, outlining for conference attendees the problems facing employer-sponsored health care plans in the United States. The conference, Forum Internacional Saúde Corporativa, was hosted by Fenix Editora, a firm that provides sup-port for the Brazilian human resources industry. Herrick focused on the need to move away from defined benefit health plans and to adopt consumer driven health care models. He also discussed how firms should provide health care plans for their employees that encourage workers to be healthy while providing them with an incentive to be wise consumers of medical care.

In addition, Herrick spoke on “Medical Tour-ism: Health Care Free Trade” at the 50th Annual Meeting of the National Association for Business Economics in Washington, D.C., at the Institute for International Research’s Health & Wealth Summit in Miami and before a focus group of insurance industry executives in Denver. His presentations outlined the benefits and obstacles to global compe-tition in health care.

Economic Growth, Family Issues and Health Care

Herrick Speaks About Medical Tourism, Employer Health Plans

TV Networks Rely on McTeer, Neese During Financial CrisisAs the country’s financial crisis worsened, national television news networks relied increasingly on NCPA Distinguished Fellows Bob McTeer and Terry Neese to explain the implications of the potential market melt-down.

McTeer told the Nightly Business Report (PBS) that the chief culprit for the financial meltdown, especially among U.S. banks, is mark-to-market accounting.

“I don’t think the current fear in the markets has much to do with rates,” McTeer said. “I think there have to be other solutions, and a suspension of mark-to-market accounting is long overdue.” Meanwhile, NCPA Distinguished Fellow Terry Neese told CNN that when candidates court working-class Americans they need to think about flexibility. “Hourly workers need to be able to choose between wages and benefits. It’s critical.” Neese added that 71 percent of workers choose comp time over overtime pay.

ALERTNCPA

November/December 2008

Larry and Susan Hirsch (above) with NCPA President John C. Goodman and an award presented to them as members of the Antony and Dorian Fisher Society.

Hatton W. Sumners Foundation Board member Jerry Reis (right, above) and Sumners Foundation Executive Director Hugh Akin (left, above) with NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont.

NCPA 25th Anniversary Gala

Mary and NCPA Board Member Bob Wright (above) and Nancy Dedman and Charles Sim-mons (center) with Gen. Tommy Franks at the Gala’s opening reception.

Marti and Larry Carlin (above) greet General Tommy Franks. Gen. Franks is the newest addition to the NCPA Board of Directors.

Event Co-chairs Ann and NCPA Board Member Ray Wooldridge (above) welcome guests to the 25th gala.

(l-r) Milo Kirk, Jesse Kirk, Mrs. Martha Lattimore, Marianne Lattimore, Gen. Tommy Franks, Cathy Franks, NCPA Board Member Victor Lattimore and Linda Whetstone.

National Center for Policy Analysis

25th Anniversary Gala

(l-r, above) G.J. Jensen, General Tommy Franks, Lou Anne Jensen and James Jensen. Peggy and NCPA Board Member Jere Thompson (below).

NCPA President John C. Goodman (above) and Linda Whetstone, daughter of the late Antony Fisher (at left).

Ruth Buchholz (seated above) and (l-r) John Gurun, Mike Walker and NCPA Board Member Don Buchholz.

(l-r, at left) NCPA President John C. Good-man, Michael Rae, CEO of Lexicom Internet Services, Atlas Foundation President Alejandro Chaufen, Joan Rae, Heather Rae Johnson, president of HRJ Consulting Ltd., and Cliff Rae at the two-day Atlas Foundation conference “Risk in a Free Society,” co-sponsored by the NCPA, Photos of selected speakers at breakout sessions and luncheons at the Atlas/NCPA conference can be found on page 6.

ALERTNCPA

November/December 2008

25th Anniversary Gala

Elise and NCPA Board Chair-man Pete du Pont (top, left) and NCPA Board Member Jimmie Thompson (above) receive their Antony Fisher Society awards recognizing their generous sup-port of the NCPA.

Gen. Tommy Franks (above) and with NCPA Board Member Ray Wooldridge (below).

NCPA Chief Development Officer Jeanette Goodman and President John C. Goodman (top) with COO Richard W. Walker.

Jane and NCPA Board Member Bud Smith receive an award from NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont.

Syndicated radio talk show host Mike Gallagher (above) was M.C. at the NCPA’s 25th Anniversary Gala.

Minnie and Bill Caruth (above) receive their award from NCPA Board Chairman Gov. du Pont in recognition of their support of the NCPA.

National Center for Policy Analysis

Prior to the 25th anniversary gala the NCPA co-spon-sored the Atlas Research Foundation’s two-day interna-tional conference, “Risk in a Free Society.” The two-day conferenced featured speakers from around the world, including several NCPA experts.

NCPA Advisory Board Member Derwood Chase and Distinguished Fellow Bob McTeer led a discussion about the international implications of the widen-ing financial crisis. “While this is a time of high anxiety in the world of finance,” Chase said, “it is also a time of exciting

25th Anniversary Gala and Atlas Economic Research Foundation International Conference

NCPA Co-sponsors Atlas Freedom Conference on Freedom and Risk

NCPA Advisory Board Member Derwood Chase (left), NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont with Linda Whetstone (above) and Andrei Illarionov (right) led discussions at the two-day Atlas conference in Dallas.

Sara Sue and NCPA Advisory Board Member Don Potts (left) with General Tommy Franks at the Gala reception and Beverly and Don Freeman (right).

Linda and Steve Ivy (left) with General Tommy Franks and Connie Harkins and Douglas Newby (right) with Gov. du Pont.

global opportunities.” Atlas Foundation president Alejandro Chaufen key-noted the two-day conference and led the discussion about the role of think tanks in solving the dilemma of risk. Andrei Illarionov, former chief economic advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, keynoted the closing luncheon address, focusing on how the recent invasion of

Georgia fit within Russia’s broader economic goals. “Russia wants and needs to be the pipeline to Eu-rope,” Illarionov said. “Their economy is not strong

without access to those markets.”

Other speakers at the two-day conference included Argentinian economist Armando Ribas, Sebastian Gorka of the Joint Special Operations University, Steve Emerson of the Investigative Project on Terrorism and Sally Pipes of the Pacific Research Institute.

ALERTNCPA

November/December 2008

Goodman Critiques Presidential Health Reform Plans

Wyly Discusses New Book, Successes at NCPA Reception

NCPA President John C. Goodman told CNBC’s Wall St. Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo that neither presidential candidates’ health plan will solve the major problems of an increasingly dysfunctional U.S. health care system. “Neither candidate has a permanent, realistic solution for the types of promises we keep hearing from them,” Goodman said.

The health care plans of both candidates focus on the escalating cost of health insurance and the number of uninsured Americans.

Sen. McCain’s plan would not eliminate employer-sponsored health insurance, according to Dr. Goodman, but will shift its focus. “Today, it’s very unfair. If you buy your own health insur-ance you get no tax relief. Current tax subsidies go predominantly to high-income people. McCain would give the same deal to everyone.”

Meanwhile, “Sen. Obama’s plan is a pay-for-play tax that falls mainly on middle-income uninsured workers. That’s taxing the same people you’re trying to help,” he added. “It’s also taxing the people least able to afford health insurance.”

Dallas entrepreneur Sam Wyly (below, left) discusses his new book with NCPA President John C. Goodman (below, right). Wyly, an alumnus of Louisiana Tech University, sponsors an NCPA Junior Fellow from his alma mater. The Wyly Junior Fellow assists with research, publishes articles and is an integral component of the NCPA’s youth outreach program.

Sam Wyly, who built several best-of-breed businesses from the ground up, discussed his recently released memoir, “1,000 Dollars & an Idea,” with NCPA John C. Goodman at a reception sponsored by the NCPA.

“You have to work hard, apply yourself fully, do your homework diligently, but you also have to be true to your interests, your ethics, your ideas, your desires and your pas-sions,” said Wyly.

His memoir (www.1000DollarsAndAnIdea.com.) details how after his first job at IBM, he risked $1,000 of his sav-ings to become a millionaire before he was 31.

Wyly also created software companies such as Sterling Software and Sterling Commerce, grew Bonanza Steakhouses to 600 restaurants, grew a small arts-and-crafts company into more than 900 Michael’s stores, created Green Mountain Energy, arguably the most profitable “green business” in the U.S., and waged an anti-monopoly battle against AT&T while building the first telephone company for computers.

National Center for Policy Analysis November,/December 2008

Editor.....................Amber JonesThe NCPA is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. You can contribute to our effort by mailing your donation to our Dallas headquar-ters or logging on to our Web site at www.ncpa.org and clicking “Donate.” The NCPA depends solely on the contributions of individuals, corpora-tions and foundations that advocate private sector solutions to public policy problems. All contributions are tax deductible and the NCPA accepts no government grants or contracts.National Center for Policy Analysis12770 Coit Rd., Suite 800Dallas, Texas 75251e-mail: jeanette.goodman@ncpa.org

NCPA Alert©

NCPA Events

NCPA Events & People

Sumners Foundation Distinguished Lecture SeriesWho: Chris Wallace Host of Fox News Sunday

When: November 11, 2008 12 - 1:15 p.m.

Where: Hilton Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas

For reservations, contact NCPA at 972-386-6272 or events@ncpa.org

Numbers for Goodman Health Blog Skyrocket

NCPA Names ControllerLynda Campbell is the NCPA’s new controller. Lynda is a Certified Public Accountant and will oversee the daily operations and reporting requirements of the NCPA’s financial department. Lynda has nearly two decades of experience in accounting for com-mercial real estate, wholesale and advertising ventures. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University with B.B.A. degrees in Accounting and Marketing.

The number of visitors to NCPA President John C. Goodman’s health care blog continues to increase. Since the beginning of this year the number of visitors to the blog has increased more than 90 percent, and the number of topics and entries those visitors click on has increased nearly 325 percent.

In addition to Dr. Goodman several notable health care experts are regular contributors to the blog, including Harvard Business School Professor Regina Herzlinger, HSA expert and former Bush Admin-istration Health Care Advisor Roy Ramthun, former director of the Congressional Budget Office during the Clinton Administration June O’Neill, President of Con-sumer for Health Care Choices Greg Scandlen and National Federation of Business Health Care Advisor Robert Graboyes, among others.

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