Episode 12 – Mark Skousen American Economist and Writer
During his tenure at FEE, Skousen launched a non-partisan, libertarian conference, then titled “FEEFest,” which premiered in Las Vegas in 2002. The goal was to bring all think tanks, organizations, and people who are concerned about liberty, personal freedom, civil rights, free-market principles, and economic freedom, to meet and discuss important issues of the day.
After Skousen left the presidency at FEE, the conference continued as “FreedomFest,” first under the purview of Young America’s Foundation, and later, under Skousen’s own direction and ownership. The conference has grown to attract thousands of people each year and focuses on issues of geopolitics and domestic politics, global economics, investing and personal finance, free markets and entrepreneurship, health and healthcare, education, arts and literature, science, and technology, history, and philosophy. The conference is popular in the libertarian political movement. FreedomFest also houses the Anthem Film Festival, the world’s only libertarian film festival, directed by Jo Ann Skousen.