2025 sessions

Robby Soave welcomes everyone to the second day of the convention, promotes what speakers we have coming up, and promotes the awards dinner at the end of the evening.

Prof. Antony Davies explores monopolies, explaining how they form either through government protection or by offering superior value. While consumers can escape corporate monopolies, political monopolies, like the two-party system, prevent competition and are far more harmful.

Antony Davies

Politicians use all sorts of tricks and tactics in order to lie to the public. From false dichotomies and half-truths, to cherry-picked data and Whataboutisms, it can be difficult to know exactly when you are being lied to and by whom. This discussion will help you learn how to better understand what someone is trying to communicate to you and see through the narrative that they want to set.

Moderator: Brandi Kruse

Chris Freiman

Jeremy Horpehdal

Spike Cohen

Why are so many people frightened of freedom? Sean Themea, Chief Operations Officer at Young Americans for Liberty, will discuss why, and what we should do about it.

Young Americans For Liberty

Sean Themea

The American entrepreneurial spirit thrives on innovation and risk-taking, even in the face of mounting regulations and bureaucracy. Compared to the rest of the world, America’s pro-business legal framework continues to fuel global competitiveness. This panel explores where the passion for starting a business begins, what drives America’s edge in entrepreneurship, and what challenges and obstacles future entrepreneurs must prepare to face.

Moderator: Wolf von Laer

Lars Mapstead

Mayor Glenn Jacobs

What can be done to stop growing censorship of the internet? Robert Winterton will lead a discussion about what needs to be done to slow growing censorship of free speech online around the world, from laws that force social media sites to censor on the government’s behalf, to those that directly penalize individuals for political speech. Stephen Kent will bring insights from a closely-themed breakout session, tying those stories into a broader critique of global trends. Marcel Van Hattem will tell his own story of how laws allegedly aimed at making the internet safer have been used to censor people and silence political dissent.

NetChoice

Robert Winterton

Stephen Kent

Marcel van Hattem

To be announced

Freedom Law School

John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Market, shares his journey of building one of the most iconic companies in the world. From taking a $1 salary for decades to making tough decisions like removing his father from the board, Mackey has fought to protect the essence of Whole Foods. He recounts overcoming a 100-year flood, battling activist investors, and preserving his legacy. Discover these powerful stories and grab a signed copy of his new book, The Whole Story, at LibertyCon.

Wolf von Laer

John Mackey

Twenty-two years ago, the Free State Project selected New Hampshire as the location for a new libertarian strategy — organizing thousands of liberty lovers to move and concentrate in the “Live Free or Die” state — to shift the politics and culture in the direction of freedom and establish “Liberty in Our Lifetime.” After one generation, strong and active libertarian communities are found across the state; networks for homeschooling, cryptocurrency, and homesteading are building parallel economies; and libertarians control a quarter of the state legislature. Ayn Rand’s fiction of Galt’s Gulch has become a reality for libertarians in New Hampshire — and the Free State Project continues welcoming new movers who wish to live free and thrive.

Free State Project

Eric Brakey

Do family and friends understand your political values? Would you like to elevate your outreach? In 1971, a young activist invented a tool that did both things! Mike Sertic explains how his story and the tool he developed can become your story and a path forward to healing your nation.

Advocates For Self Government

Mike Sertic

This panel brings together entertainment professionals who turned their passion and creativity into successful careers while navigating an industry often hostile to ideas like economic freedom and individual liberty. From touring globally to launching businesses, each panelist shares their unique journey of overcoming challenges, embracing liberty, and advocating for their values. Discover what inspired their path to freedom and what lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Moderator: David Fite

Mark Pellegrino

Brando Eaton

Nic Nemeth

Emily Austin

Come meet podcasters from Reason Magazine as they talk through the big news of the day and their own experiences as internet talking heads. With a new presidential administration, cabinet appointments aplenty, and Congress trying to figure out how to run the budget process, again, there will be plenty to discuss, and Reason’s Katherine Mangu-Ward, Robby Soave, Billy Binion, and Peter Suderman will be there to guide you through it.

Reason Roundtable

Katherine Mangu-Ward

Peter Suderman

Robby Soave

Billy Binion

Those who believe that their country is immune to the rise of authoritarianism become complacent. One might even say that they are complicit. Authoritarianism may announce itself in the form of martial law or a military coup. Or more subtly, as when a ruling party uses its total control of the state to lock in its power, as we have seen in Hungary. A constitutionally limited government may abandon democracy and become a dictatorship by electoral means, for example, when candidates vow to imprison their critics, whom they designate “the enemy within.” The institutions of limited government only work when those in office decide to follow the laws that limit their power. Those who say “it can’t happen here” should know that those words were earlier spoken in countries where “it” did happen. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Dr. Palmer will address how we can maintain our vigilance.

Tom Palmer

Robby thanks everyone for two fantastic days of LibertyCon, and talks about the upcoming Awards Dinner that you won’t want to miss!