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America’s wide open southern border has become a green light for human traffickers, allowing them to operate freely within the United States moving victims across state lines and into a life of consistent abuse. Despite claims from the White House that ending human trafficking is a priority, this administration’s immigration policies have only fueled the problem. By neglecting border security measures and failing to remove these bad actors from our communities, the Biden administration has effectively transformed the U.S. into a fertile breeding ground for criminal cartels hoping to profit off sex and labor trafficking. It should come as no surprise that the trafficking of persons is a $150 billion global enterprise encompassing sex trafficking, forced labor, and organ trafficking. In contrast to the administration’s complacency, CPAC’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking stands as a way to help fight against this rise in lawlessness. The center is dedicated to protecting victims, holding traffickers accountable, and collaborating with NGOs and law enforcement agencies to keep the most vulnerable safe. By prioritizing victim protection and active intervention, CPAC aims to help advocate for real change – that not only puts criminal traffickers away, but ensure survivors have a second chance in life. But we can only do so much, without meaningful policy reforms to address the rampant illegal immigration, open border policies will continue to perpetuate the suffering of victims while making traffickers bolder to operate freely. It is time for action to protect those most in need and hold traffickers accountable for their crimes. With the administration turning a blind eye to the vulnerabilities at the border, traffickers have been handed a golden opportunity to operate without fear or consequence. CPAC aims to change this by shining a light on the criminals who abuse the current system and through supporting State and local law enforcement in their efforts to root out networks of abuse throughout the country. Thankfully, success in the fight to end modern day slavery is not far out of reach – by closing the southern border and enforcing the law on cartels operating in the United States, we can achieve an American solution to the global problem of trafficking.

The nationwide fentanyl epidemic is disproportionately affecting Pennsylvanians, claiming life after life and devastating family after family. Thousands of innocent individuals are being horrifically slaughtered, held hostage, and relentlessly attacked in Israel by Hamas, and here in America, Jewish students are living in fear on college campuses as universities permit anti-Semitic activities, protests, and attacks on Jewish students. Former Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs Dave McCormick is running for Senate in Pennsylvania to address these issues. He sat down with former Special Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Milstein on the CPAC stage where he outlined his position on these issues and his vision for the future of the country. McCormick’s vision includes a secure border, the eradication of Hamas, the cutting of funding for universities that condone anti-Semitic activities, and strong leadership from Congress and the White House. The country needs a shake-up in leadership from the self-interested, unprincipled, and unproductive norm, and McCormick poses himself to be that refreshing change that will represent the interests of the people, not the interests of himself. “We had leaders, and Bob Casey is a perfect example of this, who won’t stand up, who won’t say the difference between right or wrong, who won’t lead and push back against these Progressive ideologies that are taking our country over a cliff. So, yeah, we need to shake things up in a dramatic way, and that’s what I would do in Washington,” McCormick promised. He is especially motivated to fix these issues by his experience in the military in the Gulf War, his recent visit to Israel, and his visit to the southern border. Hear McCormick’s full plans on Rumble @CPAC.

Florida earned itself the distinction of “setting the standard for conservative policy in the U.S.” in CPAC’s 2023 state ratings, and rightfully so. Florida lawmakers executed a well-rounded legislative year doing everything from bolstering election security  to protecting  Florida children, defending life, protecting Second Amendment rights, striking back against ESG, fighting illegal immigration, and reforming the state criminal justice system. Let’s look at the bills that made 2023 a productive year for Florida. Lawmakers took a proactive approach to election security with S 7050 that established multiple election safeguards, including keeping noncitizens out of the voting process and offering signature matching training to election officials. Bill S 4 (SS) reinforced the consequences and illegality of election interference by making illegal voting activities prosecutable by the Office of Statewide Prosecutions. Florida not only protected their elections last year, but they also protected their children. S 254 prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to fund transgender procedures on minors and allows the state to revoke the licenses of doctors who practice transgender procedures on minors. H 1 empowers parents to protect their children by expanding school choice and offering vouchers to all families regardless of income or location. H 1069 prohibits the teaching of gender identity and sexuality to elementary school students and protects teachers and students from being forced to use another’s pronouns. Two more laws struck back at ESG initiatives and established safeguards from ESG regulations. H 1281 blocks future Democrat-backed gas stove bans with new regulations that prevent the restriction of household appliances, and H 3 prohibits the use of state tax dollars on ESG initiatives. Lawmakers made it clear in 2023 that they will not be tolerating illegal Immigration either. S 1718 prevents the recognition of driver’s licenses obtained by illegal immigrants in other states and the issuing of documentation to illegal immigrants. S 6 (SS) does even more to fight illegal immigration by relocating illegal immigrants from Florida to blue cities and states that have declared themselves sanctuaries for illegal aliens. In the criminal justice reform realm, legislators passed S 376 that removes potential obstacles to employment and productivity for some arrested individuals by providing for the removal of certain non-conviction arrest records. Further, S 1478 proposed to improve probation processes but was not signed into law. Florida lawmakers also defended life with S 300 that protects unborn children by prohibiting abortions after six weeks, and they bolstered Second Amendment rights through H 543 that does not require an individual to carry a license while carrying certain firearms. All in all, Florida lawmakers had a productive year in 2023, getting wins for freedom on a variety of issues.

CPAC Foundation’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking was presented to the world at the movie premier for The Sound of Freedom last summer, and the center wasted no time taking action. In July, the Center for Combating Human Trafficking hosted the International Summit Against Human Trafficking. World leaders, activists, and survivors met on Capitol Hill to trade ideas for ending human trafficking and share their personal experiences with this tragedy. Former Mexico Congresswoman and activist with Kaleido Rosi Orozco along with West Virginia Congresswoman Carol Miller were among just a couple of the world leaders that met to discuss the horrific reality of human trafficking and work to put an end to it. The comments of Orozco, Miller, and others brought to light the torture that victims experience and the international nature of trafficking. Victims face unimaginable and continuous pain and degradation in this form of modern-day slavery, and their abuse is perpetuated by coordinated efforts from criminal rings around the globe. In response, human trafficking requires a joint effort from international world leaders to work together to put a stop to modern-day slavery.

On this episode of America Uncanceled, Mercedes Schlapp hosts a panel discussion with former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and CEO of Proverbs Media Elaine Beck. Christianity is being cancelled in our culture and God is being replaced with temporal idols. Faith is being strategically removed from our biblically-based institutions in favor of constructing a new moral code that includes sexualizing children, destroying life, dismantling the family, and giving governmental ultimate control. The separation of church and state movement has greatly contributed to this moral decline despite there never being calls for an official state religion. Santorum explains, “No one was out there for two hundred years, or very few, pushing for a state religion, or everybody had to be a Christian, or everybody has to be this. What they were focused on was again the principles that were in this Bible, and those principles demand responsibility and accountability to a set of laws, and we have a society right now that doesn’t want to be held responsible or accountable. The only thing that matters is that they’ve replaced the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the god of self, and if you want to live the way you want to live, that’s their version of freedom.” The removal of God from society has had tragic effects. More and more Americans are suffering from mental health crises as understanding of their God-given dignity and purpose is removed from their lives and our society. We no longer treat each other with the respect we deserve as human beings, and life is no longer recognized as deserving of protection. Beck offers a solution, “We all need to be praying for our enemies. No matter how bad you think they are, quit comparing yourself. Love God first and pray that prayer.” For more, follow @CPAC on social media. You can also follow Matt Schlapp @MSchlapp or Mercedes Schlapp @MercedesSchlapp to keep up with current events.

CPAC is honored to have a close relationship with Angel Studios. We first partnered with them for the premier of the Sound of Freedom last summer which did so much to raise awareness of the sick tragedy of human trafficking. Most recently, we were honored to host a screening of their newest film Cabrini at CPAC in DC 2024. Cabrini is the film our country needs. Cabrini is a reminder that the American Dream is both attainable and beautiful but does not come easy. It demands hard work, persistence, and overcoming adversity. The film tells the inspiring story of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini who, as a woman, an Italian immigrant, and a Catholic in late nineteenth century and early twentieth century America, overcame great obstacles to follow God’s will. Despite opposition, bigotry, and a language barrier, she founded a network of hospitals, orphanages, and schools across the United States, and even the world, uplifting impoverished and ostracized populations. As the film portrays, her hard work, entrepreneurship, and faith in God allowed her to succeed in her mission and achieve her American Dream. Through the story of this determined nun, Italian immigrant, and American saint, the Cabrini film is truly a celebration of the American Dream. Self-determination is a uniquely American virtue, and this film proves that it’s a virtue worth pursuing and a dream possible for anyone to achieve.

The Lula Da Silva regime is using lawfare to squash the conservative movement in Brazil and is making an example out of conservative former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Son of Jair Bolsonaro and Member of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies Eduardo Bolsonaro elaborates on the corruption of the Lula Da Silva regime at CPAC in DC 2024 on this episode of America Uncanceled. Bolsonaro’s father has borne the brunt of Lula Da Silva’s lawfare, facing fabricated and sometimes outright ridiculous charges, including for passing near a whale on a jet ski. The Brazilian government extended this kind of treatment at a January rally of conservatives which resulted in the arrest, charging, and imprisonment of innocent people. Even pastors, a homeless man, a chief of police, a sign language interpreter, an autistic individual, and more were arrested for simply being present in the vicinity of the gathering. “The totalitarian judicial system created the narrative with the help of the legacy media that these ordinary people were a threat to the Brazilian state, and this climate of persecution expended, censored, and hunted critics of the current government and under the excuse of preserving democracy that does not exist anymore,” Bolsonaro stated. “The limit of the ridiculous no longer exists.” The resurgence of conservatism in Argentina gives hope to Brazil, but for now, Brazilians need the free world to spread awareness of the corruption in their government.

If you’re a fan of America Uncanceled, you can catch more of co-host Mercedes Schlapp’s expert analysis on current issues daily on Newsmax. Schlapp has long been a regular contributor to Newsmax programming, lending her inside knowledge of politics and expertise on political communications from her experience in two White House administrations. She is a frequent guest commentator on Wake Up America, John Bachman Now, and Rob Schmitt Tonight. Schlapp has also appeared as a staple round table analyst for Chris Plante: The Right Squad since the show’s debut in May of 2023. She joins veteran journalist Chris Plante, commentator Jenn Pellegrino, and special guests on weeknights at 10 pm ET. Stay up to date on Schlapp’s Newsmax appearances on social media @mercedesschlapp.

On this episode of America Uncanceled, Director of CPAC Foundation Center for Regulatory Freedom Andrew Langer hosts a panel discussion with Doug Collins, Stephen Moore, and Brendan Carr at CPAC in DC 2024 on federal regulations in healthcare, on the Internet, home appliances, the workforce, and the environment. All this red tape is stealing freedom, stifling innovation, and stunting the American economy. “Under Obama, the average family saw their costs rise by $5,000 per family because of regulations. Under Donald Trump...the average regulatory cost per family fell by $3,000 per family, and under Biden it’s been raised by another $6,000. So, regulation is a tax on the American economy,” shared Moore. President Trump removed many of the regulations that were expanded by the Obama administration, but the Biden administration undid the work of President Trump and added even more regulations to the law books. The vast number of regulations is indicative of the power that unelected bureaucrats in the administrative state have over laws and the everyday lives of Americans. For more, visit CPAC.org or follow @CPAC on social media. You can also follow Matt Schlapp @MSchlapp or Mercedes Schlapp @MercedesSchlapp to keep up with current events.

President Donald Trump released a statement this week, opposing a nationwide abortion ban. In the statement, the former president identified abortion as an issue to be decided at the state level. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, state-by-state legislation is now the primary way to regulate abortion. Still, many on the Left and a few on the Right are pushing for federal legislation. President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., and political commentator Mike Cernovich took up the debate on an episode of Trump Jr’s Triggered on Monday night. They arrived at the same conclusion as the former president that legislation on the state level is the proper way to handle abortion. "My father today, put out a statement about abortion saying that the issue should be left to the states and that the voters should have a say in the matter. I mean I think that was sort of the whole purpose of overturning Roe v. Wade which was like, let the states decide. He also made it clear though that the Republican party must promote the miracle of life and family," said Trump Jr. Though abortion bans when put on the ballot at the state level (take Ohio as Exhibit A) have not proven successful, it only indicates that a nationwide ban would fare no better. “As much as I’m pro-life, what are you going to do? You’re going to lose the issue on the national ballot so clearly. You’re losing it in red states so clearly. It’s on the ballot. What do you do?”, queried Cernovich. Instead, as President Trump advised, conservatives need to be on-the-ground, grassroots advocates for life and family, changing the hearts and minds of Americans, not just changing the laws of the states. Cernovich has seen over again campaigns similar to that of the pro-life movement against gambling and marijuana fail due to a lack of affirmative messaging. “It’s not enough to be ‘anti’. You have to have a message that steers people away from that culture,” Cernovich explained. Through his interactions with the up and coming generations, Trump Jr observed, “We’re actually winning some of the culture wars finally, but like, [abortion] was the deal breaker.” Conservatives have a lot of ground to cover to make real change in the country on the issue of abortion, but keeping it at the state level is the proper place to start. The last two CPAC straw polls concur, indicating that the American people agree with President Trump and want abortion decided by the states.

The announcement by the Biden-controlled FCC that they are going to reinstate Obama-era net neutrality rules is yet another example in a long line of decisions in this administration that are completely detached from any semblance of reality. Obama's rules produced a total stagnation in both broadband deployment and network speed Improvement, the rejection of those rules under the Trump Administration produced a massive expansion of both deployment and network speed. We could not have been prepared for internet demand during the pandemic otherwise. So now the FCC wants to take us back to that era of stagnation? Despite the "Chicken Little" claims that rescinding net neutrality would destroy the internet, the opposite happened, and yet despite societal gains, Biden and his allies on the FCC want to take us back. The CPAC Foundation is not alone in its concern. Immediately after this proposal was announced, our friend and allies similary issued strong condemnation of the FCC. A Return to Stringent Regulation The FCC's draft order to reimplement net neutrality under Title II is a step back from the deregulatory approach that fostered rapid growth and innovation in the broadband industry. According to TechFreedom's Berin Szóka, the order's extensive length and content signal a gloomy forecast for broadband regulation, with insufficient consideration given to its significant economic and political implications. Szóka highlights that only a minimal portion of the document addresses major legal questions likely to be scrutinized by the Supreme Court, such as the validity of broadband reclassification as a common carrier and the nondelegation doctrine. Economic and Innovation Concerns The light-touch regulatory regime that followed the repeal of the 2015 Open Internet Order (OIO) is credited by many, including Tom Schatz of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), with allowing the internet and its users to flourish. Schatz and others fear that reinstating net neutrality will undo this progress, stifling innovation and making internet access more costly and complicated. These concerns are supported by data indicating significant improvements in broadband speed and reductions in costs since the deregulation, as highlighted by Phil Kerpen of American Commitment. Kerpen points out that real broadband prices have significantly decreased while speeds have increased, suggesting that the market has effectively adjusted without the need for heavy-handed government intervention. Legal and Constitutional Challenges The FCC's draft order will face legal hurdles. The order's cursory treatment of the major question doctrine and the nondelegation doctrine could be its Achilles' heel in future court challenges. The major question doctrine concerns whether such a significant reclassification should be explicitly authorized by Congress, rather than left to agency discretion. Similarly, the nondelegation doctrine, which deals with the limits of congressional authority to delegate powers to regulatory agencies, is barely addressed in the order. These omissions may leave the FCC vulnerable to legal challenges that could derail the implementation of the new rules. As noted by Szóka, the real battle will likely be fought in the courts, where the FCC will need to defend its order against the backdrop of a Supreme Court increasingly skeptical of administrative overreach. The outcome of this legal confrontation could have far-reaching implications not only for the future of net neutrality but also for the broader landscape of internet regulation in the United States. Ideological Bias and Government Overreach Kerpen makes it clear that the FCC is acting out of ideological bias rather than empirical evidence, suggesting that the move to reinstate net neutrality is driven more by political motivations than by a clear need for regulation. This sentiment is echoed in concerns about the potential for net neutrality rules to be used as tools for broader government control over internet content and company practices, echoing historical precedents like the Fairness Doctrine which many believe was used to suppress conservative speech. A Thorough Drubbling From Jim Pinkerton In a recent opinion piece by Jim Pinkerton on Breitbart, the subject of government manipulation of language and its implications on broadcast and internet regulations was prominently discussed. Pinkerton draws a parallel between historical regulatory practices such as the Fairness Doctrine and contemporary issues like Net Neutrality, suggesting that both were and are used to suppress conservative viewpoints under the guise of promoting fairness. The Fairness Doctrine, introduced by the FCC in 1949, was meant to ensure that broadcasters covered controversial topics of public importance in a balanced and fair manner. However, its implementation was skewed against conservative media. Citing Bill Ruder, a former Commerce Department official, he notes that the Doctrine was used strategically to burden right-wing broadcasters, making it financially onerous for them to operate. The repeal of this Doctrine in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan's FCC appointees is seen as a pivotal moment that allowed conservative voices like Rush Limbaugh to flourish on the airwaves. Limbaugh's rise is cited as a prime example of the explosion of conservative media post-repeal, which faced renewed threats of a Fairness Doctrine revival during the Obama administration. Pinkerton then shifts to the topic of Net Neutrality, which he describes as a digital-era reincarnation of the Fairness Doctrine. Officially, Net Neutrality pertains to how phone and cable companies manage and charge for internet traffic. Pinkerton, however, sees it as another mechanism potentially used by the government to implement control over conservative content online, under the facade of managing internet traffic fairly. This perspective was echoed by Donald Trump in 2014, who criticized the Obama administration's push for Net Neutrality as a power grab affecting the internet. Despite the repeal of Net Neutrality rules by Trump's FCC appointees in 2017, the Biden administration has moved to reinstate these rules, with the FCC now back under a Democratic majority. Pinkerton portrays this move as a continuation of the government's effort to control the narrative and suppress dissenting voices under the banner of national security, public safety, and fairness. He ties these efforts back to broader concerns about Big Tech collaborations with the government, suggesting that such partnerships have been used to control information, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic and political controversies like the Hunter Biden laptop story. Pinkerton concludes by underscoring the potential consequences of such regulatory practices on freedom of expression and media diversity. He quotes FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, who labels the reinstatement of Net Neutrality as an unconstitutional overreach by an overzealous administrative state. This narrative is presented as part of a broader critique of what Pinkerton views as a progressive inclination to reinterpret the Constitution to serve contemporary political ends, rather than uphold its original principles. Through his analysis, Pinkerton challenges the integrity of regulatory actions labeled as efforts to ensure fairness and neutrality, arguing that they instead serve as tools for political and ideological manipulation. This theme of governmental overreach runs throughout the piece, serving as a warning against what he perceives as the encroaching power of the state over free speech and media independence. What's Next? The CPAC Foundation and Net Neutrality Redux Because of the sweeping implications for how Americans use the internet--whether through application of rules that serve to silence opposing viewpoints or the ability to throttle (or even shut down) internet access, this issue is a top priority for the CPAC Foundation and its Center for Regulatory Freedom. Expect our experts to draft model language for you to use to let not just the FCC, but the White House and your members of Congress know about your concerns about the latest attack on our freedoms by the Biden Administration and its allies on the FCC.

Lara Trump joined Mercedes Schlapp on America Uncanceled in February to share her thoughts on the 2024 presidential election, share updates on President Donald Trump’s campaign, and to discuss the strategic path forward she saw for the RNC. After landslide wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, President Donald Trump solidified himself as the favorite Republican candidate among Americans. These wins caused candidates Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy to drop out of the race and endorse President Trump. In contrast, Nikki Haley, funded by never-Trumpers, refused to drop out despite embarrassing losses in these states. “It’s very clear at this point that everyone in the Republican Party and honestly, I would say anyone who cares about the future of this country wants Donald J. Trump to be their nominee for president, and I believe that we are going to see a historic win for him on November 5th of this year,” said Lara Trump. President Trump’s victories thus far indicate that Americans are waking up to the dark reality President Biden has led America to, a stark contrast to the peace and prosperity we enjoyed under the Trump administration. Illegal immigration, inflation, and a weaponized federal government are driving Americans to the Republican Party, and President Trump is rallying Americans around his America first message and proven leadership. Since this interview, Lara Trump was elected to co-chair of the RNC. She was unanimously elected to the position which will support the new chair of the RNC, Michael Whatley. Whatley and Trump are taking the reins from Ronna McDaniel who stepped down after several years of turmoil and tension with conservatives in the party. The rise of Whatley and Trump to leadership in the RNC gives hope for a conservative revival in the Republican Party and the nation.