America versus socialism.
That’s the stark choice that will face voters this November — and the them of the Conservative Political Action Conference that kicks of Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
The annual conservative summit, will feature speeches from President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a slew of conservative figures. All will “make the case against socialism,” CPAC hosts said.
“America vs. Socialism — it’s a little provocative if you think about it, because even the Democrats are stumbling on this question of, ‘Are we a capitalist country or are we a socialist country?’” Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU) which puts on the event, said in an interview with Fox News.
“People will criticize us, and say, ‘well, can’t you be a good American and be a socialist?’” Schlapp said. “You could be well-meaning and think you’re helping America by pushing socialism, but we actually think that what you’re doing is destroying the very foundational concepts behind America.”
Schlapp warned that Democrats like Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to “transform America.”
“Transform is an important word in that, they’re not saying make America kinder and gentler, they’re saying transform it — keep some of the parts we like, but change everything else,” Schlapp told Fox. “We reject that’s what America needs and we reject that America can continue to be America if we throw away most of our fundamental values.”
“We will focus at this conference on how socialists believe the opposite,” Schlapp added. “They actually believe the federal government is entitled to do whatever it needs to do in an attempt to transform society.”
The conference runs through Saturday.
Below is a list of speakers. See the full schedule here.
Wednesday
Trump campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas
Trump campaign National Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany
Trump campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh
Trump campaign adviser Mercedes Schlapp
Former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C.
Thursday
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C.
Former White House deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas
Mercedes Schlapp
Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga.
Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas
House Republican Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman
Vice President Mike Pence
Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.
Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Trump Campaign Manager Brad Parscale
Friday
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.
Matthew Whitaker, former acting U.S. attorney general
Parscale
Lara Trump
Kimberly Guilfoyle
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao
Labor Department Secretary Eugene Scalia
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Donald Trump Jr.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler
White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council Executive Director Scott Turner
Friedman
Acting Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.
DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif.
Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Ivanka Trump
White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow
Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party
Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Saturday
Former White House adviser Sebastian Gorka
White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt
Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar
President Trump
