Ed Feulner and three of his main spiritual inspirations: GK Chesterton, Russell Kirk and FA … more
Dr. Edwin J. Feulner younger has been such an important policy player for over 50 years that, although many leaders have already shared memories of how they influenced their lives, there is plenty of room for further tributes. I heard Ed for the first time, as he liked to be called, as an immigrant from Argentina in the late 1970s. For me Ed was a huge inspiration and later an extremely generous mentor and consultant.
I came to the United States in 1978 to study under Dr. Hans F. Sennholz at College Grove City. Sennholz was a student of Ludwig von Mises and, although of course mainly as a teacher, he was very active as a speaker in conservative free market circles. He introduced me to the work of Feulner to the inheritance institution. Eventually I met Feulner in September 1980, when I was invited to the Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) meeting held at the Hoover Foundation. Feulner became a key member of the Members, taking up several leadership positions.
My acquaintance with Ed Deadened since 1985, when I entered Antony Fisher, the founder of the Institute of Economic Affairs in London and later the founder of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. Fisher tried to hire Feulner to lead the International Center for Economic Policy (Iceps, today the Manhattan Institute). In 1978, Fisher discussed the creation of a New York -based think tank with his friend William J. “Bill” Casey, then New York lawyer. Just as Feulner was ready to start his new job, the recently established Heritage Foundation made him a much better offer, and the rest is history.
Although he was frustrated by not being able to hire him, Fisher remained friends with Feulner and invited him to speak at Atlas events. As in his early days, Atlas was in San Francisco, away from the legacy, I initially saw FEULNER for the most part in the meetings of Mont Pelerin. At one of these meetings, in Guatemala, I as a member of the program committee was able to invite Fr. Robert Sirico to speak. Sir John Templeton, who worked closely with Antony Fisher, also attended the meeting. After conversations during the meeting, Fr. Sirico decided to create the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and FreedomBoth Feulners and I were asked to be at the Acton Foundation.
At the end of our first Acton Board Retreat, I drove to the airport with ED. When I am influential people, I ask the same questions: Who do you always read? Who does a great job and we have to support them more? And: What is the biggest problem we face today in our battle for freedom? I remember his answer to the latter. It was in the mid -1990s, and Ed said: “Young people who join the movement have a very shallow and superficial understanding of the principles of free society, unite our groups, but have never gone through the process of studying all the main works, founders, great economists, Misellists Kirk. Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), where he served as a long -term manager and president. ISI aims to fill the gap that Feulner spoke by creating scholarships and academic programs for talented young people.
In addition to his role as the leader of Think Tank, Ed Feulner also played an important role in the foundations that give grants such as the Sarah Scaife Foundation, which supports dozens of political problematic tanks. He also served as inspiration for other foundations. A little well -known fact is that Sir John TempletonAt the start of his organization, he included Feulner on his map as one of the authors who should serve as a guide for his grants in the realm of free business. The other authors who preceded him are Adam Smith, Ludwig Von Mises, Fa Hayek, Milton Friedman, William E. Simon and Antony Fisher. Ideas never die, and Ed Feulner’s opinions and heritage will continue to inspire many of us.
In addition to his leadership in think tanks and charities, Dr. Feulner played a role in various political campaigns. He worked with Jack Kemp when he was a candidate vice president with Bob Dole. He also joined the 2016 Trump’s presidential course. In 2016, in a private meeting with freedom fighters from around the world, Ed told us: “Trump put a prerequisite that if we disagree with a policy, as I did in invoices, we keep our disagreement.”
Dr. Ed Feulner was recognized for his service in Mont Pelerin Society during Hong Kong … more
When in 2014 the Mont Pelerin society asked me to help choose a gift for Ed Feulner, I had a unique opportunity to find out what inspired him. Without revealing my intention, I asked him during a private meeting in his office, which the intellectuals had the greatest impact on his life. He was quick to answer GK Chesterton, Russell Kirk and Fa Hayek. An artist who knew him well, Debby BeisnerHe occupied his answer to a beautiful painting.
The books will be written for Ed Feulner and his heritage. At the moment, one of his favorite words is enough to remember his spirit: and then!
