The Panetta Institute for Public Policy Announces the Annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series 2024 and the Challenges to Democracy at Home and Abroad Live, In-Person Events Featuring David Axelrod, Asa Hutchinson, Julián Castro, Janet Napolitano, Rick Perry, Reince Priebus, Among Others

The Panetta Institute announces its live, in-person events for the 2024 Leon Panetta Lecture Series.  Subscriptions are available for the forums, which will take place at the Monterey Conference Center.

This year’s theme will focus on 2024 and the Challenges to Democracy at Home and Abroad?  Joining Secretary Panetta in these important discussions is an impressive list of speakers covering artificial intelligence, immigration, the current war in the Middle East and Election of 2024 as an opportunity to reform and strengthen our struggling democracy.

The events for the 2024 season are as follows:*

      Monday, March 11 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.   The Challenge of Artificial Intelligence – A Threat or a Blessing to Humanity? with Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer (2009-2012); Jennifer Golbeck, Ph.D., Professor, College of Information Studies and Director of Social Intelligence Lab, University of Maryland; Ethan Mollick, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; and Admiral Michael Rogers, (USN Ret.) Director of the National Security Agency and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command (2014-2018).

      Monday, April 1 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.   The Challenges of Immigration – Reform or Chaos in 2024? with Janet Napolitano, President of the University of California (2013-2020), Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2009-2013), Governor of Arizona (2003-2009); Julián Castro, Secretary of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2014-2017), Mayor of San Antonio (2009-2014); Rick Perry, Secretary of U.S. Department of Energy (2017-2019), Governor of Texas (2000-2015); and Asa Hutchinson, Governor of Arkansas (2015-2023), Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security (2003-2005).

      Monday, May 13 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.   The Challenge of War in the Middle East – Will There Be Peace or More War? with Tom Nides, U.S. Ambassador to Israel (2021-2023); Dennis Ross, Special Advisor for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia for U.S. Department of State (2009), Director of Policy Planning, U.S. Department of State (1989-1992); General Tod Wolters, (USAF Ret.), NATO’s Supreme  Allied Commander Europe (2019-2022); Anja Manuel, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of State (2005-2007).

    Monday, June 3 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Challenge of the 2024 Election – A United or Divided America?   with Richard Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations (2003-2023), Director of Policy Planning, U.S. Department of State (2001-2003); David Axelrod, Political Commentator, CNN, Senior Advisor to President Obama (2009-2011); and Reince Priebus, White House Chief of Staff (2017), Chairman, Republican National Committee (2011-2017).

 “We are facing serious challenges to our democracy at home and abroad,” said Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Chairman of the Panetta Institute. “Can we control technologies, like artificial intelligence, can we control our border, what do wars in the Middle East and Ukraine tell us about the conflict of autocracies and democracies, and will the 2024 presidential election undermine or strengthen our democracy?  We have a distinguished panel of speakers who will present their views on these critical issues.”

Leon Panetta Lecture Series subscriptions include tickets to all four live events and are available for $400.  Individual tickets sell for $100.  To order a subscription or individual ticket, call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200 to pay with a credit card.

For additional information on tickets, subscriptions or broadcast details, please call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200.

*  All dates and speakers subject to change.

The Panetta Institute for Public Policy Honored U.S. Senators Angus King and Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher at 2023 Jefferson Lincoln Awards On Saturday November 11, 2023

The Panetta Institute for Public Policy announced the recipients of its 2023 Jefferson-Lincoln Awards. The 2023  annual awards was presented to U.S. Senator Angus King (I) of Maine, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) of Minnesota and U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R) of Wisconsin.  The honors were  conferred at a black-tie gala dinner held at The Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

Commenting on the honorees, Institute Chairman and Co-Founder Leon E. Panetta said, “our democracy is under threat.  Political theatrics have taken the place of governing and the victims of this vacuum of leadership are the American people. We need elected officials who understand their responsibility to the American people and to our democracy. The Panetta Institute honors three leaders who put duty before party and have shown the courage and integrity in their stewardship of our democracy.”

The November 11 celebration also served as the premier fundraiser to help support The Panetta Institute for Public Policy and its mission to attract thoughtful men and women to lives of public service, inspiring them to a high standard of conduct and equipping them with the practical skills of self-government.  The gala featured a gourmet four-course meal and award-winning wines.  For more information on purchasing seats for the gala or sponsoring a table call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200.

Panetta Institute Survey Shows Students’ Outlook on the Future and the Direction of the Nation are at an All –Time Low

No Longer Believe the American Dream is Achievable

In the twenty-third year of its nationwide survey of college students, the Panetta Institute for Public Policy has found that college students’ outlook on the state of the nation is at a historic low. Deeply dissatisfied with the country’s political leadership, 70% of students believe the country is on the wrong track and a staggering 76% are uncertain or concerned about the future of the country.  Both results are all-time lows in the history of the Panetta Institute Poll.

Students are deeply concerned about the future and the survey results suggest that many have all but given up on achieving the traditional American Dream.  Thirty-eight percent believe they will be worse off compared to their parents, the lowest result in the history of the survey.  Seventy percent of college students believe that it is harder for them to achieve the American Dream than it was for their parents and 38% believe they will be worse off financially than their parents.  At least 3 in 10 college students want to achieve the following, but don’t believe they will be able to do so:  have enough money to retire comfortably (38%); be debt free (33%); own a business (32%); or own a home (31%).  Thirty-two percent of students believe that they will not be able to retire and will instead “always be working.”

Click here for a complete report on this year’s findings.2023 Survey Report (6-2-23).

The theme for the annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series for 2023 was The Presidency and a Divided Congress:  Can They Govern?

Live In-Person Events Featured John Boehner, Douglas Brinkley, Liz Cheney Steny Hoyer, David Petraeus, Bob Gates, Annette Gordon-Reed and Bob Woodward, Among Others

The Panetta Institute announced a return to live in-person events for the 2023 Leon Panetta Lecture Series.

This year’s theme focused on The Presidency and a Divided Congress: Can They Govern?  Joining Secretary Panetta in these important discussions was an impressive list of speakers covering economic issues, foreign policy and defense, partisan politics and history. “After two years of Democratic control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, the 118^thCongress returns the nation to the realities of a divided government,” said Institute chairman Leon E. Panetta.  “A single party has controlled the White House and the Congress only three times in the last three decades.  But, at a time when so much is at stake can the nation afford the risks associated with a do-nothing Congress?  Will the Congress act to raise the debt limit and avoid damaging our economy?  Can we avoid an economic recession?  Will the new Congress remain unified in support of the war in Ukraine?  Will the Congress work together and avoid gridlock?  Finally, are there lessons we can learn from history that can guide us forward in this divisive time.  I’ll pose these questions to our impressive list of speakers.”

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