2022 Conservative Action and Policy Summit
| 2022 Conservative Action and Policy Summit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date(s) | March 2–5, 2022 |
| Venue | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska |
| Country |
 Superior |
| Previous event | CAPS 2021 |
| Participants | |
| Leader | William Sawyer |
| Organised by | Anglo-American Conservative Union (Superior branch) |
The 2022 Conservative Action and Policy Summit, also known more commonly as CAPS 2022, was a political event and conference that took place in Omaha, Nebraska, as part of the annual Conservative Action and Policy Summit. The event lasted from March 2 to 5 after being postponned due to the 2022 North American terror attacks from its original date of February 24 to 27. The summit lasted four days and was organized by the Anglo-American Conservative Union with sponsorships from the United Conservative Party of Superior and its affiliated bodies along with Turning Point Superior and other conservative organizations.
CAPS 2022 is the next event from the previous conference last year and the emergency summit in Edmonton, Manitoba. Key speakers included numerous conservative political leaders such as President Isaac Dillon, Nicolas McCarty of Alaska, opposition leaders Kenneth O'Conner and Julia Harris of Sierra and Astoria respectively, and Agriculture Secretary Charles Griffith among others. In a historic first, the event hosted many Antillean conservative leaders, including President Arian Lawrence and activist Mitch O'Brian. Due to the recent terrorist attacks, many of the national leaders invited to the summit delivered video messages. Along with that, security at the event was the highest it has ever been in CAPS' history.
Background[edit | edit source]
CAPS 2022 was announced on September 1, 2022, by the Anglo-American Conservative Union two months after the emergency Edmonton summit in July. The 2022 summit was chosen to be held in Superior and a contest was held to see which state and which city would host the 2022 summit. On September 22, the city of Omaha was declared the winner and was announced in a post on Bubbler with Governor Ben Loren also announcing it in a celebratory post.
The theme for the summit was announced to be conservative electoral and political successes and was reinforced by Isaac Dillon's victory in the 2022 Superian federal election on January 3 where he was elected president and his party won the largest number of seats in the House of Delegates. Following the Amazonas incident from December 12, 2021, foreign policy was made a core theme as well with anti-Landonism and opposing the influence of the United Commonwealth along with its allies becoming one of the main topics, especially after the Caribbean crisis began after the attack.
On February 9, terrorist attacks hit Superior with shootings occuring in New Anjou and bombings occuring in Saint Anthony, Minneapolis, by Landonist extremists in the former and Contingenters for the latter. This caused the event to be delayed with request from local, state, and federal authorities with the Anglo-American Conservative Union announcing the delay on February 11 and the newly assigned dates of March 2–5 instead. The Omaha Convention Center remained the venue for the conference.
Due to the recent terrorist attacks in Superior and other nations in Anglo-America, security has been heightened with cooperation from convention security, local law enforcement in Omaha, and federal authorities. Governor Loren also stated in January that the Nebraska Territorial Guard would be deployed in the event that a terrorist attack were to occur during the convention and to prevent any potential attacks from occuring during the convention or within the Omaha area.
Format[edit | edit source]
Schedule[edit | edit source]
Straw polls[edit | edit source]
Just like with previous CAPS summits since 2000, straw polls will be done at the convention to document the current trends, political leanings, and attitudes of the wider Anglo-American conservative movement. Straw polls will be done throughout the convention with the results being announced on the fourth and final day of the convention. In the straw poll from the 2021 emergency summit, Isaac Dillon emerged as the number one conservative political leader in terms of approval and support for the position as a leader within the movement. Following the convention's conclusion on March 5, Dillon would once again emerge as the top conservative, winning 45% of attendee votes. Sierran MP Matthew DeSantis, Deputy President of Superior Anietta Johnson, and Sierran governor Daniel Vo would follow Dillon.
Panel hosts[edit | edit source]
| Host | Position/notability | Location | Subject/theme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Antonio Suarez | Former K.S. Senator from the Inland Empire | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservative leadership |
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Elaine Goodwin | Member of the House of Delegates of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Individual liberty and the importance of freedom |
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Kristie Goh | Governor of Kings | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservative legislative leadership and electoral successes |
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Adam Cosgrove | Former Premier of South Columbia | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservatism in Anglo-America |
Speakers[edit | edit source]
Day 1[edit | edit source]
| Speaker | Position/notability | Location | Topic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Maxwell Goodwin | Chair of the Anglo-American Conservative Union | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Opening statements and conservatism in the modern era |
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William Sawyer | Chair of the Anglo-American Conservative Union in Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | States' rights and limited government |
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Matthew DeSantis | Member of the House of Commons of Sierra | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Responding to defeat and/or setbacks |
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Daniel Vo | Governor of Orange | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Civil liberties in times of crisis |
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Will Burns | Mayor of Columbia City | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservatism in urban areas |
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Lauren Byrd | Former President of Astoria | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservative advocacy beyond public office |
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Wilhelmina Kendrick | Governor of Sonora | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Women in the conservarive movement |
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Joseph Keyes | Lieutenant Governor of Wyoming | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Closing statements and importance of the heartland |
Day 2[edit | edit source]
| Speaker | Position/notability | Location | Topic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Anna Cooper | Governor of Arrowhead | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Opening statements and local governance |
|
Charles Griffith | Secretary of Agriculture of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | The strength of agriculture and the rural electorate |
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James Kastle | Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Religious liberty and the threats it faces by authoritarian governments |
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Jack Ryan | Speaker of the House of Delegates of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservative legislation and leadership |
|
Michelle Collins | High Councilor from New Hanover | Green Bay, New Hanover, Superior (delivered video message) |
Reaching out to other voters and winning in liberal states and areas |
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Anietta Johnson | Deputy President of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Conservative electoral successes in the 2022 Superian elections |
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Donald Hartford | Secretary of the Treasury of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Fiscal responsibility and practical budgets |
|
Alexander Harper | Former President of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Closing statements and leadership during times of crisis and adversity |
Day 3[edit | edit source]
| Speaker | Position/notability | Location | Topic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Scott Schwab headshot.jpg | Andrew Keyes | Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Superior | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Opening statements and conservative foreign policy |
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Baron Avery | Speaker of the Antillean House of Representatives | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Opposing the Continental States and allies in support of Caribbean and regional security |
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Mitch O'Brian | Antillean conservative activist and commentator | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Authoritarian rule in the Continentel States and defecting to the Antilles |
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Victor Guaidó | President of the Andean Democracy Assembly | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Opposing the ruling communist party and fighting for democracy in the Andes |
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Justin Spencer | House Government Leader in Manitoba | Toscouné, Manitoba (delivered video message) | Opposing Continental influence in Northern America |
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Rick Perry | Leader of the National Conservative Party of Brazoria | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Crimson-era oppression and opposing Continental influence near Brazoria's borders |
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Ben Loren | Governor of Nebraska | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Aiding and settling defectors from Landonist countries |
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Bruno Johnson | Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | Omaha Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska | Closing statements and opposing socialist influence in Europe |
Day 4[edit | edit source]
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Notable speeches[edit | edit source]
Matthew DeSantis[edit | edit source]
I kept pressing my case even after the recount ended in a disappointing manner, but I eventually had to concede come February 8. At some point, one must recognize they've lost, especially when reality hits your hard in the face, like mine. But that was never a reason to give up, no such reason exists. I still had and have consituents to represent in the House and I returned to the chamber knowing this and know that there still remains opportunities lying ahead of me and that the Senate isn't the end all be all.
Matthew DeSantis at Day 1 of CAPS 2022
Matthew DeSantis is a Sierran politician and member of Parliament who has represented Indio Springs (Inland Empire's 4th parliamentary district) in the House of Commons since 2016. A member of the Royalist Party, DeSantis has been an established conservative politician and figure who garnered attention as one of many staunch supporters of Daniel McComb who were elected into parliament during the 2016 Sierran federal election. DeSantis would support McComb's legislative agenda and supported him during the McCombgate scandal in October 2017. He would endorse Nemesis Heartwell as Leader of the Royalist Party during the leadership election held in 2017 and would support her throughout her entire premiership as a supporter of Sierra First. DeSantis himself would only disagree with Heartwell on a few occuasions such as in 2019 during the referendum on Sierra's membership in the Conference of American States where DeSantis voted in favor of Leave as a supporter of Sierrexit while Heartwell voted for Remain. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DeSantis opposed many restrictions imposed in response and has called for their compelete removal since 2021.
In 2022, DeSantis ran for the Senate after long-time senator Elizabeth Geffreys announced her retirement in late 2021. DeSantis would run in the Royalist primary and emerged victorious even getting Geoffreys' endorsement as well. He ran against Democratic-Republican Hasan Finch and Christian Democrat Brandon Lee for the position as junior Kingdom of Sierra Senator from the Inland Empire. The general election was held on February 8 with Finch winning by a margin of 0.1%. DeSantis pushed for a recount and challenged the election's results even after the Inland Empire Board of Elections reaffirmed Finch's victory and only conceded on February 8 when the next session of the Senate was sworn in. DeSantis would speak about his experience with losing the election at CAPS 2022 where it was part of the main topic of dealing with defeat and electoral losses. He cited his experience about hoe victory is never guaranteed and how conservatives can and will suffer electoral losses or disappointments, but to never give up and to continue fighting regardless.
Michelle Collins[edit | edit source]
–Michelle Collins during Day 2 of CAPS 2022
Michelle Collins is a Superian lawmaker and politician from New Hanover who served as a member of the New Hanover House of Representatives between 2010 to 2022 when she resigned to run for the High Council on the United Conservative ticket. Throughout her political career, Collins has been a red tory and center-right politician, affiliated with the moderate wing of the United Conservative Party. She stook to this stance during the primary elections for the party nomination and won in a contested primary race against three other officials. She would face off against incumbent Liberal Democrat High Councilor Mitchell Wendig. Wedding had been unpopular and suffered low approval ratings going into the general election, however it was viewed as a tough competition for Collins herself despite his low approval ratings.
Collins ran on an anti-corruption platform and appealed to traditionally non-conservative voters, viewing it vital in order to win in an otherwise politically liberal state which favors the Progressive Bloc. She would appeal to traditionally Liberal Democrat voters and used the Courtgate scandal to her advantage by highighting Wendig's support for Granholm and denial of the allegations against her. Collins would win the general election by a close margin of 2.1% over Wendig. During her appearance, Collins spoke about the importance of reaching out to non-conservatives, finding compromise, seeking common ground and avoiding tribalist thinking, viewing it as counter-productive to winning elections and ensuring long-term success. Collins mentioned her campaign in detail and talked about how it was based off of the moderate campaign ran by Dillon and the UCP during the federal election campaign and how it helped them win and discussed how it was the success to future conservative electoral victories and how it was a middle ground between traditional conservatism and bipartisanship.
Alexander Harper[edit | edit source]
Arian Lawrence[edit | edit source]
Arian Lawrence is a Antillean politician currently serving as the 34th President of the United Commonwealth of America. A member of the long-ruling Federalist Party, Lawrence entered politics in 2008, running for and being defeated in a primary election. He would eventually be appointed as the United Commonwealth Secretary of the Army under President Michael Abarough and would advocate for greater preparation for a Continental attack. Running on a socially conservative and nationalist platform, Lawrence would be elected in 2020 Antillean presidential election becoming the first non-Abarough to become president of the island nation.
Lawrence would come into the international and regional spotlight following the Amazonas incident of 2021 and the 2022 North American terror attacks, when Lawrence mobilized the United Commonwealth Navy as apart of Operation Poseidon's Watch, the largest military operation conducted by the Antilles since the end of the Cold War, and would take a more active role in regional politics, something that previous presidents had avoided doing. Being the first Antillean president to speak at CAPS, Lawrence would discuss his experiences with combating Landonism, and would call upon the nations of the Conference of American States to take a more active role in opposing the United Commonwealth and its allies. Lawrence would credit the role in which Antillean naval forces have protected the Caribbean and claimed that they've been responsible for ensuring security of safe passage through the Caribbean while crediting other participating nations for their role as well and encouraging others to join viewing it as "absolutely necessary" to combating the United Commonwealth and the Andes.
Isaac Dillon[edit | edit source]
Responses and protests[edit | edit source]
CAPS 2022 first garnered media attention when DeSantis spoke on the first day about dealing with defeat and electoral losses citing his personal loss to Hasan Finch during the 2022 Sierran Senate elections. When DeSantis mentioned Finch, many in the audience began to boo to which DeSantis called on them to settle down and said "booing won't change anything, save it for the internet everybody". DeSantis was credited for not smearing Finch and for acknowledging his defeat to Finch inspite of his contentious recount campaign during the week after he lost to Finch in the election in the Inland Empire, though the booing when Finch was mentioned would be mocked online by detractors of the convention.
The second day focuses on conservative electoral successes and was highly criticized for being egotistic and self-centered with one user calling it a "massive right-wing circle jerk, but a convention" on Bubbler which got tens of thousands of likes. Many viewed it as self-serving and an immature act of rubbing the UCP's victory in the faces of the opposition after they won the 2022 Superian federal election on January 3. This was somewhat confirmed by event staff on Bubbler, saying that the promotion of conservative electoral success was "pivotal" for forwarding conservative voices.
The third day focuses on foreign policy and response to "growing" Landonism. The third day would see the largest amount of protestors, as it was the first day Antillean invitees were allowed to speak. The inclusion of Antillean officials and representatives was highly controversial, as the nation has been highly criticized for its controversial past and for alleged civil liberties violations. On Bubbler, the hashtag #derhzyFeds and #Authoritarians Go Home trended. During Mitch O'Brian's speech, the hashtag Uncle Tom, a racially derogatory term used to described African-American conservatives, would begin trending, but would be censured by the app, which offered on apology to O'Brian shortly afterwards.
Demonstrations[edit | edit source]
Like other CAPS events, there would be a number of protests and demonstrations against the summit, its leaders and guests, and Anglo-American conservatism in general. On March 2, protestors would begin to gather at the Omaha Convention Center, and would remain there until the summit's conclusion on March 5. Many protestors were presumably from Superior, as many signs and crowd chants were directed towards Superian conservative leaders, such as President Isaac Dillon and Deputy President Anietta Johnson. Along with that, a number of Superian leftist groups had organized a "mass protest event", encouraging members to demonstrate and "disrupt the derzhs". In response to demonstrations, CAPS organizers set up multiple screens streaming the event outside the venue as a protest, hoping to force demonstrators to watch the event.
March 4 would see the most protests and demonstrations, as it was the first day Antillean guests spoke at the event. The Antilles has long been controversial within Anglo-American politics, mainly for its dictatorial past and its alleged continued authoritarian practices. Demonstrators would protest the inclusion of Antillean politicians, such as Baron Avery, and notable conservative political activist Mitch O'Brian. During O'Brain's speech, self-proclaim members of the far left Liberation Front from Sierra would begin chanting derogatory slurs towards O'Brian, though they would be booed, drowned out, and condemned by other demonstrators.