Liberty First: Why Freedom Conservatism Beats National Conservatism Every Time

Vance Ginn, Ph.D.·
Populism reflects real frustration with cultural decline and economic instability — but the solution matters. The key divide is whether populism empowers people or expands government power. National conservatism risks centralizing authority, using executive power, tariffs, and industrial policy in ways that blur constitutional limits and shift decision-making from citizens to politicians. Freedom conservatism argues that liberty, limited government, and separation of powers remain essential — trusting free people, not centralized power, as the surest…

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Let’s be honest, big government is big bureaucracy, and common sense tells us big bureaucracy is ineffective. That’s why ITR Foundation works to:

  • Research principled solutions
  • Educate Iowans about our solutions
  • Activate Iowans in support of our solutions

By applying the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and the rule of law to public policy, we can ensure all Iowans will have the opportunity to succeed.

ITR Foundation set the policy groundwork for many recent taxpayer victories in Iowa:

  • Increased property tax transparency and spending restraint
  • A 3.8% flat individual income tax rate
  • Elimination of income taxes on retirement income
  • Elimination of inheritance tax
  • Creating a path to reduce corporate income tax to 5.5%
  • Phasing-out special tax incentives in the corporate tax code
  • Banning local universal basic income programs