Lincoln Didn't Fight The Civil War to Free The Corporations: Thom Hartmann at TEDxConcordiaUPortland

Thom Hartmann is a progressive syndicated talk show host heard in over a half-billion homes worldwide. He's a New York Times best-selling, 4-time Project Censored Award-winning author of 24 books. One of his books sparked a national debate on ADD/ADHD and neurological differences ranging from giftedness to autism. Another book so inspired a U.S. Senator that he delivered copies of the book to his 99 colleagues in the Senate and read from it extensively on the floor of the Senate.

Thom has spent much of his life working with and for the relief organization, Salem International. He and his wife Louise also founded a community for abused children in New Hampshire, as well as a school for learning disabled and ADHD kids. A Michigan native with strong ties to the Midwest—but currently living on a boat in Washington D.C.—Hartmann is an inveterate traveler and occasional risk-taker and has often found himself in the world's hot spots during pivotal moments in history.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)