66th Bilderberg Meeting Begins

Inside the Beltway: Here comes Bilderberg with talk of populism, America and the 'post-truth' world

In 24 hours, the 66th Bilderberg Meeting begins in scenic Turin, Italy, — a cue for those wary of powerful secrets and/or conspiracies to go into watch mode, seeking proof that a master shadow government is at work and a new world order is afoot somewhere — or words to that effect. Organizers of what is generally described as a “secretive” gathering say 128 learned folk plus economic and political titans from 23 nations are headed for the three-day event — rumored to be staged at the NH Lingotto Congress Hotel, a sleek, historic and moderne spot with views of the Alps and a spectacular rooftop attraction which once involved race cars. The hotel is definitely sold out at the moment.

The event is closed to the squawking press in order to encourage “openness and dialogue” say the ultra-discreet Bilderberg organizers.

They are a helpful bunch, though, supplying a list of the key topics for discussion this year. And here they are, verbatim from the source: populism in Europe, the inequality challenge, the future of work, artificial intelligence, the U.S. before midterms, free trade, U.S. world leadership, Russia, quantum computing, Saudi Arabia and Iran, the “post-truth” world and current events.

The organization is not shy about revealing who’s coming to discuss these things. The attendee list is definitely global and accomplished — full of economists, historians, government officials and academics, among other designations. The names are always interesting. The U.S. contingent includes Henry Kissinger, David Petraeus, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan and veteran political analyst Charlie Cook. Motley protesters are usually a fixture at the event, but they have not quite surfaced yet. The mission, however, is clear.

“Thanks to the private nature of the meeting, the participants are not bound by the conventions of their office or by pre-agreed positions. As such, they can take time to listen, reflect and gather insights. There is no desired outcome, no minutes are taken and no report is written. Furthermore, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued,” Bilderberg says in its mission statement