2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Sanders is listed under "Other Participants" for the conference. Doesn't even have his photo or bio. [View all]Nanjeanne
(4,921 posts)So here I go again.
I am speaking as an event producer who has done many large and small types of corporate and other events.
Agendas are very fluid. What is initially proposed and put out typically will change as additional participants are added or, for whatever reason, leave.
This is not the kind of "conference" you seem to want to think it is. It is a small roundtable type conference where important thinkers with varied backgrounds from economic, social and cultural expertise come together to give information and stimulate conversation. The Church will take this information to help them formulate how they respond to this changing world.
Based on the current agenda it appears that Speakers are invited to give a paper (or selected from papers that are given to the organizing committee). Other speakers are also giving viewpoint on the originating paper. Discussion from all attending is followed which allows a good give and take. If that was all Sanders was doing - it would still be a fantastic opportunity for him to give perspective and - I bet from Sanders standpoint - even more important - learn from experts in many fields.
But it is not all Sanders is doing . . .
Originally an agenda was made based on a preliminary agenda (and I can tell you that we usually have many many iterations of preliminary agendas - so I have no idea where this last one stands in the overall scheme of things). Perhaps Senator Sanders was not able to definitively confirm he could be there (perhaps he was waiting to iron out the logistics of the debate and his rally in Washington Park). Since his acceptance - he has now been offered the opportunity to give a talk about the Idolatry of Money. I would expect that the agenda might change a few times before the 14th.
So basically your entire OP is garbage. But then you knew that. You have lots of experience - as I think this might be your 12th or 13th try at it.