Heritage Explains
Heritage Explains is a podcast that breaks down major policy issues at a 101 level. Experts from America's leading public policy organization, The Heritage Foundation, explain major news stories and policy debates in culture and Congress. The show aims to make complex topics accessible to a general audience.
Episodes
Why is France on Fire? | Nile Gardiner
It’s a day ending in Y in France, which means rioting. Following in the spirit of 1789, the French are burning buildings, fighting the police, and overall behaving very poorly. This time, the revolutionaries are highschoolers joined by Islamo-communists and anarchists waving Palestinian flags, but France has seen this style of faux revolution before. The rioters are the proud heirs of May ’68, a
Are We Winning the War on Fraud? | Dan Kowalski
Washington has spent decades proving the bigger government gets, the more money it wastes and the less accountable it becomes. The infamous Minnesota “learing centers,” incident showed how craven many fraudsters are when it comes to stealing federal funds, while the downstream benefits of dismantling USAID show how effective government action can be in saving taxpayer money. Waste, fraud, and abus
Should We be Friends With China? | Jeff Smith
For the better part of a decade, China has played the role of America’s greatest long-term strategic competitor. American foreign politicos have long advised a pivot to Asia as Washington slaps tariffs on Chinese goods. The CCP has served as America’s bête noire, guilty of repeated intellectual property theft, human rights abuses, and imperial ambitions towards the essential island of Taiwan. And
Is AI Going to Wipe Out Humanity? | Jay Richards
I was eight years old when my family got our first home computer. I remember this hulking grey Dell computer taking up massive amounts of space on the desk, and I remember thinking to myself how amazing technology was.The mood around tech is no longer nearly as cheery. Over the past five years, Americans have grown increasingly concerned over the broadening prevalence of AI. Pew Research reports 5
How Do We Fix America's Elections? | Ken Cuccinelli
As stories about non-citizen voting and voter fraud become disturbingly common, Americans are beginning to lack confidence in our elections. The debate over the elections process has taken on a renewed urgency given we are just months away from the 2026 midterms and a few years out from what promises to be a contentious 2028 election.That's why Heritage Foundation recently launched the latest edit
Can America Keep the Lights On? | Jack Spencer
Energy is the nucleus of everything. The oil that powers our cars, the natural gas heating out homes, and the nuclear keeping the lights on: it’s all tied back to energy policy.Reliable energy is essential to both American prosperity and national security.To help lay out just how essential understanding energy policy is, and what the future holds for it, we spoke to Jack Spencer, Director of the C
How do We Make the American Dream Affordable Again? | John Gibbs
A few weeks ago, conservative online discourse was focused on the price of a burrito. Yes, the Vice President of the United States, along with the right’s most celebrated minds, were arguing over whether a burrito should cost $20.Beneath the viral posts was a serious question: why does it feel like the American Dream keeps getting more expensive? Me and my wife certainly feel the squeeze on the co
How Prepared Is America for a More Dangerous World? | Bob Peters
New York Times journalist James Reston once quipped that "This is the devilish thing about foreign affairs: they are foreign and will not always conform to our whim." Never have those words been truer than now.The world is a very dangerous place at the moment. We are still engaged in Iran, with little sign of things improving. China looms large in Asia, though we have abruptly stopped engaging wi
Why Did AOC Freeze Her Eggs? A New Look at Fertility | Marguerite Duane
Fertility is often framed as a women's issue, but do men have any place in the conversation? In this episode of Heritage Explains, Heritage Action's Doug Blair sits down with Dr. Marguerite Duane to discuss the realities of fertility, the factors contributing to declining birth rates, and why men play a much bigger role in the fertility conversation than many realize.The pair also discuss Rep. Ale
Did Communists Kill Portland, OR? | Mike Gonzales
Portland was once held up as a model of urban America: a walkable, vibrant city known for parks, restaurants, breweries, and a thriving downtown.Today, record office vacancies, rampant homelessness, drug use, and shuttered businesses have turned the City of Roses into a warning for other American cities.So what happened?On this episode of Heritage Explains, we’re joined by Heritage Senior Fellow M
Re-run | What is the Save America Act? | Chip Wyatt & Dan West
This epsiode originally aired on February 11th, 2026. Enjoy!Washington is abuzz with talk of the SAVE America act, a piece of legislation that is designed to secure American elections and ensure that only American citizens have the right to vote. The proposed law is experiencing a groundswell of popular support, but also opposition. To understand what makes this law consequential, I sat down with
BONUS | The Supreme Court’s Biggest Hits | Cully Stimson & Zack Smith
The last Supreme Court term was a very busy and consequential one. With decisions from redistricting to birthright citizenship to boys in girls’ sports, many cases made headlines and there is a lot to talk about. That’s why we decided to bring you a very special bonus episode this week. Heritage Action’s Doug Blair sat down with Heritage legal fellows Cully Stimson and Zack Smith to break down th
What’s in the Biden Tapes? | Mike Howell
For much of the 2024 presidential campaign, Biden supporters as well as legacy media insisted that the president was mentally sharp and fully competent to execute his duties. Most Americans doubted this, and this debate performance confirmed that they were right. In the weeks that followed, Biden stepped down from the race, replaced by Vice Presidenet Kamala Harris. But the situation left American
Defending American Sovereignty After the Birthright Citizenship Case | Roger Severino
When President Trump took office in January of 2025, he signed 26 executive orders on the first day. In that pile of executive orders was one entitled: Protecting the Meaning and Value of American American Citizenship. In it, the president directed that federal officials were not to issue documents recognizing United States citizenship to anyone who is born in the country to illegal immigrants or
Using Public Lands for Public Good | Dr. Dawn Buckingham
Who ever heard of a state-based agency that is older than the state itself? The Texas General Land Office was established in 1836 by the Congress of the Republic of Texas, the sovereign country that became the State of Texas ten years later, in 1846. When that transition happened, Texas retained control of all of its public lands. That made the General Land Office’s role even more important, and
Political Activism at the Smithsonian Institution | Mike Gonzalez
Harriet Tubman’s Shawl and Hymnal. Abraham Lincoln’s Hat. Chuck Berry’s Red Cadillac. These are just a few of the estimated 157 million items currently held by the Smithsonian Institutions. Spread across 21 museums, 21 libraries, 14 education and research centers, a zoo, and various other facilities, the Smithsonian was created by the federal government in 1846, and named after its founding donor
Will America Get Another 250? | Derrick Morgan
America’s 250th anniversary of independence is being celebrated on the Fourth of July, this very week. And celebrations are taking place across the country. Tractor pulls. Concerts. Competitions. UFC Fights on the white house lawn. But there’s another, slightly quieter, event happening in Philadelphia this year for America250: the burying of a time capsule. America’s Time Capsule, as it’s called
250 Years of the Greatest Country on Earth | Brenda Hafera
In July of 1777, gunshots rang out over Philadelphia. At first glance, this may not be surprising, as America was still in the throes of the Revolutionary War. But it was not the redcoats who were firing that night. It was Americans, celebrating the very first anniversary of their independence. The edition of the Philadelphia Evening Post, published on July 15 1777 described the celebration thus:
What is the American Opportunity Agenda? | Dan Kowalski
In 2025, data analytics company Gallup asked 144,000 people in 140 countries a survey question they have been asking for decades: “Ideally, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move permanently to another country, or would you prefer to continue living in this country?” If the respondent says they would like to move, they are then asked which country they would like to move to. In 2025,
Trump, SCOTUS, and the First Step Act | Cully Stimson
In our political climate, it is always nice to have a bit of authentic bipartisanship. The Marshall plan to rebuild Europe following World War 2, the Interstate Highway System under President Eisenhower, and the Apollo Program are all examples of both political parties coming together for a common goal. The first Trump Administration saw another of these moments in the passage of the Formerly Inc
Is There Hope for American Colleges? | Jonathan Butcher
Graduation season is once more upon us. The long school year has come to a close, and now, in caps and gowns, the nation’s graduates gather to receive their various certifications, diplomas, and degrees, and listen to wisdom from a speaker. However, many college graduations are not the same tranquil affairs they used to be. FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, reports that a
Lessons from Virginia | Nick Freitas
Along with Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts, Virginia describes itself as a commonwealth. In reality, a commonwealth is no different from a state. But in the English of colonial times, “commonwealth” denoted something along the lines of “a state for the common good”, and had a more revolutionary connotation. The state was for the people, not the people for the state. In some ways, this ha
Modernization, Security, and Election Integrity | Don Palmer
The tiny town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire is located just 20 miles south of the Canadian boarder. Home to an idyllic hotel known for its skiing and golfing, the town itself had a population of four. At the time of the 2020 census. But if you happen to be one of those residents, your election day experience is a bit different from most. At the stroke of midnight, you enter the polling place,
What Will Come from the Trump-Xi Meeting? | Andrew Harding
During the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, joined by Winston Churchill, sat down with Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek. The purpose of the meeting, now known as the Cairo Conference, was to strategize against the Empire of Japan and make preparations for a post-war Asia. Nearly 30 years later, President Richard Nixon, seeing an opportunity to widen the distance betwee
Is the Callais Decision the New Jim Crow? | Zack Smith
Jim Crow laws are the blanket name given to the the state and local laws that pervaded the American South from the 19th century all the way to the 1960s, which were meant to enforce racial segregation. They limited the public services and facilities available to Black Americans. They included poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures designed to limit the ability of Black Americans to exerci
Why is the FBI Going After the SPLC? | Tyler O’Neil
The Southern Poverty Law Center, founded in 1971, has its roots in the Civil Rights movement. But there’s reason to believe that this American institution, like so many others, has drifted from its original mission. Here to talk about that is our resident SPLC expert here at the Heritage Foundation, Daily Signal Senior Editor, Tyler ONeil. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: Her
Getting More out of Budget Reconciliation | Dan Kowalski
The US House and Senate are storied institutions and packed with traditions and procedures like these. Some, like the fabled “candy desk”, are whimsical artifacts of history. Others are more central to the way that government works, and one such is the Budget Reconciliation process. This is a unique mechanism for passing budget and finance related legislation in the House and Senate. In the wake o
Unbreaking the News at The Daily Signal | Rob Bluey
The American press has had high moments and low moments over the years, and it’s safe to say that we’re in a low one. After decades of dishonest reporting and blatant bias, trust in media has cratered. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, the number of Americans who report that they have a “great deal or fair” amount of trust that mass media reports the news “fully, fairly, and accurately has fallen t
Girlboss or Tradwife? | Emma Waters
In some online subcultures, Women have been drawn into a debate between two competing archetypes: the girlboss and the tradwife. The girlboss is an ambitious woman who confidently takes on the business world, which is often dominated by men. The tradwife is a woman who subverts modern expectations by taking on traditional gender roles, prioritizing homemaking and the raising of children. But Herit
What is the Golden Fleet? | Brent Sadler
Over the last few decades, serious concerns have arisen about the fitness of our Navy to counter America’s enemies, most importantly China. This has led the Trump Administration to announce a vision for a "Golden Fleet". Here to talk about that is Brent Sadler, former Naval Officer and a Senior Research Fellow here at Heritage. ---Have thoughts, questions, or suggestions? Email us at heritageexpl
What is the Trump Admin Changing About Student Loans? | Jonathan Butcher
Last week, the Trump administration announced major changes to the way that student loan debt will be managed, specifically moving that management from the Department of Education to the Department of the Treasury. I sat down with Jonathan Butcher, Senior Research Fellow in the Center for Education Policy here at the Heritage Foundation, to talk about why this is a huge step in the movement to ret
Why is the Senate Blocking DHS Funding? | Lora Ries
The refusal of Democrat leaders in the senate to pass funding for the Department of HOmeland Security has had ramifications across the country. It has affected employees of FEMA, the Coast Guard, the TSA, and many other agencies. To explain why this happening and what to expect in the coming weeeks, I sat down with Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center, here at the Heri
Honoring Women Well | Marguerite Bowling & Emma Waters
This week, on March 8, people around the world celebrated International Women’s Day. Too often, we’ve been conditioned to see the complementary of the sexes more as a conflict, and that has ramifications for all of society. At the Heritage Foundation, we believe that there is a better way, where the contributions and uniqueness of men and women are recognized and honored. This week, I wanted to in
What Should We Expect in Iran? | Victoria Coates
On Saturday, after a third round of failed negotiation with the aspiring nuclear state of Iran, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation called Epic Fury. Those strikes were successful in eliminating the majority of Iranian Senior leadership, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. War is never a decision to be taken lightly, as lives and nations hang in the
What Were the Key Moments of Trump’s State of the Union? | Dan West
The State of the Union Address is one of the most anticipated political events of the year. Of course, it’s surrounded by tradition and ceremony. All three branches of the federal government gather in the House Chamber, the galleries pack with guests from every walk of life, the pundits gather their audiences, and the cameras all focus on one carefully crafted message from the leader of the free w
How Can Conservatives Make Business Better? | Allen Mendenhall
Business is not just about making money. It’s about making opportunity. Supporting families. Making culture. That’s why the Heritage Foundation is standing up the Free Enterprise Initiative, to support merit and integrity in business. To Explain what the Free Enterprise Initiative is up to these days, I sat down with the Senior Advisor to the project, Allen Mendenhall. --- Thoughts? Questions? Ema
What is the Save America Act? | Chip Wyatt & Dan West
Washington is abuzz with talk of the SAVE America act, a piece of legislation that is designed to secure American elections and ensure that only American citizens have the right to vote. The proposed law is experiencing a groundswell of popular support, but also opposition. To understand what makes this law consequential, I sat down with Chip Wyatt and Dan West, both ofHeritage Action for America.
How is the Economy Doing, Really? | EJ Antoni
The ways that human beings exchange value are complicated and often involve tradeoffs. Things you think were a great idea often come with hidden costs. And so it is with federal financial policy. Everything the government does has consequences downstream. I sat down with Heritage chief Economist EJ Antoni to discuss his outlook on the first year of economic policy from the Trump Administration. -
Why Does Minnesota’s Government Allow Rioting? | Lora Ries
This audio comes from Minneapolis Minnesota earlier this week, as Anti-ICE protestors mobbed a hotel where they believed ICE agents were staying. Two federal agents were left trying to defend the building and staff as protestors smashed windows and attempted to enter. Normally, local law enforcement would be present to defuse a situation like this, but Minneapolis police were nowhere to be found.
What is Happening in Minneapolis? | Mike Gonzalez
On Sunday morning, a group of anti-ICE protestors stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota during services, reportedly because the pastor of the church appears to also be an ICE official. This is the latest escalation in an ongoing confrontation taking place in Minneapolis between Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) carrying out their duties and protestors (often encourag
What Will Save the American Family? | Roger Severino
We are surrounded by endless choices for engagement and entertainment, but feel more isolated than ever. And nowhere is that more keenly felt than in the family. What should be the central node of human society, for many, has become distant. Fathers are absent. Children feel disconnected. Fertility has fallen. Government programs have replaced providers. Mass media has replaced human connection.
What Happens to Venezuela After Maduro? | Mike Gonzalez
On January 3, US operatives arrested Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro. Maduro’s arrest is an event that has people talking, not just about the capture of one narcoterrorist, but about a fundamental shift in the way that the US goes about foreign policy. Here to talk us through that shift is Mike Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow for the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, here at the Herita
What is Coming for Heritage in 2026? | Dr. Kevin Roberts
As the days get shorter and shorter, and the focus turns from work to home, we enter that end-of-year frame of mind. It’s the natural time to look back on the lessons of 2025 and to look forward to 2026 and beyond. Americans intuit that this season of self-reflection is an important one to keep alive. And we at the Heritage Foundation agree. That’s why this week on Heritage Explains, I sat down wi
Why Should Congress Dump Earmarks in 2026? | Chip Wyatt
In the 20th century, the traditional agriculture term “earmarking” gained traction in US politics, becoming slang for the mechanism of including smaller, regionally targeted spending for particular constituencies in larger spending bills. This was often done to appease a particular group or to provide leverage to get an individual legislator on board with a bill. But do they really serve the Ameri
Will the Supreme Court Reform Birthright Citizenship? | Hans von Spakovsky
Family life does not stop, especially at this time of year. The Supreme Court of the United States has also been busy. Over the last week or so, the court has taken up or listened to arguments in three potentially landmark cases. All three have to do with the Trump administration’s goals for the executive branch. Heritage Senior Legal Fellow, and frequent guest on this our show, Hans von Spakovsky
How Do We Up Our Deportation Game? | Lora Ries
This week, the people of Webster Springs, West VirginiaZXZ mourn one of their own: National Guard Member Sarah Beckstrom. The 20-year old service member had volunteered to remain in Washington, DC, as part of President Trump’s crackdown on crime in the district, when she was shot on Thursday by an Afghan national. Once again, the national issue of immigration has found its ways to the small towns
Why Do Historic Sites Matter? | Brenda Hafera
As we enter this Thanksgiving week on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary, it is critical to understand places of historical significance in our country. Here to explain a bit about what Heritage is doing in that regard is Brenda Hafera, Assistant Director of the Simon Center for American Studies, here at the Heritage Foundation. —The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: https://historicsites.h
What’s The Problem with H1-B Visas? | Simon Hankinson
Immigration is a key part of the American story. Many, many people have come to the United States committed to loving and serving their new country. But nations have to exercise caution and prudence with the way that they conduct immigration. Bad policy and abuses of the system can lead to all kinds of problems, as we know well here in the United States. The Second Trump Administration has gone a
What Is Trump's Vision for the Military? | Wilson Beaver
This week, we honor veterans of long ago, as well as those who still live and walk among us. Their sacrifice has helped to secure the freedoms that we enjoy today. One of the key features of American democracy is civilian control of the military. We, the people, elect the Congress which controls the military’s budget, conducts oversight, and declares war, as well as the the president, who serves a
What Is Arctic Frost? | Mike Howell
What Is Arctic Frost? | Mike Howell Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) revealed last week that ‘Arctic Frost’—the FBI's election-related investigation into President Donald Trump, launched in 2022 by the Biden administration—issued 197 subpoenas for 430 conservatives, including the late Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA, Ed Martin, Dan Scavino, and Ed Corrigan.This investigat
Why Do Medical Care Costs Keep Rising? | Nina Schaefer
The Affordable Care Act was signed in 2010, with President Barack Obama promising that “If you like your insurance plan, you can keep it.” Fifteen years later, we are all painfully aware that Obama’s promise was not a sincere one. The ACA’s mess of government subsidies and astronomical payouts have made the American healthcare system considerably more expensive than it needed to be. And now the Go
Will the Supreme Court Strike Down Race-Based Voting Districts? | Hans von Spakovsky
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a federal law designed to end these practices, and ensure that all Americans could exercise the right to vote. It is a law that has had massive impact and been used to reshape America politically, in ways both bad and good. Now, the Supreme Court is hearing a case called Louisiana vs. Callais, which is calling into question how part of the Voting Rights Act is bei
Will There Be Peace in the Middle East? | Daniel Flesch
On Monday, the 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were returned to their families. What brought this deal about and what might we expect to see happen in the future? To answer some of those questions, I sat down with Daniel Flesch, Senior Policy Analyst for Middle East and North Africa, here at the Heritage Foundation.
What Caused the Shutdown? | Chip Wyatt
There are certain things we take for granted in life. When we flick the switch, the light comes on. When we turn the tap, water comes out. When we take the garbage bin down to the curb on Thursdays, it is empty by Friday afternoon. But then a storm blows through. A pipe bursts. Heavy snowfall closes the roads. And suddenly those amenities which we took for granted are no longer there. It’s a disco
Will There Finally Be a TikTok Deal? | Wes Hodges
The Chinese-owned social media app TikTok collects your most sensitive information. And worse, it uses it in pretty sinister ways. It encourages self-harm and depression among youth. It interferes in elections. It compromises national security. This week, President Trump signed an executive order authorizing an agreement to separate TikTok from Chinese control. At the Heritage Foundation, we have
Why Fight the Administrative State? | Ryan Williams
While government has the power to protect our rights, it can use that power to abuse those rights. Especially in those areas of the government which resist accountability to elected officials. The administrative state (or deep state) is a strong focus of the Trump Administration, which has taken action to reinstate accountability in the federal bureaucracy. Ryan Williams, president of the Claremon
Where Do We Go From Here? The Conservative Response to the Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Last week, the country was shaken to its core by the assassination of Christian husband, father, and patriot Charlie Kirk, one of the most prominent voices in the conservative movement, particularly among young Americans. His death has left countless Americans experiencing combinations of sorrow, fear, and anger. How should we as conservatives respond to this tragic and politically motivated attac
Has Trump’s DC Crime Enforcement Worked? | Cully Stimson & Zack Smith
President Trump’s utilization of ICE and the National Guard in Washington, D.C. has significantly lowered crime in the city, modeling success of the agency’s presence in blue cities.Since Trump federalized Washington, D.C. there has been a 45% drop in violent crime, an 87% drop in carjackings, a 38% drop in homicides, and a 62% drop in robberies. There has also been a 20% increase in arrests and 1
What’s on Congress’ Fall To-Do List?
The August Recess has been a staple of the congressional calendar for decades. In the 1960s the demands placed on the US Congress were changing. Lawmaking had moved from a part-time to a full-time gig. And as the pace of life intensified, so too did the workload on legislators. Looking for a way to balance their busy schedules with those of families, some members of Congress pushed for a defined s
Re-Run | What’s Wrong With Our Food Dyes? | Dr. David Gortler
Hello Heritage Explains Listeners! Mark Guiney here. It’s the first week of August and this month we are taking a short vacation. Until we return with our regular show in September, we are looking back at some of the greatest hits of the year so far. This past April, Heritage Foundation Digital Content Producer Samantha Hince spoke with Dr. David Gortler about the concerns that many Americans hav
Re-Run | Why Was the COVID Lab Leak Theory Suppressed | Jeff Smith
Hello everybody, we at the Heritage Foundation hope you are enjoying these last weeks of summer. We here at Heritage Explains are taking the opportunity for a brief rest during the month of August. Our regularly scheduled episodes will return in September, but until then, we are revisiting some of our favorite episodes from the year so far. Back in March, I sat down with Jeff Smith to discuss why
Re-Run | USAID Gets DOGE’ed by The Trump Administration | David Ditch
Hello to all of our loyal listeners at Heritage Explains. We are on break for the month of August and will be coming back with new episodes in September. But in the meantime, we’re rounding up some of our favorite shows from earlier this year. One of the key moments in the early Trump Administration were the cuts to USAID. For the first time, many Americans got an up-close-and-personal look at th
Re-Run | Why Does the Daniel Penny Verdict Matter? | Cully Stimson
Hi everybody, and welcome back to Heritage Explains. We, like many of you, are enjoying a little bit of vacation this summer. We are taking a break from our regularly scheduled episodes for the month of August. In the meantime, we are bringing you some of our favorite shows from this past year.We have seen a lot of important moments come and go in that time. And one was the verdict delivered in th
What is the Trump Administration’s AI Plan? | Daniel Cochrane
We find ourselves in the midst of a new revolution: The AI Revolution. Complex computer models are now able to replicate human thought, making them capable of an entirely new realm of tasks. AI is going to affect the way we work, where we live, how we learn and process information, how we bank, how we write, even how we interact with people around us. Governments around the world are paying attent
What Did the Big Beautiful Bill Do to Medicare? | Nina Schaefer
In 1965, the Johnson Administration signed into law the programs we now know as Medicare and Medicaid. They were designed to provide healthcare to Americans who were particularly in need. But over the years, the programs have expanded hugely, and focus has shifted away from people who really need assistance to much larger groups of people. This can be a real problem for the people that Medicare an
Why are Progressives Attacking ICE Agents? | Simon Hankinson
Attacks on ICE agents are escalating nationwide, now up nearly 700% over the same time last year. Organized riots followed recent ICE enforcement actions. Investigations reveal coordination by known radical groups that also organized the 2020 BLM/Antifa riots and 2023 pro-terrorism demonstrations. These are not spontaneous uprisings—they are well-funded, highly-organized anti-American efforts.Here
Can Trump Cut Last Year’s Spending? | Richard Stern
Rescissions It’s a word that we’re hearing a lot in the news today. A member of a family of words and phrases that come trotting out whenever folks in Washington start talking about money. Appropriations. Sequestration. Omnibus. Continuing Resolutions. Budget caps. Debt Ceiling. Earmarks. Baseline Budgeting. But it isn’t that complicated. Basically, the President can request that Congress return m
Have We Forgotten the Declaration of Independence? | Brenda Hafera
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...How many times have we heard these words? Back in 2007, the Washington Post ran an article by Gene Weingarten called “Pearls Before Breakfast”. In it, he chronicles an experiment by the newspaper, in which world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell put on a baseball cap and a t-shirt, and entered the L’Enfant Plaza metro station i
How Did SCOTUS Do This Year? | Hans von Spakovsky
While there are still several high-profile cases awaiting rulings, the Supreme Court has delivered several wins for the Trump administration, common sense, and all Americans.So far this term, the Supreme Court issued stays of lower court orders attempting to block the Trump administration from pursuing its agenda, upheld religious freedom and parental rights, and upheld laws protecting kids from d
Will Iran Have a Brighter Future? | Rob Greenway
On Friday, Israel initiated "Operation Rising Lion," conducting airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military command centers. The strikes led to at least 75 Iranian deaths and significant infrastructure damage, including oil refineries and missile launchers. Iran responded with a large-scale missile and drone assault on Israel, targeting over 150 military and intelligence sites. The strik
Who’s Behind the LA Riots? | Mike Gonzalez
In Los Angeles, protests against immigration enforcement have turned into assaults on federal officers and buildings, fires, and similar mayhem to the Summer of 2020. And it turns out, that’s not all that is similar. The same people, using the same methods, are behind both this year’s LA riots and the BLM protests of five years ago. I sat down with Mike Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow here at the Herita
Is a Nuclear Revolution Coming? | Jack Spencer
Nuclear energy is a clean, safe method of energy production, in which America leads the world. But making sure that Nuclear power has a bright future in America is a full-time job. And that full-time job belongs to Jack Spencer, Senior Research Fellow in Energy and Environment, here at the Heritage Foundation.—Find Jack’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/088890357X/ref=cm_cr_unknown?ie
Should Americans Be Religious? | Melanie Phillips & Victoria Coates
Many Americans sense that the social cohesion of our nation is weakening. The data seems to back this up. A poll conducted by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago found that Seventy-one percent say the United States is “losing its national identity—that is the beliefs and values the country represents.”American trust in its traditional institut
What Does Conservative Drug Policy Look Like? | Paul Larkin
The Center for Disease Control reports that over 48,000 Americans died from synthetic opioid (or fentanyl) overdoses in 2024. That number dwarfed the number of people who died from psychostimulants like methamphetamine at 29,000. As well as cocaine at 22,000, and other naturally occuring drugs at 8,000. Fentanyl and similar substances have changed the game in drug policy, driving greater lethality
Is AI Safe for Kids? | Wes Hodges
Over the last few months, users of Facebook and Instagram may have noticed a new avenue to interact with the platform: Meta AI. The AI tool, similar to language learning models like ChatGPT, X’s Grok, and Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, is able to carry forward advanced conversations with users and synthesize complex answers based on prompts. Meta has leveraged its AI model to create a wide array of chatbot
What Does It Take To Be an Entrepreneur? | Paul Mullen & Sue Malone
In honor of Small Business Week, we are pleased to bring you a conversation with Sue Malone a true titan in the world of small business. As the founder of Strategies for Small Business, Sue has been instrumental in helping over 30,000 entrepreneurs secure capital to start or expand their businesses. Paul Mullen guest hosts Heritage Explains this week in this conversation on entrepreneurship, what
What’s Wrong With Our Food Dyes? | Dr. David Gortler
Since RFK Jr., now the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, showed the nation the color difference between Canadian Froot Loops and U.S. Froot Loops, Americans are becoming more aware of what’s in the food we eat. And one of the major offenders? Food dyes. Some of the food dyes in everyday products like breakfast cereals and candy actually come from coal tar, petroleum, and other concernin
Is America Heading for an Energy Crisis? | Mario Loyola
With the push for green energy, governments around the world have pushed for (and passed) subsidies for so-called “renewable” energy like wind and solar. The US passed large subsidies of this kind under the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022. But these policies do not have the effect of creating long-term stability in the American energy grid. Here to explain why is Mar
Can Trump Stop a Nuclear Iran? | Rob Greenway
In addition to Russia and North Korea, nuclear bad actors can also be found in Iran, where the regime has been plotting a nuclear buildup for decades. Now, the Trump Administration has initiated talks with the Iranians. Here to explain what we may expect from these negotiations is Rob Greenway, Director of the Allison Center for National Security, here at the Heritage Foundation.—Follow Rob Greenw
Can Federal Judges Block the Trump Administration? | Hans von Spakovsky
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.This is the beginning of Article III, section 1 of the US constitution, establishing the federal judiciary. Nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and usually serving for life, federal judges serve a key role in the h
