Heard at Heritage

While the historic increase in illegal aliens entering the U.S. under the Biden Administration has been getting significant attention, the staggering increase in drug seizures at the border has gone largely unnoticed. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the seizures of fentanyl from October to April have exceeded such seizures in all of fiscal year 2020. Texas, alone, has seen an 800% increase of fentanyl in April compared to April 2020. How did this happen and what actions can the U.S. government take to bring this crisis under control?  Homeland security and law enforcement professionals won’t want to miss this "Policy Pulse" dive into the causes and solutions of drug smuggling.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden Administration has proposed massive new education spending as a part of its American Families Plan. But will its prescriptions for universal preschool and "free" community college reap the academic benefits American students need?Education policy professionals won’t want to miss this 30-minute Policy Pulse discussion on why the Biden Administration's education plans head the wrong direction and how we can chart a better course for students' future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Voddie Baucham, preacher, professor, and cultural apologist, says, “Antiracism offers no salvation—only perpetual penance to battle an incurable disease.” Join us and discover the disturbing worldview that underlines the philosophy of social justice and critical race theory.Dr. Baucham will bring understanding to these divisive issues while offering guidance to those seeking a pathway toward truth and community. Students and scholars will leave this webinar with a blueprint of how to hold productive conversations, unify communities that misunderstand each other, and connect Americans with varying viewpoints. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden Administration argues the American Families Plan is critical to help families get back to work after Covid-19 by providing massive new federal spending on childcare and paid family leave. But politicians' preferred policies in these areas can't match the diversity of family priorities.Family policy professionals won’t want to miss this 30-minute Policy Pulse about child care and paid family leave policies proposed in Biden's American Families Plan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The radical Islamist organization Hamas fired more than 4000 rockets at Israeli communities in just ten days in May, terrorizing millions of Israeli citizens—Jewish, Muslim, and Christian alike. As Israel seeks defend her citizens from the onslaught, “progressive” groups and politicians have displayed an inexplicable hostility towards our ally, with baseless accusations and twisted reporting becoming the norm.Policy professionals won’t want to miss this 30-minute Policy Pulse discussion—a critical opportunity hear from Israel experts Michael Doran and Ellie Cohanim on the fundamentals of the conflict and the roots of anti-Israel sentiment on the American left. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The success of COVID vaccine development highlights the importance of private sector innovation. Yet, President Biden and Congress are launching a policy attack that could prevent future medical innovation. These short-sighted efforts to “curb prescription drug costs” focus on expanding federal authority over pharmaceutical access, imposing government price controls, and weakening patent protections. This will result in fewer life-saving drugs and cures being developed, and ultimately do more harm than help.Health care policy researchers and health providers won’t want to miss this important conversation on policies that protect access to today’s treatments without sacrificing tomorrow’s cures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden Administration’s first budget contains some inexplicable choices to cut national defense purchasing power while simultaneously proposing historic increases in spending on education. While national defense is one of the few constitutionally enumerated tasks for the federal government and all signs point to a need for increased funding to account for a more dangerous world, instead the administration proposed a $5 billion cut in buying power. Conversely education—Constitutionally the responsibility of states and local governments—is slated for a 40 percent increase in its budget, even though spending has no correlation with academic improvement. What can explain these seemingly illogical decisions and how can logic be restored to important budget choices? In this must-see conversation for policymakers and legislative staff, the Directors of Heritage’s Center for National Defense and Center for Education Policy discuss the history of federal funding approaches in these policy areas, their current respective budgetary needs, and what the Biden administration’s actions thus far portend for these critical issues.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following a military coup in February that unlawfully detained the elected leaders of Burma’s civilian government, a coalition of ousted lawmakers, ethnic leaders, and anti-coup activists formed the National Unity Government (NUG). The NUG is the legitimate Government of Burma, formed in line with the people’s mandate per the General Elections of 2020. Daw Zin Mar Aung is the Foreign Minister of the NUG. U Htin Ling Aung is the international representative of the NUG in the United States. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader in the Senate, has led the U.S. policy response to the ups and downs in Burma over the last 25 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Strong families and hard work are the foundation of strong society, and the basis for healthy child development, meaningful relationships, and economic well-being. Unfortunately, President Biden’s American Families Plan expands government infrastructure without addressing the real problems families face. Under this plan, politicians in Washington, D.C., would take more of Americans’ income to fund benefits that politicians—not families—create, approve, and control. Furthermore, the new policy’s welfare expansion would reduce incentives for employment, discourage healthy marriages, and increase government dependence.>>> The American Families Plan Will Do More Harm Than GoodDomestic policy researchers won’t want to miss this critical conversation with Heritage experts overviewing the plan’s components and discussing alternatives that would better address the needs of real American families. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social media sites shape the way many people view reality, but the corporations behind them are increasingly working to silence dissenting points of view. Big Tech companies are moderating, labeling, and removing conservative content and accounts with growing abandon, and the problem goes beyond Facebook and Twitter. Members of Congress have held numerous Big Tech hearings, but have yet to pass legislation to reform the main law Big Tech abuses as it censors speech, Section 230 of Communications Decency Act of 1996. Join as FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr discusses the scale of the problem, the services at risk for conservatives, and remedies for censorship that go beyond Section 230. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.