Heard at Heritage

The Navy’s four public shipyards, which exclusively maintain nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, are plagued with crumbling infrastructure, obsolete capital equipment, and a small, over-taxed workforce. These issues have contributed to years of maintenance delays for the nuclear fleet. Yet, both the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy emphasize that the new age of great power competition requires the U.S. Navy to play an outsized role in power projection and national defense.Right now the Defense Department is struggling to deliver a shipbuilding plan that reflects a viable path to 355 battle force ships. Even if such a plan can be produced, our naval forces are only as good as our ability to maintain them. Join us as we discuss how shortcomings at our Navy shipyards are constraining the Navy’s effectiveness and what can be done to solve them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Founding of the American Republic is on trial. Critics say it was a poison pill with a time-release formula; we are its victims. Robert Reilly declares "not guilty" in his new book, America On Trial: A Defense of the Founding. Learn more about the underlying drama: the conflict of might makes right versus right makes might. Reilly claims that the source of cultural decline is not to be discovered in the Founding principles, but in their disavowal.In honor of Dr. Russell Kirk, this lecture will trace the lineage of the ideas that made the United States and its system of ordered liberty possible. In the great and vital tradition of Dr. Russell Kirk, Reilly will help us understand American democracy. Dr. Russell Kirk argued that, although these roots run deep, they need watering from time to time. Join us for this timely and important conversation with Robert Reilly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the U.N. is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the U.N.’s Fourth World Conference on Women that took place in Beijing in 1995, conservatives must counter the prevailing liberal feminist perspective that reduces the diverse needs of women and girls to abortion rights under the guise of so-called “sexual and reproductive health.” Instead, to improve women and girls’ lives we must promote solutions that meet women’s real needs and desires, such as education, medicine and health care, economic empowerment, access to justice, and safety for their children and families. While many elites equate women’s empowerment with abortion rights, millions of women around the world reject this false and one-dimensional view of women’s needs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is an ongoing debate about the relationship between the Constitution and slavery prior to the 13th Amendment. On the one hand, the words “slave” and “slavery” do not appear in the document. On the other, there was no explicit federal ban of this evil practice until 1865. Some view this omission as a covert way of preserving slavery while shrouding the Founders’ hypocrisy. Others, such as Frederick Douglass, consider the Constitution to be an “anti-slavery” document because a “plain and common-sense reading of the Constitution” clearly prohibits slavery. Still others see it as a compromise, delicately omitting the word “slave” to avoid the implication that there could be “property in men,” but conceding its permissibility, with the hope that it would become extinct. Please join us for a thoughtful discussion about these rival conceptions of the Constitution with our distinguished historians and constitutional scholars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court returns October 5th for its 2020-2021 Term, and the justices will hear cases on a number of important issues: religious liberty, the administrative state, copyright protections, Obamacare, the Mueller report, and more. For instance, in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, the Court will determine whether states may bar faith-based foster care agencies if they have a traditional view of marriage. In Collins v. Mnuchin, the Court will further refine the extent of the President's appointment and removal powers and control over independent, single-director federal agencies, following its decision last term in Seila Law v. CFPB. In Google LLC v. Oracle, the Court will decide whether copyright protection extends to a software interface. The Court will consider whether states may challenge the minimum coverage provision in the Affordable Care Act in California v. Texas, and whether Congress is permitted access to the Mueller Report in its entirety in DOJ v. House Committee on the Judiciary. Please join us for a thoughtful discussion with two distinguished Supreme Court litigators about what is likely to unfold in the next Supreme Court term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has raised concerns over the future course of Japan’s diplomatic, security, and economic policies. As Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Abe brought political stability as well as enacting an impressive list of national security and diplomatic initiatives. He was a stalwart supporter of the alliance with the United States and championed policies that promoted freedom in the region.While none of Abe’s likely successors are expected to dramatically change course, there are questions as to whether Japan will continue Abe’s strong advocacy for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, and his planned security initiatives to combat the growing Chinese military threat. How will Tokyo respond to U.S. demands for greater security contributions, and deal with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 virus while balancing competing economic demands of Washington and Beijing?Join us for a discussion on these and other topics with a panel of distinguished experts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020, American cities are being torn apart by riots and protests, much as they were in the 1960s. Race relations are a common issue in both eras, but in other respects, 2020 could not be more different. In the 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr. called for racial integration and civil rights in a colorblind world. Today’s large-scale protests and rallies for racial equality attract racially diverse crowds. These record long demonstrations are a mix of peaceful and violent protestors. Alarmingly, the demands by violent protestors are finding fertile ground among local leaders, universities, media outlets, and corporations. Our featured speakers will analyze how today's protests compare to the 1960s and highlight what's changed and stayed the same. Join us to discover notable lessons on how to respond to the violent protests of today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Transatlantic alliance finds itself facing significant challenges. Russia is increasingly assertive and aggressive, and utilizes every means at its disposal to advance its strategic aims. Meanwhile, China aims to advance its power and influence across the globe through promoting its flagship policies and policing China discourse while suppressing human rights at home, including in Hong Kong. Coupled with these challenges is the ongoing economic, societal, political, and security upheaval resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. What impact will Covid-19 have on the future of Europe, and European economic productivity?Transatlantic unity remains vital. The Netherlands is a crucial partner in protecting and advancing the principles that undergird the Atlantic alliance. Join us as Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Kingdom of the Netherlands, addresses the future of US-European cooperation at this critical juncture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six of ten aerial drones used by American state and local law enforcement agencies are Chinese-made. Recent independent investigations reveal that Chinese drones and their supporting applications secretly collect sensitive user data and can imbed code that allows them to identify specific targets of interest, access that target’s networks and ultimately compromise the user’s phone. Chinese corporations like DJI, the world’s leading small drone manufacturer, use technology to harvest vast amounts of information that is fed, by Chinese law, to the Chinese government.Join industry, law enforcement and technology experts for a hard-hitting discussion on Chinese drones and the risks they pose to the communities where they are employed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History, to The New York Times 1619 Project, revisionists have claimed that America's past is nothing more than a history of oppression, slavery, and exploitation. During the ongoing battle to control American history, the media and the educational system have manipulated young Americans into turning a cold shoulder to bedrock principles of free speech, individual liberty, and limited government. Join us for the second of a three-part series, America’s History of Hope. You will gain a deeper understanding of the dangers of revisionist history and the importance of preserving America's founding ideals and principles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.