Heard at Heritage

The situation in Afghanistan in 2020 is a far cry from what it was when the U.S. invaded in response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Still, any timeline for a U.S. troop withdrawal must be dictated by U.S. national interests and conditions on the ground, not an artificial political timetable. Any withdrawal that is driven by politics would be a grave strategic error. So, too, would be a bad deal with the Taliban, or one that does not directly involve the Afghan government. Any of these scenarios would have long-term negative consequences for the people of Afghanistan and for U.S. interests in the region. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lessons from Ancient Rome is a very relevant and timely lecture as the United States of America faces a decision point in 2020 about which direction to take the country. Reed relates Rome’s transformation and decline to current policy debates to help us make an historically informed decision about the ways in which we strain our Republic in its ability to preserve individual liberty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there such thing as "Christian" journalism? What would that look like? In this three-part work, editor in chief of World magazine Marvin Olasky (1) lays out foundational principles of journalism, explaining why and how journalism ought to be done, (2) addresses practical, nuts-and-bolts issues such as interviewing subjects, structuring news stories, and responding to complaints, and (3) closes with a historical overview of journalism in the United States. Throughout the book, he points to the example of Christian journalists in China, who courageously continue a nearly three-thousand year history of news reporting in the face of government pressures. You will learn how to be a more discerning reader of news as well as a competent citizen-reporter in your own community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific is changing, but the fundamentals of national security are not. Countries and systems have rivals. Weakness will be exploited. President Trump's instincts are good but strike many in the region as unorthodox. So, how does America continue to lead and how does the West continue to win while keeping the moral quality that's made it great? Please join us to hear former Australian Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott address this question and what the answer means for Australia, the Indo-Pacific, and the values the U.S. and Australia share. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. government has historically devoted significant resources to combatting human trafficking. This global challenge poses such significant threats to security and human rights that many actors in the U.S. government are compelled to respond. This is why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is releasing its first Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, the Importation of Goods Produced with Forced Labor, and Child Sexual Exploitation. The strategy focuses on preventing these exploitative crimes, protecting victims, investigation and prosecuting perpetrators, partnering with the homeland security enterprise, and the enabling the Department of Homeland Security through organizational improvements to combat these illicit activities. Please join us at The Heritage Foundation for a conversation with the Secretary to discuss DHS’s role in combatting human trafficking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On January 11, Taiwan held its seventh consecutive election for President and ninth national election for its Legislative Yuan. It is an event certain to have an impact on its security and prosperity, its role in the world, on US-Taiwan relations, and cross-straits relations. Please join The Heritage Foundation and Global Taiwan Institute to assess the election results.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Impeachment is a remedy for serious misconduct by the President and other federal officials that renders them unfit for office. America’s Founders did not provide for impeachment as a partisan political weapon or as a response by Congress to a President’s policies with which they disagree. It is paramount that a presidential impeachment be fair, legitimate, and minimize partisanship.On October 31, House Democrats passed House Resolution 660, to advance the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. What followed was a series of impeachment hearings throughout the last two months, culminating with an announcement by Democratic leadership on December 10 that the House will vote next week on whether to impeach President Donald Trump on two specific articles — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.With a high likelihood of the impeachment trial beginning in the Senate early in the New Year, if not sooner, it raises many questions about what is likely to happen. How will the Senate trial be conducted? How has this Congress’s process differed from previous impeachment inquiries? Why were so many elements of the investigation conducted in secret? Join us for an important discussion with Senator Ted Cruz on this topic of national and historical significance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following years of deficit spending, in his first year in office and facing a $1.6 billion fiscal gap, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy proposed a budget that aligned expenditures with revenues. In his address at The Heritage Foundation, he will be discussing transparency in budgeting, budget discipline in a state that has a difficult fiscal landscape, as well as the wealth of opportunities that the state of Alaska can provide for the nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When politicians, academics, and commentators today talk about “nationalism” in the American context, what do they mean? Nationalism has a long history that must be fully understood before it is adopted as a banner around which to rally the American cause. The idea of nationalism, especially in the 20th century, has been associated with causes diametrically opposed to the civic, cultural and creedal patriotism of Americanism. That American creed stressed the bottoms-up sovereignty of the people, not of a top-heavy nation-state. Although surely advocates of a new nationalism for America do not wish to embrace the worst aspects of the historical nationalism, why would they wish to embark on a path that forces Americans to explain the differences? Why would they wish to diminish the universal claims of natural liberty that made America exceptional and different from all other countries?Please join our panel of experts for a discussion on this important trend in public discourse, how to think about the use of the term “nationalism”, and why it matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the mid-20th century, American constitutional law has been dominated by a controversial method of constitutional analysis known as the tiers of scrutiny—strict scrutiny, intermediate scrutiny, and rational-basis review—positioning the Court to distinguish between protected and unprotected classes, and between strongly and weakly protected rights.What were the origins of this method of constitutional analysis? Are the tiers of scrutiny grounded in the original meaning of the Constitution? How have they shaped American Constitutional law? Should the framework be abandoned? What should take its place? Join us for a balanced discussion, as we answers these questions and more, on this important and timely topic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States and Switzerland have a long history of dynamic economic collaboration that has enhanced prosperity in both countries. The two nations enjoy rules-based and productivity-enhancing competition. The economic ties between the U.S. and Switzerland offer a practical example of the value of international trade and investment in creating and sustaining prosperity. The two like-minded countries could accomplish even more with a mutually beneficial free trade agreement. Now is the time to explore the possibilities for taking the U.S.–Swiss economic partnership to the next level with a free trade deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tibet is often a testing ground for the Chinese government to experiment with new forms of repression. The surveillance and heavy police state that is now spreading across China largely originated in Tibet and it was one of the first places where authoritarian tactics were practiced and refined. Given China’s rise and its increasing practice of exporting authoritarian tactics around the globe, the international community should pay close attention to what happens in Tibet. Join us for an update from Central Tibetan Administration’s President, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay on the current state-of-play in Tibet and stay for a panel discussion examining how Tibet fits into broader U.S. strategy toward China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The decline of institutional religion has made the United States a less Christian country without necessarily making it a more secular one. Ross Douthat will analyze the causes of traditional Christianity's ebb, discuss the various theological worldviews currently competing to claim the religious center, and sketch out scenarios for our religious future—from Christian revival to secularization to the pantheistic destiny that Tocqueville once foretold.Douthat, who in 2009 became the youngest op-ed columnist in the history of the New York Times, is widely acclaimed for his commentary on politics, religion, and culture. He is the author of four books, including Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (2012) and To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism (2018). His new book, The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success, will be published in February by Simon & Schuster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Confederate memorials toppled ... Columbus statues attacked with red paint.They started with slave-owning Confederate generals, but they’re not stopping there.The vandals are only pretending to care about the character of particular American heroes. In reality, they hate what those heroes represent: the truths asserted in the Declaration of Independence and embodied in the Constitution. And they are bent on taking America down and replacing our free society with a socialist utopia. All that stands in their way is Americans’ reverence for our history of freedom.Which is why that history simply has to go.Now, Jarrett Stepman, editor at The Daily Signal and host of Right Side of History, exposes the true aims of the war on our history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in Cuba, Lala Mooney is one of 14 children of Manuel & Eloisa Suarez. She was put in prison in 1961 by Fidel Castro’s government, together with her father and two sisters. After two months, the family managed to be released from prison, and they came to the U.S. Lala Mooney is the mother of Congressman Alex X. Mooney, representing District 2 of West Virginia.Lala will speak at CWN about her new book Leaving Cuba: One Family's Journey to Freedom. Autographed copies of the book will be available at the event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent years have witnessed new patterns of cooperation among India, Israel, and the U.S., three key democracies that face common threats from Islamist terrorism and share common values. While Israel and the U.S. have enjoyed a steadfast partnership stretching back many decades, over the past 15 years India and the U.S. have developed an increasingly robust strategic partnership. Similarly, after decades of relative disassociation, India and Israel have begun elevating bilateral ties in a more public manner, culminating in a landmark visit to Israel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017. As Heritage hosts a Track II trilateral dialogue with India’s Vivekenanda International Foundation and Israel’s Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, please join a distinguished panel of experts from all three countries to discuss shared challenges and future opportunities for trilateral cooperation among India, Israel, and the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than two years have passed since the horrific events of August 2017, when mass atrocities against the Rohingya caused more than 700,000 to flee their homes in Burma. Today, the Rohingya and other minority communities in Burma continue to face severe persecution at the hands of the Burmese military. The Burmese military’s economic interests are vast and growing, and new UN reports reveal the extent to which the military enriches itself by committing human rights violations and atrocities. Please join us for a discussion on what the U.S. government can and should do next to hold the Burmese military accountable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Constitutional law is often viewed as a dense and technical area of study. Well no longer! Randy Barnett and Josh Blackman have created a new way to study the Supreme Court that is accessible to anyone that is trying learn more about constitutional law, but it is an especially great resource for students. An Introduction to Constitutional Law teaches the narrative of constitutional law as it has developed over the past two centuries.All students, even those unfamiliar with American history, will learn the essential background information to grasp how this body of law has come to be what it is today. An online library of enriching videos that utilize photographs, maps, and audio from the Supreme Court bring these important decisions to life. This book and videos can be used by students to prepare for class or lectures, as study material, and come exam time, students can watch the entire canon of constitutional law in twelve hours.Please join us for discussion with Randy Barnett and Josh Blackman to learn about their new book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can policy, law, and practice better support the needs of children and families caught up in the web of foster care and adoption? Join us for a National Adoption Month conversation about how best to protect religious freedom, develop and encourage best practices, and support those families and agencies who do the lifesaving work of saving children’s lives and helping them flourish in oftentimes harsh situations as public-policy and civil-society priorities. This is an issue at the heart of our humanity and culture and we seek to educate, support, and challenge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Portland to Washington D.C., a far-left revolutionary movement calling itself “Antifa” has organized mass violence on the streets of major American cities. Infamous for dressing head-to-toe in black, Antifa militants organize to destroy property, beat people, and intimidate their opposition into silence—all in the name of fighting “fascism.” Despite its well-documented track record of violence, Antifa still finds support on the Left and its leaders continue to skirt justice.Andy Ngo is a Portland-based journalist who is known for his reporting on Antifa. He has been published in the Wall Street Journal, National Review and the New York Post and he formerly served on the editorial team of Quillette magazine. In June, Ngo survived a mob beating by Antifa in Portland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Electoral College is under threat. Fifteen states, joined by the District of Columbia, have entered into an interstate compact and pledged to hand their delegates to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes nationwide instead of the candidate who wins in their state. If states with another combined 78 Electoral College delegates join, the compact will be go into effect and may be able to swing the next election. This panel will discuss whether this compact is constitutional, as well as the Framers’ rationale for the Electoral College, its continuing value, and what must be done to preserve it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many Americans have been taught a distorted, inaccurate account of our nation’s founding, one that claims that the founders were deists who desired the strict separation of church and state and that the country’s founding political ideas developed without reference to Christianity. In this revelatory, rigorously argued new book, Mark David Hall thoroughly debunks that modern myth and shows instead that the founders’ political ideas were profoundly influenced by their Christian convictions.Drawing from hundreds of personal letters, public proclamations, early state constitutions and laws, and other original documents, Professor Hall makes the airtight case that America’s founders were not deists; that they did not create a “godless” Constitution; that even Jefferson and Madison did not want a high wall separating church and state; that most founders believed the government should encourage Christianity; and that they embraced a robust understanding of religious liberty for biblical and theological reasons. In addition, Hall explains why and how the founders’ views are absolutely relevant today.Did America Have a Christian Founding? is a compelling, utterly convincing closing argument in the debate about the role of faith in the nation’s founding, making it clear that Christian thought was crucial to the nation’s founding—and demonstrating that this benefits all of us, whatever our faith (or lack thereof). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book, Age of Iron, leading authority on Republican foreign policy, Colin Dueck, describes the shifting coalitions over the past century among foreign policy factions within the Republican Party and shows how President Trump upended them starting in 2015-16. Professor Dueck offers a balanced summary and assessment of Trump’s foreign policy approach, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses. He also describes the current interaction of conservative public opinion and presidential foreign policy leadership in the broader context of political populism. Finally, he makes the case for a forward-leaning realism, based upon the understanding that the U.S. is entering a protracted period of geopolitical competition with other major powers. The result is a book that captures the past, present, and, possibly, future of foreign policy in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2020 Index of U.S. Military Strength has both good and bad news for America’s national defense. This year saw the first ‘very strong’ score awarded to the Army for its readiness levels, with 78% of its brigades assessed as ready. The Navy has made some improvements in readiness as well, but its current fleet of 290 ships is well below the recommended 400. Similarly, the Air Force’s readiness has improved, but a lack of pilots and flying time has hindered its ability to project the kind of air power necessary for great power competition. And lastly, the Marine Corps has risen from ‘weak’ to ‘marginal’ in this year’s edition. This unique report assesses the strength of each of the U.S. military services, the status of the threats we face, and the favorability of the environment in which the U.S. and its allies must be prepared to operate. Since the initial publication of the Index, the military has struggled in building its size and capability for operations—brought about by harmful budget caps, underinvestment in research and development, and decades of sustained engagement in the Middle East. Join us for the debut of the 2020 Index of U.S. Military Strength. Senator Joni Ernst, a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will provide keynote remarks. Dakota Wood, Senior Fellow for defense programs will provide a special presentation on the important findings of this edition of the Index, along with a panel discussion from noted national security experts who will discuss where we stand, and what we need to protect our national interests in a world where U.S. military superiority is not assured. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interpol is a valuable partner in the fight against transnational crime and terrorism. But autocratic governments around the world have realized that they can manipulate Interpol’s system of alerts — especially its famous Red Notice — to harass journalists, political opponents, and businesspeople. This is part of the wider phenomenon of transnational repression, in which the long arm of international organizations and law is perverted for repressive purposes.The bipartisan TRAP Act — the Transnational Repression Accountability and Prevention Act — introduced in the Senate and the House by the leaders of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, seeks to put the U.S. in the forefront of the fight against Interpol abuse. Please join us at The Heritage Foundation as a distinguished panel assesses the problem of Interpol abuse and the TRAP Act’s potential to prevent it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many Americans feel like their religious freedom is under attack. They see the culture changing around them, and they fear that their beliefs will soon be marginalized as a form of bigotry. Others think these fears are overblown and say Christians should stop complaining about imaginary persecution.In his new book Free to Believe, religious freedom attorney Luke Goodrich challenges both sides of this debate, offering a fresh perspective on the most controversial religious freedom conflicts today. With keen insights on conflicts over abortion, sexual orientation, gender identity, Islam, and the public square, Goodrich argues that threats to religious freedom are real – but they might not be quite what you think.Join us for a refreshing conversation on why religious freedom matters, how it is threatened, and how to protect it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Jesse Helms Lecture Series highlights foreign policies that Senator Helms championed throughout his years in office. Senator Helms was an ardent supporter of America’s veterans and took particular pride in making sure that every former service member could rely on his assistance and intervention to make sure that they received the best possible care. Secretary Wilkie knows Senator Helm’s commitment to this issue better than anyone having served as Counsel to the Senator.Please join us as Secretary Wilkie discusses the progress he has made in reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that the brave men and women who serve in America’s armed forces who sacrifice so much for our safety and security receive the care and benefits they have earned.For more information about the Jesse Helms Center, please visit online at www.jessehelmscenter.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right of the people to be “secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.” But as the digital world advances, corporations, including big tech and the government, know more and more about us than ever before, straining traditional notions of privacy. What do corporations and big tech know about us, how do they use that information? What is the relationship between big tech and the government, and how does that threaten your privacy? And what are the implications of the Supreme Court’s Carpenter decision, which held that cell phone users have 4th Amendment rights in their historical cell-site location records? Join us for a discussion with three experts as they discuss the rise of the surveillance state and the threats to privacy by corporations and the government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2018 National Defense Strategy directs the military services to prepare for an era of great power competition which implies deterring and prevailing in large-scale conventional conflict made more complex by new technologies such as cyber, unmanned systems, hypervelocity weapons, and artificial intelligence. This is a sharply different world than what the military has known for nearly 30 years since the end of the Cold War. Military operations since then have been against enemies lacking air power, navies, armored forces, or artillery and who have had no capability to challenge the U.S. military’s ability to deploy and employ at will.To what extent has America’s freedom to operate effectively unopposed, combined with our strategic victory in the Cold War that ended without a shot, blinded America to what “great power competition” implies for our military and for our country?In a powerful new essay for The Heritage Foundation’s 2020 Index of U.S. Military Strength, Dr. Tom Ehrhard explains how America’s past victories have skewed its perception of the reality of strategic competition, and have left the American public overconfident and complacent when considering the needs for national defense. Ehrhard unsparingly diagnoses the “pathologies” and provides recommendations for treatment.Join us for a unique opportunity to engage on this important subject, and to get a sneak peak at a section of the upcoming 2020 Index of U.S. Military Strength, to be released on October 30, 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is currently engaged in a competition with the Chinese government unlike any other that we have witnessed before. This is a competition between the American system-which is governed by freedom and the rule of law-and a totalitarian dictatorship that is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. These are two different visions for the future; one will succeed, and one will fail.It is possible for America to respond to the Chinese Communist Party's efforts, but doing so will require new thinking, many big changes, and many hard choices for our leaders in government and private sector.Newt Gingrich's Trump vs. China: Facing America's Greatest Threat will serve as a rallying cry for the American people and a plan of action for our leaders in government and the private sector. Written in a language that every American can understand but still rich in detail and accurate in fact, Trump vs. China will expose the Chinese Communist Party's multi-pronged threat against the United States and what we must do as a country to survive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies is honored to announce that Fifth Circuit Judge Edith Jones will deliver our twelfth Joseph Story Distinguished Lecture.The namesake of the lecture – the eminent jurist Joseph Story – became the youngest Associate Justice ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court when he was appointed by President James Madison in 1812. Story made a significant mark on American law in his thirty-three years on the bench, but his greatest contribution to jurisprudence is his renowned Commentaries on the Constitution, in which he set forth a philosophy of judicial restraint. This lecture series celebrates his legacy.Previous Joseph Story Lectures have been delivered by Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, then-Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, Judge Robert H. Bork, Professor John Harrison, Judge A. Raymond Randolph, Judge Alice M. Batchelder, Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain, Judge Janice Rogers Brown, Judge Carlos T. Bea, and Senator Orrin G. Hatch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This panel will delve into the ever-growing challenges with border security referencing a soon-to-come report on Border Metrics by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Senior Heritage Legal Fellows will also discuss what the states can do at the subnational level to enforce immigration laws and assist the federal government in fighting the illegal immigrant problem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the world of science and medicine, moral and ethical considerations abound. What does it mean to be “human?” When it comes to the promise of therapies and cures, do the ends justify the means? What limiting principles should guide research and public policy? In the pursuit of human flourishing, how do we decide what is acceptable collateral damage? Why should society approach issues such as three-parent embryos, human cloning, assisted reproductive technology, gene editing, embryonic stem cell research, and many others, with caution and restraint?Join us for an illuminating and informative discussion with leading philosophical, scientific, and public policy experts as we explore the importance of bioethics in science, culture, and the law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freedom of conscience is one of the most fundamental rights individuals have in the United States, guaranteed by the First Amendment. Understanding this, the Trump Administration has prioritized religious liberty as one of its paramount issues. In May of last year, President Trump signed an executive order creating the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative, with the goal of ensuring that faith-based and community organizations, which form the bedrock of our society, have strong advocates in the White House and throughout the Federal Government. This hasn’t just been lip service. Throughout the federal government, agencies have enacted policies and litigation strategies to protect religious freedom. Join us for a discussion with three key administration officials from the Department of Justice, Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services, as they discuss what their agencies are doing to champion religious liberty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Foreign Minister of Estonia, Mr. Urmas Reinsalu will discuss challenges facing Europe today and Estonia’s evolving role in the Euro-Atlantic community. While geopolitical changes, the emergence of new great powers and the revanchism of the old ones are testing the stability of the international order, fast developments in technology are changing the way our economies and function, the way we get our news and even the way we communicate with each other, in process creating tensions and putting domestic institutions under stress. As our institutions cope with these factors, we need to make sure no one will miscalculate the strength and commitment of the Euro-Atlantic relationship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer was born in Sichuan province, China in 1966. She was arrested four times and held as a prisoner of conscience in a labor camp for a year. In the camp, she was physically and mentally abused, and subjected to attempted brainwashing and electroshock treatment. She fled China in 2001 for Australia, wrote a book about her experiences titled Witnessing History: One Chinese Woman's Fight for Freedom. She eventually settled in the United States. There is also a documentary about her life called Free China: The Courage to Believe. Jennifer is a managing editor at Epoch Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America’s Founders understood the press as both a necessary component of republican government and a potential threat to political liberty. They counted on libel laws to restrain the press’s natural excesses. But the Supreme Court dramatically changed the nature of libel law in its landmark 1964 decision, New York Times v. Sullivan. How has this ruling changed the character of America’s press, and what have been long term consequences of this ruling? Should this decision be revisited? Please join us as our panel of experts consider whether stronger libel laws against the press should be revived. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. Marine Corps stands on the brink of revolutionary change, driven by General David H. Berger, 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Just six days after taking office this summer, General Berger issued his Commandant’s Planning Guidance, in which he made a bold break from long-held imperatives that have driven the Corps’ organizing, acquisition, doctrinal, and training efforts for a half-century. Agreeing with his predecessor’s assessment that “The Marine Corps is not organized, trained, equipped, or postured” for the future, General Berger has laid out an audacious plan to reorient the Corps and design a force to meet the demands of Great Power Competition and future war.Join us for an in-depth conversation with the Commandant, in his first presentation for the general public, to gain greater insight into why he believes such dramatic change is needed, his orientation of the Corps to the Indo-Pacific, how the service plans to move forward, and what it implies not only for the Marines, but also for the U.S. Navy, the defense industrial base, and the ability of operational commanders to meet rapidly evolving future threats. Reception to follow.The Marine Corps University Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to enhance and enrich the Marine Corps’ Professional Military Education and Leadership. For nearly 40 years, MCUF has harnessed the power of the private sector in support of the Marine Corps’ most pressing educational needs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A discussion with Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar at The Heritage Foundation on October 2. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980, limits on NASA funding and the lack of direction under the Nixon and Carter administrations had left the U.S. space program at a crossroads. In contrast to his predecessors, Reagan saw outer space as humanity’s final frontier and as an opportunity for global leadership. His optimism and belief in American exceptionalism guided a decade of U.S. activities in space, including bringing the space shuttle into operation, dealing with the 1986 Challenger accident and its aftermath, committing to a permanently crewed space station, encouraging private sector space efforts, and fostering international space partnerships with both U.S. allies and with the Soviet Union.Drawing from a trove of declassified primary source materials and oral history interviews, John M. Logsdon provides the first comprehensive account of Reagan’s civilian and commercial space policies during his eight years in the White House. Even as a fiscal conservative who was hesitant to increase NASA’s budget, Reagan’s enthusiasm for the space program made him perhaps the most pro-space president in American history.John Logsdon is a world-renowned historian and analyst of space issues. He is the author of John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon and After Apollo? Richard Nixon and the American Space Program, both award-winning, definitive accounts of presidential space policy, and his most recent book is Ronald Reagan and the Space Frontier. Professor Logsdon is Professor Emeritus at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and founder of its Space Policy Institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public diplomacy in the era of President Trump has been a subject of much conjecture. It has focused, to a great extent, on the president’s promise to “Make America Great Again” and how that idea is received around the world. Yet, little factual information has come out about the significant changes in Public Diplomacy’s place within the Department of State. Under Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, streamlining and reorganization has been taking place. Most notably, State’s Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Bureaus have merged to form a Bureau of Global Public Affairs, whose mission is simultaneously to “serve the American people by effectively communicating U.S. foreign policy priorities and the importance of diplomacy to American audiences, and engaging foreign publics to enhance their understanding of and support for the values and policies of the United States.” Furthermore, some priorities have shifted to align priorities with President Trump’s National Security Strategy. In order to examine and analyze these changes, The Heritage Foundation will host a discussion with some of the key players in the Trump Administration’s Public Diplomacy work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court returns October 7th for its 2019-2020 Term, and the justices will tackle of number of important issues. The Court will consider cases involving an Obamacare “bait and switch” on insurance companies in Moda Health Plan, Inc. v. United States and the Trump administration’s attempt to roll back the DACA program for Dreamers in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California. Also coming up are cases looking at whether the federal ban on sex-based discrimination in employment extends to sexual orientation and gender identity in a trio of cases, whether states can bar religious schools from a student-aid program in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, and the first major Second Amendment case in nearly a decade in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. City of New York. In addition to these and many others, what other cases might the justices add to their calendar? Join us as two distinguished Supreme Court advocates discuss what is likely to unfold at the Supreme Court next term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The genius of Western civilization is its unique synthesis of reason and faith. But today that synthesis is under attack—from the East by radical Islam (faith without reason) and from within the West itself by aggressive secularism (reason without faith). The stakes are incalculably high.We can all see that faith without reason is benighted at best, fanatical and violent at worst. But too many forget that reason, stripped of faith, is subject to its own pathologies. A supposedly autonomous reason easily sinks into fanaticism, stifling dissent as bigoted and irrational and devouring the humane civilization fostered by the integration of reason and faith. The blood-soaked history of the twentieth century attests to the totalitarian forces unleashed by corrupted reason.But Samuel Gregg does more than lament the intellectual and spiritual ruin caused by the divorce of reason and faith. He shows that each of these foundational principles corrects the other’s excesses and enhances our comprehension of the truth in a continuous renewal of civilization. By recovering this balance, we can avoid a suicidal winner-take-all conflict between reason and faith and a future that will respect neither. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Heritage Foundation is honored to host Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) for our signature event on U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific. Heritage’s annual B.C. Lee Lecture on international affairs was endowed by the Samsung Group in honor of its founder, the late B.C. Lee, to focus on the U.S. relationship with the Indo-Pacific. Senator Sullivan continues the B.C. Lee tradition of speakers representing leading voices in America’s Asia policy. Previous lectures have been delivered by Henry Kissinger, Jesse Helms, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Joseph Lieberman, Ed Royce, Robert Zoellick, John McCain, and many others. We look forward to hearing Senator Sullivan’s views on Indo-Pacific policy in what is a very challenging time for American interests. Please join us for another enlightening event in this series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vice President Pence discusses the way forward on President Trump’s trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Undermining the courts’ independence was among the actions by King George III that was cited to justify America’s separation from Great Britain. Alexander Hamilton wrote that an independent judiciary is “peculiarly essential” for our system of government. In 1937, a heavily Democratic Congress rejected President Franklin Roosevelt’s plan to restructure the judiciary in response to “reactionary” decisions. An independent judiciary has helped to safeguard liberty in our country, while remaining illusory in other countries. Yet today, certain political forces threaten to “pack” the Supreme Court or “restructure” the judiciary in response to what they call “politicized” decisions. These threats are becoming more direct, even finding their way into legal briefs filed with the very courts from which change is demanded. This event will focus on the meaning and importance of judicial independence and current threats to what the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist called one of the “crown jewels” of our system of government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As highlighted in a recent Heritage Foundation paper, Chinese influence in the international system has been rising for over a decade and there is growing bi-partisan concern about how that influence will affect U.S. interests. China seeks to use its expanding influence within the U.N., not because it supports the founding principles of the U.N., but in order to shift the values, programs, and policies of the U.N. in ways that benefit Chinese priorities and ideology. This shift would harm U.S. interests and undermine the system of values and practices established in the postwar era. The U.S. cannot reverse this trend entirely, but it must take strategic steps to ensure that Chinese influence is reasonably contained and its leadership is restricted and channeled in the U.N. and other international organizations in ways that do not directly undermine U.S. interests. Please join us as the panelists discuss strategies for the U.S. going forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mary Eberstadt is a Senior Research Fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington, D.C., and author of the new book Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics. Her other books include It’s Dangerous to Believe, How the West Really Lost God, and Adam and Eve after the Pill.Mrs. Eberstadt’s writing has appeared in many magazines and journals including TIME, the Wall Street Journal, National Review, First Things, and The Weekly Standard. Her 2010 novel The Loser Letters, about a young woman in rehab struggling with atheism, was adapted for stage, and premiered at Catholic University in fall 2017. Seton Hall University awarded her an honorary doctorate in humane letters in 2014. During the Reagan administration, she was speechwriter to Secretary of State George Shultz, and a special assistant to Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick at the United Nations. Her work can be found on her website, maryeberstadt.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Ernesto Araújo is pleased to join The Heritage Foundation to deliver his first public address in Washington on Brazil’s new international strategy and President Jair Bolsonaro’s blueprint to restore the country towards a path of prosperity, safety and dignity for all Brazilians. Ambassador Araújo’s speech and the following conversation comes as Brazil and the United States launch a renewed strategic dialogue and at a moment when the two largest democracies of the Western hemisphere reach a historic level of cooperation and trust. He will share the Brazilian government’s current views on regional and global trends and his vision for the future of the U.S.-Brazil relationship. As Foreign Minister, Araújo has advocated for Brazil to establish stronger ties with international partners that prize the principles of individual freedom, personal responsibility, and human dignity. At home, he has been a supporter of consolidating the current alliance between Brazil’s classical liberals and conservatives and has been responsible for broadening the conversation on the role that values and faith have in society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the years he served on and eventually chaired the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Jason Chaffetz gained crucial insight into the inner workings of D.C. Things were bad then, but during the Trump administration, liberals have reached a new level of hysteria and misconduct.In Power Grab, Chaffetz pulls back the curtain on the world of hypocrisy, political intrigue, and procedural malfeasance that is Washington D.C. With stories you won't read anywhere else, he shows how the left weaves false narratives, drums up investigations in search of a crime, and refuses to direct congressional oversight towards its appropriate target: the government. Democrats weaponize nonprofit advocacy groups and monetize partisan anger to line the pockets of their political allies. They use “voter enrollment” as a smokescreen to hide their plans to destabilize free elections and seek to politicize federal agencies like the Federal Election Commission, the IRS, and the Department of Justice.It shouldn’t be this way. Democrats have abandoned the wisdom set forth in the Constitution for short-term political wins. Power Grab shows the lengths to which Democrats will go to maintain their grip on power, and how the only thing that will stop them is a return to our founding principles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.