Heard at Heritage

According to a recent Pew Research Poll, 61% of Americans believe that higher education is headed in the wrong direction. With Americans $1.6 trillion in student loan debt, over 5 million loan borrowers in default, and increasing calls for “free” college, the source of American frustration with institutions of higher education is hardly a mystery. Please join us for a fireside chat between Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and Heritage Action’s Tim Chapman to discuss a path forward for conservative higher education solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. Army has embarked on an ambitious campaign to modernize and transform. They have created a new Futures Command, formed cross-functional teams, and introduced new modernization priorities. Most importantly, they have elevated modernization as an overall strategic priority for the Army, commanding attention from the senior leaders. This is needed and well-conceived. However, prior Army modernization efforts - even those begun with great promise - have gone on to mixed results. How then to best increase the odds of success and ensure the preeminence of the Army for the foreseeable future?In a new Heritage Foundation Special Report, Rebuilding America’s Military Project: The United States Army, author Thomas Spoehr provides an overview of prior Army modernization efforts and over 25 recommendations on how the Army can avoid mistakes of the past. These include the avoidance of “groupthink,” the reordering of modernization priorities, talent management, and specific recommendations on equipment. Discussion of the Army’s new Multi-Domain Concept, Army manpower, and force posture also feature prominently in the report.Join Spoehr and veteran defense reporter Jen Judson for an overview of the report and the opportunity to explore the surrounding issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union on October 31, the UK’s International Trade Secretary, the Right Honourable Liz Truss MP, discusses the opportunities this presents for a renewed trade and economic relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Japan and South Korea have recently imposed rulings that impact each other’s financial interests and risk triggering a strategic trade war. During previous spikes in tensions, bilateral economic and security sectors were not involved and instead served as moderating influences. That changed for the worse last year. Strained bilateral economic relations undermine U.S. allied diplomatic and security coordination to deal with the North Korean threat. What role should Washington play in resolving disputes between two critically important Asian allies?Join us as a distinguished panel of experts discusses the Japanese – South Korean trade dispute and its economic, security, and strategic ramifications.Read more: The U.S. Must Limit Damage from the Japan–South Korea Trade Dispute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s foreign policy and engagement with the world has acquired new energy and dynamism. Following India’s historic elections this spring, Modi’s second term will continue to focus on creating an enabling environment for India’s growth and development, while pursuing security and growth for all in India’s neighborhood and beyond. To discuss the Modi government’s foreign policy imperatives, and particularly India’s priorities in its regional engagements, India’s Ambassador to the U.S., His Excellency Harsh Vardhan Shringla will join Heritage Foundation South Asia scholar Jeff M. Smith for a wide-ranging conversation.Read more: https://www.heritage.org/asia/report/modi-20-navigating-differences-and-consolidating-gains-india-us-relations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans are concerned about their health care and the “Medicare for All” movement sounds like an easy solution. Yet, the more Americans understand the real-life costs of government-run health care – loss of private coverage, fewer health care providers, and long waiting lines – the less appeal it has. Please join us for a discussion on “Medicare for All” and the potential effects of such a policy on patients and those who care for them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent years, the news has been awash in headlines about how e-commerce, data localization, and fifth generation wireless technology (5G) will reshape the digital landscape of the 21st century. In the U.S., the emergence of 5G has sparked a national conversation about the intersection between technology, economics, and national security. Already the U.S. government has taken steps to restrict access to America’s 5G networks for controversial Chinese tech giant Huawei. Numerous Indo-Pacific capitals, including many U.S. partners and allies, are now embroiled in their own contentious debates about the risks posed by Huawei and the appropriate measures to secure their digital futures. While it isn’t forcing countries to choose, the Trump administration has made clear that intelligence cooperation with U.S. partners could be impacted if it believes their digital infrastructure is compromised by foreign actors. Meanwhile, other regional partners, including India, are considering new data localization policies that could force technology firms to store their data in-country. The Trump administration argues such policies are protectionist in nature and would threaten the free flow of information, raise costs, and disrupt services, potentially resulting in new trade battles and barriers to commerce.Join us for an examination of the Trump administration’s approach to these issues and its vision for Asia’s Digital Future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people think social justice is a twentieth century invention of left-leaning thinkers, but this starts the history of social justice midstream. To understand its true meaning, we must look farther back to its real historical origins. The first known use of the phrase “social justice” was by a Jesuit Thomist, Luigi Taparelli, in his multivolume work A Theoretical Treatise on Natural Law Resting on Fact published between 1840 and 1843. This lecture emphasizes two arguments that Taparelli highlighted by coining the new phrase “social justice”: first, human beings are social by nature and belong to many societies and, second, they have natural duties to others in justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Heritage Foundation is hosting a half-day symposium to highlight the importance of promoting good federalism. Bringing together the leading voices in our government and key thought leaders, we will discuss what more can be done by the Administration, what opportunities we might have in Congress to advance principles of federalism, and how outside groups and state officials might best help advance the cause of freedom.Join us for a half-day symposium, with leading government officials at the federal and state level, as we examine policies to promote cooperative federalism on an array of fronts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The political ideology of Islamism may not have its origins in the West, but in recent decades it has proven attractive to many individuals living there.Not only have Westerners joined terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda or the Islamic State, but political Islamist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Jamaat-e-Islami have also used the West as a base from which to recruit, fundraise and proselytize.Thankfully, many eloquent and important critics have emerged among those who were once immersed in Islamism but now reject its teachings. This event features personal testimonies from two such individuals: one from the U.K. and one based in the U.S.Maajid Nawaz was a leading member of the revolutionary Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir and former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience while detained in Egypt. He has since repudiated the ideology of Islamism, works to counter extremism in all forms, and encourages reform within Islam. Nawaz is an acclaimed author, columnist and broadcaster, and stood for the British Parliament in 2015.Mohammed Khalid was just fifteen when, in 2011, he became the youngest person ever prosecuted for terrorism offenses in the U.S. Turning away from Islamism while in jail, since his release he has dedicated himself to countering the ideology that led to his imprisonment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is not only an unalienable, fundamental right; it is essential to the protection of all human rights. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) cites man’s endowment with both conscience and reason as evidence of human dignity, the basis of universal human rights.However, in the seven decades since the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the UDHR, the human rights movement has come unmoored from its foundation in natural law. This has led to two dangerous trends: 1) the proliferation and devaluation of human rights and 2) conflicts between fundamental rights like religious freedom and newly asserted rights based on membership in special identity groups.For civil society leaders, government officials and victims who seek to strengthen protection of all human rights; restoring the natural law foundation of the right to thought, conscience and religion is essential. Please join us for this important conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court reveals what really happened during last year's confirmation, including never-before-released details of every aspect of the process. Exciting new stories include: Justice Kennedy's retirement, how Kavanaugh was chosen, how his explosive opening statement to the committee was composed, what Melania Trump really thought of Christine Blasey Ford, the coordination between Democrats and the anti-Kavanaugh forces on the Left, and the behind-the-scenes chaos between Senators Flake and Coons as they hammered out the FBI investigation. They also weave in the stories of major confirmation battles of recent decades, illustrating what we have learned from fights over nominees like Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas to help get nominees like Brett Kavanaugh across the finish line.Mollie and Carrie are two insiders with unparalleled access to the major players in this national drama. They have conducted over one hundred interviews, spanning hundreds of hours, and speaking with President Trump, several Supreme Court justices, dozens of senators, and all the key figures in this battle. Join us for a discussion of their highly-anticipated book, which promises to be the definitive account of this historic event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court’s 2018-2019 term will soon be over, but the need for serious analysis has just begun. Did the High Court get the big cases right? What will the Court’s ruling in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association mean for the future of religion in the public square? How will Rucho v. Common Cause and Benisek v. Lamone, the partisan gerrymandering cases, impact the next election cycle? Will the ruling in Kisor v. Wilkie rein in administrative agencies? How have Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh changed the balance of the Court, and have any broader themes of the Roberts Court emerged this term?Please join us as our distinguished panels of practitioners and journalists discuss these cases and more from the 2018-2019 term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America has hit the proverbial fork in the road. We can continue to go down the road of social strife and despair, or we can choose the road that leads us back to the founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which our nation’s founding fathers spoke of so eloquently in the Declaration of Independence. In American Restoration, Tim Goeglein and Craig Osten examine every aspect of American culture and offer a map of the road to national and spiritual renewal. The objective is to provoke a national dialogue on each of these topics while winsomely convincing hearts and minds that the best days for America are still to come.Timothy S. Goeglein is Vice President of External Relations for Focus on the Family. Formerly, he served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and as a deputy director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. In addition, Goeglein served as a communications director for Gary Bauer at the Campaign for Working Families, and also for U.S. Senator Dan Coats of Indiana.Craig Osten is a Vice President and Senior Director of Research and Grant Writing at Alliance Defending Freedom. Prior to joining ADF, Osten was the Assistant to the President of Focus on the Family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keynote Remarks Chen Ming-tong, Mainland Affairs Council Minister, Republic of China (Taiwan) Introduced by: Bridgett Wagner, Vice President, Policy Promotion, The Heritage FoundationHost: Walter Lohman, Director, Asian Studies Center, The Heritage FoundationPanel 1: Taiwan-US-China Relations and the Situation of the Taiwan Strait I-Chung Lai, President, The Prospect FoundationBonnie Glaser, Senior Adviser for Asia, Center for Strategic and International StudiesRichard Bush, Senior Fellow, Brookings InstitutionDean Cheng, Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation – ModeratorRemarks by The Honorable Jonathan MoorePrincipal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bureau of International Organization Affairs US Department of StatePanel 2: China Sharp Power against Taiwan and U.S. Wen-Cheng Lin, President, Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace StudiesPuma Shen, Assistant Professor, Graduate of Criminology, National Taipei UniversityMark Stokes, Executive Director, Project 2049Dan Aum, Director of the Washington, D.C. Office, The National Bureau of Asian Research - ModeratorPanel 3: Chinese Domestic Politics and Its Impacts on Taiwan-U.S.-China Relations Ho-Fung Hung, Prof. in Political Economy, Department of Sociology, Johns Hopkins UniversityYun Sun, Director of the China Program, Stimson CenterCheng-Yi Lin, CEO, Institute for National Defense and Security ResearchI-Chung Lai, President, The Prospect Foundation – ModeratorPanel 4: Cross-Strait Economic Relations and the US-China Trade War Ming-Fang Tsai, Professor, Department of Industrial Economics, Tamkang UniversityRupert Hammond-Chambers, President, US Taiwan Business CouncilRiley Walters, Policy Analyst, The Heritage FoundationWalter Lohman, The Heritage Foundation – Moderator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On June 1, the US Department of Defense released its “Indo-Pacific Strategy Report: Preparedness, Partnerships and Promoting a Networked Region.” Please join us for a discusson of its key findings with Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Randall Schriver and Ambassadors to the U.S. from key American security partners in Southeast Asia, Singapore and treaty ally, the Philippines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has been a leading advocate for improving the regulatory environment for entrepreneurs seeking to raise capital and for reasonable regulation of emerging financial technology. Please join us for an extended conversation with Commissioner Peirce on a wide range of topics, followed by audience questions and answers. Topics for discussion will include the proper role for regulators in financial markets, the impact of the securities law on entrepreneurs, financial innovation or FinTech, alternative currencies, private capital markets and Regulation D, Regulation A, crowdfunding, the decline in both the number of public companies and of initial public offerings, the role of self-regulatory organizations, the SEC regulatory agenda and reforms at the SEC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please join our distinguished panelists for a discussion of how the private sector is preparing workers to meet the ever-evolving needs of a free and prosperous economy. We will examine how private companies across very different sectors of the American economy—manufacturing, software, and wireless infrastructure—are assessing their current and future workforce needs, and in turn, recruiting and training workers from both outside and within their companies to meet their sectors’ labor demands. While companies are doing a lot to develop a capable workforce to meet the demands of the current and future economy, the private sector faces some impediments to training up workers and creating opportunities for them to learn new skills and begin careers in high-demand fields. We will discuss what the Administration and Congress have recently done and can do to help open pathways for workers to obtain better careers and for all Americans to benefit from better alignment of workers skills with the economy’s needs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The demand to outlaw so-called “hate speech” continues to grow in America. Too few citizens, however, understand the radical theory behind “hate speech” criminalization, how our nation will change should it be banned, and the tech world’s involvement in ushering in this future. By turning to Europe, which actively criminalizes “hate speech,” we see that politicians, priests, political commentators, and private citizens have been censored, fined, arrested, investigated, and prosecuted for violating speech laws, which have had a devastating effect on the capacity of citizens to rule themselves. In America, the tech world is working hard to ensure our nation looks more like Europe. Should “hate speech” be banned in America, the tech world will help bring forth this revolution. Please join us to discuss the different dimensions of this important debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rise of Wahhabism has had a significant impact on the Middle East and beyond.This strict interpretation of Islam, which originated with an 18th century preacher based in the Arabian Peninsula named Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, argued that Islam had strayed from its pure path and a purge of more modern elements was required. Al-Wahhab also considered the Ottoman Caliphate governing Arabia at the time to be corrupt and the creation of an Islamic state which would implement ‘pure’ sharia law a necessity.Al-Wahhab’s ideas gained traction and were eventually adopted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In turn, Saudi Arabia pumped Wahhabi Islam not only around the Middle East but also into the West via its lavish funding of mosques and schools preaching al-Wahhab’s vision.The Wahhabist belief in a sole, pure version of Islam meant that other strains of Islam - such as the liberal humanist Islam that has at times been associated with Sufism - were opposed. This mindset endures, with Sufi graves destroyed and Sufi traditions sought to be wiped out by extremists to this day.This event will assess the impact of Wahhabism on the Middle East and South Asia. It will focus on the role of Sufism in potentially undermining Wahhabism, the tradition of inter-faith harmony in South Asian countries and the role of inter-faith dialogue in challenging extremist ideology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the Constitution is silent on the President’s removal power, the First Congress concluded that Article II’s vesting of executive power necessarily meant that the President must have plenary authority to remove executive branch officers. As James Madison asserted, “If the Constitution has invested all executive power in the President… the Legislature has no right to diminish or modify his executive authority.” Unfortunately, the modern administrative state has continued to give rise to a “headless” fourth branch of government that exerts immense control over vast swaths of American life. The power to remove subordinates is the key means by which the President can direct how executive authority is exercised. Without it, he is in many instances powerless to ensure faithful execution of the laws.A new bill, The Take Care Act, introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), aims to address this problem. It will eliminate all existing restrictions on the President’s power to remove upper-level executive branch officers, and fully restore the original understanding of the President’s power to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. Join us for an address by the Senator, as he unveils this important new legislation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While there have been many biographies of Dwight D. Eisenhower that focus on his military career or the time of his presidency, none clearly explores the important role faith played both in his personal life and in his public policy. This despite the fact that he is the only US president to be baptized as a Christian while in office.Alan Sears and Craig Osten invite you on a journey that is unique in American history and is essential to understanding one of the most consequential, admired, and complex Americans of the 20th Century. The story begins in abject poverty in rural Texas, then travels through Kansas, West Point, two World Wars, and down Pennsylvania Avenue. This is the untold story of a man whose growing faith sustained him through the loss of a young son, marital difficulties, depression, career disappointments, and being witness to some of the worst atrocities humankind has devised. A man whose faith was based in his own sincere personal conviction, not out of a sense of political expediency or social obligation. You've met Dwight Eisenhower the soldier and Dwight Eisenhower the president. Now meet Dwight Eisenhower the man of faith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congress passed the Congressional Review Act in 1996 to prevent agency rules from going into effect before Congress had the opportunity to expeditiously review and nullify ones that it deemed unwise. None of the three Presidents since then—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama—used the CRA to rein in the administrative state. President Donald Trump has. In April 2019, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memorandum reading the CRA broadly for executive and independent agencies alike. This panel will discuss the potential effect that the OMB Memorandum might have on the regulatory state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this, the 40th year of the Taiwan Relations Act, it bears evaluating the state of the Taiwan-US relationship. There are many positive signs, arms sales, significant unofficial diplomatic contact, and a peak in Congressional activity. There are also signs of reserve on the part of the US administration, including uncertainty over the sale of F-16 fighter jets that have been under consideration for more than 10 years, a failure to pick up on the idea of a US-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement, and a low key opening of the new American Institute in Taiwan. On the other side of the relationship, Taipei is election season, with a range of possible outcomes. So where are US-Taiwan relations to day and where are they headed in the short to medium term. Please join us for an assessment, led by Deputy Foreign Minster Szu-chien Hsu and a discussion with leading experts on the relationship from both sides of the relationship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Multiple, worsening deadly conflicts grip Nigeria. Given the protracted nature of the insecurity, the international community risks becoming complacent about the profound dangers associated with the conflicts that are driven by a toxic mix of ideologies and grievances. It risks too losing sight of the terrible human toll the violence is taking.Please join The Heritage Foundation, the International Committee on Nigeria, and Save the Persecuted Christians to hear a message from Nigerians directly affected by Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and Fulani militia violence: Rebecca Sharibu, mother of Leah Sharibu, a kidnapped schoolgirl held as a slave for life by the Islamic State West Africa Province for refusing to renounce Christianity; Alheri Bawa Magaji and Mercy Maisamari, daughters of the Adara Chiefdom that Fulani radicals brutally attacked earlier this year; and Paul and Folsade Sule, Deborah Jacob, and Napoleon Adamu from Benue State, victims of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. These witnesses will shed light on the terrorist violence in the northeast and the conflict in the Middle Belt region that Nigerian leaders—a former Nigerian President, a Nobel laureate, and a national Christian group—say has devolved into a well-armed, well-funded, ethno-religious war that is destabilizing one of Africa’s most important countries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this riveting book, bestselling author Paul Kengor and writer-director Robert Orlando show what it took to end the Cold War: leaders who refused to accept that hundreds of millions must suffer under totalitarian Communism. And no leaders proved more important than the pope and the president. Two men who seemed to have little in common developed an extraordinary bond—including a spiritual bond between the Catholic pope and Protestant president. And their shared core convictions drove them to confront Communism.To tell the full story of the dramatic closing act of the Cold War, Kengor and Orlando draw on their exhaustive research and exclusive interviews with more than a dozen experts, including well-known historians Douglas Brinkley, H. W. Brands, Anne Applebaum, Stephen Kotkin, John O’Sullivan, and Craig Shirley; the leading biographer of John Paul II, George Weigel; close Reagan advisers Richard V. Allen and James Rosebush; and Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Robert Barron.You can’t understand Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan—or how the Cold War came to such a swift and peaceful end—without understanding how much faith they put in the Divine Plan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thirty years after Tiananmen Square, human rights abuses continue to proliferate in China. Hundreds of thousands, possibly as many as 3 million, Muslim Uighurs are currently held by the Chinese government in political reeducation facilities. Individuals inside these facilities are subject to indoctrination, forced labor, torture, and in some cases, even death. Collectivization of this population was achieved through the Chinese government’s rapid deployment of large-scale surveillance technology – technology that poses a severe threat to people inside and outside of China. The crisis in Xinjiang is both a human rights and national security threat that merits a strong response from the U.S. government. While the U.S. and the international community has been quick to condemn the Chinese government’s actions, it has been slow to craft a strategy that holds accountable those in China responsible for the abuses.Please join us for a discussion on next steps to respond to the crisis in Xinjiang. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Conservative Women's Network event co-hosted by Clare Booth Luce Center for Conservative Women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a recent Washington Post op-ed, Robert Kagan wrote, “Only with the advent of Enlightenment liberalism did people begin to believe that the individual conscience, as well as the individual’s body, should be inviolate and protected from the intrusions of state and church.” It is widely thought, as Kagan assumes, that religious freedom is the work of the Enlightenment. Only with the decline of religious faith and the end of the religious wars engendered by the Reformation did liberty of conscience gain a foothold in the emerging secular states of Europe. Or so the story goes.Liberty in the Things of God tells a different story. The origins of modern notions of liberty of conscience and religious freedom are to be found in Christian writers from the early centuries (e.g. Tertullian of Carthage and Lactantius), medieval churchmen and theologians, and Christian thinkers in the 16th and 17th centuries. Three features of this tradition of thinking are distinctive: religious faith cannot be coerced; conscience is a form of spiritual knowledge that mandates action; the realm of statecraft and the realm of religion are distinct and must be kept separate.Please join us for a conversation with Robert Louis Wilken about the Christian origins of religious freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America’s fiscal future is in peril. At $67,000 for every American, the $22 trillion national debt is larger than what the typical American household earns in a year. At the same time that federal debt is growing rapidly, politicians on both sides of the political aisle are making grand promises for new spending. It’s as if Washington’s elite think that the debt does not matter. A high and rising national debt exposes America to significant dangers and imposes steep costs on families, workers, and businesses. The sooner we act to correct course, the more sensible reform options we have available to avoid severe austerity measures.Join the Heritage Foundation for an enlightening panel discussion on why you should care about the national debt by discovering how debt impacts America’s economy and our financial future.The Blueprint for Balance: A Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2020 is The Heritage Foundation’s budget proposal to guide Congress in its constitutional exercise of the power of the purse. It presents Heritage’s extensive research that, when implemented, can lead to a freer, more prosperous America with opportunity for all. With this Blueprint we demonstrate to the American people and our elected officials an approach to the federal budget that reins in out-of-control spending and debt, ensures that the government is funding its constitutionally mandated duties, and provides an environment where our prosperity as individuals and as a country grows. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many in Washington continue to be fixated on the immediate ebbs and flows of the U.S.-China trade, investment, and technology dispute. What is the state of China’s economy and where is it trending? Rising labor costs and reduced consumption have put downward pressure on corporate profits. However, efforts by the People’s Bank of China may have staved off current risks of a bearish market in exchange for future defaults as debt in China continues to rise. How are businesses fairing in the ever-changing domestic and international operating environment? Is China’s economy a risky investment these days? And will a U.S.-China agreement make things better or worse?Join us we explore these questions and more with experts from across Washington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few scholars have articulated such profound insights into the nature and destiny of America as the nineteenth century French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville and the twentieth century American theologian Michael Novak. Each man also had much to say about the rise and popularity of an idea that has regained great traction in America today, especially among young Americans - Socialism. The reflections of Tocqueville and Novak about the character of Socialism are deeply relevant for understanding why people, both in their time and in ours, are attracted to an economic system - whether of the command economy or social democratic variety - that has inflicted enormous political and economic damage on entire societies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first USAF F-35A fighter wing is now fully operational. The Heritage Foundation had a recent unique opportunity to conduct structured interviews with 30 F-35A combat pilots—21 previously experienced former fourth-generation fighter pilots, 9 pilots in their first fighter assignment, as well as senior operations and maintenance leaders at Hill Air Force Base (AFB), UT. Their collective perspectives and insights—the good and the bad—have been analyzed and form the basis for a new groundbreaking Heritage Foundation report: The F-35A—The Most Dominant Multirole Fighter in the World. Join us for a unique opportunity to discuss the major findings of the report, including a direct comparison of the F-35A to other fourth-generation fighters including the F-15, and a robust exchange with those in attendance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America's foreign policy establishment believed that China's economic ascent would lead to political liberalization, and that China in the long term would become a benign actor in world affairs. That view has been falsified, but there is no consensus about what China wants and what threat it might pose to American interests. China is seeking technological self-sufficiency and even superiority in key industries. It has concentrated military spending on advanced technologies. Its Belt and Road Initiative proposes a trillion-dollar investment program to project China's influence across the world. What is China's grand design, and how should the United States respond to it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You are invited to attend Visegrad Countries in the Transatlantic Alliance, a half-day discussion of the Visegrád Group or V4, comprised of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. The event cohosted by the Heritage Foundation and the Antall József Knowledge Center in Budapest, Hungary, will explore the diplomatic, economic, military and political importance of the V4. A special focus of the event will be relations between the Visegrád and the United States, how the region can one day develop into an anchor of U.S. engagement in Europe and continue contributing to robust transatlantic cooperation. Please join us as we engage in a robust dialogue on these vital topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Conservative Women's Network event co-hosted by the Clare Booth Luce Center for Conservative Women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) serves as Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. During an hour-long fireside chat, Lead Republican McCaul will discuss the challenges confronting the world today and share his solutions for a better tomorrow. During Q&A with Moderator James Carafano, McCaul will talk about his efforts to enhance American security, counter China’s malign influence, combat human and drug trafficking, strengthen partnerships and alliances, and promote human dignity around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is often asked what more we can do to reassure the international community that we remain faithful stewards of the disarmament vision articulated in the Preamble and in Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). If we are to build the kind of disarmament dialogue we need in order to make progress toward that goal in a time of deteriorating global security conditions, it is important not to misdiagnose the problem. Please join us as we debunk the false critiques surrounding the NPT disarmament narrative with Dr. Christopher Ford, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing’s control of Hong Kong is tightening. In April, nine advocates for democracy in Hong Kong who played a key role in the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong were convicted of committing “public nuisance”—some were jailed. The Hong Kong government is pushing to pass an Extradition Law that could change Hong Kong’s free society forever. The law would legalize the disappearances and kidnapping Hong Kong has experienced already of peaceful critics like publishers and business leaders. Veteran legislator and lawyer Martin Lee is leading a diverse delegation featuring elements of civil society affected by repression from Beijing and the failures of the Hong Kong government to defend human rights and autonomy.Join us for a public program exploring practical ways the U.S. and Hong Kong people can partner to preserve freedom there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Smith, sometimes considered the founding father of capitalism, offered a 'thin' conception of justice — primarily protection from injury from others. Many critics, however, believe that justice should encompass much more, including positive duties to help those in need. Are there any good reasons to support a Smithian 'thin' conception of justice? Can a system of political economy based on such a conception be considered moral? In other words, do markets and morality mix?For a complete list of speakers, topics, and dates of the Free Markets: The Ethical Economic Choice speaker series visit heritage.org/free-markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antonin Scalia reflected deeply on matters of religion and shared his insights with many audiences over the course of his remarkable career. As a Supreme Court justice for three decades, he vigorously defended the American constitutional tradition of allowing religion a prominent place in the public square. As a man of faith, he recognized the special challenges of living a distinctively religious life in modern America, and he inspired other believers to meet those challenges.On Faith is an inspiring collection of the late Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia's reflections on his own faith, on the challenges that religious believers face in modern America, and on the religious freedoms protected by the Constitution. This volume will enrich every reader's understanding of the legendary justice.Please join us to reflect on the legacy of the late Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Higher education in America is in crisis. Costs are too high, learning is too little, and the payoff to students and society is increasingly problematic. In Restoring the Promise, Richard Vedder shows how the precarious position of colleges and universities results from a mostly unsuccessful expansion of governmental involvement in the academy, especially at the federal level.The book examines today’s most serious issues in higher education, including free speech and academic freedom; tuition and other costs; culture and curricula; governance; gender, race and diversity; due process; admissions; student loans; and much more. It diagnoses problems and identifies solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Constitution of the United States has endured for over two centuries. However, our constitutional republic is threatened by vulnerabilities in the election process, corruption amongst our elected leaders and representatives, and censorship of political speech that is fundamental to a free society. Our republican form of government is further weakened by misinterpretations of the Constitution that diminish our rights, dilute the separation of powers, and delegate legislative power to the administrative state. The very meaning of what it is to be an American, replete with our exceptional political, economic, and social culture, is now threatened by massive, uncontrolled illegal immigration. We will hear from eight leading experts how we might remedy these problems, strengthen our constitutional republic, and restore the promise of America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political and social support for the sale of infants by women who need money is increasing in the United States, despite human rights campaigns to ban surrogacy and the parallel practices of organ sales and prostitution. Women who need money rent out their wombs to people who can pay as much as $200,000. This practice is promoted by a burgeoning fertility industry and uncritically cheered on by an expanding cadre of neoliberal LGBT activists. The public, our lawmakers, and even some health professionals are relatively fact-free regarding the adverse consequences of surrogacy for everyone except the purchasing parents and the businessmen who control fertility clinics.Surrogacy is a medical, ethical and legal disaster. The deliberately ignored rights of human beings who are harmed by this cruel practice must be heard.Join this expert panel for a discussion of why surrogacy in all its forms must be abolished. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anti-Semitism impacts the lives of our Jewish friends and neighbors here at home and across the globe. It continues to fester on college campuses in the form of calls for Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel and numerous instances of ostracization of Jewish students. Within the United Nations, resolutions incessantly malign Israel with outrageously false allegations while other acts seek to deny the historical ties of the Jewish people with the land of Israel. Here in the U.S., some elected officials use anti-Semitic tropes with seeming impunity. This panel will explain the dynamics of contemporary anti-Semitism and how we can work together to defeat it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Valerie Mayberry comes from the kind of wealthy family that would be royalty in any other country. Obsessive and compulsive, she’s also the FBI’s counter-intelligence expert on domestic terrorism.Brett Garrett is a dishonorably discharged ex-Navy SEAL coming off a secret opioid addiction. A brusque, fiercely independent operative who refuses to play by the rules, the seasoned pro is now a gun for hire, working as a security contractor in Eastern Europe.When a high ranking Kremlin official with knowledge of a plan to attack the US must be smuggled out under the nose of a kleptocratic Putin-like Russian president and a ruthless general, Mayberry and Garret are thrown together to exfiltrate him and preempt a deadly poisonous strike.As these unlikely partners work to protect their human asset, their mission is threatened by domestic politics: leftist protests, Congressional infighting, and a culture riven by hatred.Collusion raises many of the most significant issues facing America in real life today. Is Russia our ally, or our enemy? Are American leftist activists susceptible to influence from abroad? How far will our enemies go to disrupt our politics and weaken the nation? Can we trust the media to differentiate between the good guys and the bad guys? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the first anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement approaches, Iran and the United States remain locked in disputes on nuclear, regional, and terrorism issues. Although Tehran claims to be complying with the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement, the revelations contained in Iran’s exposed nuclear archives have raised disturbing questions about Iran’s past nuclear efforts and future plans. A panel of experts examines the policy implications of these and other security issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join the Washington Examiner’s Kimberly Leonard for a bipartisan and wide-ranging discussion about the future of American health policy."Examining Healthcare" will feature keynote interviews with Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Doug Jones (D-AL), both of whom are members on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.There will also be two panel discussions with experts and industry leaders, one discussing the efficacy of harm reduction and another on drug pricing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The House of Commons has rejected the Withdrawal Agreement between Britain and the European Union proposed by Prime Minister Theresa May no fewer than three times. Public debate on this Agreement has focused on its inability to deliver the Brexit that Britain voted for in the landmark 2016 referendum because of the Agreement’s effects on trade, regulations, and the relationship between Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, the Agreement also has important intelligence, defense, and security dimensions. In his presentation, Professor Gwythian Prins, a member of the Chief of the UK Defense Staff’s Strategy Advisory Panel and emeritus research professor at the London School of Economics, will review the Agreement’s shortcomings in these dimensions and set out the risks it poses to the Anglo-American Special Relationship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Korea remains in the international spotlight as Pyongyang and Washington continue to differ over the diplomatic path to denuclearization. Despite the continued focus on the security threat, North Korean human rights are largely absent from policy discussions. To get a better sense of how human rights fits into the Kim regime’s broader strategic calculus, three former members of the North Korean regime will discuss Kim Jong-un's strategy for maintaining power, his nuclear weapons programs, and insights on the current situation within North Korea.Then, a panel of distinguished U.S. experts on North Korea will focus on ways that the U.S. government can better integrate human rights into ongoing negotiations and explore the mechanisms available to hold the North Korean regime accountable for their poor human rights record.This program is part of North Korea Freedom Week, devoted to promoting the freedom, human rights and dignity of the people of North Korea, which first began in 2004. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.