Heritage Events Podcast

Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield were resounding military successes, but many overlook their full complexity and achievement. These victories came with a whole of government effort, including skillful diplomacy coupled with stellar military execution with a broad coalition of partners. Operation Desert Storm especially helped to restore the fractured relationship between the military, Veterans, and the American Public following the Vietnam era. Given these factors, a closer look is worthwhile. Scott Stump will provide an overview of the environment these operations occurred in, the operations themselves, and their lasting legacy that still influences the world today.

In his speech at The Heritage Foundation, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will examine the strategic value of the NATO Alliance to the United States. For seven decades, NATO has preserved peace and stability in Europe, promoted democratic values, and been a consistent and significant force multiplier for the United States, both politically and militarily. The Secretary General will also set out the concrete steps taken at the NATO Summit in July to respond to a more unpredictable world, including greater defense spending and fair burden-sharing.

Over the past year, Cambodia began a rapid descent into one-party rule, a status solidified by elections in July of 2018. In 2017, opposition leader Kem Sokha was jailed; NGOs, the press, and civil society were effectively silenced; and Cambodia’s Supreme Court outlawed the existence of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. The outcome of the 2018 elections was all-but-determined before the Cambodian people rung in the New Year. Incumbent ruler Hun Sen extended his nearly 35-year reign another five years, and the Cambodian people feel more disenfranchised than ever. While the U.S. government has swiftly responded to Cambodia’s anti-democratic backslide, there is still more to be done. Please join us for a conversation on how to get Cambodia back on the path toward political reforms that promote the rights and freedoms of all Cambodians.

Fox News host and former government insider Steve Hilton shows how populism can be a positive force for improving lives, with revolutionary ideas to restore the economic security that working Americans once took for granted, and rebuild the ties of family, community and nation that have been ripped apart by decades of policies that favored big government, big business, and the powerful. Whether by challenging the excess power of corporations in our economy or the corrupt influence of donors and lobbyists in our government, the ideas in this book echo the intent of America’s founders by taking power from the ruling class and putting it in the hands of the people. For too long, populism has been defined by those who despise it. By focusing on what populism is for, and not just what it’s against, Hilton provides a coherent philosophy and practical blueprint for how the movement can have an impact beyond one election cycle, and in people's everyday lives. That’s Positive Populism. Steve Hilton is the host of The Next Revolution, a weekly show on Fox News. He was the director of strategy for former Prime Minister David Cameron and leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom.

Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić will be visiting Washington for an official bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Pompeo on September 12 to emphasize important momentum in the U.S.-Croatia partnership. Croatia has a leading role in South East Europe in advancing the strategic alliance with the United States, and is committed to further building upon this privileged relationship to further advance security cooperation in the region. Croatia’s immediate Western Balkan neighborhood is undergoing major threats to its stability. The stabilization of South East Europe and cooperating on counter-terrorism remains an important strategic goal for both Croatia and the United States. Moreover, as an important member of NATO, Croatia has also shown commitment to the 2% goal in defense of budget increases and stands close with allies in the face of joint threats. Join us as Deputy Prime Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić discusses how to further advance Trans-Atlantic cooperation and continue to strengthen the important security alliance the two countries share.

In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 for relief of French refugees who fled from insurrection in San Domingo (now Haiti) to Baltimore and Philadelphia, James Madison stood on the floor of the House to object saying, “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” Today, much of the federal budget is expended “on objects of benevolence.” Williams believes this not only points to the betrayal of the constitutional values that made our nation rich and free, but also the steep decline of morality among the American people that has permitted government to grow so big. For a complete list of speakers, topics, and dates of the Free Markets: The Ethical Economic Choice speaker series visit heritage.org/free-markets.

Parents often list school safety as the most important attribute they look for when choosing a school for their child. Ensuring student security requires school leaders and policymakers to consider the many factors at play in school safety. Historically, federal efforts to improve school safety have tended toward centralized policy, while state-level policy has failed to capture other breakdowns in school security, such as a when a student is persistently bullied. Updates to federal and state policy, such as providing school leaders with the flexibility to use existing federal funds in a manner that works for them to ensure school safety, while at the same time empowering parents to choose safe and effective schools that work for their children through Child Safety Accounts – also known as Safe Student Scholarships – are necessary steps forward. Join the Heritage Foundation, in conjunction with the Heartland Institute, for a conversation about the next steps for ensuring every child has access to a safe and effective school.

This past July, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) proposed changes to regulations that implement portions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Public comments are due on these proposed changes by September 24, 2018. This discussion will touch on the Department’s proposed changes, why they are necessary, and how these changes will improve species conservation, transparency, and simplify complex regulatory processes. Please join us for a presentation by U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt as he discusses these proposals and explains why better implementation of the ESA will produce the best conservation results while reducing the regulatory burden on the American people.

The Pax Americana – the global order established after the collapse of the Soviet Empire – is increasingly being challenged especially by former imperial behemoths China and Russia. There is a growing chorus questioning the so-called “Washington Consensus” in favor of a “Beijing Consensus” in economic policy. As the United States ceases to be the sole superpower willing and able to maintain a global PAX, today there is an increasing global “disorder.” Deepak Lal offers a study of the causes and consequences for this disorder, examining alternative claims for a desirable future economic policy. He argues that the origins of this increasing disorder lie, in part, in the great economic recession of 2008 in the United States, which has tarnished the free market based capitalism of the West. He examines how the U.S. (and its European outpost, the E.U), China, Russia, India and, potentially, Japan will be involved in this new “Great Game” and how their strategic decisions will determine whether we see a repeat of the past, with potentially another completely unnecessary world war, or if they will succeed in avoiding a reversion to their earlier types.

A finder or private placement broker is a person who is paid to assist small businesses to find capital by making introductions to investors. Finders are particularly important to Main Street small business people who do not have access to many highly affluent “accredited investors.” In 2000, the Securities and Exchange Commission created a regulatory cloud surrounding finders and issuers that use finders. Representative Ted Budd has introduced the Unlocking Capital for Small Businesses Act (H.R. 6127). This legislation would provide a safe harbor for finders and a reasonable regulatory regime for more active private placement brokers and have a positive impact on the ability of entrepreneurs to raise needed capital. Join us for a discussion of this important small business issue.

Russia’s efforts to influence the American presidential election have received massive political and media attention. Equally important, but much less publicized is Russia’s interference through support of left-wing causes and groups opposing president Trump. These attempts include phony Facebook groups, Twitter accounts, and other social media. Russia’s influence operations includes also support for political groups, disinformation through news outlets in the U.S. as well as Europe. As serious as Russia’s targeting of the Trump administration is, it also has profound and wider implications for Americans’ faith in their democratic institutions. It should therefore be of concern for all Americans. In his wildest dreams, Vladimir Putin could not have hoped for a more successful outcome of Russia’s influence operations than the exacerbated political divisions in the United Stated spurred by the last election.

President Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court. In his twelve years serving as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge Kavanaugh has written hundreds of opinions. He has been lauded as a judge who tries to interpret the Constitution according to its original public meaning. The Senate Judiciary Committee will soon hold hearings to examine Judge Kavanaugh’s record and judicial philosophy. What kind of judge is he? How will his confirmation impact the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence? Join us at Heritage as a panel of experts analyze Judge Kavanaugh’s most significant rulings.

America’s trade war with China and diplomatic engagement with North Korea have captured the headlines. But what of America’s stalwart ally Japan? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had established the closest relationship with President Trump of any world leader. But Tokyo didn’t receive preferential treatment on tariffs and was surprised by the U.S. policy reversal on North Korea. Abe traveled to the U.S. to ensure Japanese priorities were addressed during the Trump-Kim summit. Does the U.S.-Japanese relationship remain strong or has Tokyo been overlooked in Washington’s pursuit of an agreement with Pyongyang? What role does Japan see for itself in tumultuous regional issues? How is the bilateral alliance evolving to addressing growing security challenges? Join us for a discussion with distinguished experts to cover these and other topics, as well as to make recommendations for U.S. policy.

Libertarians and conservatives both advocate of individual liberty, limited government, and free markets. Sometimes these shared values lead libertarians and conservatives to similar conclusions about public policy. However, the differences between the two political philosophies are at least as significant as the similarities. On matters such as national security and foreign policy, immigration, criminal justice, drugs, surveillance, marriage and the family, and the role of religion in public policy, libertarians and conservatives often clash with one another. Despite whatever similarities they may have, libertarianism and conservatism are substantially different world views. Which one has a deeper grasp of politics, the nation, and human beings? Which should be entrusted with safeguarding and prolonging our nation? We invite you to attend this debate about the two political philosophies and their associated policy implications. Interns from the Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation will go head-to-head to answer the question: Is libertarianism or conservatism the superior political philosophy?

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Now that he has stepped onto the national stage, the American people have an opportunity to get to know Judge Kavanaugh. What kind of boss, mentor, and judge is he? What can we expect from a Justice Kavanaugh? Join us as a panel of Judge Kavanaugh’s former law clerks describe their time working with him and explain why he will make an excellent Supreme Court justice.