Heritage Events Podcast

Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses the Heritage Foundation's Fall Legal Strategy Forum.

The War of 1812 saw America threatened on every side. Encouraged by the British, Indian tribes attacked settlers in the West, while the Royal Navy terrorized the coasts.  By mid-1814, President Madison’s generals had lost control of the war in the North, losing battles in Canada. Then British troops set the White House ablaze, and a feeling of hopelessness spread across the country. Into this dire situation stepped Major General Andrew Jackson. Having witnessed the horrors of the Revolutionary War and Indian attacks, Jackson was glad America had finally decided to confront repeated British aggression. He feared that the President’s men were overlooking the most important target of all: New Orleans. If the British conquered New Orleans, they would control the mouth of the Mississippi River, cut Americans off from an essential trade route, threaten the previous decade’s Louisiana Purchase, and crush the new nation’s dreams of western expansion. Jackson had to convince President Madison and his War Department to take him seriously. He had to assemble a coalition of frontier militiamen, French-speaking Louisianans, Cherokee and Choctaw Indians, freed slaves, and even some pirates. And, he had to defeat the most powerful military force in the world. As in their two previous bestsellers, Kilmeade and his co-author Don Yaeger bring history to life, offer a new understanding of one of our greatest generals, and provide a renewed appreciation for the brave men who fought so that America could one day stretch “from sea to shining sea.”

The Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies is honored to announce that Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will deliver our tenth 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 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, Judge Robert H. Bork, Professor John Harrison, Judge A. Raymond Randolph, Judge Alice M. Batchelder, Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain, Judge Janice Rogers Brown, and Judge Carlos T. Bea.

Vets and Pets tells fifteen emotional and entertaining stories of the incredible bonds between wounded warriors, veterans, and other service members and their service and companion animals. Whether these special relationships are with dogs, cats, horses, pigs, or even birds of prey, readers will discover how these remarkable animals help veterans return to civilian life and live independently while simultaneously bringing joy and confidence into their lives. Two of the veterans whose stories are featured in Vets and Pets will join us to recount their experiences and the unique support companion animals have provided to them and in the lives of so many others. Vets and Pets also spotlights special nonprofits that unite wounded warriors with service and companion animals, including Pets for Patriots, Hooves Marching for Mercy, Horses Helping Heroes, and Avian Veteran Alliance, among others. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Pets for Patriots.

Too many mainstream economists view the world as a collection of equilibrium models, without concern for when these models fail to explain real-world risks. In Economics for Independent Thinkers, author Daniel Nevins scours under appreciated corners of the economics and investment worlds for more realistic thinking. What results is a no-nonsense approach to economics that appreciates the importance of credit and banks in business cycles, and provides a different perspective on Keynesian stimulus and the consequences of government debt accumulation.

Join us for a lively panel discussion on corporate tax reform proposals and the significant benefits they will have on American workers and our economy. Heritage Tax Policy Expert Adam Michel will be joined by U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), the only Fortune 500 CEO in Congress and key influencer in the GOP tax reform process, and Joshua Bolten, President and CEO of Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of leading U.S. companies that generate more than $7 trillion in annual revenues and employ more than 16 million people.

In Free People, Free Markets, George Melloan examines how The Wall Street Journal’s opinion pages became the leading forum for the discussion of political and economic policies in the United States. With print editions in Europe and Asia, translated supplements in many foreign newspapers, and online products available globally, the Journal established an international footprint and engaged in worldwide debates. Going back to the original editorials of Charles Dow and his beliefs in political and economic freedom, Melloan explains how the Journal attained such domestic and global prominence and influence. George Melloan was a writer and editor at The Wall Street Journal for 54 years. He joined the paper as a reporter in Chicago, moved to Detroit, and then successively managed the Cleveland and Atlanta news bureaus. He became a page-one editor in New York in 1962 and in 1966 went to London as a foreign correspondent covering Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He covered the Six-Day War in Israel in 1967 and the Biafran War in Nigeria in 1968. In 1970 he joined the editorial page and in 1973 became deputy to Robert L. Bartley, editorial page editor and later editor of the Journal. In 1990, he moved to Brussels to take charge of overseas editorial pages, starting an op-ed foreign affairs column, “Global View.” He retired in 2006 but still writes occasionally for the Journal opinion pages. In 2009, he authored The Great Money Binge: Spending our Way to Socialism about the causes of the 2008 market crash.

Should “offensive” band names be allowed to receive a federal trademark? Can a state ban “offensive” beer labels without violating the First Amendment? Last term, the Supreme Court handed a decisive victory to Simon Tam and his Chinatown dance rock band, The Slants, after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office refused to register the band’s name for “disparaging” Asians. In 2015, another federal court delivered a win to Flying Dog Brewery after the Michigan Liquor Control Commission banned their Belgian-style IPA “Raging Bitch.” What do these rulings mean for the Washington Redskins and other brands deemed “offensive”? Join us to celebrate these victories and explore the future of free speech with our experts. A reception featuring Flying Dog beer will follow.

North Korea is an existential threat to South Korea and is developing a nuclear ICBM to threaten the American homeland. Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs are violations of UN resolutions and in defiance of the international community. The regime and its foreign facilitators continue to violate U.S. laws by misusing the U.S. financial system. The United States and South Korea are leading the international effort to curtail Kim Jong-un’s growing nuclear and missile threat through a combination of pressure, sanctions, attempts at engagement, and information operations. Washington and its allies must also ensure they have sufficient defenses against the spectrum of North Korean military threats. Join us for a discussion by U.S. and South Korean experts who will discuss the need for stronger bilateral relations in times of turmoil, the foreign policy of the South Korean Moon Jae-in Administration, and the policy options for sanctions and financial pressure.

Enforcement of U.S. immigration law is often a contentious and emotional issue. It is clear, however, that no matter what kind of legal immigration system the United States puts in place, the U.S. government will be responsible for admitting legal immigrants and stopping illegal ones. Due to long-term government failures to faithfully carry out this responsibility, the United States currently finds itself with a population of between 11 and 12 million immigrants illegally present in the country. If the U.S. is to improve its immigration system, immigration laws must be effectively enforced to remove illegal immigrants and deter future illegal immigration. Join us for a discussion of the important ways immigration enforcement can be strengthened as well as a keynote address by Acting Director of ICE Thomas Homan, a 34-year veteran of law enforcement, to hear what the Trump Administration is doing in this area.

President Trump will be the fourth U.S. president to speak to Heritage members since our founding nearly 45 years ago. Since then, we have been honored to host Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush. "We are pleased and honored to host President Donald Trump at this year’s Heritage Foundation President’s Club Meeting,” said Heritage Foundation founder and president Ed Feulner. “President Trump will be the fourth sitting president to address this annual meeting of Heritage members and supporters. The timing of this year’s speech couldn’t be better. Congress has a once in a generation opportunity to deliver sweeping, pro-growth tax reform for the American people. The President will address this critical issue, and we await his remarks with great anticipation.”

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is up for reauthorization by Congress by the end of 2017. The Section 702 program targets non-U.S. persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States in order to acquire foreign intelligence. Over the past several years, this surveillance of the online activities of foreigners has provided invaluable information with some estimates placing 702 collection as accounting for more than 25 percent of all current intelligence collected by America’s intelligence professionals under persistent oversight. Incidental collection of U.S. personal data has been used by critics of the program to seek major changes to Section 702 as a condition for reauthorization. The proposed adjustments appear misplaced but should be openly debated. The program is so vital to America’s security that Congress should reauthorize Section 702 in its current form.

The United States and Indonesia share a variety of interests in Asia and have many areas of mutual concern. Indonesia takes a broad view on potential integrated solutions to emerging challenges. Successful economic development can serve as a positive force against radicalization and terrorism. Greater prosperity can provide vital support to regional security and stability. Now is an important time to follow on the momentum of Vice President Pence’s visit to Indonesia in April. How can U.S. presence in the region assist Indonesia to achieve its economic and security goals? How can the U.S. and Indonesia work together actively to strengthen opportunities for cooperation? Please join us for a special lecture by Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan as he outlines the important nexus of economics and security in U.S.-Indonesia engagement.

Tax reform is about more than updating our policies to meet the times. It is a chance to forever change the direction of our country. Will America remain saddled with a tax system rigged for the wealthy and the well-connected that leaves families struggling to get ahead? Or will we seize a generation-defining opportunity to expand freedom and free enterprise, and build a more confident America? Speaker Ryan will make the case for tax reform that delivers more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger paychecks for American families and workers.

The Trump Administration must decide by October 15 whether to certify Iran’s compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement and whether the billions of dollars of sanctions relief granted under that deal advances the vital national interests of the United States. The Administration also will soon unveil the conclusions reached in its Iran policy review. What should the Administration do about the flawed nuclear agreement? More broadly, how should the United States respond to Iran’s hostile and aggressive foreign policy?