Here is the Heritage Take on the top issues today.Please reply to this email to arrange an interview.  

Why
are we raising home-buying costs for responsible borrowers? <[link removed]>  In an era of record high home prices and rising interest rates, the Biden administration just imposed higher mortgage fees on borrowers with good credit and is reducing fees for those with bad credit. Starting May 1, responsible borrowers will be stuck paying $15,000 more on average over the life of their loan. Heritage Experts: EJ Antoni <[link removed]> and Joel Griffith <[link removed]> 
The
Brittany Griner Fiasco Taught Russia That Arresting Americans Works <[link removed]> Last year, Russia arrested professional basketball player Brittney Griner for having a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage. The State Department declared her to be “wrongfully detained,” a designation that kicks into high gear an official effort to gain the release of an American citizen held overseas. In December, the effort succeeded, but at a steep price: The U.S. had to return convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout to Russia. Heritage Expert: Simon Hankinson <[link removed]>
Good Riddance to Kim Foxx, Chicago’s Soros-Backed Rogue <[link removed]> Prosecutor The first big city, George Soros-backed rogue prosecutor, Chicago’s Kim Foxx, announced Tuesday that she won’t seek
reelection next year as the state’s attorney of Cook County, Illinois. Heritage Experts: Cully Stimson <[[applewebdata://146896DE-E5B4-4906-B96E-CB5C867671ED/cully%20stimson]]> and Zack Smith <[link removed]>
The
data is in (again): Claims of voter suppression are mere propaganda <[link removed]> Data from the 2022 elections shows, once again, that commonsense election integrity reforms like those passed in Florida, Georgia and Texas do not “suppress” turnout. The whole voter suppression narrative is just propaganda. Heritage Expert: Hans von Spakovsky <[link removed]>
What
Is Happening in This Unprecedented U.S. Labor Market? <[link removed]> Following an unprecedentedly strong labor market in 2022, workers and employers face growing uncertainty in 2023. After two quarters of negative economic growth in 2022 and expectations for meager growth in 2023, businesses and investors are questioning the strength of the economy and the Federal Reserve’s ability to maneuver a soft landing after a 34 percent ($8 trillion) increase in federal debt over the past three years, with the majority of that debt financed by the Federal Reserve creating new
money that exacerbated inflation. Heritage Expert: Rachel Greszler <[[[link removed]]]> 
Preferring
Works Without Faith, Nine Federal Agencies Would Make Religious Charities More Secular <[link removed]> The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from nine different federal agencies is a collective bid to rewrite the terms on which they partner with local religious organizations to provide an array of social services ranging from workforce training to (among others) homeless outreach and educational
enrichment. The proposals have little justification and still less to recommend them. The agencies raise the alarm of Establishment Clause concerns while in the same breath proposing to insert themselves into questions of faith affecting religious organizations. Heritage Expert: Jack Fitzhenry <[link removed]> 
Undermining
Joint Russian–Iranian Efforts to Threaten U.S. Interests <[link removed]> Considering their regional and global geopolitical ambitions, the deepening strategic partnership between Iran and Russia poses a rising threat to the U.S., its allies, and partners in Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Failing to quickly address these troubling ties—and the multiple threats that arise from them—will only lead to more international instability, including in the war in Ukraine. Washington and like-minded countries urgently need to take steps now to undermine and counter the anti-American Russo–Iranian axis before additional damage is done. Heritage Experts: James Phillips <[link removed]> and Peter Brookes <[link removed]>

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