May 10, 2021

Happy Monday! This week, we focus on Heritage’s pledge not to take money from Big Tech companies who are suppressing conservative voices. We also take a look at two of President Joe Biden’s massive spending plans—which would supposedly benefit families and infrastructure—and find both are guilty of false advertising. We showcase Heritage’s efforts to combat the Marxist-inspired “critical race theory” now being peddled in schools. There are also podcasts, webinars, and more in this week’s Agenda.

Heritage Puts Big Tech on Notice
After rejecting six-figure donations from Facebook and Google in 2020, Heritage President Kay C. James said the foundation will not accept any donations from Big Tech companies so long as they continue to suppress conservative voices. After all, as Heritage research fellow Kara Frederick explained on Fox News recently, if Big Tech is willing to silence former President Donald Trump, they’ll silence anyone. “Every time a new case of censorship comes to light, these companies trot out excuses and promises to do better. Enough is enough,” James said in a statement. “I stand united with other conservative leaders against Big Tech’s censorship of conservative voices.” Learn more about the pledge and how it can help combat Big Tech’s biased censorship practices.

Exposing the Corrupt Politicians Act
Tuesday, senators will hold a committee meeting on their radical voting rights bill. They’re calling it the “For the People Act,” but it really should be called the “Corrupt Politicians Act.” Heritage’s Hans von Spakovsky says this legislation is “without doubt the most dangerous and irresponsible election bill” he has ever seen. “If it becomes law, it will interfere with the ability of states and their citizens to determine the qualifications and eligibility of voters, to ensure the accuracy and validity of voter registration rolls, to secure the integrity of elections, and to participate and speak freely in the political arena.” Read von Spakovsky’s full commentary to find out more. Want to help expose this bill for the unabashed power grab it truly is? Check out Heritage Action’s Election Integrity Toolkit.

Biden’s American Families Plan Will Benefit Politicians, Not Families
President Joe Biden recently unveiled his new American Families Plan, a package of sweeping reforms ostensibly aimed at beefing up health care, childcare, and welfare for families. Heritage experts looked at the plan and found that, far from empowering American families, it would hand greater control to government. “The president’s American Families Plan will do more to break down than to build up the infrastructure of American families, leaving them with fewer opportunities and less control over their circumstances,” reads Heritage’s latest report on the subject. Read the full report to learn the specific dangers of Biden’s plan.

Keep Critical Race Theory Out of K-12 Schools
The Texas state legislature is considering bills to ban the teaching of “woke philosophies” like critical race theory in K-12 schools. That’s exactly what states should be doing, according to Heritage senior fellow Mike Gonzalez and Jonathan Butcher, Heritage’s Will Skillman fellow in education. “When educators treat students differently because of their skin color or say children are guilty of oppression because of their race, it violates existing law,” write Butcher and Gonzalez in their latest commentary. Read more about why lawmakers need to stem the tide of critical race theory. Meanwhile, Heritage Action has developed a toolkit for those who want to take up the fight against critical race theory. Read more about the toolkit.

Heritage welcomed former secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Robert L. Wilkie, former general counsel of the National Security Agency Michael J. Ellis, and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Andrew Wheeler as visiting fellows.

Heritage expert David Ditch testified before Congress on infrastructure. Learn more about what he had to say.

You can now find all of Heritage’s training programs in one place on Heritage.org. Check out the full range of Heritage’s leadership in professional development.

Monday at 2 p.m., Heritage will host an event on what’s next for the Space Force. Featured speakers include Jim Bridenstine, the 13th administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Everett Dolman, professor of comparative military studies at the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College; and M.V. “Coyote” Smith, associate professor of comparative military studies at the Air Command and Staff College. Register for this event.

Wednesday at noon, Heritage will host a “policy pulse” discussion on why court-packing is such a terrible idea with Edward Whelan, distinguished senior fellow and Antonin Scalia chair in constitutional studies at the Ethics & Public Policy Center. Register for this event.

Thursday at noon, Heritage will host session two of our series "First Principles Townhall: Parents Bringing Civics to the Public Square." The topic of conversation will be the American Revolution. Featured speakers include Joseph Loconte, director of Heritage’s Simon Center for American Studies; William Mattox, director of the J. Stanley Marshall Center for Educational Options at the James Madison Institute; Charlotte McGuire, vice president of the Ohio State Board of Education, District 3; and Darryle Owens, a parent. Register for this event.

This week on “Heritage Explains,” Tommy Binion breaks down the three biggest threats to conservative principles right now. Listen to the podcast.

If Big Tech Can Silence Trump, They Can Silence You
Heritage expert Kara Frederick joined Fox News to react to the Oversight Board’s decision to uphold Facebook’s suspension of President Trump. Watch the interview.

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