Aug 02, 2021

Good Monday morning and welcome to the dog days of August. In this week’s Agenda, we feature two breakthrough Heritage reports. One holds public officials accountable for their actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The other exposes how “diversity, equity, and inclusion” bureaucracy is taking over colleges and universities. There’s also a can’t-miss Newt Gingrich podcast featuring our own Dakota Wood. There are Heritage happenings, events, videos and more to be found here as well.

COVID-19 Report: Which Policies Worked, Which Didn’t, and Who’s Accountable
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, public officials must be held accountable for their performance in this national health emergency. But how exactly? Thankfully, Heritage senior fellows Doug Badger and Robert Moffit answer that in their latest report. “As the novel coronavirus pandemic subsides, there should be a calm and bipartisan assessment of public officials’ performance: what went right, what went wrong, and what changes can be made that will enable Americans to do better when confronted with the next pandemic,” write Badger and Moffit. Read their full report to learn more.

‘Diversity’ Overhead Explodes at Universities: How Does Your School Rank?
At Syracuse University, there’s one “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) bureaucrat for every 13.5 teachers. At the University of Michigan, there are more than twice as many diversity staffers as history professors. These are just two findings from a new Heritage report, which studied DEI staffing levels at 65 colleges and universities. The resulting report then ranks the schools on various measures. Is this money well spent? Authors Jay Greene, Ph.D., a Heritage senior research fellow, and James Paul, a distinguished doctoral fellow at the University of Arkansas, found that “large DEI bureaucracies appear to make little positive contribution to campus climate.” Read their full report to learn more and find where your college ranks.

Newt Gingrich Turns to Heritage to Expose Critical Race Theory in Our Military
Critical race theory has taken hold in the U.S. military. In an organization where unity and teamwork are paramount to success and safety, what effect will this cancerous ideology have? Heritage senior research fellow Dakota Wood explores that subject on Newt Gingrich’s podcast, “Newt’s World.” Wood draws from his two decades of service in the U.S. Marine Corps to explain how CRT can only lead to disastrous results for our men and women in uniform. Listen to the full podcast to hear his perspective.

DID YOU KNOW?

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New episodes of “Road Trip on a Budget” are now available to watch. This animated series, featuring Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, explains the budget crisis in an entertaining and informative way. Watch the latest episodes.

Heritage is mourning the loss of former Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi. “He was a principled conservative who believed in holding firm to his principles while finding common ground,” says Heritage President Kay C. James. Read the full statement.

Heritage expert Kara Fredrick testified to members of Congress about facial recognition technology. She warned lawmakers that it is vulnerable to misuse and portends a slippery slope to mass surveillance. She offered several recommendations to keep the risk of misuse in America low. Read more about her testimony.

Policy Pulse: Enhancing Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Featured speakers include Patty-Jane Geller, nuclear deterrence and missile defense policy analyst, and Brent Sadler, naval warfare and advanced technology senior fellow. Register for this event.

This week on “Heritage Explains,” research fellow Rachel Greszler explains how the declining birth rate effects the U.S. economy. Listen to the podcast.

Biden’s Inaction Prompts Texas to Confront Border Crisis
Heritage visiting fellow Chad Wolf joined “Fox & Friends” to discuss the White House’s response—or lack thereof—to the border crisis. Watch the interview.

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