Apr 04, 2022

On the Agenda: Heritage took a bold step last week, unveiling our top seven priorities while pledging to work with conservatives to craft a governing agenda. Meanwhile, we detail the many ways President Biden’s budget plan is a $5.8 trillion disaster that will fuel inflation, impose a wealth tax, and encourage more illegal immigration. And Heritage’s Nile Gardner has some choice words about the Biden administration’s foreign policy acumen. There’s much more to explore in this week’s Agenda.

Setting the Conservative Agenda

Taking action: Heritage outlined a plan of action for conservatives, detailing seven of the most important challenges facing America. Policymakers must address these priorities to make America solvent, stronger, and safer for generations to come.

Our vision: “Conservatives must set the agenda,” said Heritage President Kevin Roberts, “and govern accordingly.” He went on to say that “We are committed to restoring human flourishing through self-governance for all Americans and championing the policies that get us there.”

Learn more: Click here to read about the Heritage plan, and watch an event with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who talks about his 11-point plan to rescue America.

Biden’s Budget Disaster

Too much, too late: The Biden administration unveiled its proposed budget for the fiscal year 2023 last Monday—about two months late. Predictably, it’s about as “big government” as it gets, and it is riddled with problems.

Fanning inflation: Instead of lowering inflation, the proposed budget is rife with excessive spending, harmful taxes, more regulations, and control over Americans’ lives, along with damaging policy proposals.

Illegal tax: On top of the slew of harmful spending it proposes, this budget also promotes an unconstitutional wealth tax.

Our take: “Congress needs to turn the tide of federal overspending and inflation. The first step would be to reject Biden’s budget request,” write Heritage policy experts.

Learn more: Find out the five biggest problems with Biden’s budget proposal here.

Funding Open Borders

In the news: The Biden budget also asks for $97 billion allegedly to shore up America’s border security.

The truth: A closer look reveals that the money would actually finance illegal immigration and provide illegal immigrants legal status through asylum.

Our take: “The administration is intent on rewarding the masses with asylum, even though many are not eligible under the law,” writes Lora Ries, a senior research fellow for homeland security.

Learn more: Find out exactly how the proposed budget would fund illegal immigration here.

Amateur Hour in the White House

An international gaffe tour: President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Europe was a train wreck. Between incoherent messaging and reckless statements that his own top officials had to walk back, it was amateur hour for the U.S. on the world stage.

Empty words: Biden aimed some tough words at Russia, but no strategy and little action to back them up.

Our take: “The United States needs stronger, sharper, and wiser leadership, not empty, saber-rattling soundbites,” writes Nile Gardiner, Ph.D., Heritage’s Bernard and Barbara Lomas fellow and director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.

Learn more: Read Gardiner’s full commentary here.

DID YOU KNOW?

Several states used Heritage’s model legislation on critical race theory as a guide when crafting their legislation to keep the Marxist ideology out of their schools. Earlier this month, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill that rejects the application of CRT in the classroom and uses Heritage’s recommended language. Read more.

Jonathan Butcher, Heritage’s Will Skillman fellow in education, is publishing a new book on critical race theory in schools, “Splintered: Critical Race Theory and the Progressive War on Truth.” You can preorder it here.

The National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School named Kara Frederick as a visiting fellow. Frederick is a research fellow in technology policy who spearheads Heritage’s efforts to hold Big Tech accountable. Read more.

Foreign Policy: Confronting Today’s Reality of Totalitarian States, Deterrents, and Dependency, Monday, 11 a.m. ET. Featured speakers include:

• Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of the UK Conservative Party and member of Parliament
• Nile Gardiner, Ph.D., Heritage’s Bernard and Barbara Lomas fellow and director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom

Register for this event

China: The CCP’s 20th Party Congress: What to Expect and the Implications for Washington, Thursday, 10 a.m. ET. Featured speakers include:

• Joseph Fewsmith III, Ph.D., professor of international relations and political science at Boston University
• Willy Wo-Lap Lam, Ph.D., senior fellow of The Jamestown Foundation and adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Michael Cunningham, visiting fellow at the Asian Studies Center

Register for this event

“The Kevin Roberts Show”: Erik Finman, an entrepreneur who as a teenager built a multimillion-dollar cryptocurrency company, joins Heritage President Kevin Roberts to talk about how we can push back against Big Tech’s ever-tightening grip on our lives. Listen to the episode.

“SCOTUS 101”: GianCarlo Canaparo interviews Ilya Shapiro, vice president of the Cato Institute, about his new book, “Supreme Disorder: Judicial Nominations and the Politics of America’s Highest Court.” Canaparo also discusses Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation process. Listen to the episode.

“Heritage Explains”: Jordan Williams of the New Zealand Taxpayers Union examines the differences between the United States’ and New Zealand’s COVID-19 responses, and what a relationship with China should look like. Listen to the episode.

Heritage President Kevin Roberts was on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria” to talk about President Biden’s $5.8 trillion budget plan, saying it is “designed to reorder America as we know it.” Watch it here.

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