It’s a first and, hopefully, a last: In the words of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “We are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven.” For the first time in its nine years of publication, Heritage’s Index of U.S. Military Strength rates our military as “weak.”

• Heritage released the 2023 edition of the index last Tuesday.
• Our military is at significant risk of not being able to meet the demands of a single major regional conflict while attending to various presence and engagement activities.
• Every branch was found to be in poor shape, from the Marine Corps to the Army.

Enemies at the gate: The erosion of our military’s readiness and capabilities across all branches is made all the more perilous by the fact that our enemies are growing stronger and stirring up trouble, from the nuclear threat in North Korea to Russia’s and China’s aggressive expansions.

• As the Wall Street Journal puts it, “The Heritage report is a warning that you can’t deter war, much less win one, on the cheap.” 

Learn more: Check out the latest edition of the index here to learn more about where we are and how we can fix it.

Hope lost: Conservatives had high hopes for British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who appeared to have the bona fides and resolve of Margaret Thatcher. Then her tenure imploded. 

• “She didn’t have the nerve or the backbone to actually stand by those policies and she lost her nerve. She surrendered to the Left,” Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage, said on “The Daily Signal Podcast.”

Conservatives take note: “It’s a lesson for conservative leaders,” Gardiner went on. “Don’t sacrifice your principles, don’t backtrack on conservative ideas. Once you put them out there, defend them, fight for them.”

 

Listen to the podcast here.

Proposed rule: In a sop to labor unions, the Labor Department wants to redefine independent contractor status that would eliminate many “gig” jobs and could put companies like Uber out of business. The proposed rule would, for example, make drivers permanent employees of ride-share and delivery companies.

 

Impact: The gig economy lets Americans make extra cash and engage in flexible work. The rule would not only throttle independent contractors, it would also incentivize unions to organize more workers. 

• “Americans do not want to move back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, and most of the 20th century,” writes Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of Heritage’s Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment, in an analysis of the rule.

Take action: You can read the Labor Department’s rule here, and submit comments to the Labor Department about the rule here. (Comments are due by Nov. 28.)

The market knows best: Preston Brashers, a senior tax policy analyst at Heritage, breaks down the issues with letting government manage the economy. This isn’t just a problem for centrally planned economies like North Korea, Venezuela, or Cuba.

• “In the span of less than a month this summer, Congress and the president committed to well over $1 trillion of targeted subsidies, taxes, and regulatory changes meant to influence prices and private investments in energy, higher education, health care, and technology,” he writes.

Bottom line: If the Biden administration continues this path of reckless spending coupled with subsidizing programs like the Green New Deal, consumers' wallets will suffer. Read more here.

Shining a light: The Heritage Oversight Project was launched in January 2022 and is aimed at increasing aggressive oversight of the Biden administration and the political and corporate enablers of the leftist regime, especially unelected officials like those at the IRS, DHS, and DOJ.

 

Support our work: Learn how you can support the work of The Heritage Oversight Project before the October 25th deadline by clicking here. 

Promoting Conservative Values in Modern Europe, Oct. 24, 4 p.m. 

Learn more about the culture wars going on in Europe. Speakers include: 

• Judit Varga, minister of justice, Hungary

• Erin Walsh, senior research fellow for international relations, Heritage Foundation 

 Register here. 

Can Africa Be Part of the Solution to America’s Critical Minerals Supply Chain Problems? Oct. 27, 10:30 a.m.

Learn how the U.S. can engage with Africa to reduce America’s reliance on adversaries for critical minerals. Speakers include:  

• Henk de Hoop, chief executive officer, SFA (Oxford)

• Peter Leon, global chair for Africa, Herbert Smith Freehills
• J. Peter Pham, distinguished fellow, The Atlantic Council 

 Register here. 

Is the Department of Justice Abusing the FACE Act to Silence Pro-Life Advocates? Oct. 28, 10 a.m.

Experts discuss whether the Justice Department is playing politics with the enforcement of criminal law against pro-life advocates. Speakers include:

• Julaine Appling, president, Wisconsin Family Action 
• Andrew Bath, executive vice president and general counsel, Thomas More Society 
• Ken Cuccinelli, former attorney general of Virginia 
• Hans A. von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow and manager, Heritage Election Law Reform Initiative

Register here. 

• WATCH: ‘Exposing the Myth of American Income Inequality’ with Phil Gramm and Steve Moore  
• WATCH: ‘The Freedom Agenda & America’s Future’ with Mike Pence   
• These 6 GOP Senators Who Voted to Confirm Mayorkas Won’t Condemn Him After Revelation in False ‘Whipping’ Charge
• Iranian Americans Assail Biden Administration’s Failed Iran Policy  
• Iran Regime on Borrowed Time 
• It’s Time for Congress to Defund Biden’s Broken Border Policies   
• The U.S. Marine Corps Has a Choice: Transform or Die   
• Army’s Misplaced Priorities: Recruitment Shortfall More Problematic Than Climate Change
• The China Challenge: Xi Prepares for His Third Term and Beyond   
• Study: Gender Transition Surgeries on Minors Accelerate, With Most Covered by Insurance   
• ‘I Had No Power Over My Kids’ Education,’ Maryland Mom Says After Asking to Opt Her Second Grader Out of LGBT Lessons   
• Democrats Stake Midterm Election Hopes on Supreme Court’s Abortion Decision in Dobbs. It May Not Be Enough.   
• How Senate Republicans Can Cut $100 Billion of Spending—Right Now 
• ‘Getting and Spending’ Wastes Parent, Student Power

“The Kevin Roberts Show”: Daron Babcock left a successful corporate career and moved from his home in North Dallas to serve inner-city residents of Bonton, Texas, where 85% of the men have been to prison. He talks about how Bonton has become a beacon of hope and a model for success. Listen here.

 

“Heritage Explains”: A little over a year ago, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas accused border patrol agents of whipping illegal immigrants. But Heritage has proof that Mayorkas knew that wasn’t true when he leveled that accusation. This week, Mike Howell, director of Heritage’s Oversight Project explains exactly what happened, how we found out, and what should be done now that the truth is out there. Listen here.

 

Check out Heritage’s complete lineup of podcasts here.

Heritage President Kevin Roberts was on Fox News Sunday to talk about how President Biden’s war on energy and his fiscal policies are devastating the middle class. Watch the clip here. 

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