Here is the Heritage Take on the top issues today.Please reply to this email to arrange an interview.
New Heritage Report Reveals That Blue Counties, Cities Have a Murder Problem <[link removed]> - When you remove the crime-infested, homicide-riddled cities from the state murder rate featured in the Third Way article, you dramatically lower the murder rate for that state, upending their conclusions and exposing the article for what it really is: a straight-forward attempt at political projection dressed up as a ‘study,’” the Heritage authors write
in their new report <[link removed]>. Another claim the Left makes is that COVID-19 caused or at least contributed to the general rise in crime. But the authors note there are no reputable studies that prove that crime increased as a direct result of COVID lockdowns. “What the data does show is that crime, including violent crime, was rising in cities with the toxic trio prior to the onset of the pandemic, and that the murder of George Floyd, which happened in May 2020, resulted in a rise in murders and auto theft in key cities. Heritage Experts: Cully
Stimson <[link removed]> and Zack Smith <[link removed]>
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Election-Related Referenda on State Ballots <[link removed]> – The ugly referendum is Michigan’s Proposal 2 <[link removed]>, which would make a series of damaging changes to the state’s constitution. Everyone agrees that individuals should be able to vote “without harassing conduct,” something already banned by federal law. The proposal then says that voters should verify their “identity with a photo ID,” since voters like that requirement. But that language is there to con voters into not paying attention to the rest of the proposal, which actually guts the ID provision by saying anyone can vote if they simply sign a form claiming that they are who they say they are. The proposal also makes it legal to give money to election officials and election offices to “fund elections,” opening the door for political donors to influence how elections are administered in order to benefit their favored candidates. The Michigan proposal further creates permanent absentee ballot lists, guaranteeing that ballots will go to voters who are deceased or have moved out of state; authorizes unguarded, unmonitored, unsecured drop boxes; and says that only election officials can conduct audits, which would result in election officials auditing their own behavior—a clear conflict of
interest. Heritage Expert: Hans von Spakovsky <[link removed]>
Republican National Committee Targets Google Censorship in Lawsuit <[link removed]> – Google has abused its email and internet-browsing dominance to control speech online. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the tech giant ought to be far more transparent with the American people over how it moderates and censors content. The country would never accept a telecommunications firm blocking phone calls, or the Postal Service redirecting political mail. The law should provide the same respect and protection for private email communications. The resolution of this case will help determine the future of digital communications. But we shouldn’t have to rely on the courts to deliver Big Tech accountability. Lawmakers should prioritize legislation <[link removed]> that requires greater transparency and prevents Big Tech from monopolizing—and controlling—this critical infrastructure. Heritage Experts: Hans von
Spakovsky <[link removed]> and Jake Denton <[link removed]>
Why International Climate Summits Are Doomed to Fail, Part 1: Aspirations Untethered From
Reality <[link removed]> – Despite the aspirational policies attempting to define a transition away from conventional fuels, actions speak louder than words. Countries are showing every day that they are more interested <[link removed]> in affordable
energy than in paying a green premium. That’s proving particularly true in light of the energy-price crisis, whether considering China <[link removed]>’s interest in buying Russian oil,
or climate warrior Germany <[link removed]>’s decision to hold onto coal. If the purpose of Conference of Party summits is to instigate rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, they have failed. Where they have been successful is in giving politicians leeway under the cloak of supposed impending catastrophe to centrally plan the energy sector and entire economies. They have also been successful in absolving those politicians of accountability for the consequences of those policies. But with a global energy crisis in large part <[link removed]> created and inflamed by the net-zero policies championed at these summits and enshrined in the Paris Agreement, even that “success” may (finally) be wearing thin. Heritage Expert: Katie
Tubb <[link removed]>
It’s fair to ask President Biden what he plans to do about migrants <[link removed]> – With Biden's Open Windows border policies, more are going to come. The administration's immigration policy team reportedly is planning a new program to allow ordinary American citizens or even temporary residents to sponsor refugees -- all while making no effort to re-install the Migrant Protection Protocols or use Title 42 to reduce demand. Meanwhile, what about integrating and settling refugees successfully in our communities? What cities and towns are going to be able to sustain this unprecedented, relentless inflow of needy people, as we head into economic recession? Will the federal government borrow to pay for it indefinitely? Having let in a record number of illegal immigrants, even the Biden administration knows that not
all will be granted asylum and many have to be deported. What's their enforcement strategy? The White House needs to answer these questions. So far, all they've done is complain about border governors sending illegal immigrants to Democratic strongholds such as Washington, D.C., New York City and Martha's Vineyard. The White House accuses the governors of playing politics with these migrants, but the only reason they're here in the first place is because of the administration's political decision to open the border. Heritage Expert: Simon
Hankinson <[link removed]>
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