Heritage Explains

While there are still several high-profile cases awaiting rulings, the Supreme Court has delivered several wins for the Trump administration, common sense, and all Americans.So far this term, the Supreme Court issued stays of lower court orders attempting to block the Trump administration from pursuing its agenda, upheld religious freedom and parental rights, and upheld laws protecting kids from dangerous gender treatments. Justices also have stopped lower court judges from rewriting discrimination law and allowing foreign governments to infringe on Americans' right to bear arms.Here to talk about what has happened this year and what we might expect to see over the next week is Heritage Senior Legal Fellow Hans von Spakovsky. —Hans on X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorCase in Point Podcast: https://www.heritage.org/caseinpoint—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

On Friday, Israel initiated "Operation Rising Lion," conducting airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military command centers. The strikes led to at least 75 Iranian deaths and significant infrastructure damage, including oil refineries and missile launchers. Iran responded with a large-scale missile and drone assault on Israel, targeting over 150 military and intelligence sites. The strikes resulted in at least 14 Israeli fatalities and over 400 injuries. Israel claimed to have damaged or destroyed 150 military and intelligence sites, including missile launchers and air defense systems.Here to talk about the implications of this attack and how we might expect this to change the situation in the Middle East is Robert Greenway, Director of the Allison Center for National Security, here at the Heritage Foundation. —Rob Greenway on X: https://x.com/RC_GreenwayMore of Rob's work: https://www.heritage.org/staff/robert-greenway—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In Los Angeles, protests against immigration enforcement have turned into assaults on federal officers and buildings, fires, and similar mayhem to the Summer of 2020. And it turns out, that's not all that is similar. The same people, using the same methods, are behind both this year's LA riots and the BLM protests of five years ago. I sat down with Mike Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation, to talk about just that. —BLM: The Making of a New Marxist Revolution: https://www.amazon.com/BLM-Making-New-Marxist-Revolution/dp/1641772239—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Nuclear energy is a clean, safe method of energy production, in which America leads the world. But making sure that Nuclear power has a bright future in America is a full-time job. And that full-time job belongs to Jack Spencer, Senior Research Fellow in Energy and Environment, here at the Heritage Foundation.—Find Jack's Book: https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/088890357X/ref=cm_cr_unknown?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=three_star&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=1#reviews-filter-barThe Power Hour Podcast: https://www.heritage.org/the-power-hour—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Many Americans sense that the social cohesion of our nation is weakening. The data seems to back this up. A poll conducted by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago found that Seventy-one percent say the United States is “losing its national identity—that is the beliefs and values the country represents.”American trust in its traditional institutions, the media, universities, non-profits, and churches, is historically low. The question for conscientious Americans is, what do we do? Author Melanie Phillips has an idea. Heritage Vice President Victoria Coates sat down with her to discuss her book: The Builder's Stone: How Jews and Christians Built the West—and Why Only They Can Save It. In this interview, Victoria and Melanie discuss what ails our culture and why religious principles are instrumental in dealing with these problems.—Find Melanie Phillips' book: https://www.amazon.com/Builders-Stone-Christians-Built-West-ebook/dp/B0DW47YL1T?ref_=ast_author_mpbHave thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

The Center for Disease Control reports that over 48,000 Americans died from synthetic opioid (or fentanyl) overdoses in 2024. That number dwarfed the number of people who died from psychostimulants like methamphetamine at 29,000. As well as cocaine at 22,000, and other naturally occuring drugs at 8,000. Fentanyl and similar substances have changed the game in drug policy, driving greater lethality and creating geopolitical rifts, as China exports precursors to the drug and Mexican cartels smuggle it across the border. Responsible drug policy is complicated and contentious. Here to explain the conservative approach to this area is Paul Larkin, Senior Legal Research Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation. —More by Paul Larkin: https://www.heritage.org/staff/paul-j-larkinHave thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Over the last few months, users of Facebook and Instagram may have noticed a new avenue to interact with the platform: Meta AI. The AI tool, similar to language learning models like ChatGPT, X's Grok, and Microsoft's Co-Pilot, is able to carry forward advanced conversations with users and synthesize complex answers based on prompts. Meta has leveraged its AI model to create a wide array of chatbots. Some are officially sanctioned by Meta and feature the voices of celebrities like Kristin Bell and John Cena. Others are created and customized by users. Two weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that they had had hundreds of test conversations with these chatbots over several months. They found that Meta had not prevented some of these chatbots from engaging in sexually explicit conversations with users, even with minor users. In addition, some of these chatbots were based on characters that are themselves minors. This does not appear to be an accident on the part of Meta. Guardrails appear to have been removed or never put in place, with the aim of making the chatbots as engaging and addictive as possible. This is just one example of the challenges that Big Tech and AI have placed before the American people. Here to talk about those challenges  is Wes Hodges, Acting Director of the Center for Technology and the Human Person at The Heritage Foundation. —Follow Wes Hodges on X: https://x.com/wesghodgesWSJ Article on Meta AI Chatbots:https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-chatbots-sex-a25311bfHave thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In honor of Small Business Week, we are pleased to bring you a conversation with Sue Malone a true titan in the world of small business. As the founder of Strategies for Small Business, Sue has been instrumental in helping over 30,000 entrepreneurs secure capital to start or expand their businesses.  Paul Mullen guest hosts Heritage Explains this week in this conversation on entrepreneurship, what it means, and why it matters, as well as Sue's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.  Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Since RFK Jr., now the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, showed the nation the color difference between Canadian Froot Loops and U.S. Froot Loops, Americans are becoming more aware of what's in the food we eat. And one of the major offenders? Food dyes. Some of the food dyes in everyday products like breakfast cereals and candy actually come from coal tar, petroleum, and other concerning origins. Even worse, these dyes add nothing to the flavor—their only purpose is better marketing for companies. So how did we end up in this situation? And what does the FDA's recent announcement mean for these food dyes? Here to explain is Dr. David Gortler, a Senior Research Fellow for Public Health Policy and Regulation here at The Heritage Foundation. ---- Dr. Gortler on FDA food dyes: https://www.heritage.org/health-care-reform/commentary/fda-gras-additives-and-artificial-food-coloring-banned-many-countries  Dr. Gortler's work at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/david-gortler-pharmd  Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

With the push for green energy, governments around the world have pushed for (and passed) subsidies for so-called “renewable” energy like wind and solar. The US passed large subsidies of this kind under the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022. But these policies do not have the effect of creating long-term stability in the American energy grid. Here to explain why is Mario Loyola, Senior Fellow in Law, Economics, and Technology, here at the Heritage Foundation. —Follow Mario Loyola on X: https://x.com/mario_a_loyola?lang=enMore by Mario at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/mario-loyolaMario Loyola in The Hill: https://thehill.com/opinion/5233595-inflation-reduction-act-energy-crisis/Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In addition to Russia and North Korea, nuclear bad actors can also be found in Iran, where the regime has been plotting a nuclear buildup for decades. Now, the Trump Administration has initiated talks with the Iranians. Here to explain what we may expect from these negotiations is Rob Greenway, Director of the Allison Center for National Security, here at the Heritage Foundation.—Follow Rob Greenway on X: https://x.com/RC_GreenwayMore by Rob at Heritage.org: http://heritage.org/staff/robert-greenwayChinese Nuclear Deterrence Documentary: America Is on Track To Lose a Nuclear War With China—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.This is the beginning of Article III, section 1 of the US constitution, establishing the federal judiciary. Nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and usually serving for life, federal judges serve a key role in the highest levels of the American justice system. The federal judiciary is designed to exert a check on the power of the legislative and the executive branches. Now that the Trump Administration is making sweeping changes to the way things are done in Washington, some federal judges are using this power to obstruct the President. But are they right to do so? Joining Heritage Explains today is Senior Legal Fellow Hans von Spakovsky. —Follow Hans on X: https://twitter.com/HvonSpakovsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorMore by Hans at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/hans-von-spakovsky—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

It's clear that the Trump administration's commitment to securing the southern border is working. But the question now is, how do we keep it working? What changes need to be made to the immigration system to keep us from heading back to the uncontrolled illegal migration of the Biden years?One critical component, argues Heritage Immigration expert Lora Ries, is the reform of the asylum system, ensuring that people who are genuinely in danger have access, while discouraging fraudulent claims. —Follow Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries?lang=enLora's report on Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/border-security/report/the-us-must-redesign-asylum-law-21st-century-reality-and-put-america-first—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In the summer of 2020, with the George Floyd Riots in full swing, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser decided that 16th Avenue would gain a new status in American history. She designated the two block section of the Avenue closest to the white house as Black Lives Matter Plaza. The slogan was painted in 35-foot yellow letters on the street. Whether they wanted to or not, DC residents and visitors were forced to see them day in and day out. No doubt, the mayor and her allies believed they were symbolically staking the nation's capitol as beholden to that morally questionable movement forever. But it was not to be forever. In March of this year, DC workers have been seen removing the letters from Black Lives Matter plaza. The street is being returned to a normal pedestrian and traffic thoroughfare, free from political sloganeering. How did this happen? To tell that story, I'm joined on the podcast by Heritage Senior Legal Fellow Zack Smith. —Follow Zack Smith on X: https://x.com/tzsmithZack's work at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/zack-smith—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

From the earliest times of the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Francis Collins, and apparently the entire scientific community insisted that the virus emerged from nature, jumping from an animal species to humans. Many pointed out the flaws in this reasoning, finding the possibility of COVID leaking from a laboratory much more likely. Scientific organizations, leftist politicians, and corporate media insisted that such an opinion was dangerous and should be suppressed. Here's the problem: many of them were knowingly lying. Here to give the breakdown is Jeff Smith, Director of the Asian Studies Center, here at the Heritage Foundation. 

At the direction of President Trump, Education Secretary Linda McMahon is now preparing the Department of Education for what she refers to as its “final mission”: winding down the department itself. This will be a complicated process, but here to explain what it may look like is Lindsey Burke, Director of the Center for Education Policy here at the Heritage Foundation.  —Follow Lindsey Burke on X: https://x.com/lindseymburkeMore by Lindsey at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/lindsey-burke-phd—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

This week, President Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. Clocking in at over an hour and forty minutes, the speech was the longest address a president has delivered to America's legislature in recent history. It covered the president's accomplishments so far in his administration, from DOGE to border enforcement to economic policy, as well as shedding some light on the president's plans for the future. To understand some of the key takeaways from Trump's speech, I sat down with Ryan Walker, the Executive Vice President of Heritage Action for America. —Follow Ryan Walker on X: https://x.com/ryanlwalkerLearn more about Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

President Trump's posture toward the war in Ukraine is very different from his predecessor. To understand what we might expect to see in Ukraine over the next few weeks, months, and years, I sat down with Rob Greenway, Director of the Allison Center for National Security, here at the Heritage Foundation—Follow Rob Greenway on X: https://x.com/rc_greenway?lang=enLearn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

American taxpayer money can be used to great effect, and we like to think that our civil institutions would always be dedicated to delivering such good return on investment. But that is not always so. The Trump Administration's DOGE effort has shed much light in recent weeks on waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the federal government. Now the spotlight has been turned on NIH. Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow Jay Greene has been studying the federal grant process through NIH for many years, and has warned that the system has its problems. —Follow Jay Greene on X: https://x.com/jaypgreene Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org—Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

On January 28th, President Trump signed an executive order on banning the use of federal funds for so-called “gender transitions”. But some states Attorneys general have taken exception to this, and filed suit. Here to explain their position, and its likelihood for success, is Heritage Senior Legal Fellow, Sarah Parshall Perry. —Follow Sarah Perry on X:https://x.com/SarahPPerryFollow Chloe Cole on X:https://x.com/ChoooColeLearn more about The Heritage Foundation:www.heritage.org—Have thoughts? Let us know atheritageexplains@heritage.org

$32,000 for a “transgender comic book” in Peru. $2 million for sex changes and “LGBT activism” in Guatemala. Hundreds of millions of dollars to fund “irrigation canals, farming equipment, and even fertilizer used to support the unprecedented poppy cultivation and heroin production in Afghanistan,” benefiting the Taliban This sounds like the wishlist of a crazy progressive NGO. But it's not. These are all grants of US Taxpayer money, made by USAID. The United States Agency for International Development. Over the last week, the Trump Administration has taken steps to rein in such questionable uses of public funds in the federal government. Here to explain what they're doing and why it matters is David Ditch, Senior Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation.  — Follow David Ditch on X: https://x.com/davidaditch Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Over just the last week, the number of daily border crossings has crashed compared to the Biden administration. Border enforcement in the interior has been seriously undertaken. The US military has been deployed to assist Customs and Border Protection.  Here to walk us through the details of this Sea Change is Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center, here at the Heritage Foundation.  — Follow Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

The executive order is a tool the Constitution places at the president's disposal, allowing him to effect changes within the executive branch of government. As President Donald Trump steps into office this week, he has signed many such orders, which have already had a broad impact on the way the federal government works. I sat down with Heritage Fellow Steve Groves to better understand these changes.  — Follow Steve Groves on X: https://x.com/stevegroves Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

One of the key components of the incoming Trump administration was securing the southern border. President Trump campaigned heavily on this issue, and now it is time to implement policy to deliver. To get a sense of what the Trump administration may pursue in the first hundred days of the new administration, I sat down with Simon Hankinson, Senior Reseaarch Fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center here at the Heritage Foundation — Follow Jim Carafano on X: https://x.com/jjcarafano Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

One of the key components of the incoming Trump administration was securing the southern border. President Trump campaigned heavily on this issue, and now it is time to implement policy to deliver. To get a sense of what the Trump administration may pursue in the first hundred days of the new administration, I sat down with Simon Hankinson, Senior Reseaarch Fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center here at the Heritage Foundation — Follow Simon Hankinson on X: https://x.com/watchfulwaiter1 Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your friends at the Heritage Foundation! This week, we bring you a classic of the Christmas season.  “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was composed by New York writer and businessman Clement Clark Moore in 1823. Now over 200 hundred years old, it remains one of the most well-known and iconic American poems ever. It established many key characteristics of Santa Claus as we know him today. Prior to Moore's poem, St. Nicholas (or in the Dutch, Sinterklaas) enjoyed his jolly, gift-giving reputation primarily among Dutch immigrants. Moore embellished the historical bishop with a sleigh, reindeer, white beard, chimney-diving ability, and the Santa-esque physique we all know and love.  — Learn more about The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

President Trump has promised new policies on border enforcement, designed to make Americans safer and to protect national sovereignty. To this end, he has selected career law enforcement officer Tom Homan as his Border Czar. I sat down with Tom to ask him about this new position and specifically, to shed light on one of the more contentious parts of Trump's vision: the removal of illegal aliens from the American interior via deportation.  — Tom Homan on X: https://x.com/RealTomHoman — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In May of 2023, a man named Daniel Penny boarded a subway car in New York City. During transit, a man named Jordan Neely began to threaten Penny and the other passengers on the car. Expressing a desire to defend himself and others, Penny, an ex-Marine, put Neely in a chokehold until the train arrived at the next station. Shortly after the incident ended, Neely unfortunately died.  New York has brought a criminal case against Daniel Penny. The highly publicized trial concluded yesterday in Manhattan, with the jury delivering a verdict of “Not Guilty”. Because of the immediate nature of the event, we've decided to bring Heritage Explains to you a bit early this week. I sat down with Cully Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation, to discuss the case. He's a lawyer, but also a former prosecutor and judge, so it would be hard to find someone more qualified to shed light on Daniel Penny's exoneration.  — Follow Cully Stimson on X: https://x.com/cullystimson Rogue Prosecutors Book: https://www.heritage.org/rogue-prosecutors — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Tariffs have been a hotly debated point in American politics since the country began. President-elect Donald Trump has demonstrated his support for tariffs, receiving criticism from both the left and some sections of the right. To understand the conservative approach to tariffs, we sat down with Richard Stern, the director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget here at the Heritage Foundation.  — Follow Richard Stern on X: https://x.com/richastern?lang=en — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Mercy Otis Warren was a writer and playwright whose thought informed the American Revolution and the years following. As Thanksgiving of 2024 nears, Brenda Hafera, Assistant Director of the Simon Center for American Studies, here at the Heritage Foundation, thought it appropriate to reflect on Mrs. Warren's thoughts, particularly those on gratitude. Heritage Social Media Manager Christian Lasval sat down Brenda to learn about this little-known figure in American history.  — Follow Christian Lasval on X: https://x.com/christianlasval More Work by Brenda Hafera: https://www.heritage.org/staff/brenda-hafera — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

George Washington. Abraham Lincoln. Martin Luther King, Jr.  These names are (hopefully) familiar to just about every kid growing up in the United States of America. They're individuals who shaped the times that they lived in, whose impact has trickled down even to the present day. We remember them in order to understand how our country has developed over time, but also to learn from them, exceptional individuals that they were. Sometimes they demonstrated tremendous virtue. Other times they showed weakness and vice.  But it would be a mistake to only learn from these great figures of national history. We also have to turn to the personal, to the uncles, aunts, parents, and grandparents who have much to teach us from their own pasts.  One such example is Andres Joseph Scheinmann. Although his name doesn't have the same reach as George Washington, his story is a truly remarkable one.  Heritage Vice President Victoria Coates sat down with author Diana Mara Henry and Dr. Gabriel Scheinmann, president of the The Alexander Hamilton Society, to hear some of that story.  — The Alexander Hamilton Society: https://www.alexanderhamiltonsociety.org/ I Am Andres by Diana Mara Henry: https://www.amazon.com/Am-Andr%C3%A9-Resistance-Fighter-British/dp/191655637X —Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

The election has swung decisively toward conservatives. But Inauguration Day is not until January 20th and the new Congress will not be in session until January 3rd. What happens between now and then? Connor Semelsburg, Government Relations Director for the Heritage Foundation, and Sarah Ursprung, Director of Government Relations for Heritage Action for America.  — The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org Heritage Action for America: www.heritageaction.com — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

As of early this morning, Wednesday November 6th, Donald J Trump has won the presidency of the United states of America. There are still several house and senate races that are up in the air, but conservative policy has won a decisive victory in this cycle.  I sat down with Heritage Senior Legal Fellow, Hans von Spakovsky, to get his take on the events of last night and this morning.  — Hans von Spakovsky on X: https://x.com/hvonspakovsky — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

A future Trump or Harris administration would take fundamentally different approaches to critical facets of American life. One such facet, an issue that has been at the forefront of both political campaigns, is the southern border.  Here to explain what to expect from a potential Harris or Trump administration on the border is Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation. — Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Today, education as the key to self-advancement and a better life is still a principle held dear by Americans. But today, many families find the education that they desire for their children out of reach. Public school systems are often mired in bureaucracy and misplaced priorities, which puts political objectives over the wellbeing and education of children. In the absence of competition, academic outcomes are an afterthought. The values of conservative families are denigrated.  We at the Heritage Foundation believe that the best thing we can do for families is to give them choices. And the availability and quality of those choices seems to be on the minds of voters heading to the polls this November.  Lindsey Burke is the Director of the Center of Education Policy here at the Heritage Foundation. She joins the podcast to explain.  — Lindsey Burke on X: https://x.com/lindseymburke Heritage Education Freedom Report Card: https://www.heritage.org/educationreportcard/ — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.or

Hurricanes Helene and Milton have caused devastation across several states in the American southeast, most notably in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. With the 2024 Election only a few weeks ago, many are concerned about whether these voters will have the ability to be heard this cycle. Hans von Spakovsky joins the podcast to explain.  — Hans von Spakovsky on X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky Heritage Election Integrity Scorecard: https://www.heritage.org/electionscorecard/ — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

We are very excited that our partners at the Daily Signal have recently released a new podcast, The Signal Sitdown, hosted by politics reporter Bradley Devlin. In the show, Bradley sits down with movers and shakers in Washington who are willing to take him behind the scenes on how policy comes about in our Nation's Capitol. How does the sausage actually get made in Washington, DC? Bradley joins us in the studio to explain.  — Bradley Devlin on X: https://x.com/bradleydevlin The Signal Sitdown Podcast: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-signal-sitdown — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Today, Iran launched a major missile attack on Israel, apparently in response to Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other leaders a few days ago. Here to explain what this event may mean, as it unfolds, is Heritage Research Fellow, Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense Bob Peters.  — Bob Peters on X: https://x.com/realbobpeters Report on Iran Developing a Nuclear Weapon: https://www.heritage.org/middle-east/report/iran-inching-toward-nuclear-weapons-breakout-what-does-mean-the-united-states — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

California's Senate Bill 132 made it legal to transfer trans-identifying male inmates into female prisons. The outcomes have been  Kelsey Bolar, Director of Storytelling at the Independent Womens' Forum, joins the podcast to give context to this issue and to explain the importance of storytelling in conservative messaging.  — Kelsey Bolar on X: https://x.com/kelseybolar Cruel & Unusual Punishment Short Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sn5MyVZ5RY&t=47s — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Four presidents have been assassinated in office, and several (in office or not) have been wounded. All of these incidents took place decades, if not a century, ago. So it's understandable that the second wounding of a president while not in office, that of Donald Trump in Butler Pennsylvania in July of this year, would have shaken the nation. Now, a mere two months later, a second assassination attempt against the former president has occurred.  Why are we seeing this happen now? Heritage Expert Lora Ries joins the podcast to explain.  — Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

Following last night's presidential debate, many questions still abound about the substance of presidential candidate Kamala Harris's policy positions. As a former district attorney and attorney general, she touts a long policy record of enforcing law and upholding public safety. Heritage Senior Legal Fellow Zack Smith joins the podcast to share why he is concerned over these claims.  — Zack Smith on X: https://x.com/tzsmith Kamala Harris's Pro-Crime Policies: https://www.heritage.org/crime-and-justice/report/kamala-harriss-pro-crime-policies — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

As the fiscal year ends, Congress has to decide how to fund the government over the next few months. Heritage Action for America supports funding via a continuing resolution through March of 2025. Heritage Action also supports the inclusion of the SAVE Act, a key piece of election integrity legislation, in this continuing resolution. Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker joins the podcast to explain.   — Ryan Walker on X: https://twitter.com/ryanlwalker Heritage Action: https://heritageaction.com/ — Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

What's the Deal with the Mark Zuckerberg Letter? | Jake Denton   Mark Zuckerber's letter to Congress admitted Meta's collusion with the Biden-Harris Administration. But is it a good sign in the struggle with Big Tech? Jake Denton joins the podcast to explain.    —   Jake Denton on X: https://twitter.com/RealJDenton   —    Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In response to inflation, Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed instituting controls on the prices of household goods and groceries. The question is, will these proposals work? Heritage Foundation economist and Research Fellow EJ Antoni joins the podcast to explain. —EJ Antoni on X: https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni— Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last few weeks, the UK has seen upheaval in government, rioting, and increased official censorship. UK and EU bureaucrats have made threatening overtures to American citizens and businesses. Nile Gardiner, Director, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom here at the Heritage Foundation,has been watching the political turmoil that is happening in the UK, and unfortunately, these threats comes as no surprise.Nile Gardiner on X: https://twitter.com/NileGardiner— Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.