Heritage Foundation interns Sarah Wells, Daniel Mellor and Caroline Moore.

Since January, I have had the pleasure of being part of The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders program, which is considered one of the hardest and most competitive internship programs in DC. The experience entirely surpassed my expectations and will stay with me as I move to a position on Capitol Hill.

From when I first came to Heritage, it was readily apparent that this organization is different from anywhere else. The caliber of people working here is unmatched. All eight floors are working together to advance a cause greater than themselves. Everyone is friendly and accessible, and I had the privilege of meeting with experts in each department and learning from their wisdom and experience. Continue Reading »

Heritage distinguished fellow Ernest Istook.

A piece of wisdom from The Heritage Foundation’s Ernest Istook–“that which does not destroy us only makes us stronger”–is a great reminder that hard work truly does pay off.

A distinguished fellow at Heritage and a retired seven-term Congressman from Oklahoma, Istook says his upbringing helped shape him.

As a young man, he worked 50 hour weeks even while taking a full course load in law school and starting a family at the same time. “It gave me a strong foundation of appreciating hard work, doing what it took to make it, and prioritizing the family.”

Istook began his political career when he ran for the Oklahoma State Senate as a Democrat. He lost. “I swore off politics after that,” Istook chuckles. Continue Reading »

Vern McHargue, Controller for Finance and Operations.

“The quality of people associated with Heritage is very high,” The Heritage Foundation’s Vern McHargue says. “Everyone understands and is committed to advancing the same principles.”

As Heritage’s Controller for Finance and Operations, McHargue helps Heritage be a good steward of our members’ contributions. He ensures we have the right people and processes in place to ensure money is spent effectively and that Heritage is here for generations to come. Continue Reading »

Heritage Commentary

• James Carafano’s op-ed on the release of Osama bin Laden documents in New York Post.
• Brett Schaefer’s post on the uselessness of UNIDO in National Review Online’s “The Corner”. Continue Reading »

Heritage Commentary

• Kim Holmes’ op-ed on Chinese law fare in the Washington Times.
• Rob Bluey’s ProAm Month post on defense spending in Big Peace. Continue Reading »

This morning The Heritage Foundation launched the first of a three-part video series that will run during Protect America Month to highlight the risks of slashing funding to America’s military.

The first video profiles Col. Kerry Kachejian and the harrowing story he told in his book “SUVs Suck In Combat.” While serving in Iraq, Kachejian was given an automobile that lacked armored protection and was more suited for America’s highways than Iraq’s dangerous streets. Kachejian discusses the impact of budget cuts and consequences for our troops. Continue Reading »

Heritage Commentary

• James Carafano’s op-ed on Obama’s Afghanistan speech in the New York Post.
• Jason Richwine and Andrew Biggs’ op-ed on public worker compensation in the Huffington Post. Continue Reading »

Heritage Commentary

• Ed Feulner’s op-ed on global warming propaganda in the Washington Times.
• Brian Darling’s op-ed on the Ex-Im Bank in Townhall.com.
• Hans Von Spakovsky’s post on voter ID obstructionism in Justice in National Review Online’s “The Corner”. Continue Reading »

Last week, Medicare’s trustees released their annual report on the program’s finances. The results aren’t pretty.

The new report “reinforces the need for serious reform,” The Heritage Foundation’s Bob Moffit explains.

Leaving the program unreformed requires either dramatic tax hikes or harsh cuts–immediately. “The 2012 report states that bringing Medicare Part A into actuarial balance would require an immediate 47 percent increase in the payroll tax or a 26 percent cut in Part A benefits,” he explains. Continue Reading »

The federal government is crippling future generations of Americans with debt.

“The amount of spending on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Obamacare subsidies will soar over the next 38 years, leaving future generations with an alarming debt burden,”  warns The Heritage Foundation’s Alison Meyer.

If Congress fails to act on principled reforms, spending on these entitlement progarms will nearly double by 2050.

Heritage policy expert David John explains spending on entitlement programs will soar to fully 19 percent of GDP by 2050:

Continue Reading »