Heritage Explains

What is the American Opportunity Agenda? | Dan Kowalski 17.06.2026 15min

In 2025, data analytics company Gallup asked 144,000 people in 140 countries a survey question they have been asking for decades: “Ideally, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move permanently to another country, or would you prefer to continue living in this country?” If the respondent says they would like to move, they are then asked which country they would like to move to. In 2025, the answer to this question was the same as it has always been. Among those who wish to move, the number one response by a wide margin is the United States of America. If you listen to the mainstream American media, you may be surprised. But our brethren overseas understand that more than any country in the world, America offers opportunity, the ability for anyone to take their shot. At a time when many Americans are concerned about the state of the economy, we know we need to stay focused on preserving that opportunity for future generations. How do we do that? Enter the American Opportunity Agenda. I sat down with Dan Kowalski, Director of the Grover M Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, to understand exactly what that is. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org Setting the American Opportunity Agenda Report: https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/report/setting-the-american-opportunity-agenda More by Dan Kowalski: https://www.heritage.org/staff/daniel-kowalski

Trump, SCOTUS, and the First Step Act | Cully Stimson 10.06.2026 19min

In our political climate, it is always nice to have a bit of authentic bipartisanship. The Marshall plan to rebuild Europe following World War 2, the Interstate Highway System under President Eisenhower, and the Apollo Program are all examples of both political parties coming together for a common goal. The first Trump Administration saw another of these moments in the passage of the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act or First Step Act in 2018. The bill was designed to reform federal prison policy and reduce the rates of recidivism, meaning criminals returning to incarceration. It had supporters from all over the political spectrum, and in its seven years of life, has indeed lowered recidivism, extended credits to prisoners for good behavior, and allowed some elderly or sick prisoners to return home. Last week, the Supreme Court handed down decisions on three decisions having to do with criminal justice, two of them having to do with the First Step Act. Here to explain, and to talk about what he’s watching for from the land’s highest court this term, is Cully Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation. --- Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org ---Follow Cully Stimson on X: https://x.com/cullystimson

Is There Hope for American Colleges? | Jonathan Butcher 03.06.2026 15min

Graduation season is once more upon us. The long school year has come to a close, and now, in caps and gowns, the nation’s graduates gather to receive their various certifications, diplomas, and degrees, and listen to wisdom from a speaker. However, many college graduations are not the same tranquil affairs they used to be. FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, reports that attempts by students to disinvite commencement speakers over political beliefs have increased sharply over the last decade or so. To name one example, students at Morehouse School of Medicine are attempting to block the commencement speech of alumnus Congressman Rich McCormick, over his stances against DEI, abortion, and transgender surgeries among other views. Some schools, such as New York University, have switched to recorded remarks by students in lieu of an in-person speaker. At this point, the level of intolerance and intellectual coddling taking place at American universities is not a new story. It’s bad, but is there a way back? This week, the Heritage Foundation is releasing a new book: Higher Education in America: It’s Worse than you Think. I sat down with Jonathan Butcher, Acting Director of Heritage’s Center for Education Policy and one of the book’s authors, to ask whether he believes there is hope for the American university. --- Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org ---Jonathan Butcher on X: https://x.com/JM_Butcher?lang=enHigher Education in America: It's Worse Than You Think: https://a.co/d/0aMuIWzN

Lessons from Virginia | Nick Freitas 27.05.2026 35min

Along with Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts, Virginia describes itself as a commonwealth. In reality, a commonwealth is no different from a state. But in the English of colonial times, “commonwealth” denoted something along the lines of “a state for the common good”, and had a more revolutionary connotation. The state was for the people, not the people for the state. In some ways, this has been carried through to the present day. In other ways, it has not. This week, my colleague here at Heritage Christian Lasval, had the privilage of sitting down with former Virginia legislator Nick Freitas to talk about Virginia, his experience in our current political discourse, and what we can learn from The Mother of States. ---Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org ---Follow Nick Freitas on X: https://x.com/NickJFreitas

Modernization, Security, and Election Integrity | Don Palmer 20.05.2026 20min

The tiny town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire is located just 20 miles south of the Canadian boarder. Home to an idyllic hotel known for its skiing and golfing, the town itself had a population of four. At the time of the 2020 census. But if you happen to be one of those residents, your election day experience is a bit different from most. At the stroke of midnight, you enter the polling place, set up in one of the rooms of hotel. New Hampshire law states that polls can close if all registered voter have cast ballots. And so, a few minutes later, once all have voted, the polls close. This tradition of Midnight Voting, in place since the 1960s, makes Dixville Notch the first polling place to report results in the New Hampshire primary. Midnight voting first came into existence to accommodate the schedule of railway workers, who were often unavailable to vote during normal hours. It’s an example of local officials ensuring that the vote is both fair and accessible for voters. Election Integrity is a high priority here at Heritage, and we have been very excited to welcome Election integrity expert Don Palmer to the team. I sat down with Don to talk about his thoughts leading into 2026, 2028, and beyond. ---Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org --- Follow Don Palmer on X: https://x.com/VotingGuy

What Will Come from the Trump-Xi Meeting? | Andrew Harding 13.05.2026 13min

During the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, joined by Winston Churchill, sat down with Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek. The purpose of the meeting, now known as the Cairo Conference, was to strategize against the Empire of Japan and make preparations for a post-war Asia. Nearly 30 years later, President Richard Nixon, seeing an opportunity to widen the distance between China (now Communist) and the Soviet Union, paid a visit to China to meet Mao Zedong, the chair of the Communist Party. This opened diplomatic relations between the countries. Since then, presidents have held meetings with Chinese leaders with some regularity. And President Trump is no exception. This week, he will be meeting with Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China. From AI to Iran, there is a lot on the table. To understand what to expect from this meeting, I sat down with Andrew Harding, Policy Analyst for National Securityand Indo-Pacific Affairs at The Heritage Foundation. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org More on China from Heritage Experts: https://www.heritage.org/china

Is the Callais Decision the New Jim Crow? | Zack Smith 06.05.2026 16min

Jim Crow laws are the blanket name given to the the state and local laws that pervaded the American South from the 19th century all the way to the 1960s, which were meant to enforce racial segregation. They limited the public services and facilities available to Black Americans. They included poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures designed to limit the ability of Black Americans to exercise their right to vote. Jim Crow laws went the way of the dodo back in 1965, with the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Now, over eighty years later, the Supreme Court has passed down the Callais vs Louisiana ruling. The case deals with the courts interpretation of this law, and some are declaring this decision nothing less than the resurrection of Jim Crow. But is that the case? To find out, I sat down with Zack Smith, Senior Legal Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org Zack Smith on X: https://x.com/tzsmith

Why is the FBI Going After the SPLC? | Tyler O’Neil 29.04.2026 18min

The Southern Poverty Law Center, founded in 1971, has its roots in the Civil Rights movement. But there’s reason to believe that this American institution, like so many others, has drifted from its original mission. Here to talk about that is our resident SPLC expert here at the Heritage Foundation, Daily Signal Senior Editor, Tyler ONeil. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org Tyler O’Neil on the Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/author/tyler-oneil/ Tyler’s Book on the SPLC: https://amzn.to/3Kmvi0u

Getting More out of Budget Reconciliation | Dan Kowalski 22.04.2026 13min

The US House and Senate are storied institutions and packed with traditions and procedures like these. Some, like the fabled “candy desk”, are whimsical artifacts of history. Others are more central to the way that government works, and one such is the Budget Reconciliation process. This is a unique mechanism for passing budget and finance related legislation in the House and Senate. In the wake of Democrats refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, reconciliation is back in the news. Here to talk about why and what we’d like to see happen is Dan Kowalski, Director of the Grover M Hermann Center for the Federal Budget here at the Heritage Foundation. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org Rob Bluey on X: https://x.com/RobertBluey The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/

Unbreaking the News at The Daily Signal | Rob Bluey 15.04.2026 14min

The American press has had high moments and low moments over the years, and it’s safe to say that we’re in a low one. After decades of dishonest reporting and blatant bias, trust in media has cratered. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, the number of Americans who report that they have a “great deal or fair” amount of trust that mass media reports the news “fully, fairly, and accurately has fallen to 28%. Among Republicans, it’s fallen to 8%. But the worse the situation gets, the more important it is for good journalists (and yes there are good journalists) to fill the void. And nowhere is that more important than at the Daily Signal, a national news organization that has its roots here at the Heritage Foundation. They’ve been at the forefront of a lot of big stories over the last few years, and are announcing some new exciting developments. To understand it all, I sat down with Rob Bluey, Editor in Chief, at the Daily Signal. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org Rob Bluey on X: https://x.com/RobertBluey The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/

Girlboss or Tradwife? | Emma Waters 08.04.2026 20min

In some online subcultures, Women have been drawn into a debate between two competing archetypes: the girlboss and the tradwife. The girlboss is an ambitious woman who confidently takes on the business world, which is often dominated by men. The tradwife is a woman who subverts modern expectations by taking on traditional gender roles, prioritizing homemaking and the raising of children. But Heritage Senior Policy Analyst Emma Waters characterizes herself as neither of these. In her new book, Lead Like Jael, she suggests that neiterh side of the debate serves women’s interests, and instead plots a third path. I sat down with Emma to talk about it. Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: HeritageExplains@heritage.org Emma Waters at Heritage: https://www.heritage.org/staff/emma-waters Emma’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Like-Jael-Timeless-Principles/dp/1510783539

What is the Golden Fleet? | Brent Sadler 01.04.2026 17min

Over the last few decades, serious concerns have arisen about the fitness of our Navy to counter America’s enemies, most importantly China. This has led the Trump Administration to announce a vision for a "Golden Fleet". Here to talk about that is Brent Sadler, former Naval Officer and a Senior Research Fellow here at Heritage. ---Have thoughts, questions, or suggestions? Email us at heritageexplains@heritage.org. ---Follow Brent on X: https://x.com/brentdsadler"To Build the Golden Fleet" report at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/defense/report/build-the-golden-fleet

What is the Trump Admin Changing About Student Loans? | Jonathan Butcher 25.03.2026 12min

Last week, the Trump administration announced major changes to the way that student loan debt will be managed, specifically moving that management from the Department of Education to the Department of the Treasury. I sat down with Jonathan Butcher, Senior Research Fellow in the Center for Education Policy here at the Heritage Foundation, to talk about why this is a huge step in the movement to return education to local control. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- Jonathan Butcher on X: https://x.com/JM_Butcher

Why is the Senate Blocking DHS Funding? | Lora Ries 18.03.2026 15min

The refusal of Democrat leaders in the senate to pass funding for the Department of HOmeland Security has had ramifications across the country. It has affected employees of FEMA, the Coast Guard, the TSA, and many other agencies. To explain why this happening and what to expect in the coming weeeks, I sat down with Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center, here at the Heritage Foundation. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries

Honoring Women Well | Marguerite Bowling & Emma Waters 11.03.2026 20min

This week, on March 8, people around the world celebrated International Women’s Day. Too often, we’ve been conditioned to see the complementary of the sexes more as a conflict, and that has ramifications for all of society. At the Heritage Foundation, we believe that there is a better way, where the contributions and uniqueness of men and women are recognized and honored. This week, I wanted to introduce you to one of our most experienced team members, Marguerite Bowling, a Senior Communications Manager here at the Heritage Foundation, who is herself a mother of three, including one daughter. We also recognize the work of Emma Waters, Policy Analyst in the Center for Technology and the Human Person. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- Emma Waters on X: https://x.com/emlwaters

What Should We Expect in Iran? | Victoria Coates 04.03.2026 22min

On Saturday, after a third round of failed negotiation with the aspiring nuclear state of Iran, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation called Epic Fury. Those strikes were successful in eliminating the majority of Iranian Senior leadership, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. War is never a decision to be taken lightly, as lives and nations hang in the balance. I sat down with Victoria Coates, Vice President of the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy here at Heritage, to talk about what has led up to this conflict in Iran and what she hopes to see going forward. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- More on Defense from Heritage: https://www.heritage.org/defense Victoria Coates on X: https://x.com/VictoriaCoates

What Were the Key Moments of Trump’s State of the Union? | Dan West 25.02.2026 13min

The State of the Union Address is one of the most anticipated political events of the year. Of course, it’s surrounded by tradition and ceremony. All three branches of the federal government gather in the House Chamber, the galleries pack with guests from every walk of life, the pundits gather their audiences, and the cameras all focus on one carefully crafted message from the leader of the free world. But it’s not just custom or tradition that gives rise to this historic event every year. It actually goes all the way back to the American founding, to the Constitution itself. Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the constitution reads as follows: The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” George Washington, then, was the first to give an address to congress. His eventual successor, Thomas Jefferson, submitted his remarks in writing, which set a precendent of written States of the Union. Over a century later, in 1913, Woodrow Wilson restored the practice of giving the speech in person. And that custom has stood to this day. Last night, we heard President Donald Trump give the first State of the Union address of his second term. The speech covered many of his accomplishments over the first year of this administration. Here to walk us through it is Dan West, Government Relations Director at Heritage Action for America. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- More from Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/ Dan West on X: https://x.com/Dan_J_West

How Can Conservatives Make Business Better? | Allen Mendenhall 18.02.2026 21min

Business is not just about making money. It’s about making opportunity. Supporting families. Making culture. That’s why the Heritage Foundation is standing up the Free Enterprise Initiative, to support merit and integrity in business. To Explain what the Free Enterprise Initiative is up to these days, I sat down with the Senior Advisor to the project, Allen Mendenhall. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- The Free Enterprise Initiative at Heritage: https://www.heritage.org/free-enterprise-initiative Allen Mendenhall on X: https://x.com/allenmendenhall

What is the Save America Act? | Chip Wyatt & Dan West 11.02.2026 19min

Washington is abuzz with talk of the SAVE America act, a piece of legislation that is designed to secure American elections and ensure that only American citizens have the right to vote. The proposed law is experiencing a groundswell of popular support, but also opposition. To understand what makes this law consequential, I sat down with Chip Wyatt and Dan West, both ofHeritage Action for America. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- More from Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/ Chip Wyatt on X: https://x.com/ChipTWyatt Dan West on X: https://x.com/Dan_J_West

How is the Economy Doing, Really? | EJ Antoni 04.02.2026 19min

The ways that human beings exchange value are complicated and often involve tradeoffs. Things you think were a great idea often come with hidden costs. And so it is with federal financial policy. Everything the government does has consequences downstream. I sat down with Heritage chief Economist EJ Antoni to discuss his outlook on the first year of economic policy from the Trump Administration. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: heritageexplains@heritage.org. --- More by EJ at The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/staff/ej-antoni-phd Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/realEJAntoni