Conservative think tank “The Heritage Foundation” releases its new educational “principles and…policies” resource that allows “every American to experience even more freedom and opportunity to flourish and pursue his or her dreams.”
QUICK FACTS:
- The Heritage Foundation has released “Solutions,” an online book that provides explanations of important policy issues Americans face today.
- Its contents include sections covering Civil Society, Economic Freedom, Constitutional Government, National Defense, and Foreign Policy.
- Under these main headlines, Solutions provides definitions of today’s most pressing issues ranging from health care, taxes and spending, foreign policy, immigration, social programs, defense.
- It also provides practical solutions (hence the title) for achieving the goals of Conservatism.
- But the virtual book also provides the “rationale and data to firmly back up each solution.”
- The guide is written in “everyday language that makes it easy to compellingly share these ideas with every American.”
EXAMPLE FROM ‘SOLUTIONS’
- Under the “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Policies” heading, Solutions gives the historical context of the 2017 Supreme Court redefinition of marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges which ruled “that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marriage protected by the United States Constitution.”
- Solutions characterizes the Supreme Court decision as a “coordinated attack on both individuals and organizations who believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
- It declares that “sex is a biological fact, not a matter of self-perception.”
- Providing a resolution for this problem, the online book recommends Conservatives “Support legislation that protects the freedom of all Americans,” that they “Provide faith-based foster care and adoption agencies with a permanent solution to ensure that they can continue to serve their communities,” and “oppose any federal bill that makes sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes.”
- Solutions provides multiple facts to support their position on sexual orientation and gender such as the following: “Under state SOGI laws, individuals and organizations have faced lawsuits in various professions for acting in a manner that is consistent with their beliefs about sex and marriage.” It then lists all of those professions: “Bakers, Florists, Photographers, Wedding Venue Owners, Videographers, Painters, Web Designers, Calligraphers, Public Servants, Faith-Based Foster Care and Adoption Agencies, and Hospitals.”
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION’S GUIDING ’14 TRUE NORTH PRINCIPLES’:
- The federal government exists to preserve life, liberty, and property, and it is instituted to protect the rights of individuals according to natural law. Among these rights are the sanctity of life; the freedom of speech, religion, the press, and assembly; the right to bear arms; the right of individuals to be treated equally and justly under the law; and the right to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor.
- The federal government’s powers are limited to those named in the Constitution and should be exercised solely to protect the rights of its citizens. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The government closest to the people serves the people best.” Powers not delegated to the federal government, nor prohibited by the Constitution, are reserved to the states or to the people.
- Judges should interpret and apply our laws and the Constitution based on their original meaning, not upon judges’ personal and political predispositions.
- Individuals and families—not government—make the best decisions regarding their and their children’s health, education, jobs, and welfare.
- The family is the essential foundation of civil society, and traditional marriage serves as the cornerstone of the family.
- The federal deficit and debt must not place unreasonable financial burdens on future generations.
- Tax policies should raise only the minimum revenue necessary to fund constitutionally appropriate functions of government.
- America’s economy and the prosperity of individual citizens are best served by a system of free enterprise, with special emphasis on economic freedom, private property rights, and the rule of law. This system is best sustained by policies promoting free trade and deregulation, and opposing government interventions in the economy that distort markets and impair innovation.
- Regulations must not breach constitutional principles of limited government and the separation of powers.
- America must be a welcoming nation—one that promotes patriotic assimilation and is governed by laws that are fair, humane, and enforced to protect its citizens.
- Justice requires an efficient, fair, and effective criminal justice system—one that gives defendants adequate due process and requires an appropriate degree of criminal intent to merit punishment.
- International agreements and international organizations should not infringe on American’s constitutional rights, nor should they diminish American sovereignty.
- America is strongest when our policies protect our national interests, preserve our alliances of free peoples, vigorously counter threats to our security, and advance prosperity through economic freedom at home and abroad.
- The best way to ensure peace is through a strong national defense.
Visit The Heritage Foundation’s “Solutions” online book here.
