Fulfilling the mandate of liberty


America is a remarkable nation—a strong, prosperous and good nation—unique in its dedication to the principles of liberty and constitutional self-government. It is the hard work of freedom to perpetually renew this purpose and make it ever manifest in the politics and public life of our nation.

For more than 30 years, The Heritage Foundation has provided leadership for America , building a movement that launched a presidency, defeated a tyranny and turned the course of history. Now in a new century, the threats to our nation continue to grow and expand. Yet while the American people increasingly want better answers and solutions they are getting more slogans and promises.

It becomes our task, then, to build on our accomplishments, complete the unfinished work of the day and confront the expanding challenges before us.

Rediscover and revive the first principles of liberty


When asked what kind of government the Constitutional Convention had devised, Benjamin Franklin reportedly answered, “A republic — if you can keep it.” To keep our freedom intact, it is essential that Americans understand and preserve the underlying principles of freedom.

But this understanding is jeopardized on many fronts. Students in our high schools and colleges show a deplorable ignorance of the most basic facts of America 's founding. Our elected leaders in Washington routinely support legislation that overreaches constitutional limits on government. Judges in our courts of law, especially justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, have increasingly substituted their personal moral views for constitutional principles.

To shore up the principles that are the very foundations of American order, Heritage will pursue two broad objectives.

Restore the primary institutions of civil society

The Founders' conception of a free society and limited government rested on the strength of institutions that precede our constitutional order, particularly the family and religion. Through the family, religious congregations, other forms of association, as well as education, individuals learn the virtues necessary to sustain ordered liberty.

Americans have seen these foundations of freedom eroded by several forces. Family has declined and marriage has weakened under pressure from policy and cultural changes. The role of religious freedom in maintaining liberty and the contribution of faithful individuals and congregations to the common good are no longer adequately appreciated. Public education, intended to prepare future citizens for freedom, has become shackled by government bureaucracy and union power.

Toward restoring the primary institutions of civil society, Heritage will advance two main objectives.

Expand economic opportunity and prosperity

Americans today enjoy a growing, robust economy, and several key steps will ensure that our opportunities and prosperity will continue to flourish. We can achieve these ends by pursuing four objectives.

  • Entitlements. Entitlement programs — Social Security and Medicare — and even Medicaid threaten to swamp the federal budget and crowd out other priorities within two generations. The unfunded obligations for these programs is $175,000 for every American, these programs must be reformed so we do not pass along this untenable birth burden to our children and grandchildren. Moreover, if spending on these programs is not reined in, they represent a clear and present threat to low pro-growth taxes.

  • Health care. Health care costs continue to grow at double the rate of inflation. Our national spending for health care today is more than four times what we spend on national defense. As these costs spiral, so do health insurance premiums, making insurance unaffordable for an increasing number of Americans.

  • Energy and environment. As demand for oil increases, Americans must increasingly depend on unstable and unfriendly foreign nations that supply much of the world's oil. America is one of the few nations in the world to put known domestic supplies of oil and gas off limits to exploration. Harsh restrictions aimed at protecting the environment place coal out of favor, while viable clean air sources of energy like nuclear power are also taken off the table.

  • Enterprise and Free Markets. The strength of our economy has always resided in the entrepreneurial spirit — that peculiar American willingness to dream great dreams and take great risks to achieve them. But in recent years this spirit has been stifled by a growing variety of regulations and taxes, making it ever harder for creative and inventive Americans to start new businesses and build them into success stories.


Ensure America's national security and its respect as a world leader

There's no question that rogue states like Iran are making progress toward building nuclear weapons and missile systems to deliver those weapons. Success in even one case creates a clear and present danger of nuclear attack on the United States. In this global environment, the United States must develop and deploy a ballistic missile defense system that can stop missiles launched against our homeland.

In the broader war against global terrorism, the United States needs allies who share our commitment to freedom and democracy. To attract and keep those allies, we must regain our position as a respected and responsible leader among nations. Our strategy for advancing these two broad goals: