Policy

Diane Katz, an accomplished policy analyst from Detroit, has joined The Heritage Foundation as a research fellow in regulatory policy.

Unions have been a familiar part of American working life for more than 70 years. Less familiar is the state of the union movement today: More union members now work for the government than for private employers. The above-market salaries and benefits that government employees receive are paid for by taxpayers. So, the union movement that began as a campaign to improve working conditions and salaries for workers in the private sector, now pushes for ever-higher taxes to increase the generous compensation that government employees enjoy. Heritage Foundation labor policy expert James Sherk details the changes in the union movement, and explains how Congress can react to this new reality.

President Barack Obama has said that America would reach out to other countries as “an equal partner” rather than as the “exceptional” nation that many before him had embraced; that “any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail”; and that “[o]ur problems must be dealt with through partnership” and “progress must be shared.” He has laid out in his public statements the tenets of a doctrine that, if enacted, would enable his Administration to remake America as one nation among many, with no singular claim either to responsibility or exceptionalism: (1) America will ratify more treaties and turn to international organizations more often to deal with global crises and security concerns like nuclear weapons, often before turning to our traditional friends and allies; (2) America will emphasize diplomacy and “soft power” instruments such as summits and foreign aid to promote its aims and downplay military might; (3) America will adopt a more humble attitude in state-to-state relations; and (4) America will play a more restrained role on the international stage. These tenets, however well-intentioned, will make America and the world far more insecure. Examining President Obama’s doctrinal statements and actions more closely demonstrates why reasserting American leadership on behalf of liberty would be the wiser course.

A flawed civil nuclear liability law may cast a pall over the historic U.S.–India civil nuclear deal.

Extradition treaties serve an essential function in cases that cross international borders. When the United States delayed ratification of the 2003 extradition treaty between the United States and Great Britain, the delay was heavily criticized in Britain. More recently, the ratified treaty has come under intense criticism in Britain. But the perceived problems are not inherent in the treaty or the fault of the U.S.; they stem from the fact that the past Labour government deliberately set out to make it easier, both bilaterally and through use of the European arrest warrants (EAWs), for foreign nations to extradite individuals from Britain. At the same time, Britain’s acceptance of EU judicial supremacy and the consequent erosion of British sovereignty mean that it is now harder to extradite a terrorist than it is to extradite individuals accused of less serious offenses. The new British government should defend British liberties and put an end to privileges for accused terrorists by asserting its sovereignty and creating a “reasonable basis” minimum standard for all extraditions—a standard that, though incompatible with the EAWs, is compatible with the 2003 treaty.

The consistent finding of increased parental satisfaction should inform the continuing debates over charter schools.

Although there are many scholarly treatments of the Founders’ understanding of property and economics, few of them present an overview of the complete package of the principles and policies upon which they agreed. Even the fact that there was a consensus among the Founders is often denied. Government today has strayed far from the Founders’ approach to economics, but the older policies have not been altogether replaced. Some of the Founders’ complex set of policies to protect property rights are still in force. America has abandoned the Founders’ views on the gold and silver standard, the prohibition of monopolies, the presumption of freedom to use property as one likes, freedom of contract, and restricting regulation to the protection of health, safety, and morals. But in other respects, America continues to offer a surprising degree of protection to property rights in the Founders’ sense of that term

President Obama should act decisively to protect vital American interests by successfully finishing the jobs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

More than any other nation, America beckons those who seek opportunity and a better future for themselves and their families. Immigration strengthens our social capital, deepens our national patriotism, and expands our general economy.

Government jobs have long enjoyed a reputation for being plum positions. But it took Robert Rizzo to really make the case.

Nuestro país tiene un problema peculiar, millones de personas provenientes de todos los rincones del planeta quieren emigrar a este país. Claro que si de problemas se trata, éste no es necesariamente el peor ya que el día que la gente no quiera emigrar a EE.UU. seguramente será porque nos hemos desviado de nuestro camino de éxito.

Social scientists James Wilson and George Kelling introduced the "broken windows theory" nearly three decades ago. Its premise was simple: By enforcing "petty" laws, police can help create a "well-ordered" environment that discourages more serious crime.

The Heritage Foundation today announced creation of the Center for Policy Innovation, a new division charged with designing “the next generation of breakthrough policy ideas.”

States and localities need to play a larger role in counterterrorism and disaster response.

To solve the illegal immigration problem, the U.S. government must unequivocally enforcing existing laws.

The Obama Administration was mistaken to believe it could improve the Human Rights Council from within.

Elaine L. Chao, labor secretary under President George W. Bush, will give a speech on government policies that hurt business Wednesday, Sept. 8, at a lunch event in Birmingham held by Michigan supporters of The Heritage Foundation.

President Obama has called for a huge tax increase to take effect on January 1, 2011. Instead of reducing spending, he proposes to raise taxes on a wide swath of taxpayers—including small businesses—despite the weak economic recovery. Congressional Democrats stand poised (immediately following the November elections) to endorse the President’s request and threaten to go much further. Proponents of letting the tax cuts expire—which would indeed be a tax hike—have offered a wide array of justifications for this wrongheaded policy. Heritage Foundation fiscal policy expert J. D. Foster wades through the myths and straw arguments to set the record straight.

Considering how talented members of the House of Representatives are at spending taxpayer money, it was good to see them recently begin a six-week vacation. Unfortunately, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi then summoned members back to Washington — to spend even more.

As it pertains to cyber security, America still needs clearer lines of authority a more coherent structure of public–private interaction.