The Heritage Foundation: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

The Heritage Foundation is "the nation's most broadly supported public policy research institute, with more than 540,000 individual, foundation and corporate donors. Heritage, founded in February 1973, has a staff of 244 and an expense budget of $61 million." The Heritage Foundation Their mission statement is "To formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense." They are a globally known conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's conservative American views afforded them a leading role during the Reagan administration which drew heavily from their policy study Mandate for Leadership.

The foundations first leader was activist Paul Weyrich. Next in line was Edwin Feulner, who in 1977 became Heritage's President to this date. He was the staff director of the House Republican Study Committee and a staff assistant to U.S. Congressman Phil Crane, R-Illinois. In 1980, newly elected President Ronald Reagan adopted the foundation's Mandate for Leadership as his Conservative Administration's policy Bible. He gives copies to every member of his cabinet at their first meeting. "Nearly 2,000 recommendations contained in the Mandate were adopted by the Reagan administration." - The Heritage Foundation During the 80's and early 90's, The Heritage foundation guides President Reagan on and advocates their "Reagan Doctrine". They are the first to publish such a comprehensive and detailed study on a proposed missile defense system. Later, Reagan would make an historic speech asking for an orbital ballistic missile shield known as the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), or "Star Wars". This shield was meant to protect America in the event of a nuclear strike from the Soviet Union which Ronald Reagan believed was an "evil empire".

In 1985, in the first few minutes of the Reagan-Gorbachev Geneva summit, Gorbachev criticizes a briefing by Heritage. President Reagan is quoted as saying, "I read it and liked it." Later Gorbachev complained that the President defended SDI so adamantly because of the "mandate", "represented by their ideological headquarters, The Heritage Foundation." The first edition of Issues: The Candidate's Briefing Book was released by Heritage in 1988 with the basis of educating conservative candidates. Two years later, House Majority Leader Dick Army says, "If candidates read nothing else, they should read Issues...No candidate should run without it."

In 1990, President Reagan addresses Heritage by saying, "you [were] an invaluable resource on key issues such as tax cuts, reducing government spending, SDI supporting freedom in Grenada, Nicaragua, Eastern Europe-wherever I needed Heritage, you were there." In 1992 the leading free-market alternative to President Clinton's government-oriented proposal on health care was the Heritage Consumer Health Plan. In 2001, the Center for Health Policy Studies was established to campaign for consumer choice based reforms. Heritage was providing intellectual solutions to conservatives during the 1994 elections. They provided guidance on such issues as welfare reform, tax cuts, and congressional reform which lead to historic victories for conservatives. Heritage's ideas become a major part of "The contract with America." In 1996 Heritage plays a major role in restoring the role of religion with their most popular paper ever, "Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability". This paper summarizes "the scientific data showing that the practice of religion has a dramatic impact on reducing teenage pregnancy, drug use, suicide rates, illegitimacy, and other pathologies." During that same year, welfare reform based on a plan by Heritage is passed. Liberals predict it will fail but it succeeds greatly. Heritage creates the Center for Data Analysis in 1997, to better serve congressional conservatives with information about tax analysis and spending legislation.

The Wall Street Journal becomes co-publisher of Heritage's "Index of Economic Freedom." This journal gives stats that show "more freedom leads to more prosperity." This same year, Heritage also starts a two-year celebration of its 25th anniversary. In 1999 Heritage inaugurates the Center for Media and Public Policy to train its staff on communicating with the media. It is stated that, "The Heritage Foundation is second to none in its ability to deal with the media." - Mike Causey of the Washington Post. Heritage helps to reform education in 2000 by releasing a "groundbreaking" book, "No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-poverty Schools. "60 Minutes" produces a season-premier story about two of the schools profiled in the book, based on Heritage's suggestion. Also, in 2000 Heritage establishes the Center for Legal and judicial Studies, chaired by Ed Meese, one of Ronald Reagan's distinguished Fellows.

In 2001, a "Tax Cut Calculator" was created for the web; giving American's a simple, fast way to see how the Bush tax cuts were affecting their taxes. During the first 30 days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Heritage creates a Homeland Security Task Force. The recommendations given by the task force were reviewed by the Office of Homeland Security and the Joint Chiefs of Staff; two-thirds of the recommendations were implemented.

Based on a twenty-year effort by Heritage, President Bush was able to repeal the Anti-Ballistics Missile Treaty, clearing the way for deployment of missile defenses. Heritage quickly produced "From Tragedy to Triumph: Principled Solutions for Rebuilding Lives and Communities". This was a Marshall Plan for the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

In 2008 Heritage launched the Leadership for America Campaign. "This 10-year campaign is our boldest initiative since Heritage's founding in 1973. Its ultimate goal is to restore our nation's First Principles back to their rightful place at the heart of American Society." Heritage will continue to work hard every day to ensure Americans have the knowledge they need to help them obtain; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.