From “Born to Run” to “Born in the USA,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town” to “Human Touch,” Bruce Springsteen has brought his brand of rock from the streets of New Jersey to the farms of the heartland, speaking to the American experience as a poet with a six-string. For more than 40 years, he has carried the torch of rock-and-roll to millions of fans, and now he’s headed back on tour, this time with a new song that, believe it or not, speaks to conservative values. Sure, it might seem … More

The President’s State of the Union address tonight will no doubt grab most of the day’s headlines as the president lays out his goals for the coming year. But today is an important one for another reason — it marks the 1,000 day since the United States Senate has passed a budget. While the House has put forth (and passed) its own budget, the Senate has failed to do the same for more than two years. To help illustrate how extraordinary this failure has been, our new video highlights a … More

Medicare patient Ann Lorenz has relied on the advice and recommendations of her neurologist, Dr. Jeffrey English, since she was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 13 years ago. So the dramatic changes coming to Medicare via the Affordable Care Act—and its potential to limit seniors’ access to care as doctors foresee dropping Medicare patients—already worry Lorenz. “One of the first things you ask a new doctor is if they accept Medicare,” Lorenz, who lives in Atlanta, says in a new Impact of Obamacare video. “And we have always seemed to … More

The 2012 Index of Economic Freedom was released last week by The Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Wall Street Journal. This year’s Index highlighted some worrisome trends as economic freedom declined worldwide and the United States dr…

As moveigoers head to theaters this weekend, many will want to compare the person they saw on screen to the real woman. As we explained this week, there is no resource better than the Iron Lady’s own words. Our new video attempts to shine a spotlight on her important legacy—one that continues to inspire. Like President Ronald Reagan, her political soulmate, she came to power at a desperate time in her country’s history, when real leadership and bold ideas were most needed. And by applying conservative principles to the challenges … More

America’s total debt now tops $15.2 trillion—the size of the entire economy. While this is a real concern, the greater problem is the growth of spending and debt in the future. Spending on entitlements is the real driver of future debt. In this clip from the documentary film “I Want Your Money,” Heritage expert Alison Fraser reveals why the national debt is a catastrophic crisis, stating: “We’re right on the cusp of 77 million baby boomers retiring into these entitlement programs, and that is absolutely unsustainable.” When Moody’s threatened to … More

President Obama’s stunning appointments of Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and of three more bureaucrats to the National Labor Relations Board has been described by many observers as a serious blow to the Constitution and the separation of powers. In addition to the strong Constitutional argument against the President’s actions, there are several signs that the President’s interpretation of recess appointments has not always been the same. As Andrew Grossman points out that several weeks ago, President Obama signed a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut … More

“We need the energy, we need the jobs, and it can be done in a safe way.” That was former Obama administration official Steve Rattner’s take on the would-be windfalls of the Keystone XL pipeline. “My instinct is [Obama] should approve it,” Rattner told a panel on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Thursday. Rattner was the administration’s “Car Czar,” appointed to oversee the bailout of General Motors and the ensuing restructuring agreement. Jobs, energy, and safety are all laudatory goals, and Keystone meets all three, as Heritage’s Nick Loris has pointed … More

Last fall Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) visited Heritage to talk about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the “unaccountable” nominee to head the agency. At the time, there was speculation President Obama would attempt to bypass the U.S. Senate to install Richard Cordray as CFPB director. That’s exactly what happened today in what Heritage’s Todd Gaziano calls a “tyrannical abuse of power.” At the time of his visit in October, Shelby said bluntly, “I think it would be devastating if we let [Obama] make a recess appointment.” Of course, this … More

College campuses would seem to be ripe environments for intellectual diversity to flourish. But rather than celebrate free speech, academic institutions across America routinely censor student publications and individuals. Such was the case recently at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Professor James Miller came under attack from the campus administration when he posted a picture and quote from the science-fiction show “Firefly” outside his office door. It was removed by campus police because it was perceived to be a threat to others. When Miller fought back by posting another sign condemning … More