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 to be a stretch. After all, The Boss has been known for his liberal activism. His anthem “No Surrender” was John Kerry’s campaign theme song in 2004, he headlined MoveOn PAC’s “Vote for Change” tour that same year, and he opened for President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.

But Springsteen’s “Take Care of Our Own”—which seems custom-made for a political campaign commercial—interestingly enough resonates with those on the right, whether Bruce realizes it or not:

From Chicago to New Orleans
From the muscle to the bone
From the shotgun shack to the Superdome
We yelled “help” but the cavalry stayed home
There ain’t no-one hearing the bugle blown
We take care of our own
We take care of our own
Wherever this flag’s flown
We take care of our own

If there is one theme that cries out, it’s that in this American community of ours, we ultimately rely on each other and, as he admits, sometimes the “cavalry” cannot come to save us. Conservatives would agree. Instead of seeking a savior in government, conservatives value self-determination, free enterprise, limited government, and individual freedom—all of which suffer when an almighty state crowds out our freedoms.

Liberals, though, first look to their cavalry—the federal government—to come to the rescue when Americans are in need rather than finding solutions in civil society — among local communities, houses of worship, schools, volunteer organizations, and neighborhoods.

We saw that philosophy in President Obama’s State of the Union address this week when he advocated for a new wave of progressive policies to bring “fairness” to America. Instead of seeking to return power to states and local communities so that people can take care of their own, he called for a concentration of more power in Washington, all paid for by confiscatory tax policies that reflect the notion that the federal government knows how to spend money better than the people do.

The President looks to the state to spur innovation and move America forward. His is an effort to make the “cavalry” bigger so that Americans need not take care of their own. Ultimately, though, that is a policy that saps individual liberties—quite contrary to what the Founders intended. It’s contrary, too, to the rugged individualism that Springsteen once sang of.

In 1975′s “Thunder Road,” a much-younger Bruce cried out to his beloved, wrenched in pain over the dissatisfaction in his life, his loneliness, his despair, and his desire for something better. And he knew it was up to him to make that change. He didn’t call for the cavalry, but he looked inward, and then he looked forward:

In the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on
But when you get to the porch they’re gone on the wind, so Mary climb in
This town full of losers and we’re pulling outta here to win

Moving on to find a better future—and not waiting for the government to provide it—is a truly conservative value and an American one, too.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 few of impressive feats in history that have been accomplished in less time.

Please share our video with friends and family. And if you have a blog, consider posting our “Senate Budget Widget” on your site. Click here to learn how.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 have doctors that accepted it, which has worked out very nicely because I have had to go over the last few years…to many doctors…because of age and the various things that happen to you when you get older.”

But that reliable acceptance of Medicare patients is in danger. In fact, Dr. English—who dropped his roster of Medicaid patients just six years ago—fears he’ll have to take the same action with his Medicare patients if reimbursement rates are too low.

“The reimbursement was such that it was actually costing us more to see the [Medicaid] patients than if…we just saw them for free if we saw them in the hospital,” English says in the new Heritage video.

It’s not just reimbursement rates that will impact seniors’ access to care. English says the heavy regulations and required protocols in Obamacare will impact his practice of medicine. “My reputation now is built on taking good care of patients. In the future, my reputation is going to be whether I stick to protocols.”

Then there are Obamacare’s sharp cuts in Medicare Advantage, which nearly one-quarter of U.S. seniors rely on for their health benefits. Obamacare will result in the average senior facing a drop of $3,700 in services in Medicare Advantage by 2017.

Finally, Obamacare is an innovation killer, piling on new taxes on drug companies ($20 billion) and medical device makers ($27 billion) that will make health care services more costly. “I’m all for reform that puts the patient in charge, gives patient access to all the doctors and reduces cost,” English notes. But “we got the opposite in Obamacare.”

See the full video here along with Heritage’s full lineup of Impact of Obamacare videos—which also features the impact the health reform will have on doctors, states, families, and businesses.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 dropped to #10 in the rankings.

Reason.tv sat down with Heritage’s James Roberts to talk about this year’s Index and the importance of the free market around the world.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 she faced, she was able to achieve real and lasting success. Then, as today, she faced an extraordinary set of challenges and a chorus of voices saying her country’s best days were behind it. Thatcher’s successes are a comforting reminder of the power of a bold, conservative vision at work.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 downgrade the U.S. bond rating, the credit rating agency clearly stated that the core of the problem lies in the growing long-term deficit trajectory. Americans know that we must tackle our spending and debt problem. Transformational changes in spending are needed to put this nation on the right course. As 43 percent of our national budget is currently spent on entitlement programs (primarily Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid), it is most important to reform those programs to achieve long-term spending control. Deficit reduction will result.

Heritage’s extensive budget reform plan, Saving the American Dream, has the bold reforms necessary to put our fiscal house in order while protecting seniors from poverty and assuring that future generations won’t be saddled with insurmountable debts.

Created by a dozen policy experts including Fraser, Saving the American Dream would end our national debt crisis once and for all—by redesigning entitlement programs for the long haul, cutting government spending in half, and ultimately restoring prosperity in America.

For more on the debt today, the recently released DVD “I Want Your Money” (rated PG) takes a fast-paced look at America’s national debt crisis. It features experts including Edwin Meese III, Steve Forbes, Star Parker, Stephen Moore, John Stossel, and many more.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 which had been passed by the Senate in a pro forma session. As Grossman explains if the Senate was actually on recess, it couldn’t have passed the bill and the President couldn’t have signed it.

And as the Washington Examiner noted, President Obama’s own deputy solicitor general admitted recess appointments can’t be made with the Senate in session during oral arguments before the Supreme Court last year.

It would seem the President is trying to have it both ways. Check out our newest video which highlights these are other points to explain why the President’s decision was unconstitutional.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

“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 out.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 purported “recess appointment” comes with the Senate not even in recess. Congress is still in session, and the Senate is having pro forma sessions every few days based on requirements of the Constitution.

The debate over Cordray and former CFPB special adviser Elizabeth Warren dates to the bureau’s creation. Senate Republicans had asked the White House to make three reforms to the CFPB. They included creating a board rather than a single czar to run the agency, subjecting the CFPB to the congressional appropriations process, and making sure it considers impact of new rules on the safety and soundness of financial institutions.

“Forty-four of us have written a letter to the president and asked for three changes,” Shelby said. “We haven’t heard from the president. Maybe he’s off campaigning. … Until we hear from him, I don’t believe we’re going to confirm anyone.”

Heritage has outlined a number of problems with the CFPB. Research fellow Diane Katz writes that “eliminating the bureau outright would be the best option.”

The interview runs about 4 minutes. Hosted by Rob Bluey and produced by Brandon Stewart. For more videos from Heritage, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.

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 fascism, it was also removed.

The university defended its actions — that is until the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education took up the case. FIRE’s advocacy campaign inspired author Neil Gaiman to get involved, along with “Firefly” actors Nathan Fillion and Adam Baldwin. Suddenly, millions knew about the university’s censorship and flooded the campus with messages defending the professor’s free speech. This attention prompted the University of Wisconsin-Stout to back down.

FIRE produced a video documenting the case, a must-watch episode that documents the censorship challenges that happen routinely on college campuses today.

Have you experienced censorship like this or do you know of an incident we should investigate? Please post a comment below, email us at scribe@heritage.org, or send me at tweet @RobertBluey.

Article brought to you by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation.