Topic: Heritage Foundation

Top galleries, list articles, quizzes

Playing the IRS card: Six presidents who used the IRS to bash political foes

Since the advent of the federal income tax about a century ago, several presidents – or their zealous underlings – have directed the IRS to use its formidable police powers to harass or punish enemies, political rivals, and administration critics. Here are six infamous episodes.
Senate freshmen: What the 14 new members bring to Capitol Hill

A freshman Senate class was sworn in Jan. 3, bringing diverse skills and experience – not to mention agendas – to the legislative body. Whether the 14 newest senators help break partisan gridlock, or refuse to work across the aisle, will be the test for the 113th Congress.Twelve were elected on Nov. 6, including three Republicans, eight Democrats, and an independent. In addition, a Republican and a Democrat were appointed to vacant seats after the election. Here is a look at the 14 and what they bring to the Senate:
How can Congress cut $2.4 trillion? Here are three places to start.

All Content

On the way to Afghanistan, Holbrooke seeks to ease tensions with NATO

Richard Holbrooke, Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, wants to unify allies at a time when many Europeans sense drift in the war and a lack of clear US policy.
Newly assertive Japan to test Obama

As China rises and the dollar falls, the US ally seeks more independence, but not less security, from America. Tokyo is the first stop on the president's Asia tour.
What did the Army know about Fort Hood's Nidal Malik Hasan?

Investigators said Monday that they had been tracking Nidal Malik Hasan's correspondence with someone abroad since last year. Reports suggest that person is radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. But its unclear whether investigators told the Army.
ECONOMIC SCENE: On national debt, worries are bipartisan

The national debt is worrying to conservatives and liberals alike. The question? What to do about it.
Missile shield shift opens common ground for Russia and US

Strategists say that President Barack Obama's decision to scrap a controversial missile shield for Eastern Europe has mollified Russia, and could open the door for cooperation against common nuclear threats.
Obama fatherhood initiative: a rare issue of bipartisan accord?

Fatherhood and parental duty get a push from the Obama team during a series of fall forums. But concerns about government intervention make some conservatives wary.
US to give Pakistan $1.5 billion a year - with strings attached

Some Pakistanis, especially in the military, say the conditions violate their country's sovereignty and interfere with the civil-military power balance.
To restore jobs to the economy, what can Obama do?

Obama's team cites the stimulus bill for keeping people working, but with the US economy still shedding jobs, calls to do more are getter louder.
ECONOMIC SCENE: Did Obama's stimulus plan work?

Obama's stimulus plan has elicited strong opinions from both critics and supporters. So who is right?
Terrorist plots uncovered in the US since 9/11

At least 21 plots to launch attacks on American soil have been thwarted. Here's a chronology.
Terror probe: Why is threat level still yellow?

DHS didn't change the threat level before and after agents nabbed Najibullah Zazi because advisories to local police were deemed sufficient.
Is comparing medical treatments akin to 'rationing' care?

Bills in Congress call for panels to conduct 'comparative effectiveness research.' Opponents say it could be the first step to government allocation of healthcare resources.
Ridge's book raises pressure to reform color-coded 'threat alerts'

Homeland security task force is reexamining the post-9/11 system. What does 'yellow' mean, anyway?
Helping after Taiwan typhoon, US avoids confronting China

Officials say Washington did not notify Beijing before quietly dispatching an amphibious ship and aircraft to provide humanitarian aid.
Is Obama's 'let's talk' diplomacy failing?

The US has scored no big wins under his policy of talking with the enemy. Doubts that it can are rising.
Bill Clinton's 'rock star status' delivers in North Korea

The former president succeeded in securing the release of two American journalists partly because he brought Pyongyang the prestige it craves.
Will nukes creep into Bill Clinton's North Korea agenda?

The former president was in Pyongyang Tuesday seeking the release of two American journalists. But talks could go beyond that.
How the war in Iraq has shaped a new US military mind-set

The US Army is seeking to sustain the adaptability and creativity officers gained in fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Napolitano counterterror policy: Public must play a role

The Homeland Security secretary emphasized that security must be balanced with civil liberties.
Will Guantánamo close on time?

Halfway to President Obama’s deadline, basic aspects of the closure are undecided.
Pakistan begins returning Swat Valley refugees home

The process will be closely watched by the US and other foreign governments for signs of Pakistan's ability to deal with the Taliban.
Suspected North Korean weapons ship returns home

Was this a triumph of international pressure? Or will the Kang Nam sail with another shipment soon?
Bring terrorists to US? Better than leaving Gitmo open, panel says.

In a letter to Congress Tuesday, 17 terrorism experts said America's super-maximum security prisons can handle detainees from Guantánamo.
In battle of the burqa, Obama and Sarkozy differ

During speech Monday, Sarkozy suggested that the traditional female Islamic dress was a form of enslavement. But Obama backed freedom of religious expression in his Cairo speech.
Opinion: Don't treat C02 as a pollutant

From higher energy bills to lost jobs, the impact of carbon regulations will hurt us far more than CO2 itself ever could.