The Patriot Post® · Heritage Foundation's Half-Century Mark

By Mark Alexander ·
https://patriotpost.us/alexander/95117-heritage-foundations-half-century-mark-2023-02-20

Our friends at The Heritage Foundation just celebrated 50 years of fighting for grassroots American values. It was 27 years ago that key folks at Heritage provided advice and assistance for our launch of The Patriot Post, and we will be forever grateful for this partnership.

Founded on February 16, 1973, Heritage is now the nation’s leading conservative policy organization.

Heritage President Dr. Kevin Roberts, who became the organization’s seventh president in 2021, recognized the milestone by honoring founders and supporters, while also charting the course for the next chapter in Heritage’s storied history.

Roberts observed: “Since Heritage’s founding 50 years ago, this organization has dedicated itself to advancing conservative policy with world-class research, analysis, and advocacy. Today, we celebrate those who had the vision for Heritage and the accomplishments they achieved on behalf of the American people. We equally celebrate the men and women throughout the conservative movement who have worked tirelessly to save our country alongside all of us. We have unfinished work and a limited window of opportunity to save this country. It is time for an ambitious, audacious, and aspirational conservative agenda to take back this country from an emboldened progressive Left. Everything we do is strategically focused on winning battles for the everyday American who our leaders in Washington, D.C., have forgotten.”

Heritage’s mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense — and that mission mirrors our own.

My friend Edwin Feulner, who was the organization’s president for 36 years and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees, said he’s proud to have played a prominent role at Heritage while watching the conservative movement grow.

Feulner observed: “As we celebrate 50 years of leadership in the conservative movement, it is my honor to have worked with Heritage’s supporters on Capitol Hill and around the country. Looking ahead to our next chapter, I know Heritage will continue to play its leadership role in promoting our conservative ideas and achieving policy victories.”

Heritage Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby said the organization has never been stronger than it is today. She credited Heritage’s founders, former and current staff, and supporters for ensuring that it is positioned for success in its next 50 years.

According to Van Andel-Gaby: “In the early 1970s, Ed Feulner and Paul Weyrich saw a widening gap between the ideas and policies conservatives championed and what polices were signed into law. To fill that gap, Heritage set about providing timely research to lawmakers who could then affect policy outcomes. Today, we are seeing at Heritage a renewal of this spirit. Under the leadership of Dr. Kevin Roberts, guided by my fellow board members, and with the support of half a million members, this great institution has seized the day. If there’s a fight to be had, we are in it. If there’s an opportunity to change policies at the federal or state level, we’re seizing it. If there’s a coalition to be gathered, we are convening it.”

Congratulations to our colleagues at Heritage, and here’s to our unified frontline fight for the next 50 years in our quest to “to support and defend” our sacred legacy of American Liberty.

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776