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immigrants
Trump says...
I will reinstate my action making illegals ineligible for public housing. We will terminate all work permits for illegal aliens. And I will demand that Congress send me a bill blocking any future President from abusing his power to distribute welfare benefits in this manner. Like automatic citizenship for children of illegal aliens… I will end it all immediately.
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Heritage says...
The Office of the Secretary should recommence proposed regulation put forward under the Trump Administration that would prohibit noncitizens, including all mixed-status families, from living in all federally assisted housing. Along with the legislative proposal, take regulatory action to limit the classes
of aliens eligible for work authorization.
Undocumented immigrants are largely ineligible for federal healthcare programs, aside from emergency care. They contribute billions of dollars in federal, state, and local taxes each year. 1
economy
Trump says...
I've been saying it for a long time. There should be no bailouts. I will immediately unleash energy production, slash regulations, like I did just three years ago, and repeal Biden's tax hikes to get inflation down as fast as possible, and it will go quickly, so that interest rates can get back under control.
same thing
Heritage says...
The Treasury should work with Congress to simplify the tax code by enacting a simple two-rate individual tax system of 15% and 30% that eliminates most deductions, credits and exclusions. In addition, intermediate tax reform should repeal all tax increases that were passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
As a result of Trump’s higher tariffs that crushed agricultural exports and commodity prices, his administration increased bailouts to farm aid from $11.5 million in 2017 to $32 billion in 2020. 1 But some of the funds intended for farmers went to wealthy residents in Mar-a-Lago, San Francisco, Los Altos, as well as the billionaire governor of West Virginia. 2
reciprocal trade act
Trump says...
If India, China, or any other country hits us with a 100 or 200 percent tariff on American-made goods, we will hit them with the same exact tariff. In other words, 100 percent is 100 percent. If they charge US, we charge THEM -
an eye for an eye, a tariff for a tariff, same exact amount.
same thing
Heritage says...
Reducing a trade deficit through implementation of the U.S. Reciprocal Trade Act, the application of tariffs, or renegotiating a bad trade deal like NAFTA all represent ways to increase net exports—and thereby boost the rate of economic growth.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has said the Reciprocal Trade Act would “undermine US economic growth and elicit damaging retaliatory tariffs against US exports.” 1
medicare and social security
Trump says...
Cut waste, fraud, and abuse everywhere that we can find it, and there’s plenty of it. But DO NOT CUT the benefits our seniors worked for and paid for their entire lives. Save Social Security. Don’t destroy it.
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Heritage says...
The bloated DHS bureaucracy and budget, along with the wrong priorities, provide real opportunities for a conservative Administration to cut billions in spending and limit government’s role in Americans’ lives.
In March 2024, Trump said he was open to making cuts to Social Security and Medicare. When Trump was president, his administration’s budget proposals included spending cuts to Social Security, primarily by targeting disability benefits, and Medicare, largely by reducing provider payments. 1
essential medicines
Trump says...
As part of my plan to obtain total independence from China, we will phase in tariffs and import restrictions to bring back production of all essential medicines to the United States of America where they belong. American lives are on the line, and it will be one of my top priorities as President. It will also create countless new American jobs.
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Heritage says...
Systematically reduce and eventually eliminate any U.S. dependence on Communist Chinese supply chains that may be used to threaten national security such as medicines, silicon chips, rare earth minerals, computer motherboards, flatscreen displays, and military components.
"Bringing all manufacturing back to the United States not only isn’t feasible, because we don’t have the raw materials, but that also creates a reliance on a single geographical area." 1
education
Trump says...
First, we will cut federal funding for any school or program pushing Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content onto our children. I will veto the sinister effort to weaponize civics education. We will keep men out of women’s sports.
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Heritage says...
The noxious tenets of “critical race theory” and “gender ideology” should be excised from curricula in every public school in the acountry. States, cities and counties, school boards, union bosses, principals, and teachers who disagree should be immediately cut off from federal funds.
Critical Race Theory, or CRT, is an academic and legal framework which recognizes that racism is more than the result of individual bias and prejudice, and it is embedded in laws, policies and institutions that uphold and reproduce racial inequalities. Attempts to ban CRT are attacks on free speech, on discussions about the truthful history of race and racism in the U.S., and the lived experiences of Black people and other people of color. 1
homeschool
Trump says...
Under the Trump tax cuts, we allowed families to use 529 Education Savings Accounts to spend up to $10,000 a year tax free on tuition for grades K through 12. So to support the growing homeschool movement, in my next term, I will immediately fight to allow homeschool parents the same incredible benefit...
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Heritage says...
Ultimately, every parent should have the option to direct his or her child’s share of education funding through an education savings account (ESA), funded overwhelmingly by state and local taxpayers, which would empower parents to choose a set of education options that meet their child's unique needs.
HSLDA opposes any kind of government funding for homeschooling as they will provide government officials with a reason to further regulate and oversee homeschooling. 1
drug addiction
Trump says...
I will permanently designate Fentanyl as a federally controlled substance,
and I will tell China that if they do not clamp down on the export of Fentanyl’s chemical precursors they will pay a steep price. Among the most important steps we can take is to strengthen the pillars that give life meaning and hope for those struggling with addiction, particular work, faith, and family.
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Heritage says...
Disrupting the flow of drugs across our borders and into our communities is of paramount importance, both to save lives and to bolster our public health efforts. These are the mediating institutions that serve as the building blocks of any healthy society. Marriage. Family. Work. Church. School. Volunteering.
Between 2016 and 2020, annual drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) increased by 192% (from 19,500 to 56,894). Between 2019 and 2020, the last year of Trump’s presidency, the increase in drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids was 55%. Between 2020 and 2021, the first year of Joe Biden’s presidency, the increase in drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids was 25%. 1
homelessness
Trump says...
When I am back in the White House, we will use every tool, lever, and authority to get the homeless off our streets. We will then open up large parcels of inexpensive land, bring in doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, and drug rehab specialists, and create tent cities where the homeless can be relocated and their problems identified.
same thing
Heritage says...
HUD should implement reforms reducing the implicit anti-marriage bias in housing assistance programs... and end Housing First policies so that the department prioritizes mental health and substance abuse issues before jumping to permanent interventions in homelessness.
Homelessness is mostly driven by lack of access to housing. A plan that includes the creation of more affordable housing would better address the problem of homelessness. 1
suburban housing
Trump says...
The woke left is waging full scale war on the suburbs, and their Marxist crusade is coming for your neighborhood, your tax dollars, your public safety, and your home. When I get back into the Oval Office, one of my first acts will be to repeal Joe Biden's radical left attack on the suburban lifestyle.
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Heritage says...
In the same manner, Congress should prioritize any and all legislative support for the single-family home. Localities rather than the federal government must have the final say in zoning laws and regulations, and a conservative Administration should oppose any efforts to weaken single-family zoning.
Strict zoning restrictions leads to fewer homes being constructed and a lower price elasticity of the housing supply, while decreasing zoning restrictions leads to higher housing construction costs and a higher price elasticity of the housing supply. 1
crime
Trump says...
I will sign a record investment in hiring, retention and training for police officers nationwide. This bill will also increase vital liability protections for officers…I will insist that local jurisdictions return to proven common sense policing measures, such as stop and frisk… we will end the leftist takeover of school discipline and juvenile justice. And I will sign concealed carry reciprocity. Your Second Amendment does not end at the state line.
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Heritage says...
With respect to the Department’s core responsibilities - enforcing our immigration laws... the federal government has primary authority and, accordingly, accountability. The department’s leadership must make actually reducing violent crime a priority across the United States - and it must do so in partnership with state and local officials in a manner that is tailored to the needs and conditions in those states and localities.
Biden’s budget funds his Safer American Plan, and provides for the hiring of 100,000 additional police officers for effective, accountable community policing. 1 Research shows that stop-and-frisk compromises trust in law enforcement. Over a 10 year period, nearly 90% of the time, stop-and-frisk searches found no evidence of a crime. 2
gender affirming care
Trump says...
On Day One, I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called “gender affirming care…” a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children. As part of our new credentialing body for teachers, we will promote positive education about the nuclear family, the roles of mothers and fathers, and celebrating rather than erasing the things that make men and women different and unique.
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Heritage says...
Abolishing the Gender Policy Council would eliminate... comprehensive sexuality education; and the new woke gender ideology, which has as a principal tenet “gender affirming care” and “sex-change” surgeries on minors. In addition to eliminating the council, developing new structures and positions will have the dual effect of demonstrating that promoting life and strengthening the family is a priority while also facilitating more seamless coordination and consistency across the U.S. government.
Research demonstrates that gender-affirming care improves the mental health and overall well-being of gender diverse children and adolescents. Prior to puberty, transition is entirely social, and may involve changing names, pronouns, clothing, and hairstyles. During and after puberty, some medical treatments, such as fully reversible puberty blockers, may be available, but only after significant consideration and consultation between the youth, their families, and their health care providers. In most cases, gender-affirming surgeries are not done before the age of 18. 1
chronic childhood illness
Trump says...
I will establish a special Presidential Commission... and I will charge them with investigating what is causing the decades-long increase in chronic illnesses. I will ask them to publish recommendations for how every American child can have a safe and healthy childhood.
same thing
Heritage says...
The next leadership at USAID must focus attention on women and children’s health (including unborn children) as well as health risks across life spans, including childhood infections, cervical cancer, adolescent risks, and family stability, by utilizing a coordinated approach.
At the beginning of Trump’s term, uninsured rates for children were at a record low, but by 2020, that number increased by 760,000 children. The Trump administration also excluded nearly 5 million children from SNAP dollars, and proposed cutting SNAP by 30% over the next decade. Food insecurity can cause developmental delays, hospitalizations, and increased health issues. 1
regulatory agencies
Trump says...
I will bring the independent regulatory agencies, such as the FCC and the FTC, back under Presidential authority, as the Constitution demands. This will effectively repeal a mountain of stealth regulations and threats that rogue bureaucrats have imposed without proper oversight.
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Heritage says...
A President who refuses to do so and uses his or her office to reimpose constitutional authority over federal policymaking can begin to correct decades of corruption and remove thousands of bureaucrats from the positions of public trust they have so long abused.
This policy will target agencies that enact regulations aimed at keeping the air and water clean, as well as keeping food, drugs, and products safe for consumers. 1
impoundment
Trump says...
I will do everything I can to challenge the Impoundment Control Act in court, and if necessary, get Congress to overturn it. I will then use the president’s long-recognized Impoundment Power to squeeze the bloated federal bureaucracy for massive savings.
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Heritage says...
Congress no longer meaningfully budgets, authorizes, or categorizes spending. The President should use every possible tool to propose and impose fiscal discipline on the federal government. Anything short of that would constitute abject failure. The best solution is to cut functions and budgets and devolve responsibilities.
In 1974, a federal statute called the Impoundment Control Act was enacted. Blocking Congress from accessing funds and overriding congressional authority is precisely why Trump was impeached; he withheld ~$400 million in military assistance from Ukraine. 1
esg investments
Trump says...
The entire ESG scheme is designed to funnel your retirement money to the maniacs on the radical left. I will sign an executive order and with Congress’ support, a law to keep politics away from America's retirement accounts forever.
same thing
Heritage says...
Remove ESG considerations from ERISA. DOL should return to the Trump Administration’s approach of permitting only the consideration of pecuniary factors in ERISA. However, this ashould not preclude the consideration of legitimate non-ESG factors.
ESG investing involves weighing companies’ records on environmental, social justice, and labor issues, along with traditional financial considerations. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk stated that the rule still requires that financial considerations come first, and does not create "an overarching regulatory bias in favor of ESG strategies.” 1
electric vehicles
Trump says...
I stand in total solidarity with you in your fight against Joe Biden's job-killing Green New Deal insanity. When I am your president, I will deliver higher wages for auto workers. I will protect your jobs. I will end Joe Biden's catastrophic electric vehicle mandate.
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Heritage says...
Under the next President, the Department of Energy should... respect the right of Americans to buy and drive cars of their own choosing, rather than trying to force them into electric vehicles and eventually out of the driver’s seat altogether in favor of self-driving robots.
The Biden administration has set a goal — not a mandate — to have electric vehicles comprise half of all new vehicle sales by 2030. 1
energy costs
Trump says...
As President, I will set a national goal of ensuring that America has the number one lowest cost of energy of any industrial country anywhere on Earth. I want to be number one. And more energy will mean lower inflation that will mean more jobs.
same thing
Heritage says...
The next conservative Administration should prioritize energy and science dominance to ensure that Americans have abundant, affordable, and reliable energy; create good-paying jobs; support domestic manufacturing and technology leadership; and strengthen national security.
In 2016, Trump promised “complete American energy independence,” but that never happened. 1
freedom of speech
Trump says...
I will sign an executive order banning any federal department or agency from colluding with any organization, business, or person, to censor, limit, categorize, or impede the lawful speech of American citizens. I will ask Congress to send a bill to my desk revising Section 230 to get big online platforms out of censorship business.
same thing
Heritage says...
Support free speech and hold big tech accountable. Immediately conduct a thorough review of federal policy regarding free speech online and provide policy solutions to address big tech’s censorship of speech. Congress should do so by ensuring that Internet companies no longer have carte blanche to censor protected speech while maintaining their Section 230 protections.
In June 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that federal agencies, such as the FBI, may continue to request the removal of misinformation on social media platforms. 1 Biden has made calls to amend Section 230 in order to “limit targeted advertising and ban it altogether for children,” as well as expose platforms to lawsuits over content moderation, and he has advocated for algorithm transparency by tech companies. 2
military
Trump says...
We have very few people signing up to join our military. I will provide record funding for our military just as I did four great years, if you think about what we were able to do, four great years of rebuilding our military, and we rebuilt it bigger and better and stronger than ever before.
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Heritage says...
Reform recruiting efforts. A rebuilt Army that is focused again on its core warfighting mission and empowered it with the tools, resources, and authorities it needs to accomplish that mission must be the next Administration’s highest defense priority.
There has been a consistent decrease in recruits over the years. In 1980, over 360,000 people enlisted in the military. By 2020, the number of new recruits was just above 148,000. 1
missile defense
Trump says...
Just as Israel is now protected by the Iron Dome, a dream once thought impossible, America must have an impenetrable dome to protect our people. We must be able to defend our homeland, our allies, and our military assets around the world from the threat of hypersonic missiles—no matter where they are launched from.
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Heritage says...
Missile defense is a critical component of the U.S. national security architecture. Invest in future advanced missile defense technologies like directed energy or space-based missile defense that could defend against more numerous missile threats. Invest in cruise missile defense of the homeland.
Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget has requested $28.4 billion to enhance U.S. missile- defense capabilities to defend the homeland, U.S. deployed forces, and our allies and partners against this growing missile threat. 1
chinese espionage
Trump says...
Instead of hunting down Republicans, a reformed FBI and Justice Department will be hunting down Chinese spies. He [Biden] dismantled the Trump administration’s initiative countering Chinese espionage in the United States, he canceled the ban on the Chinese intelligence weapon known as TikTok, and he is allowing China to buy up critical infrastructure all over the country, including real estate near sensitive U.S. military bases.
same thing
Heritage says...
Ban all Chinese social media apps such as TikTok and WeChat, which pose significant national security risks and expose American consumers to data and identity theft. Robust security protocols are necessary to protect DOE technology and innovations from foreign penetration and espionage. Section 702 should be understood as an essential tool in the fight against terrorism, malicious cyber actors, and Chinese espionage.
In April 2024, Biden’s administration signed a bill, known as the TikTok ban, which would ban the platform unless it is sold within a year. 1 They also added 37 Chinese entities to a trade restriction list for actions involving the Chinese spy balloon that flew over the United States, as well as for their attempts to obtain American technology. 2
human trafficking
Trump says...
I will use Title 42 to end the child trafficking crisis by returning all trafficked children to their families in their home countries and without delay, and I will urge Congress to ensure that anyone caught trafficking children across our border receives the death penalty immediately and that includes also for women, because women as you know are number one in trafficking. Children are actually number two.
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Heritage says...
The next conservative Administration should therefore do everything possible to obtain finality for the prisoners currently on federal death row. It should also pursue the death penalty for applicable crimes - particularly heinous crimes involving violence and sexual abuse of children - until Congress says otherwise through legislation.
Abuse of the Title 42 policy expelled more than 13,000 children in need of protection and who were legally entitled to asylum. 1
mexican drug cartels
Trump says...
I will order the Department of Defense to make appropriate use of special forces, cyber warfare, and other overt and covert actions to inflict maximum damage on cartel leadership, infrastructure, and operations.
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Heritage says...
The department’s primary directive under the next Administration should be to return to an unapologetic focus on dismantling these criminal organizations [cartels] and incarcerating their membership.
Republican policy puts more guns into the hands of traffickers and incentivizes the creation of drugs that are more potent and smaller in size. 1, 2