Founder and former Heritage president, Dr. Ed Feulner, gives an address at Mt. Vernon during our 50th Anniversary Leadership Summit.
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Next introduction is someone who is the Heritage foundation's George Washington A man who along with what we call our Founding families whom we honor this Week The next round of founding families and Of course friends all of you here Tonight and others has been responsible Not just for the creation of this Institution you know Heritage Foundation Is more than just an organization we Really do see it with with no Institutional hubris quite the opposite As an institution of civil society that Isn't merely about policy it is about Revitalizing the good life as our Recently departed long-time board member Jerry Hume would say And it is a great pleasure As now myself the president of the Heritage Foundation to have even be been Thinking about doing the 50th Anniversary just getting up on that Milestone but also doing that here as Part of the celebration at Mount Vernon Because in the same way that Mount Vernon I would argue is the greatest Icon of our heritage in America our Greatest personification Of the heritage foundation's heritage is My friend and mentor and our founder Dr Ed fulner please join me in welcoming Ed [Applause] Thank you Kevin
Ladies and gentlemen dear friends Colleagues Alumni Everybody who is a part of the extended Heritage Family You know when I look back on those 50 Years and think about what really Mattered One of the things that comes to mind That I bet not many even of my current Heritage colleagues would remember is That over the years We distributed something like 4 million Of these A copy of the Constitution Of the United States It's the Constitution That Interested America that was sent to Interested Americans individually Schools and Scouts churches and Synagogues and I still carry a copy of It with me every day it's a time-tested Document Founded on the proposition that ours is A government of laws not of men That's made plain in the very beginning Of the Constitution first three words we The people So much is contained in those three Words Twenty years before he came president Ronald Reagan Said it in in a it is a source of power
Except the Sovereign people Of the country and still The newest and most unique experiment in The long history of man's relations to Man In his farewell address President Reagan Wrote the American Revolution and I Quote was the first revolution in the History of mankind that truly reversed The course of government with those Three little words we the people We tell the government what to do it Doesn't tell us The idea of We the People the president Said is the underlying basis for Everything he had tried to do as President Foreign We can say the same thing I believe About the Heritage Foundation which I Was privileged to lead For some 38 years Our goal was ambitious to be the Conservative voice in Washington Standing up for right principles and the Right policies After 50 years I like to think we've Succeeded And always the Constitution was our North Star It was there shining brightly When we proposed real Health Care Solutions meaningful government spending Cuts
Tax reform to encourage new businesses Create jobs and spur economic growth Measures to rein in out of control Federal bureaucracy A proven way for energy Independence Immigration reform and protection of our Borders Urging presidents and helping them to Emphasize appointing originalist judges And justices faithful to the Constitution And of course the preservation of the Traditional family Yes the Constitution was always there to Keep us on the road to order Liberty We see ourselves as ever Vigilant Watchdog for our government all of us at Heritage like to ask five principal Questions about every proposed Governmental action Number one Is it the government's business Heritage believes a lot of it isn't and That if it is chances are the local Solutions are the best Solutions when Considering all forms of public policy After all that's what our federal system Is all about Number two does it promote self-reliance Individual freedom and individual Responsibility must be promoted to keep People away from the government trough Number three does it make America more Prosperous
We must preserve and strengthen our Economic freedom to encourage Entrepreneurs and Enterprises by Reducing their tax and Regulatory Burdens Number four Does it make us safe Peace through strength Has been our watchword finally number Five is Doug just reminded us Does it unify us The unity we once prized and encouraged In every citizen to embrace is eroding Because of cultural relativism and the Cult of diversity At Heritage we believe that building a Conservative majority of We the People Assumes adding and multiplying not Subtracting and dividing we welcome and Work with all responsible citizens Thus our first mandate for leadership For President Reagan involved Conservative thinkers from more than a Dozen different conservative Organizations boy we were really Reaching out that was neat Tomorrow At our celebration will be introducing Mandate for leadership seven Called project 2025 mandate for Leadership the conservative promise Thank you all for that [Applause] For this incredible volume Heritage has
Enlisted more than 400 individuals Who participated in writing the 900 Pages of publication representing more Than 50 different conservative groups Not just from Washington but from all Over the country Yes we know it's going to make a Difference and to everyone here who has Been involved in this project a sincere Thank you From this old man who was around the First time it all happened Thank you very much Here at Mount Vernon we're reminded of Our shared Heritage the heritage of America's founding father Ladies and gentlemen we should all look For inspiration from George Washington President Washington put it succinctly The Constitution is the guide which I Will never abandon And how do we indicate sacred respect For that guide George Washington provided the answer And I quote The best means of founding a manly Virtuous and happy people will be found In the right education of Youth Without this Foundation every other Means in my opinion will fall All that brings us to our featured Speaker this evening who have the great Honor of introducing I hope he's finished his
Media appearances on the other side of The mansion and is back there somewhere But it's my great pleasure to introduce Governor Glenn Younkin Who in fact As George Washington said really won his Election because like George Washington He believed in the right education of Our youth He's a man I've come to know and to Admire as I work as a volunteer on his Team in Personnel matters for our State University Glenn Younkin is no run-of-the-mill Politician A successful business leader at the Carlisle group he's a man of vision a Vision for a Virginia where the Next Generation can live out their dreams and Live up to the spirit of Virginia Governor youngin trusts We the People Which is why he supports parents rights When it comes to educating our children Governor Younkin respects the Constitution which is why he opposes the Diverse the divisive philosophy of Critical race Theory And today Some pundits are saying that the fire of Liberty is faltering and fading That our Republican representative model Of government has become irrelevant It's time they say for government to
Take over our lives and our fortunes I Don't believe that and I don't think any Of you here who've been involved with Heritage do either I don't believe it because there are Institutions like the Heritage Foundation Our Heritage Foundation with More than 500 000 members people like You here this evening who are determined To preserve and protect our Liberty I don't accept it because there are Principled courageous leaders like you Glenn Young Who stand on the shoulders of George Washington Thomas Jefferson George Mason James Madison and the other Giants of Americans founding who have made the United States of America the most Exceptional nation in the history of the World My friends I know you're committed to Keep alive and burning bright the sacred Fire of Liberty Tomorrow again from President Reagan I believe that you and I have a Rendezvous with Destiny which requires Us to commit ourselves to A Renewed Crusade for freedom With God's help and with principled Leaders like Glenn Younkin we will Preserve our Republic and secure the Future of our Beloved Country Ladies and Gentlemen please join me here At George Washington's historic home
In saluting our shared institution Our Heritage Foundation which now for 50 Years has been dedicated to building in America where Freedom opportunity Prosperity in Civil Society flourish
