Thinktanks in the US heavily influence the political thought and guidance of political parties and while some are aligned to the Republicans, others are with the Democrats.
The Heritage Foundation is one thinktank which leans towards the former and there is a view that President Trump’s recent National Security Strategy document is heavily influenced by the foundation.
Brig Anil Raman (Retd) who studies the US from his perch in the Takshashila Institution, told The Gist in an interview that the “Heritage (Foundation) is primarily one which focuses very heavily on domestic agenda. It does look at international relations, but they are driven to a large extent by their domestic agenda, and that you find that seeing expression in (this) document.”
The ideologies which it (Heritage) propagates, one is of course free enterprise, market driven economy is the best. Then it again believes in limited government. You find that reflected in Republican statements. Individual freedom of course.
Then traditional American values in which the Christian aspect is highly emphasized. So this is a place where the evangelical Christians form the sort of voting bloc of the Republicans. They are also about strong national defence.
Raman believes these ideas were there during Trump’s first term but he was never able to implement them. There were people all around him who prevented him from carrying out his agenda. Cut to today when those restraints do not exist.
The focus clearly is on domestic priorities. Alliances are being weakened, the Western Hemisphere is being promoted and transactionalism is taking centre stage.
that where this entire thing about immigration, and the focus on, South America, Latin America is there where it comes from.
“Immigration may have been mentioned in the past but what has happened in the current analysis, it has found very clear mention in the Heritage document, the primacy of immigration, the primacy of border control of the southern border. Immigration has been elevated to the status of the main and the most critical national security threat.”
Tune in for more in this conversation with Brig Anil Raman (Retd) of the Takshashila Institution.
Thirty eight years in journalism, widely travelled, history buff with a preference for Old Monk Rum. Current interest/focus spans China, Technology and Trade. Recent reads: Steven Colls Directorate S and Alexander Frater's Chasing the Monsoon. Netflix/Prime video junkie. Loves animal videos on Facebook. Reluctant tweeter.
