Leading the Way: Celebrating Conservatism’s Champion
Leslie Ford /
For 36 years, Ed Feulner has stood at the helm of The Heritage Foundation. Through his leadership, Heritage became the conservative beacon on Capitol Hill, leading the way for conservative research and legislation to shape American policy.
Heritage wouldn’t have happened without Ed Feulner.
In his new book, Leading the Way, Heritage Fellow and historian Lee Edwards weaves the story of the Chicago kid who made his way to D.C. because he believed in conservative principles. Feulner started on Capitol Hill and then made the move to join a small think tank across the street from the Senate buildings.
It wasn’t long before Feulner led that small think tank to bet big on the success of the Reagan campaign. When the Reagan Administration needed it, the young think tank was ready with 2,000 specific—and conservative—policy recommendations. The 1,093 page Mandate for Leadership put Heritage the map.
At Heritage, Feulner has transformed policymaking in Washington and led The Heritage Foundation to become the most influential conservative think tank in the nation.
Heritage has shaped policies with conservative solutions for the critical issues we still deal with today: entitlements leading to a crippling debt; national security and missile defense; desperately needed health care, welfare, and immigration reform; the importance of free trade and energy; and the vital role of the family and religion in society.
Today, there are hundreds of thousands of members who support Heritage’s mission. Heritage is a permanent Washington institution and the leading source of conservative ideas in America and around the world.
So what is Feulner’s legacy? Edwards concludes: “As the master builder steps down as Heritage president, and people ask what difference Ed Feulner has made, I recall what was said of the master English architect Christopher Wren, ‘If you seek his memorial, look about you.’”