In 1979, during a Heritage Foundation board meeting, former officials like Bill Simon and Jack Eckerd shared frustrations about the lack of guidance when entering government roles under a conservative administration. They noted that incoming leaders often relied on advice from holdovers or career bureaucrats aligned with liberal policies, making conservative reform difficult. Frank Shakespeare emphasized the need to shift from electoral politics to policy politics once elected, while Bill Middendorf proposed that conservatives needed a better strategy for preparing to govern effectively. This sparked the Heritage Foundation's initiative to create Mandate for Leadership. Development and Goals

Heritage staff and volunteers compiled detailed policy plans across various areas like welfare, defense, and tax reform. The vision was to produce a guidebook for reducing federal government size, limiting its constitutional scope, and freeing the private sector from regulatory overreach—encouraging entrepreneurial growth and strengthening U.S. leadership in the global economy. Impact During Reagan Administration

The first Mandate for Leadership was published in January 1981 and served as a conservative blueprint for Ronald Reagan’s administration. With over 2,000 specific recommendations, it addressed a wide range of reforms. Reagan distributed the Mandate to his Cabinet and recruited many of its contributors into his administration. Nearly half of the recommendations were implemented in Reagan’s first year, resulting in tax cuts, a strengthened military, and long-term economic growth.Revival and Use Under Trump Administration

Subsequent editions of Mandate followed every four years, but the 2016 version stood out. It was embraced by the Trump Administration, which implemented 64% of its proposals in its first year. These included tax cuts, deregulation, energy independence, veterans’ services, and military rebuilding. Trump appreciated the comparison to Reagan, whom he admired, and used Mandate as a benchmark for conservative governance. Mandate as a Conservative Accountability Tool

Mandate has become a way for conservative administrations to measure their achievements and for the public to hold them accountable to stated principles. It presents a contrast to previous liberal administrations like Jimmy Carter’s, characterized by economic stagnation and foreign policy weakness.

Here’s the continuation of the summary:

Mandate's Relevance in 2025 and the Importance of Personnel

Edwin Feulner argues that President Joe Biden’s administration has brought levels of economic, cultural, military, and foreign policy disorder even worse than during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. Therefore, he believes a conservative administration taking office in 2025 must act swiftly to reverse the damage.Crucial to this process is appointing the right personnel throughout the executive branch—individuals already committed to the conservative vision. This includes Cabinet-level officials and agency heads who not only implement policy but also serve as a check on the entrenched administrative state. Examples of needed reform include reining in agencies like the EPA, IRS, and OSHA, which are accused of regulatory overreach and politicization under the Biden Administration.Mandate as the Roadmap for Immediate Action

Feulner emphasizes that new appointees need a clear strategy from day one, given their limited time in office. Mandate for Leadership is presented as this essential roadmap—not to maintain the current bureaucratic machinery, but to aggressively advance conservative principles and demonstrate their effectiveness in contrast to liberal governance.Continuity of Purpose and Ongoing Policy Battles

From the Reagan-era 1981 edition to the 2025 version, the Mandate’s mission remains consistent: propose specific, actionable policies to revitalize the economy, bolster national defense, and reduce centralized federal power. Feulner acknowledges the enduring nature of political conflict in Washington—there are no permanent victories, only ongoing policy struggles as the Left continually works to reverse conservative gains.Coalition Behind the 2025 Mandate

The 2025 edition is a collaborative effort involving Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, Project 2025 Director Paul Dans, and over 50 conservative organizations with 360+ experts. Their goal is to craft solutions rooted in free enterprise, limited government, individual liberty, traditional values, and national strength—not to grow government but to foster a society of freedom and opportunity.The Call to Action: “Onward!”

Instead of concluding with a traditional “Afterword,” Feulner ends with his signature call: “Onward!”—a rallying cry that signifies continued effort and future challenges rather than finality. It underscores a mindset of perpetual advancement, engagement, and readiness for new missions in pursuit of national betterment.