Economic Mobility in America
Ron Haskins, March 20, 2008
On March 20, the Center on Children and Families at Brookings and the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Economic Mobility Project a discussion to examine the findings of "Getting Ahead or Losing Ground: Economic Mobility in America," a new volume by Brookings experts Julia Isaacs, Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins.
Economic Mobility, Children & Families, U.S. Economy, Working Poor, Wages
On the Road Again? A Look at the U.S. Auto Industry
Steven Rattner, October 21, 2009
On October 21, the Initiative on Business and Public Policy explored the government’s role in the auto industry and their future relationship. Steven Rattner, former head of the Obama administration’s Task Force on the Auto Industry, delivered the keynote address.
Auto Industry, U.S. Economy, Business
The Economic Impact of Health Care Reform
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, June 02, 2009
On June 2, Christina Romer, chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, joined Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform director Mark McClellan, Harvard economist David Cutler and former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin to discuss the economic case for health care reform and its potential impact on the U.S. economy. At the event, Holtz-Eakin said that health care reform is needed, but believes the report presents an overly optimistic assessment of how much savings could actually be gained.
Health Care, U.S. Economy, Medicaid, Medicare, Public Health
Memo to the President: Rebuild Financial Institutions and Confidence
Alice M. Rivlin, December 11, 2008
In this installment of Brookings’s “Memo to the President” series, Senior Fellows Martin Baily and Alice Rivlin along with former FDIC Chairman Donald E. Powell discussed methods that the incoming administration should consider for handling the housing crisis and financial meltdown. At the event, Rivlin said that this financial crisis has deeply affected consumer confidence but adds there are critical steps that can be taken to restore that confidence in the nation’s financial system.
Financial Institutions, Financial Markets, Banking, U.S. Economy
Child Infection Rates for H1N1 Flu
Joshua M. Epstein, October 01, 2009
Children tend to have higher infection rates of the H1N1 virus than older age groups do, Epstein says, which is unlike the traditional flu. For that reason, school closures have been a focus of ways to help minimize the spread of the disease, he notes.
Decrease Poverty and Increase Opportunity
Rebecca M. Blank, November 25, 2008
A major economic slowdown adds to the problems of lower-income Americans, who have not shared in the economic growth of the last decade. On November 24, Brookings senior fellow Rebecca Blank offered policy solutions and priorities for the president-elect to make greater investments in economic mobility and opportunity.
U.S. Poverty, U.S. Economy, Economic Mobility
Stimulus at Six Months: Boom or Bust?
Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst, August 13, 2009
Six months after Congress passed a two-year, $787 billion stimulus plan to revive America’s economy, conflicting numbers fuel arguments of both proponents and critics. A panel of Brookings experts weighed the evidence and discussed whether the money was strategically deployed to invigorate the nation’s economy, to create jobs and to advance school reform. At the event, Russ Whitehurst said very little of the federal funds have been spent since the Department of Education has $115 billion of stimulus money to manage and roughly 13 percent of that has been sent to states.
U.S. Economic Stimulus, U.S. Economic Growth, U.S. Economy
The Senate Votes to Open Debate on Health Care Reform
Henry J. Aaron, November 23, 2009
In the wake of the Senate's vote to allow the health care reform debate to proceed to the Senate floor, Senior Fellow Henry Aaron cautions that any legislation to revamp the system must be fiscally responsible and should improve the quality of care. He says lawmakers have many long discussions ahead of them.
Health Care, U.S. Congress, U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics, The Presidency
The Fate of the Economic Rescue Package
October 01, 2008
Senior Fellow Thomas Mann moderated a forum on the proposed economic bailout package and its fate in Congress. Scholars agreed that avoiding economic disaster means some sort of plan must be enacted fast. The likened it to anticipating nuclear war – it’s important to be prepared and avoid it at all costs.
Financial Markets, Financial Institutions, Fiscal Policy, U.S. Economy, U.S. Congress
Getting to a High-Value Health Care System: Developing the Infrastructure for Meaningful Quality Measurement and Reporting
July 30, 2009
During a recent Capitol Hill briefing, the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and other key stakeholders discussed the need for valid, timely, consistent, and widely available information about the quality and cost for care in implementing real health care reform.
Health Care, Health IT
Invest at Home
Amy Liu, August 22, 2007
Amy Liu argues that a major economic focus should be investment in firms and workers in the United States. Rather than trying to level wage competition, Liu says, the government should invest in its assets at home to keep companies from moving abroad.
Competitiveness
Reforming Provider Payment: Moving Toward Accountability for Quality and Value
March 11, 2009
A policy forum on March 11 at the Brookings Institution focused on the need for payment reform and, specifically, the ACO model. This model provides a framework for increased accountability accompanied by new financial support for better ways of delivering care.
The Economic Impact of Health Care Reform
David Cutler, June 02, 2009
On June 2, Christina Romer, chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, joined Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform director Mark McClellan, Harvard economist David Cutler and former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin to discuss the economic case for health care reform and its potential impact on the U.S. economy. At the event, Cutler said that 75 percent of medical spending is for treatment of preventable conditions.
Health Care, U.S. Economy, Medicaid, Medicare, Public Health
Turmoil in the Housing and Financial Markets
Bruce Katz, September 23, 2008
A Hamilton Project discussion on September 23 covered the impacts being felt on Main Street where millions of American families have lost their homes. Bruce Katz, vice president and director of Brookings's Metropolitan Policy Program, said that a disproportionate number of poor Americans are in rental housing.
Mortgage Market, Financial Markets, Housing, U.S. Economy, Financial Institutions
Helping Disconnected Mothers
Rebecca M. Blank, Hon. Tom Downey and Hon. Nancy Johnson, May 07, 2008
At a forum cosponsored by the Center on Children and Families at Brookings and the National Poverty Center, an elite panel of experts, featuring Brookings’s Rebecca Blank, discussed policy challenges posed by single mothers who have not been able to find stable employment and who may have used up their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families eligibility or face sanctions. These women head the families that are most vulnerable to the current economic downswing.
U.S. Poverty, Unemployment, Welfare, Children & Families, Working Poor
Can the PBGC Ensure Pension Plans during the Bad Economy?
Douglas J. Elliott, July 27, 2009
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ensures the retirement funds of nearly 44 million American workers and retirees, and now plans to assume responsibility for the pension plans of 70,000 GM workers. Lawmakers are concerned about PBGC's growing deficit, which has tripled to roughly $33.5 billion in six months. Douglas Elliott says they have good reason to be worried, given the current economy.
Retirement, Pensions, Regulation, U.S. Economy
Unemployment Outlook Still Uncertain
Gary Burtless, July 01, 2009
Despite continued sluggishness in the economy and the recent upheaval in the auto industry, unemployment claims are down. Senior Fellow Gary Burtless says employers are still shedding jobs but says the stimulus program and the growing need for workers in some expanding industries are critical in the effort to stabilize the economy.
U.S. Economy, Unemployment, U.S. Economic Stimulus
The Great Credit Squeeze
Robert E. Litan, May 16, 2008
How could America's sophisticated financial system go so wrong and cause so much damage? Martin Baily, Douglas Elmendorf and Robert Litan answered that question at a public forum and suggested policy actions to reduce the chance that history repeats itself. FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair offered her own proposal to ease the crisis.
Financial Services, Fiscal Policy, Housing, Mortgage Market, U.S. Economy