November 07, 2008
The president-elect faces enormous challenges, but comes into office buoyed by an electorate hungry for change. Effective leadership, both at home and abroad, will require mobilizing grass-roots support and repositioning government as a solution rather than as a problem.
November 11, 2008
To address energy security—including climate change—President Obama must make this a top-three priority. His plan must address volatile energy prices, dangerous vulnerabilities resulting from our energy consumption and green technology to help revitalize our economy.
November 24, 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. Greater investments in economic mobility and opportunity are needed. Rebecca Blank offers policy solutions and priorities for the president-elect to make greater investments in economic mobility and opportunity.
December 05, 2008
A new administration presents an ideal opportunity to reshape the nation’s tax code. Improving the equity, simplicity and efficiency of the tax system will help to better prepare taxpayers, businesses and the economy for the challenges that lay ahead.
December 10, 2008
America cannot afford to retreat from the fight against global poverty in a world where remote challenges can rapidly metastasize into global threats. Instead the United States must demonstrate renewed leadership and showcase its national spirit by investing wisely through more effective global development cooperation.
December 11, 2008
The economy is the number one concern in the minds of main street Americans. The $700 billion bailout package was aimed at rebuilding financial institutions, but it is now up to the new president to restore confidence in consumers and workers.
December 18, 2008
The Afghanistan-Pakistan border region has become the central front in the war on terror. Pakistan is suffering from social, political and economic turmoil, while Afghanistan’s security situation continues to deteriorate with a resurgent Taliban. Seven years after the 9/11 attacks, these two countries may present the greatest foreign policy challenge facing the next president.
January 05, 2009
Israel and Hamas continue to battle, dismissing a United Nations call for a cease-fire. In addition to the volatile situation in Gaza, the next president will face a Middle East in turmoil and an American public weary of engagement there. That challenge requires a return to diplomacy in order to begin the withdrawal from Iraq, cap Iran’s nuclear ambitions and promote a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace.
January 09, 2009
America faces a profoundly altered financial landscape and a rapidly shifting world economic order. To meet the challenges of maintaining strong domestic economic growth and restoring global financial stability, we need a national agenda that tackles a broad range of domestic economic policy issues and promotes constructive engagement with the global economy.
January 12, 2009
President Obama is preparing plans for an immediate economic stimulus package. At the same time, his new administration must consider how to make investments that will stabilize and strengthen our economy over the long term. Bruce Katz and Robert Puentes present their recommendations on bolstering infrastructure and investing in other economic drivers that can enhance long-term prosperity.
January 15, 2009
The 44th president will face a world of transnational threats and multiple crises. The United States cannot succeed alone. Carlos Pascual presents his recommendations to President Obama on how to restore credible American leadership; galvanize cooperative action against major global challenges; and revitalize key international institutions.
January 16, 2009
Almost 50 million Americans are uninsured, the cost of public and private health insurance is rising and the quality of care is uneven at best. Henry Aaron offers a public memo to President Obama with recommendations on how to deal with the challenges that will confront him in reforming health care. The memo is the twelfth of 12 Brookings memos on the most crucial public policy priorities facing the new president.