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Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:15:00 GMT
The Senate voted Saturday night 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.
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Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove comments on the new autobiographies by Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice-presidential candidate, and Carrie Prejean, the former California beauty pageant contestant. Despite the surprising similarities between these two conservative women and their books, Fullilove argues that, while Prejean's book may not be of great consequence, Palin's prominence in the Republican party makes her book an important read.
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Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:29:00 GMT
The decision to prosecute alleged 9/11 master-mind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators in a civil trial in the Southern District of New York sparks debate on how to best try terrorism suspects. Benjamin Wittes offers his views on the significance of trying terror detainees in the U.S. civilian judicial system.
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Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On October 26 Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, announced that the U.S. was revoking the visa of a top Kenyan official because of his role in blocking reforms in the country. Mwangi Kimenyi discusses this approach and urges that the focus should be on overhauling institutions, not targeting individuals.
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Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On the first anniversary of President Obama's victory, Justin Vaïsse explains the delay in enacting major domestic reform by pointing out the continuing partisan polarization and the importance of checks and balances, especially the power of the Senate.
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Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
"Opt-out” has become the most powerful phrase in the health care debate, thanks to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s decision to include it in Senate legislation. If particular jurisdictions do not like a public option, they simply can exit the government health insurance system for uninsured residents. This is a very American idea, writes Darrell West. However, from a governance standpoint, the public option creates a worrisome precedent for other policy areas.
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Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Post-partisan politics is seen as providing a cure for whatever currently ails American politics. Charles Jones explores post-partisanship and the various forms of partisanship that currently exist in Washington. Although conventional wisdom tells us that we must move beyond partisanship, Jones concludes that partisanship continues to serve as the basis for the workings of American politics. Simply put, partisanship is the way lawmaking works in representative government.
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Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The “Black Tuesday” stock market crash of 1929 still haunts us on its 80th anniversary this Thursday. William Galston describes the actions taken over this past year to avert a second Great Depression and suggests that the flap over Wall Street bonuses signals a return to business as usual. Our political system has a duty to act against the obvious abuses, he writes.
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Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In a recent op-ed in Roll Call, the Brookings and Duke Immigration Policy Roundtable offered substantive recommendations on how to usher in immigration reform, including enhanced enforcement of workplace laws, new legalization standards, the establishment of an independent standing commission and engagement with the Mexico on cross-border population issues.
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Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 09, 2009, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
On October 9, the Brookings Institution will host Harvard Public Policy Lecturer Elaine Kamarck for a discussion of her new book, Primary Politics: How Presidential Candidates Have Shaped the Modern Nominating System (Brookings Institution Press, 2009), which explains how the presidential nomination process became the often bewildering system we have today.
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Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
To dig deeper into what the American public really thinks about health care, experts at Brookings and WorldPublicOpinion.org gathered and interpreted polling research about public attitudes toward reform of the country’s health care system. Their results offer a new and complex portrait of how Americans view health care reform and the policy debate surrounding the polarizing issue.
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Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Irving Kristol, regarded by many as the "godfather" of neoconservativism, passed away on September 18 at the age of 89. Justin Vaïsse examines the history of the movement and explains why Kristol was not a neocon in the modern sense of the word – partly because of Kristol’s consistently realist foreign policy approach.
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Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Despite months of negotiations, Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus was forced to introduce his long-awaited health reform bill without gaining the support of even one Republican senator. At first glance this outcome seems puzzling, but party polarization—the ideological gap in Congress between Democrats and Republicans–is at its highest level in more than a century, writes William Galston.
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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The current controversy over the number of "czars" in the Obama administration enjoys the rare distinction of being a political fight in Washington that everybody wants to have. However, Stephen Hess is confounded by the controversy since presidents have always had close advisers with powerful portfolios who did not require Senate confirmation.
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Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Obama administration's decision to impose tariffs on imports of Chinese tires has been met with a swift and sharp response by China. Eswar Prasad discusses the implications of protectionist measures and warns this U.S.-China spat could have global consequences.
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Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The United States Constitution states that "no title of nobility shall be granted by the United States," yet it seems political nobility is as American as apple pie, writes Stephen Hess. In developing a robust ranking of the country’s most prominent political families, Hess tracks the constant shift in America’s long history of dynastic politics.
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Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the heated health care debate continues, Michael Fullilove weighs in on President Barack Obama's recent address to a joint session of Congress. Fullilove argues that President Obama's speech showed passion, clarity and strength, and that it will give lawmakers a necessary push towards a positive middle ground as the final bill takes shape.
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Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As President Obama ascended the podium to deliver his pivotal health care speech, he faced a number of key challenges: to regain control of a debate, to reunify a divided Democratic party, and to allay widespread public fears that have weakened support for reform in recent months. Early polls suggest that the speech was well received and had moved a substantial portion of the public in the president’s direction. On the other hand, it seems likely that three major areas of public doubt remain; Medicare, the budget deficit, and employer-provided insurance coverage, writes William Galston.
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Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:08:23 GMT
After the President addressed a Joint Session of Congress, Senior Fellow Henry Aaron offers his view on where health care reform efforts move from here. Aaron says that the president delivered a strong and persuasive speech that spells out his vision for health care reform, and that Congress and Republicans stand to gain much by helping to deliver important reform.
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Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Although President Obama’s approval ratings are declining, there is nothing inexorable about this drop or the larger swing against him among Independents, writes Thomas Mann. However, if the economic downturn persists a year from now and President Obama’s approval ratings have sunk well below 50 percent, Mann predicts, Democrats are likely to lose 20 or more seats in the House and a few in the Senate.
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Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With the debate over end-of-life counseling clouding the health care reform discussion, some in Congress have abandoned support for the service. Strobe Talbott and his son Devin describe their family's experience this year, providing a vivid perspective on the value of both counseling and hospice care.
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Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:28:15 GMT
Senator Edward Kennedy served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 50 years and left behind a legacy of service and commitment. Senior Fellow Emeritus Stephen Hess observes that Kennedy was one of the most noted figures in the U.S. Senate and will likely be the last member of his family to leave such an indelible mark on politics.
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Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- August 19, 2009, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
With Congress out on recess, climate change and health care reform efforts are stalled. Thomas Mann and Politico's Fred Barbash took questions in a live web chat on whether partisan gridlock and hefty price tags could prevent these bills’ passage.
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Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- August 12, 2009, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
At the six-month mark of his presidency, Barack Obama is dealing with issues from a renewed insurgency in Afghanistan and political turmoil in Iran to a heated health care debate at home. Brookings expert William Galston and Senior Politico Editor Fred Barbash took a close look at President Obama’s progress and answered questions about how the president is doing in this edition of the Scouting Report.
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Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Many conservative commentators including, Michael Gerson, disdain President Obama’s stimulus bill and have trumpeted its alleged shortcomings. However, the accuracy of these criticisms is far from self-evident; it will be assessed by analysts in the months and years ahead as the bill’s funds are expended and evidence becomes available on their impact on the micro and macro-economy, writes Thomas Mann.
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Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:40:09 GMT
Back in their states and districts for the summer recess, Members of Congress are hearing from their constituents on health care reform legislation. Sarah Binder says trying to pass a health care reform bill is a gamble for legislators, who fear they could lose votes in the 2010 election if the bill is perceived as too costly.
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Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With his approval ratings declining and increasing congressional infighting about health care overhaul, President Obama's reform efforts are starting to resemble President Clinton's failed attempt in 1994. However, Darrell West argues President Obama has already demonstrated much greater political effectiveness than President Clinton, and on this issue ultimately, Democrats will succeed in passing health care reform because the risks of failure are too high.
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Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With the new political landscape, the importance of immigration for the American economy and new policy ideas that address concerns regarding low-skill workers and border security, the ingredients are in place for comprehensive immigration reform. What are required are bold leadership, a new narrative and a commitment to overcome old stereotypes. History does not have to repeat itself on immigration policy, writes Darrell West.
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Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
New federal policies on immigration will require a new narrative, bold and innovative ideas and a determination to overcome major obstacles to action. Darrell West and Thomas Mann offer a forecast for immigration reform in the new political climate as the nation’s growing Latino factor and some recent shifts in immigration positions suggest that forging a new policy is possible. However, the topic still evokes economic, social, political and cultural obstacles that must be overcome if congressional reform is going to effective.
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Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
There is broad agreement that the nation needs to overhaul its immigration policies, but how to change national policy is shaping up to be a major debate. Sketching the policy outlook for immigration reform, William Galston divides the problem into the specific issues that new immigration legislation must confront: overall level of new legal permanent residents to be admitted; the role of family reunification; employment and skills; making the new law responsive to economic change; enforcement; coping with past policy failures, and integrating the new arrivals.
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Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:41:51 GMT
In her quest to be confirmed as a U.S. Supreme Court justice, Judge Sonia Sotomayor faced four days of questioning and testimony on Capitol Hill. Russell Wheeler says Sotomayor’s Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings played out as expected — and that she will be confirmed — but adds that it’s too soon to say how she will influence the court’s decisions.
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Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Washington’s arguments on new health care reform appear far removed from the public’s needs, writes Darrell West. He argues that the clashes on the so-called public option do not satisfy the most important concern consumers have: that their current care will not suffer.
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Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A new report by the AEI-Brookings Continuity of Government Commission examines vulnerabilities in the U.S. presidential succession. It has long been assumed that prospects for a smooth transfer of presidential power in the event of a terrorist attack are assured, as there is already a clear line of succession to the nation's highest office. However, as the report's authors point out, the existing presidential succession could be rendered useless by a catastrophic attack because everyone in line to succeed the president lives and works in Washington, D.C.
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Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Closing the detention camp at Guantánamo Bay by President Obama's January deadline is pressuring the administration to craft a new system for incarcerating terrorist suspects, possibly through an executive order. Benjamin Wittes and Colleen Peppard suggest instead a model law for terrorist incapacitation.
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Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
At an American Enterprise Institute and Brookings event William H. Frey discussed the importance of race-specific voting blocs and their increasing significance in upcoming presidential elections.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As members of Congress prepare to delve into health care reform, William Galston writes that it’s time for elected officials to begin leveling with the American people about the choices they face if we are finally to achieve universal health insurance with meaningful cost containment.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The explicit theme of President Obama’s speech in Cairo, was "A New Beginning," writes William Galston. President Obama has wagered his presidency on the premise that the U.S. have entered new chapter. If he is right, he will be a transformative president of historic stature.
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Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In nominating Sonia Sotomayor, the Obama administration must be more than satisfied with the early reaction from a political standpoint, writes William Galston. While Democrats are united and Hispanics are thrilled, those who oppose her must choose their words and tactics carefully so as not to antagonize further the nation’s fastest-growing demographic group.
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Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Only a few years ago, a Supreme Court nominee like Judge Sonia Sotomayor could expect quick, nearly unanimous confirmation. Yet recent trends in Supreme Court nominations show Sotomayor can expect a highly contentious confirmation. Brookings expert Ben Wittes writes, our system has gone from one in which people like Sotomayor, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito are shoe-ins for confirmation to a system in which they are shoo-ins for confirmation confrontations.
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Tue, 26 May 2009 15:46:44 GMT
Russell Wheeler says there is no doubt that U.S. Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be confirmed to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court. The real question is whether she will be confirmed by the October start of the court.
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Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove writes that President Obama has gotten off to a remarkably sure-footed start on foreign policy, while confusing both his foreign and domestic opponents. Fullilove examines and debunks the conservative arguments that have surfaced against Obama during his first months in office.
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Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 30, 2009, 10:00 AM to 12:45 PM
On April 30, the Brookings Institution hosted an event to discuss President Obama's performance during his first 100 days in office, on issues ranging from health care to the Middle East.
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Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As our nation confronts an economic crisis of a severity unlike any since the Great Depression, much attention has been placed on President Obama’s first 100 days and the administration’s progress in combating these unprecedented challenges. Expert Darrell West tracks public opinion on Obama’s handling of the recovery effort for a new index, GovWatch.
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Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Although his public support is high now, William Galston warns that the president might find himself politically weakened by next year if his economic and social programs do not show results soon. Budget deliberations in Congress over the next few months may be one defining factor.
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Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:18:51 GMT
Brookings presidential scholar Stephen Hess discusses the relevance of the 100-day benchmark moment to gauging a president's ability to fit the shoes and the office of his many notable predecessors. The comparisons, he notes, are not easy to make.
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Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Since taking the oath of office, President Barack Obama has faced a daunting set of immediate policy challenges and has had high expectations for significant changes in politics and policymaking. Nearing President Obama's first hundred days in office, Thomas Mann assesses his achievements and setbacks in a lecture given to the University of Melbourne Law School.
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Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama and most Democrats in Congress hope to include health and education reform in reconciliation instructions as part of the budget process. Republicans are outraged by what they argue is an egregious partisan power grab, one that tramples on Senate rules permitting extended debate and amendment. Thomas Mann, Norman Ornstein and Molly Reynolds examine the use of reconciliation bills in Congress and say that it is perfectly reasonable for Democrats to use the process.
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Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Although many commentators believe that President Obama will be forced, or at least well advised, to focus his agenda on the economy, President Obama has wagered his presidency on the proposition that the U.S. budget and political system can simultaneously absorb an economic stimulus, bail-outs of financial institutions, the housing sector and the automobile industry, and a social-democratic programme not seen since the days of Lyndon B. Johnson writes William Galston.
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Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 16, 2009, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
On April 16, William Galston moderated a discussion with Alan Wolfe, author of The Future of Liberalism (Knopf, 2009), on how the liberal tradition can influence and illuminate contemporary debates on issues such as immigration, abortion, executive power, religious freedom and free speech. E.J. Dionne, Jr. and Ross Douthat offered their thoughts on liberalism’s roots and how it can be applied to today’s problems.
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Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Of all the major items on President Obama's agenda, health reform has the best chance of passage during the current Congress, writes William Galston. Yet, the strategic question before Congress is whether health reform will proceed on a bipartisan or Democrats-only basis.
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Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The year 2009 was supposed to mark the dawn of a post-partisan era. However, America’s partisan politics have remained as stubbornly intense and polarized as ever. Yet, as Pietro Nivola writes, increased partisanship has an upside: party unity, accountability, civic engagement and voter turnout have all increased with partisan politics.
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Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
William Galston warns that partisan polarization means that parties are less likely to seek common ground or to make compromises. Its negative consequences include a dysfunctional judicial confirmation process, the difficulty of maintaining a steady foreign policy and the depression of public trust in government.
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Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 07, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
On April 7, the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project, in cooperation with Yale Law School, hosted a discussion with Professor Heather Gerken on her recent book, The Democracy Index: Why Our Election System is Failing and How to Fix It (Princeton University Press, 2008).
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Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Pietro Nivola examines public attitudes toward the economic crisis, health care, the environment, immigration and foreign affairs. He argues that Americans appear to have tilted toward the Democrats only on some matters and that much of the public remains divided or doubtful about the capacity of government to meet the nation’s greatest challenges.
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Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
At the American Society of Public Administrators’ national conference, Jill H. Wilson outlined the major trends in U.S. immigration, including its size, growth, geographic spread, and the changing origins and characteristics of immigrants.
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Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A strong cap-and-trade program seems unlikely to pass given the economic downturn, writes William Galston. Since a majority of Americans say economic growth should be given the priority and Midwestern states depend more heavily on coal-fired power plants, President Obama’s options for cap-and-trade legislation are limited.
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Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Obama administration is considering seeking passage of its health reform and climate change initiatives with a legislative strategy that would require only 51 senators to vote yes, rather than the usual 60 of 100. Sarah Binder joined a featured discussion in the Washington Post to discuss her views on amending the majority rule in the Senate.
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Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama promised to change how Washington works but the omnibus spending bill he just signed contained more than eight thousand earmarks. Thomas Mann joined Norman Ornstein and Melanie Sloan on the Diane Rehm Show to look at how members of congress set aside money for projects in their districts and how the new administration hopes to reform the process.
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Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the New Deal took shape, President Franklin Roosevelt was accused of undermining capitalism. His response was that he was saving capitalism, not least from itself. Today, in the midst of another economic crisis, cries of "socialism" once again abound. These are old debates, writes Brookings expert William Galston, which many of us thought had been resolved during the New Deal. The fact that they are being revived today testifies both to the gravity of our economic ills and to the persistence of longstanding misconceptions about how modern market economies actually work.
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Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Like Presidents Reagan and Carter, Obama has an ambitious agenda for the nation. But will President Obama be as successful in pushing his agenda as Reagan, or as unsuccessful as Carter? Surprisingly, a key indicator of success is not early economic performance. As Brookings expert William Galston writes, the core issue is clarity and self-discipline, to deal with only a relatively small number of issues at a time. Thus, President Obama needs to focus his considerable leadership and communication skills on the financial crisis.
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Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The $410 billion omnibus spending bill has about 9,000 earmarks, constituting less than one percent of the federal budget. Thomas Mann argues that abolishing earmarks would have a trivial effect on the level of spending and budget deficits. Instead, he says attention needs to be placed on the critical decisions that we face in the months and years ahead, including making sure new funds are expended in the most responsible way possible.
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Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
At Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre, Audrey Singer outlined major immigration trends, federal policy reform elements, and discussed how the American immigration debate has moved from the federal level into the states and localities.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With an unflinching speech, President Obama went before Congress Tuesday night with ambitious plans to rebuild the weakening economy and achieve goals ranging from energy diversification and emission reductions to health care and education reform. William Galston writes that public reaction is likely to be favorable in the short term. But his bolds words may end up producing more doubt than hope if the president’s reach exceeds his grasp.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 25, 2009, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
In his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama discussed the financial crisis, his plans to help homeowners and stem job loss. Jeanne Cummings of Politico moderated a discussion with Brookings experts of the president’s speech, the public reaction and the odds of success as he continues his efforts to woo Members of Congress.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 25, 2009, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The stakes are high as President Obama makes his first address to a joint session of Congress, with the nation looking for leadership at a time of tremendous economic uncertainty. Brookings expert Bill Galston and Politico Senior Editor Fred Barbash conducted a live web chat to assess the impact of the speech.
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Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Obama administration won a hard-fought and much needed victory this week as U.S. lawmakers prepare to pass a $789 billion stimulus package to revive the struggling economy. But as Bill Galston cautions, the compromise reached by congressional negotiators—which cut items dear to liberals and the business community, and included less for states than the House and administration wanted—is hardly sufficient to inspire public confidence in government and fix the economy.
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Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama's personal experience of globalization makes him a very different American leader compared to those of the past, writes Michael Fullilove.
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Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse draws on the lessons of the election of Barack Obama – the first African-American president of the U.S. – for France, where very few black or Arab candidates emerge. To the extent the two countries can be compared, particular attention is given to the role of minority districts in the U.S. in fostering a more diverse body of politicians in the last four decades. Such districts don't exist in metropolitan France, but the French political system can easily improve its record by imposing a reform of the initial selection of candidates by the main political parties. (French)
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Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Obama administration seeks to promote three goals through the stimulus package: jump-start an immediate surge in consumer demand and job creation; make a down-payment on longer-term campaign promises; and initiate a new era of bipartisanship. However, writes William Galston, due to the bill's divided focus, its stimulative effects may prove too weak to halt or reverse more than a fraction of the job losses predicted for the next two years.
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Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Obama administration announces new rules for lobbyists, particularly focused on stimulus funds, Brookings expert Daniel Kaufmann examines the role that corruption and influence have played in the global financial crisis, and suggests ways policymakers should address these issues in future regulation.
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Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
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Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi offers comments and personal observations from a European and Italian point of view on the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th president of the United States and his inaugural address.
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Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 21, 2009, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
On Wednesday, January 21, Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies, offered his analysis of President Obama’s inaugural speech in Brookings’s weekly web chat with Politico.com. West also discussed the political situation facing the new president and answered questions from participants in a live chat.
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Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. In his first speech as president, Obama called for a return to the values of “restraint and humility” in foreign policy, boldly declared an end to the debate over the proper role of government, and instead pledged pragmatism on domestic issues—government that works. Expert Bill Galston assesses the inaugural address.
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Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A president's inaugural address provides the incoming U.S. leader with an opportunity to lay out his ideas, plans and governing approach before the American people and the world. Michael Fullilove presents lessons from history for President Obama and his speechwriters about the relationship between presidential language and the president's future policies.
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Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Filled with symbol and ceremony, the whole world will be watching as never before. Stephen Hess discusses how former presidents have chosen music, poetry, representatives of the clergy and family bibles to set the scene.
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Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Sarah Binder, Thomas Mann, Norman Ornstein and Molly Reynolds look ahead to the 111th Congress and what it will take to overcome the shortcomings of the 110th. Although the previous Congress was able to achieve some policy successes, increase oversight of the executive and strengthen ethics standards and procedures, it was limited in its ability to overcome fully the realities of divided government, the ideological polarization of the parties and the institutional dynamics that have shaped Congress in recent years.
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Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 08, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
When the 111th Congress convenes it will turn first to internal issues—including a disputed Illinois Senate seat and proposed rule changes in the House of Representatives. On January 8, Sarah Binder and Thomas Mann, with AEI’s Norman Ornstein, offered recommendations on how the new Congress may strengthen what they have called "the broken branch." They also critiqued whether the Democratic-majority 110th Congress achieved their objectives in mending the institution.
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Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove explores the idea that the U.S. is in decline as a world power and what an Obama presidency may do to challenge the idea. Fullilove argues that the U.S. does face formidable challenges, but that most countries still look to America for leadership and answers.
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Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse explains the difference between various families of conservatism, especially as they relate to international affairs, and stresses the importance of clearly defining what neoconservatism is to measure its impact on American foreign policy. (French)
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Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove analyzes the age dilemma in Washington and notes the average age of a U.S. senator is 62—a full quarter of a century older than the average age of a U.S. citizen. However, there are growing signs—like the younger appointments to the Obama administration—that the American gerontocracy is crumbling at the edges.
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Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
William Galston examines what’s wrong with our current political institutions, given the current financial crisis and lack of coherent governance, and proposes how to create a better government.
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Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove argues that there are several lessons about the international system that President-elect Barack Obama could learn from cricket.
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Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Sarah Binder and Mark Spindel suggest that Congress should amend the $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program in several ways, including a rewrite of the conditions put on institutions that take TARP dollars. It is not too late to fix the mistakes made in the rush to enactment, they write.
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Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Mark Muro and Robert Lang in a recent Arizona Republic column discuss the major change of management in Washington, and urge “megapolitan” areas of the Intermountain West to better organize their energies and consider how to amplify their voice in national affairs as federal policy responses are renegotiated.
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Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:39:10 GMT
While the outcome of the U.S. presidential election was largely shaped by the U.S. and global financial crisis, Brookings Visiting Fellow Michael Fullilove discusses several urgent foreign policy matters facing President-elect Barack Obama.
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Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Democrats pushed out of their demographic rut during Tuesday’s election, according to new analysis by William Frey and Ruy Teixeira. The authors of ongoing political demographics reports on the “battleground states” write that the party’s appeal has extended to new growth regions and to demographic segments that eluded the party’s grasp in the last two presidential elections. America’s growing metropolitan identity, they found, is especially potent within the fast-growing battleground states.
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Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:07:14 GMT
President-elect Obama held his first press conference today, focusing on the economy. Kling commented on Obama’s address saying the nation needs two rounds of stimulus to kick-start the economy—the first to stem recent job losses and help homeowners, and then to focus on longer-term growth.
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Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
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.
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Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Stephen Hess joined Norman Ornstein and Judy Woodruff on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer to provide insight on President-elect Obama’s transition process.
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Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse explains why the election of Barack Obama allows America to recover the moral high ground it had lost during the Bush era: not because of changes in foreign policy, but by leading the way in integrating minorities and turning a page from a difficult racial past, something European countries have not yet achieved. (French)
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Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In this online chat, Justin Vaisse discusses Obama’s foreign policy priorities, his approach to the world, and the impact he will have on Transatlantic, especially French-U.S., relations. Vaisse also discusses the role of experts at Brookings in advising Barack Obama.
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Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
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Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Television viewers knew early that Barack Obama would be the 44th president and Democrats would hold greater margins in Congress. But in the reality of the day, writes William Galston, the president-elect and congressional leaders have only a short time to make key decisions and must coalesce around a set of promises that can be met before voters rethink in 2010. While Republicans regroup, Democrats have a chance to make their case.
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Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:11:12 GMT
Darrell West and Thomas Mann offer insights on the just-elected executive and legislative branches of government. Their goal in January, says West, is to bring change to American politics. But things will not go smoothly, warns Mann; “Conflict is natural, especially when you’re doing important things.”
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Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 05, 2008, 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM
On November 5, the Brookings Doha Center organized an informal in-house lunchtime event to discuss the results of the U.S. elections for the House, Senate and Presidency, in which Senator Barack Obama was voted first African American President of the United States.
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Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
By the end of February 2009, the next president will have to define his top domestic priorities, submit a budget, and begin the difficult process of unwinding America's combat presence in Iraq. Despite today's crisis environment, William Galston cautions that the next president shouldn’t emulate FDR's first 100 days, or LBJ's feverish legislative pace in 1965 and 1966. The more ambitious the agenda, the more likely it is to fall victim to entrenched political realities.
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Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse discusses the reasons behind Europe’s strong interest in the American Presidential election. (French)
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Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Suzanne Maloney writes that Iran will loom large on the agenda of the next American president. Maloney believes Barack Obama's willingness to talk to Tehran represents a promising start, and that history suggests engagement is appropriate, but also notes Tehran will need to demonstrate it is prepared to rejoin the international community.
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Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove analyzes the differences between the foreign policies of U.S. presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama.