Sunday February 12, 2012

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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSpending on Children and the Elderly

Julia B. Isaacs, November 2009, The Brookings Institution

According to Julia Isaacs, the United States spends 2.4 times as much per capita on the elderly as on children, with the ratio rising to 7 to 1 if only the federal budget is taken into account. Isaacs compares expenditures on children and the elderly in the United States to that of other countries, and asks whether these spending patterns make sense for the country's long-term welfare from a life-cycle perspective. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSupporting Young Children and Families: An Investment Strategy That Pays

Julia B. Isaacs, Winter 2008, The Brookings Institution and First Focus

Julia Isaacs outlines three policy proposals that have proved cost-effective and that can help to reduce burdens on young families. Read More

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioEconomic Stimulus and the Budget Deficit

Isabel V. Sawhill, December 09, 2008

In these tough times, the economy needs a stimulus, regardless of the impact on the deficit, says Isabel Sawhill. But prudent action needs to be taken to address runaway entitlement spending and that agenda should reconsider our intergenerational spending priorities.

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhy We Need to Cut Seniors' Benefits

Isabel V. Sawhill, October 24, 2008, CNNMoney.com

In an interwiew with George Mannes of Money Magazine, Isabel Sawhill discusses America's three largest entitlement programs - Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid.  Sawhill argues that a scaling back of these programs would have a beneficial impact on the nation's finances. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSupporting Young Children and Families: An Investment that Pays

Julia B. Isaacs, September 2008, First Focus

Julia B. Isaacs details how the growing evidence about the importance of children’s early years is changing public attitudes toward early childhood programs. Adopting a well-designed package of investments in children from birth to five will improve children’s health, school achievement, and opportunities for future economic success. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioImpacts of Early Childhood Programs

Julia B. Isaacs and Emily Roessel, September 2008, The Brookings Institution

Impacts of Early Childhood ProgramsJulia Isaacs and Emily Roessel assess the effects of five early childhood education programs—State Pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Model Early Childhood Programs and Nurse Home Visiting—that have had positive impacts on children’s cognitive skills and/or school outcomes. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioRevising the Intergenerational Contract

Isabel V. Sawhill and Emily Monea, Summer 2008, Democracy: A Journal of Ideas

Revising the Intergenerational ContractIsabel Sawhill and Emily Monea argue that it's time to tear up the intergenerational contract as we know it and construct public policy around the one group of people for whom social investments really pay off: kids. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Frayed American Dream

Julia B. Isaacs and Isabel V. Sawhill, November 28, 2007, The Brookings Institution

A sharp rise in income inequality in the United States has created large gaps between the haves and the have-nots. Based on new Brookings research, most of today’s adults are better off than their own parents were when they were growing up. The converse: one third remains worse off. Many middle-class families are only one earner away from poverty. Isabel Sawhill and Julia Isaacs argue that America could and should do better, through better access to education, including early childhood education. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Intergenerational Balancing Act: Where Children Fit in an Aging Society

Isabel V. Sawhill, October 17, 2007, Child Trends Annual Kristin Anderson Moore Lecture

In the first annual Kristin Anderson Moore lecture for Child Trends, Isabel Sawhill discusses how future generations will have to deal with the challenges of globalization and low savings rates, and emphasizes the need for higher education and fiscal responsibility. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPriority or Afterthought? Children and the Federal Budget

Julia B. Isaacs and Phillip Lovell, March 2007, First Focus

A country's priorities are reflected in its budget. Most people agree that "children are our future," but there's less agreement on how well we are preparing the next generation to lead us into that future. Many argue that it is important to invest in children and youth, building their knowledge and skills so they can be productive workers and citizens. But are we investing enough in them? Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCost-Effective Investments in Children

Julia B. Isaacs, January 2007, Budgeting for National Priorities Paper

How can we balance the budget in the next five years? In a series of papers on budget choices, Brookings analysts examine options for reducing domestic discretionary spending, pruning the defense budget, raising revenues, and investing additional resources in children. An overall deficit reduction plan uses the ideas developed in this series to balance the budget in the next five years. All five papers in this series, and more information about the Budgeting for National Priorities project, can be found at www.brookings.edu/budget. Read More

BOOK

Save to My PortfolioThe Future of Children: Fall 2006: Opportunity in America

Sara McLanahan and Isabel V. Sawhill, September 03, 2006

This semiannual journal provides research and analysis to promote effective policies and programs for children. In this volume, the nation's leading scholars on social mobility focus on the extent to which children’s chances of success depend on the circumstances into which they are born. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Effects of Investing in Early Education on Economic Growth

William T. Dickens, Isabel V. Sawhill and Jeffrey Tebbs, April 2006, The Brookings Institution

Brookings Policy Brief #153 by William T. Dickens, Isabel V. Sawhill and Jeffrey Tebbs (April 2006) Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioDebt is Cheating Our Children's Future

Isabel V. Sawhill, April 23, 2006, Kansas City Star

Opinion by Isabel V. Sawhill, Kansas City Star (4/23/06) Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioDomestic Entitlements and the Federal Budget

Isabel V. Sawhill, February 15, 2006, Testimony before the House Committee on the Budget

Testimony by Isabel V. Sawhill, House Committee on the Budget (2/15/06) Read More

In Brief

Federal expenditures on entitlements focused on the elderly are growing at a rapid pace, threatening to crowd out other spending and place large tax burdens on future generations. Despite these budget pressures, it is important to invest in children so they will be prepared to meet the economic challenges of the future.

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John L. Thornton China CenterPolicy CenterJohn L. Thornton China Center

The John L. Thornton China Center develops analysis and policy recommendations to help address key long-term challenges, both in terms of U.S.-China relations and China's internal development.

Suzanne MaloneyExpertSuzanne Maloney

Suzanne Maloney studies Iran, the political economy of the Persian Gulf and Middle East energy policy. A former U.S. State Department policy advisor, she has also counseled private companies on Middle East issues.

William G. GaleExpertWilliam G. Gale

Bill Gale, the Arjay and Frances Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy in the Economic Studies Program at Brookings, is an expert on tax policy, fiscal issues, pensions, and saving behavior. He is also co-director of the Tax Policy Center and director of the Retirement Security Project.

Budgeting for National PrioritiesResearch ProjectBudgeting for National Priorities

The Budgeting for National Priorities project promotes greater fiscal responsibility by developing new ideas, educating the public and finding common ground among experts and policy-makers.

Darrell M. WestExpertDarrell M. West

Darrell M. West is vice president and director of Governance Studies and founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings. His studies include technology policy, electronic government, and mass media.

Energy and ClimateTopicEnergy and Climate

What will it take to mitigate severe climate disruption? What should our priorities be in the relationship between fresh water and climate change? What will it take to help vulnerable countries and regions adapt to change already taking place?

Global ChangeTopicGlobal Change

How do we develop more realistic approaches and more effective means of ending intractable old conflicts and preventing new ones? How do we enhance measures to thwart nonstate actors—especially terrorists and illicit traffickers—and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons?

Africa Growth InitiativeResearch ProjectAfrica Growth Initiative

The Africa Growth Initiative conducts high-quality policy research and analysis focused on attaining sustainable economic development and prosperity in Africa, while amplifying the voice of African researchers in policy-making and planning.

Growth through InnovationTopicGrowth through Innovation

What new practices and mechanisms will help prevent another economic downturn from turning into a financial panic that could become a truly global meltdown? What changes in the public and private sectors will build the workforce and infrastructure required for a global information-based economy?

Opportunity and Well-beingTopicOpportunity and Well-being

As they weather the current economic storm, will our governments and societies address the basic needs and aspirations of the least well-off? How can we better use education to raise individual aspirations? How should governments around the world accelerate preparations to provide social services for the billions moving from poverty into the middle class?

Center for Technology InnovationPolicy CenterCenter for Technology Innovation

The Center for Technology Innovation is at the forefront of shaping public debate on technology innovation and developing data-driven scholarship to enhance understanding of technology’s legal, economic, social, and governance ramifications.

Robert KaganExpertRobert Kagan

Robert Kagan is an expert and frequent commentator on Egypt, the Middle East, U.S. national security, and U.S.-European relations. He writes a monthly column on world affairs for the Washington Post and is a contributing editor at the Weekly Standard and the New Republic.

Daniel KaufmannExpertDaniel Kaufmann

Daniel Kaufmann was previously the director at the World Bank Institute, leading the work on governance and anti-corruption. His areas of expertise are public sector and regulatory reform, development, governance and anti-corruption.

Mwangi S. KimenyiExpertMwangi S. Kimenyi

Mwangi S. Kimenyi is senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative. The founding executive director of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (1999-2005), he focuses on Africa's development including institutions for economic growth, political economy, and private sector development.

Alice M. RivlinExpertAlice M. Rivlin

In February 1975, the Congressional Budget Office was established with Alice Rivlin as its first director. Rivlin is an expert on urban issues as well as fiscal, monetary and social policy and directs the Greater Washington Research project at Brookings.

Donald KohnExpertDonald Kohn

Donald Kohn is a 40-year veteran of the Federal Reserve System and served as vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2010. He was recently appointed by the government of the United Kingdom and the Bank of England to serve on its interim Financial Policy Committee. Kohn focuses on issues of monetary policy, financial regulation and macroeconomics.

Brookings Mobile ApplicationsNEW FEATUREBrookings Mobile Applications

Stay up-to-date with our independent, high-quality research, learn about Brookings events and search our directory of experts all from your BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone or Android device.

Shadi HamidExpertShadi Hamid

Shadi Hamid focuses on Islamist political parties and democratic reform in the Middle East. Prior to joining Brookings, he was Director of Research at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and a Hewlett Fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.

Katherine SierraExpertKatherine Sierra

Katherine Sierra is a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program. A former vice president for sustainable development at the World Bank, she focuses on climate change and energy.

State of Metropolitan AmericaMetropolitan Policy ProgramState of Metropolitan America

Foreshadowing 2010 Census results, this new Brookings report and interactive map defines who Americans are—and who they are becoming—in the face of continued growth, population aging and diversification, uneven educational attainment and income polarization.

Center on Children and FamiliesPolicy CenterCenter on Children and Families

The Center on Children and Families studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States.

Isabel V. SawhillExpertIsabel V. Sawhill

A nationally known budget expert, Isabel Sawhill focuses on domestic poverty and federal fiscal policy. She is also co-director of the Center on Children and Families and the Budgeting for National Priorities Project at Brookings.

Vanda Felbab-BrownExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is the author of Shooting Up: Counterinsurgency and the War on Drugs (Brookings Institution Press, 2009).