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Wednesday December 3, 2008

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Presidential Appointments

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioGetting Infrastructure Bang for the Buck

Robert Puentes, November 13, 2008, The New Republic

In this opinion piece published in the New Republic, Robert Puentes argues that President-elect Obama has a tremendous opportunity to connect infrastructure spending to broad national goals (such as economic competitiveness and environmental sustaianability). In this way the federal stimulus dollars can accelerate the right kind of projects in the right places, creating jobs and waking up related areas of the economy. Read More

Infrastructure, Transportation, Competitiveness, Cities, The Presidential Transition

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioThe Politics of Presidential Appointments

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC

President-elect Barack Obama now faces the daunting challenge of shaping a new administration. On November 12, William Galston moderated a discussion with David Lewis and Kathryn Dunn Tenpas to examine the basis on which presidents pick their political appointees and the impact of their choices on government performance. Read More

Presidential Appointments, The Presidential Transition, The Presidency, Governance

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhere Obama Should Find Cabinet Members

Stephen Hess, November 06, 2008, Politico

Where Obama Should Find Cabinet MembersStephen Hess offers suggestions to the new president-elect on how to best fill his cabinet. Hess cautions Obama, who will need to fill twice as many jobs than John F. Kennedy did, to factor in diversity as well as political and managerial talent. Read More

The Presidential Transition, Presidential Appointments, The Presidency, The White House, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioTransition Memo to the President-Elect

Stephen Hess, November 06, 2008, The Washington Post

Transition Memo to the President-ElectPresident-elect Barack Obama will be besieged by proposals to reorganize government. Stephen Hess offers five tips for avoiding political minefields on the way to inauguration day. Read More

The Presidential Transition, Presidential Appointments, The White House, The Presidency, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhat Will the Presidential Election Mean for the U. S. Courts of Appeals?

Russell Wheeler, October 21, 2008, The Brookings Institution

What Will the Presidential Election Mean for the U. S. Courts of Appeals?Brookings expert Russell Wheeler offers clues to how a President McCain or Obama might affect the composition of the United States Supreme Court as well as the courts of appeals. Read More

Courts, Judges, U.S. Judiciary, Presidential Appointments

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioRestore Civility to the Selection of Federal Judges

Russell Wheeler, September 09, 2008, The Miami Herald

Restore Civility to the Selection of Federal JudgesHot-button social topics often dominate voters' views of where presidential candidates stand on judicial appointments. Plus, as in much of U.S. politics, the process of getting judges on the bench has become cantankerous and divided. Russell Wheeler says that the next president should try to work with the Senate to restore civility. Read More

U.S. Judiciary, Courts, Justice and Law, Presidential Appointments, Judges

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioHow Much is Enough? Setting Pay for Presidential Appointees

Gary Burtless, March 22, 2002, The Presidential Appointee Initiative

"Current appointees receive salaries worth substantially less than the incomes earned by early Nixon administration appointees," states Brookings Senior Fellow Gary Burtless, author of a report, How Much is Enough? Setting Pay for Presidential Appointees. Read More

U.S. Congress, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioProblems on the Potomac: How Relocation Policies for Presidential Appointees Can Help Win the Talent War

Carole M. Plowfield and Paul C. Light, March 22, 2002, The Presidential Appointee Initiative

Presidential appointees are subject to less competitive relocation policies than those in the private sector reports Paul C. Light and Carole Plowfield in "Problems on the Potomac: How Relocation Policies for Presidential Appointees Can Help Win the Talent War." Read More

U.S. Congress, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Vote of Renewed Confidence: How Americans View Presidential Appointees and Government in the Wake of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks

Judith M. Labiner and Paul C. Light, October 19, 2001, The Presidential Appointee Initiative

Brookings Study Finds Public Confidence in Presidential Appointees Rising Dramatically in Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks. Read More

U.S. Congress, Terrorism, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Vote of No Confidence: How Americans View Presidential Appointees

Judith M. Labiner, September 6, 2001, The Presidential Appointee Initiative

A new survey by The Presidential Appointee Initiative, reports that Americans are cynical about both the presidential appointments process, which they view as tortuously long and intrusive, and presidential appointees, whom they perceive as being selected for their campaign contributions. Read More

U.S. Congress, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioFirst Impressions: A Look Back at Five Presidential Transitions

Stephen Hess, Spring 2001, The Brookings Institution

In this Brookings Review article, Stephen Hess offers a quick survey of the highlights—and lowlights—of five first-term transitions and provides a roadmap to successful transitions. Read More

The Presidential Transition, U.S. Congress, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPresidential Transition: Less Seems to be More

Stephen Hess, February 25, 2001, Los Angeles Times

The contested election of 2000 provides an excellent example of what can be gained or lost by cutting the traditional 10- to 11-week transition period in half, argues Stephen Hess. President George W. Bush's transition has been remarkably smooth, compared with those of Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush. But the transition's apparent success belies the increasing difficulties in getting a new administration "up and running." Read More

The Presidential Transition, Governance, Presidential Appointments, U.S. Politics

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPosts of Honor: How America's Corporate and Civic Leaders View Presidential Appointments

Paul C. Light and Virginia L. Thomas, January 10, 2001, Presidential Appointee Initiative

""Posts of Honor: How America's Corporate and Civic Leaders View Presidential Appointments,"" reports about how America's civic and corporate leaders view the presidential appointments process. Read More

U.S. Congress, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Survivor's Guide for Presidential Nominees

November 15, 2000, The Presidential Appointee Initiative

A Survivor's Guide for Presidential Nominees attempts to answer virtually every question someone might have upon being asked to serve as a presidential appointee. Read More

U.S. Congress, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy, Executive Branch

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioStaffing a New Administration: A Guide to Personnel Appointments in a Presidential Transition

November 7, 2000, The Presidential Appointee Initiative

""Staffing a New Administration: A Guide to Personnel Appointments in a Presidential Transition."" Read More

U.S. Congress, U.S. Politics, Presidential Appointments, Governance, Bureaucracy

Featured Experts

Paul C. Light

Paul C. Light

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies

Paul Light’s research areas include bureaucracy; civil service; Congress; entitlement programs; executive branch; government reform; nonprofit effectiveness; organizational change; and the political appointment process.
Read More

Stephen Hess

Stephen Hess

Senior Fellow Emeritus, Governance Studies

A veteran staffer of the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations and an advisor to Presidents Ford and Carter, Stephen Hess focuses on the presidency, the news media, and the political culture of Washington.
Read More

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The Presidential Transition

Immediate updates on new content about the presidential transition—including memos to the president, events, podcasts, chats and more.

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Spotlight

ExpertSarah A. Binder

Sarah Binder is an expert on Congress and legislative politics.  She is completing a project on the politics of advice and consent, and is at work on the politics of how Congress responds to financial crises.

ExpertDarrell M. West

Darrell M. West is the vice president and director of Governance Studies at Brookings. His studies include campaigns and elections, political advertising, mass media, public opinion, technology policy and electronic government.

ExpertJulia B. Isaacs

Julia Isaacs focuses on public investments in children and how children are affected by national budgetary policies. A former federal budget analyst, she also researches the economic mobility of children and families across the income spectrum.

ExpertSuzanne 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.

TopicMigration

Migration is an issue that bridges Brookings’s expertise in domestic and foreign policy. In the United States, reforming immigration policy remains a subject of intense political debate. Globally, the unprecedented movement of people across borders raises issues in both industrialized countries and the developing world.

ExpertCarlos Pascual

Carlos Pascual is a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. As vice president and director of Foreign Policy, he focuses on post-conflict stabilization and international security policy.

TOPICThe Presidential Transition

During the 77 days from the election to the Inauguration, Brookings experts will offer 12 "Memos to the President" on top policy priorities across the spectrum of domestic and global challenges, plus additional advice on transitioning from campaigning to governing.

ExpertEswar Prasad

Eswar Prasad, the Tolani Senior Professor of Trade Policy at Cornell University, is a senior fellow in Global Economy and Development. He was previously head of the Financial Studies Division and the China Division at the IMF.

ExpertHugh B. Price

Former president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, Hugh Price is an expert on education, civil rights, equal opportunity and criminal justice. His 40-year career spans journalism, philanthropy, the law, and social advocacy.

ExpertMartin S. Indyk

Ambassador to Israel and assistant secretary of state for near east affairs during the Clinton Administration, Martin Indyk directs the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. He currently focuses on the Clinton administration’s diplomacy and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

ProgramGovernance Studies

Governance Studies explores political institutions of the United States and other democracies to assess how they govern, how their practices compare and how citizens and public servants can advance sound governance.

Research ProjectLatin America Initiative

The Latin America Initiative provides high-quality, in-depth, and independent research across a range of economic and political issues, and offers policy recommendations aimed at U.S. and Latin American policymakers.

ExpertMark B. McClellan

A medical doctor and economist, Mark McClellan works on promoting high-quality, innovative and affordable health care. Once commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. McClellan now directs the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.

Policy CenterEngelberg Center for Health Care Reform

The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform provides practical solutions to achieve high-quality, innovative, affordable health care with particular emphasis on identifying opportunities on the national, state and local levels.

ExpertRebecca Blank

Rebecca Blank is an expert on the interaction between the macroeconomy, government anti-poverty programs, and the behavior and well being of low-income families. She has just been named the Robert S. Kerr senior fellow at Brookings.

Research ProjectThe Hamilton Project

The Hamilton Project produces research and policy proposals on how to create a growing economy that benefits more Americans. Their agenda also focuses on enhancing individual economic security and effective public investments. 

ExpertDouglas W. Elmendorf

Doug Elmendorf, whose government posts have included the Federal Reserve, Treasury, Council of Economic Advisors, and CBO, focuses his research on macroeconomics and fiscal policy. He is co-editor of the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity and director of The Hamilton Project, which develops proposals for shared growth.

ExpertMauricio Cárdenas

Mauricio Cárdenas is a senior fellow and director of the Latin American Initiative. Formerly minister of Economic Development and Transportation, and director of National Planning of Colombia, his research focuses on international and development economics. He is also the president of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA).