Sunday February 12, 2012

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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCongress Defunds Palestinian "Sesame Street," Jeopardizes U.S. Policy in Middle East

Ibrahim Sharqieh, January 31, 2012, Christian Science Monitor

Palestinian puppeteers film a scene for Shara'a SimsimIn protest of the Palestinian statehood bid at the United States, U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen froze $192 million in funding for USAID programs, including a Palestinian version of Sesame Street. Ibrahim Sharqieh explains how this move has jeopardized U.S. policy in the Middle East. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCongress, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Open Market Committee

Sarah A. Binder, January 27, 2012, The Monkey Cage

Congress, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Open Market CommitteeSarah Binder examines the Federal Reserve's dual mandate from Congress to reach full employment while maintaining price stability, specifically focusing on the recently released interest rate projections by the Fed. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Impact of Density and Diversity on Reapportionment and Redistricting in the Mountain West

David F. Damore, January 26, 2012, The Brookings Institution

The Impact of Density and Diversity on Reapportionment and Redistricting in the Mountain WestDavid F. Damore examines the redistricting and reapportionment of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, and assesses the implications that redistricting outcomes will exert on local and national politics in the next decade. Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioState of the Union 2012: Politics and Policy

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Washington, DC

Photo by Ralph AlswangPresident Obama’s State of the Union address was delivered last night to a divided Congress against the backdrop of presidential election year politics. On January 25, Brookings hosted a discussion of the president’s speech and how it might impact crucial policy issues facing the nation in this pivotal election year. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Missing Link in the State of the Union Energy Agenda

Mark Muro and Kenan Fikri, January 25, 2012, The Avenue, The New Republic

The Missing Link in the State of the Union Energy AgendaMark Muro and Kenan Fikri discuss President Obama's energy stance as outlined in the State of the Union, arguing that Obama missed an opportunity to tie the use of royalties and other fees from increased fossil fuel exploitation to funding clean energy technology innovation. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWeb Chat: Analyzing the 2012 State of the Union

Stephen Hess, January 25, 2012, The Brookings Institution

Web Chat: Analyzing the 2012 State of the UnionOn January 25, Stephen Hess answered your questions on the 2012 State of the Union address in a live web chat moderated by POLITICO. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioAn Analysis of President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address

William A. Galston, January 24, 2012, The Brookings Institution

An Analysis of President Obama's 2012 State of the Union AddressWilliam Galston examines President Obama's 2012 State of the Union address, discussing the specifics of the president's message as it related to the economy, President Obama's record, and Congressional politics. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioAddressing the Budget Deficit: The Next President Must Solve the U.S. Deficit Crisis

Ron Haskins, January 19, 2012, The Brookings Institution

Addressing the Budget Deficit: The Next President Must Solve the U.S. Deficit CrisisRon Haskins argues that the greatest challenge facing the next president is addressing the deficit, and neither President Obama nor any GOP challenger has put forth a useful compromise. Haskins says the next president must negotiate with Congress to reform both entitlement programs and the federal budget process. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPolicy and Process Innovation for Economic Growth

William A. Galston, January 13, 2012, The Brookings Institution

Policy and Process Innovation for Economic GrowthWilliam Galston describes the political process in the United States, summarizing the two principal sources of dysfunction in the economic policy process and offering bipartisan recommendations to improve the effectiveness of Congress. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhat Congress Looked Like From Inside the Eisenhower White House

Stephen Hess, January 06, 2012, The Brookings Institution

What Congress Looked Like From Inside the Eisenhower White HouseA former special assistant and speechwriter to President Eisenhower, Stephen Hess reminisces on his experiences in the White House, on Eisenhower’s leadership style, and on the administration’s relationship with opposition party-controlled Congress. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCongress: The Good News is, No More Gridlock...

Thomas E. Mann and Norman Ornstein, January 2012, The Washington Monthly

Congress: The Good News is, No More Gridlock...With President Obama facing a difficult battle for reelection, Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein imagine a scenario under which the GOP wins the presidency in 2012 and gains control of both houses of Congress. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioPresidential Leadership, Then and Now: Woodrow Wilson and Barack Obama

Pietro S. Nivola, January 2012, The Brookings Institution

Presidential Leadership, Then and Now: Woodrow Wilson and Barack ObamaEvery presidency develops a leadership style, which has bearing on presidential accomplishments, writes Pietro Nivola. Nivola compares the leadership styles of Barack Obama to Woodrow Wilson during their first years as president, noting that two men faced similar issues and examining possible lessons for President Obama from President Wilson’s experiences. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioIs President Obama Playing Fair? Examining Richard Cordray's Recess Appointment

Sarah A. Binder, January 04, 2012, The Monkey Cage

Is President Obama Playing Fair? Examining Richard Cordray's Recess AppointmentAs President Obama gives a recess appointment to Richard Cordray to serve as director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Republicans argue that the action threatens the confirmation process. Sarah Binder examines the appointment, and argues that despite Republican objections, it seems to be a valid use of executive power. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThrough the Looking Glass, Darkly: What Has Become of the Senate?

Sarah A. Binder, Volume 9: Issue 4, Article 2. 2011, The Forum

Through the Looking Glass, Darkly: What Has Become of the Senate?Sarah Binder examines the contemporary U.S. Senate, using parliamentary disputes, including cloture votes, to probe senators’ views about the institution. Binder writes that rising partisanship has made the Senate nearly ungovernable—leaving a chamber that struggles to fulfill its most basic constitutional duties. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioAfter the Lost Budget Opportunities of 2011: What Next?

Alice M. Rivlin, December 27, 2011, The Brookings Institution

After the Lost Budget Opportunities of 2011: What Next?As 2011 draws to a close without a deal to bring the federal budget deficit under control, Alice Rivlin examines the lost opportunities of the past year and writes that regardless of the results of the 2012 election, big decisions on entitlements and taxes in the coming year will still require bipartisan compromise. Read More

In Brief

With the Republican party controlling the House and the Democrats the Senate, Congress remains divided, and both parties are struggling to pass legislative priorities. With the 2012 election approaching, deep ideological differences between the parties threaten legislative gridlock and bipartisan agreements seem unlikely.

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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.

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?

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.

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.