UPCOMING EVENT
Thursday, February 11, 2010
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
In his first State of the Union address, President Obama touched on Americans’ apparent loss of faith in the country’s most important institutions by noting the public’s frustration with every day seeming like Election Day. On February 11, Lord Philip Gould, a New Labour political consultant and former campaign advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton, will discuss the implications of the exponential rise and potency of political consultancy and the notion of the permanent campaign. Read More
VIDEO
Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst, February 04, 2010
In submitting his first budget to Congress, President Obama asked for a $3 billion dollar boost in education while freezing spending in many other programs. Grover J. Whitehurst says this budget proposal contains some solid ideas for improving education but it changes the federal-state dynamic, which may rankle some people.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Thomas E. Mann, February 03, 2010, National Public Radio, On Point
The United States needs to address problems in areas such as health care, energy policy, infrastructure, education, and banking. However, can Congress address these in midst of hyper-partisan politics, special interests, and a 60-vote bar to clear in the Senate? Thomas Mann joins On Point to discuss whether Congress can find a solution. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William A. Galston, February 01, 2010, The Brookings Institution
William Galston looks at how President Obama's FY 2011 budget tackles deficit reduction and fiscal restraint. Galston notes that most economists believe the recovery is weak, and the possibility of a double-dip recession remains, therefore another year of economic stimulus is likely necessary. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ron Haskins, February 01, 2010, The Arena: Politico
In a recent webchat, Ron Haskins addressed the issue of what Republicans should be doing to improve their own standing with the public. Haskins believes that Republicans need an agenda first and foremost. But a good way for them to start presenting themselves as a bold and confident party, he says, is by telling the nation they pledge to solve the deficit crisis by both cutting government spending and by increasing revenues. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ron Nessen, January 30, 2010, The New York Times
In his first State of the Union speech, President Gerald R. Ford told Congress and the American people in his plain-spoken manner: “I must say to you that the State of the Union is not good.” Following President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, Ron Nessen, Ford's press secretary, compares the challenges the two presidents faced after their first year in office. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Sarah A. Binder, January 30, 2010, The Monkey Cage
Ben Bernanke begins his second term as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. Yet, as recently as a week ago, Bernanke’s reconfirmation seemed to be on the ropes. Bernanke’s weak showing will increase the resolve of Fed critics to restructure the nation’s financial architecture, stripping the Fed of key powers and scrutinizing its decision-making, asserts Sarah Binder. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Isabel V. Sawhill, January 29, 2010, The Brookings Institution
Following the release of President Obama's budget, Isabel Sawhill believes there will be a lot of hand-wringing about the possible economic fallout from a virtually unprecedented accumulation of debt. Not only will this string of future deficits have dire economic consequences, she says, but will also reduce public confidence in their government. Ultimately, the budget’s insufficient proposals suggest that the current administration will be criticized for moving the goal posts on deficit reduction and for doing far too little to restore fiscal balance. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Henry J. Aaron, January 28, 2010, National Journal
Henry Aaron writes that President Obama's State of the Union address contained no surprises on health reform, but it did display resolve. The way forward, according to Aaron, involves not only the Senate and House passing a mutually agreeable health reform bill, but more importantly, the need to overcome the prevailing public mood of distrust and skepticism about health reform. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Gary Burtless, January 28, 2010, The Brookings Institution
President Obama used the word “jobs” 23 times in his State of the Union address. Gary Burtless states that this emphasis is understandable given that unemployment has risen more steeply than in any period since the Great Depression. The president correctly identified the policies that have prevented the recession from metastasizing into a depression, and defended the need for Congress to go further in rebuilding the economy. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Thomas E. Mann, January 28, 2010, Politico
President Obama made a forceful, confident, unapologetic and optimistic State of the Union address to Congress and the nation. The agenda President Obama embraced was consistent with his campaign and first year in office and moderate in its approach. The speech was well-crafted and well-delivered and will likely be well-received by the public, writes Thomas Mann. But it is simply one speech, important mainly in what it tells us about how President Obama will try to govern in these difficult times. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William A. Galston, January 27, 2010, The Brookings Institution
During his first State of the Union address, President Obama delivered a confident defense of his administration’s first year, writes William Galston. The president laid out an agenda that he clearly hopes will unify his party and rally public support. While accepting responsibility for not explaining health reform and other parts of his program more clearly, he did not apologize for the ambitious scope of his efforts and instead, justified it as a long overdue response to decades of gridlock and evasion, asserts Galston. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Sarah A. Binder, January 25, 2010, The Brookings Institution
Although Democrats lost the supermajority in the senate, they can start the process for writing a reconciliation bill that addresses health care reform. Reconciliation is a budget procedure that provides a fast-track to passage by circumventing a filibuster in the senate. Reconciliation was originally intended as a cleaning up mechanism to make two congressional budget resolutions consistent with one another, but has recently come to be used for securing controversial policy changes, writes Sarah Binder. Read More
VIDEO
Thomas E. Mann, January 22, 2010
In a significant 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court repealed federal laws and overturned previous rulings that limited the amount of money corporations can spend on political campaigns. This decision now allows firms to spend unlimited sums from their treasures to independently advocate for or against candidates. Thomas Mann calls this ruling an ambitious and radical decision.
VIDEO
Darrell M. West, January 20, 2010
President Barack Obama was sworn in one year ago. Weeks later, in an address to a joint session of Congress, he outlined the tasks that lay ahead and his agenda to meet the challenges. Darrell West talks about the themes of that speech and the actions President Obama has taken to address them.