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Friday November 20, 2009

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U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSpending on Children and the Elderly

Julia B. Isaacs, November 05, 2009, The Brookings Institution

The United States spends 2.4 times as much on the elderly as on children, measured on a per capita basis, with the ratio rising to 7 to 1 if looking just at the federal budget, Julia Isaacs finds. She looks at expenditures on children and the elderly in the United States compared to other countries and, from a life-cycle perspective, asks whether these spending patterns makes sense for the long-term good of our country. Read More

Children & Families, Welfare, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioFive Myths About Our Land of Opportunity

Isabel V. Sawhill and Ron Haskins, November 01, 2009, The Washington Post

Five Myths About Our Land of OpportunityAmericans have always believed that their country is unique in providing the opportunity to get ahead. Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill deconstruct five myths about economic mobility in the United States, saying that we need better policies to help create a true opportunity society. Read More

Economic Mobility, Children & Families, U.S. Poverty, U.S. Economy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Financial Crisis and Personal Saving

Karen Dynan, October 28, 2009, National Forum to Encourage Lower-Income Household Savings

The current financial crisis has had a great impact on how Americans are saving. In a presentation for the “National Forum to Encourage Lower-Income Household Savings,” Karen Dynan explained that while aggregate personal saving should be markedly higher than before the crisis, it is difficult to predict the level of saving for lower-income households. Read More

U.S. Economy, Saving, U.S. Poverty

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioIs America Really an Opportunity Society?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Washington, DC

Is America Really an Opportunity Society?On October 27, Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill discussed their new book, Creating an Opportunity Society, which explores what it will take to help more people achieve the American Dream. Read More

U.S. Poverty, Economic Mobility

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioIs the American Dream a Myth?

Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill, October 19, 2009

Despite its status as one of the world’s leading economies, the United States is faced with high poverty rates and less economic opportunity than many other affluent countries. Senior Fellows Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins, argue that it will take a combination of personal responsibility along with smarter and better-targeted government policies to make the American Dream a reality for children and families now stuck at the bottom.

Children & Families, Income Distribution, Social Norms, Social Issues, U.S. Economic Growth

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Suburbanization of American Poverty

Elizabeth Kneebone, October 19, 2009, Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity

The latest data from the Census Bureau reveal that the first year of the Great Recession boosted American poverty, but Sun Belt metro areas and large suburbs bore the brunt of poverty increases in 2008. Elizabeth Kneebone explores recent city and suburban poverty trends in this Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity article. Read More

U.S. Poverty, U.S. Census, Concentrated Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCalifornia’s Work-to-Welfare Policy

Ron Haskins, October 16, 2009, The Brookings Institution

California’s Work-to-Welfare PolicyRon Haskins argues that California's recent decision to allow a substantial number of its welfare recipients to avoid work requirements will reverse nearly a decade and a half of hard-won progress against parental idleness and child poverty. Read More

California, Welfare, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSocial Science Rising: A Tale of Evidence Shaping Policy

Ron Haskins, Christina Paxson and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn , October 01, 2009, Future of Children Policy Brief

In this policy brief, a companion to the volume of The Future of Children devoted to child maltreatment prevention, the authors examine evaluations of home-visiting programs designed to improve parenting and reduce child maltreatment and how policy makers are using social science evidence to identify and support successful programs. Read More

Children & Families, Courts, U.S. Poverty, Public Health

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCan Parent Training Reduce Abuse, Enhance Development, and Save Money?

Richard P. Barth and Ron Haskins, October 01, 2009, The Future of Children Policy Brief

This policy brief, a companion to the volume of The Future of Children devoted to child maltreatment prevention, the authors examine evaluations of home-visiting programs designed to improve parenting and reduce child maltreatment and how policy makers are using social science evidence to identify and support successful programs. Read More

Children & Families, Courts, Public Health, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioStep One: Addressing Health Care Costs

Isabel V. Sawhill, September 17, 2009, Fiscal Wake Up Tour

Isabel Sawhill explains why addressing rising health care costs has to be the first step in solving the nation’s long term fiscal problems. Read More

U.S. Economy, Health Care, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioBad News on Poverty, Worse to Come

Isabel V. Sawhill, September 16, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Isabel Sawhill examines the latest poverty statistics, concluding that with the policy community so heavily focused on health care reform, the plight of the least advantaged in our society is getting too little attention. Read More

U.S. Poverty, U.S. Census, U.S. Economy

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioPoverty and Income in 2008: A Look at the New Census Data and What the Numbers Mean

Thursday, September 10, 2009
2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Washington, DC

On September 10, the day the U.S. Census Bureau releases its new report on poverty and family income for 2008, the Brookings Center on Children and Families held its seventh annual briefing to discuss the new figures and their implications for families and policymakers. Read More

U.S. Poverty, Income Distribution, Children & Families, Unemployment

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSimulating the Effect of the “Great Recession” on Poverty

Emily Monea and Isabel V. Sawhill, September 10, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Emily Monea and Isabel Sawhill argue that in light of the projected increases in U.S. poverty levels, more attention should be paid to the adequacy of the safety net plus health care, education, job training and other means of insuring that more Americans are able to benefit from the opportunities that a growing economy will eventually provide. Read More

U.S. Census, U.S. Economy, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe 2008 Statistics on Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage

Gary Burtless, September 10, 2009, Poverty and Income in 2008: A Look at the New Census Data and What the Numbers Mean

On September 10, the day the U.S. Census Bureau released its annual poverty report, Gary Burtless addressed the seventh annual the Brookings Center on Children and Families briefing and discussed the new figures and their implications for families and policymakers. Read More

U.S. Census, U.S. Economy, U.S. Poverty

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioUrban Revitalization and Opportunity

Bruce Katz, July 09, 2009

Urban Revitalization and OpportunityPublic housing has long been criticized as a breeding ground for concentrated poverty, under-achieving schools and for its lack of access to services. Bruce Katz says that President Obama's Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, an expansion of HOPE VI, will revitalize poor communities while enhancing opportunities for residents and the business community.

Concentrated Poverty, U.S. Poverty, Housing, Working Poor, Inequality

In Brief

Nearly 20 percent of America’s children–and 13 percent of all Americans–live in poverty. Although the nation has made some progress against poverty, particularly among the elderly and female-headed families, a great deal remains to be done to move people out of poverty and up the ladder towards the middle class.

Featured Experts

Isabel V. Sawhill

Isabel V. Sawhill

Senior Fellow, Economic Studies
The Cabot Family Chair

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 at Brookings.
Read More

Julia B. Isaacs

Julia B. Isaacs

Child and Family Policy Fellow, Economic Studies

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.
Read More

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Spotlight

ExpertFederiga Bindi

Federiga Bindi is a leading expert on European political integration. She has a broad experience in government and held a number of posts in international organizations. Bindi currently serves as an advisor to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her research focuses on the EU, transatlantic relations; EU states foreign policies, global governance issues.

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.

ExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

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.

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.

TopicEducation

The economic and political well-being of any society requires a well-educated citizenry. Brookings’s work extends beyond the K-12 bookends to include pre-school interventions, higher education and the challenges of education in developing countries.

ExpertIsabel 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 at Brookings.

ExpertAmy Liu

Amy Liu is deputy director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Her policy studies include economic competitiveness, metropolitan growth and development, governance reforms, urban reinvestment, and social equity.

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.

ExpertDomenico Lombardi

As president of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy, Domenico Lombardi’s work at Brookings focuses on the international financial crisis and the reform of the IMF and the World Bank. He is an expert on G-20 and G8 Summits.

TopicHealth Care

Brookings is committed to producing innovative policy solutions to our nation’s most difficult challenges. The country may face no more important domestic policy challenge than the much-needed reform of our health care system. Through an institution-wide effort, Brookings delivers new ideas and offers policy solutions to improve health care both at home and globally.

ExpertMark McClellan

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 & Medicaid Services, Dr. McClellan now directs the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.

ExpertMwangi S. Kimenyi

Mwangi S. Kimenyi is a senior fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative. He focuses on Africa's development, including institutions for economic growth, the political economy, and private sector development.

Research ProjectBrookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement

The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement monitors displacement problems worldwide, works with governments, regional bodies, international organizations and civil society to create more effective policies and institutional arrangements for Internally Displaed Persons.

ExpertTed Gayer

Ted Gayer is the co-director of the Economic Studies program and the Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He conducts research on a variety of economic issues, focusing particularly on public finance, environmental and energy economics, housing, and regulatory policy.

Policy 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.