epubli The Quiet Revolution in Women’s Human Capital and the Gender Earnings Gap in the People’s Republic of China By www.adb.org Published On :: 2020-04-07 00:00:00 Labor market discrimination is the main barrier to narrowing the gender earnings gap in the People’s Republic of China. Full Article
epubli Peer Effect, Political Competition, and Eco-Efficiency: Evidence from City-Level Data in the People’s Republic of China By www.adb.org Published On :: 2020-04-22 00:00:00 A well-designed evaluation system can be effective in motivating bureaucrats to shift their efforts toward a more environmentally friendly growth path. Full Article
epubli Strategic Environmental Regulation and Inbound Foreign Direct Investment in the People’s Republic of China By www.adb.org Published On :: 2020-05-08 00:00:00 Even though the central government issues strict regulation policies, it is the local governments’ discretion to adjust and enforce compliance. Full Article
epubli UPDATE 1-Republicans urge Trump to bar banks from shunning fossil fuel loans By feeds.reuters.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 20:01:59 -0400 A group of Republican lawmakers from energy-producing states on Friday called on President Donald Trump to prevent banks from halting loans and investments with companies that produce oil and other fossil fuels while they have access to federal assistance programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Article companyNews
epubli House OKs Republican Health Care Bill By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Sat, 9 May 2020 00:00:00 PDT Title: House OKs Republican Health Care BillCategory: Health NewsCreated: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 5/5/2017 12:00:00 AM Full Article
epubli Bill Maher Says Republicans 'Don't Care' About Tara Reade's Biden Allegations, Challenges Timing of Sexual Assault Claims By www.newsweek.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 09:34:34 -0400 Bill Maher said Republicans "don't care" about Tara Reade's sexual assault allegations, saying such claims are simply used as a "unilateral weapon" against Democrats. Full Article
epubli Ebola epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo to be declared over By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 09:30:58 +0000 The DRC’s Ebola epidemic will be declared over on 12 April but there’s little time to celebrate as the country pivots towards tackling the coronavirus Full Article
epubli Three new Ebola cases detected in Democratic Republic of the Congo By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 12:41:33 +0000 Fresh cases of Ebola have been detected just days before the deadly epidemic in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was to be declared over Full Article
epubli Republicans want review of aid to WHO, Democrat may subpoena Pompeo By feeds.reuters.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 22:06:22 -0400 Five U.S. Senate Republicans introduced a bill on Wednesday seeking a review of U.S. participation in the World Health Organization and other international institutions, after President Donald Trump's administration suspended U.S. contributions to the U.N. health agency and accused it of mishandling the coronavirus pandemic. Full Article politicsNews
epubli Fight brews in Congress over Republican push to protect business from coronavirus lawsuits By feeds.reuters.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 08:16:00 -0400 A key U.S. Senate Democrat pushed back on Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's drive to protect employers from coronavirus-related lawsuits when the economy begins to reopen, saying it would be unnecessary if the White House set clearer standards. Full Article politicsNews
epubli Top U.S. House Republican calls for pause in coronavirus legislation By feeds.reuters.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 11:01:34 -0400 The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives called for a pause in coronavirus legislation on Thursday, saying Congress should first assess the impact of earlier relief bills and then take a slower path forward through committee hearings. Full Article politicsNews
epubli Trump says his administration is talking to Republican senators about work visa issue By feeds.reuters.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:36:21 -0400 President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration is talking to Republican senators about work visa issues, amid the coronavirus outbreak that has wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy. Full Article politicsNews
epubli Top Republican donor tapped to lead struggling U.S. Postal Service By www.nbcnews.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 13:48:00 GMT Trump has long railed against the Postal Service, saying the agency has been swindled by e-commerce giants like Amazon. Full Article
epubli House Republicans demand Postmaster General turn over plan for financial stability By www.washingtontimes.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 12:26:54 -0400 Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said Friday repeated efforts to learn how the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service intends to become financially stable have been stymied by U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan. The lawmakers say they've requested a financial plan from Ms. Brennan three different times, but it hasn't been ... Full Article
epubli Why Are Republicans Stampeding to Reopen? By www.thenation.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:45:40 +0000 Sasha Abramsky They’re following the lead of Trump, who encourages gun-toting protesters, blames immigrants and China, and demonizes the media. The post Why Are Republicans Stampeding to Reopen? appeared first on The Nation. Full Article
epubli The Making of the Radical Republicans By www.thenation.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:59:55 +0000 Eric Foner How did the struggle for emancipation become a mass politics? The post The Making of the Radical Republicans appeared first on The Nation. Full Article
epubli Iowa’s Republican Governor Sacrifices Citizens to Trump By www.thenation.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 14:40:01 +0000 Emily Berch The state has some of fastest-growing Covid-19 outbreaks in the country. That hasn’t stopped Governor Kim Reynolds from rushing to reopen. The post Iowa’s Republican Governor Sacrifices Citizens to Trump appeared first on The Nation. Full Article
epubli Republicans trying to strip Democratic governors of authority on COVID-19 response By globalnews.ca Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 15:33:01 +0000 The efforts to undermine Democratic governors who invoked stay-at-home orders are most pronounced in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, all three of which have divided government and are key to President Donald Trump's path to reelection. Full Article Health Politics World Coronavirus COVID-19 democratic response coronavirus Democrats Donald Trump GOP republican response coronavirus Republicans
epubli Republican breaks with Trump, calls for 'tens of millions' of coronavirus tests By news.yahoo.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:22:06 -0400 Breaking with the leader of his own party, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., called for “tens of millions” of diagnostic coronavirus tests to be administered to Americans before the country can begin to return to normal. Full Article
epubli Michael Jordan insists 'Republicans buy sneakers too' quote was a joke By www.theguardian.com Published On :: 2020-05-04T12:22:30Z Comment has followed superstar throughout his lifeJordan addresses issue during ESPN’s The Last DanceMichael Jordan has discussed the quote that has come to define what many see as his willingness to put profit over principles.During a 1990 Senate race in his home state of North Carolina, Jordan refused to endorse Democrat Harvey Gantt, an African American who was running against the incumbent Republican Jesse Helms, a notorious racist. Jordan, who at the time had already won the first of his five NBA MVP awards, explained away his refusal to take a stance by saying “Republicans buy sneakers, too”. Related: Michael Jordan's furious desire to conquer all still burns decades later Continue reading... Full Article Michael Jordan NBA Basketball US sports Sport
epubli West Ham star Tomas Soucek donates to Wave for Hope campaign fighting coronavirus in Czech Republic By www.standard.co.uk Published On :: 2020-04-13T15:04:28Z West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek has made a donation to the 'Wave for Hope' campaign to help his native Czech Republic in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Full Article
epubli 'We're going to fill it': Republicans ready for any Supreme Court vacancy By www.politico.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 08:30:44 GMT GOP senators denied Obama a seat on the high court. They'll deliver for Trump. Full Article
epubli The one Republican Senate candidate willing to call out Donald Trump By www.politico.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 11:00:40 GMT In a recording obtained by POLITICO, Michigan Senate hopeful John James criticizes the president over his 'shithole countries' remark and other comments. Full Article
epubli 'Banana republic': Trump threatens to unilaterally suspend Congress By www.brisbanetimes.com.au Published On :: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 10:30:23 GMT The President's remarkable threat - which came on the day US recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths - drew immediate criticism from constitutional experts. Full Article
epubli A Republican Crusader Takes on Oklahoma’s Prison Machine By www.politico.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 09:10:09 GMT In the state that locks up more of its citizens than any other, a former politician is using the ballot box—and some surprising alliances—to nudge his own party toward change. Full Article
epubli How accurate is 'Mrs. America's' portrayal of Republican women? We investigated By www.latimes.com Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 16:11:36 -0400 What Hulu's 'Mrs. America' gets right and wrong about Republican congresswoman Jill Ruckelshaus and evangelical activist Lottie Beth Hobbs in Episode 6. Full Article
epubli Connecticut Investor Found Guilty in Massive Scheme to Bribe Senior Government Officials in the Republic of Azerbaijan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:04:51 EDT Frederic A. Bourke Jr., 63, was found guilty today by a federal jury in Manhattan of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Travel Act, and making false statements to the FBI. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli California Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Jail for Molesting Child While in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 24 May 2010 18:41:33 EDT William Newton Rudd, 67, of Fullerton, Calif., was sentenced today to 78 months in jail after pleading guilty on Oct. 30, 2009, to one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Hawaii Man Convicted of Providing Defense Information and Services to People’s Republic of China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 19:37:10 EDT A federal jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii today found Noshir S. Gowadia guilty of five criminal offenses relating to his design for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) of a low signature cruise missile exhaust system capable of rendering a PRC cruise missile resistant to detection by infrared missiles. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Former Airline Executives Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Fares on Flights Between the United States and the Republic of Korea By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:34:34 EDT A Brooklyn, N.Y., grand jury returned an indictment today against two former executives of Asiana Airlines, Inc. for participating in a conspiracy to fix economy class airfares paid by passengers for travel from the United States to the Republic of Korea. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Spy for the People’s Republic of China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:26:16 EDT Glenn Duffie Shriver, 28, of Detroit, Mich., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Liam O’Grady to conspiring to provide national defense information to intelligence officers of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Michigan Man Sentenced 48 Months for Attempting to Spy for the People’s Republic of China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:33:18 EST Glenn Duffie Shriver, 29, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for conspiring to provide national defense information to intelligence officers of the People’s Republic of China. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Hawaii Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison for Providing Defense Information and Services to People’s Republic of China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 09:11:57 EST Noshir S. Gowadia, 66, of Maui, Hawaii, was sentenced late yesterday to 32 years in prison for communicating classified national defense information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), illegally exporting military technical data, as well as money laundering, filing false tax returns and other offenses. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc. and Citizens Bank Regarding Alleged Lending Discrimination in Detroit By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 5 May 2011 11:48:27 EDT Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc. (CRBC) and Citizens Bank of Flint, Mich., will open a loan production office in an African-American neighborhood in Detroit, invest approximately $3.6 million in Wayne County, Mich., and take other steps as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that they engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of race and color. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Former Guard Charged with Attempting to Communicate National Defense Information to People’s Republic of China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:20:35 EDT Bryan Underwood, a former contract guard working at a U.S. Consulate in China, has been charged in a superseding indictment with one count of attempting to communicate national defense information to a foreign government, two counts of making false statements and one count of failing to appear in court pursuant to his conditions of release. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder Regarding the Signing of a Forfeited Assets Agreement with the Dominican Republic By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:27:54 EDT In signing this important forfeited asset sharing agreement, Prosecutor General Radhaméz Jiménez Peña and I reaffirm our common values, as well as our ongoing commitment to the goals that the United States and the Dominican Republic share: protecting our citizens, strengthening our borders, improving public safety, reducing recidivism, preventing and combating gang- and drug-fueled crime and violence, and ensuring that criminals do not profit from illegal activity," said Attorney General Holder. Full Article Speech
epubli Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa High-level Breakfast Meeting on “Access to Criminal Legal Aid” By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 26 Sep 2012 09:33:45 EDT "But if the arc of history bends toward justice -- and I believe it does -- then it bends not by it's own weight but by the hands of those who dare to reach," said Acting Associate Attorney General West. Full Article Speech
epubli French Citizen Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Criminal Investigation into Alleged Bribes Paid to Win Mining Rights in the Republic of Guinea By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:07:36 EDT Frederic Cilins, 51, a French citizen, pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of New York to obstructing a federal criminal investigation into whether a mining company paid bribes to win lucrative mining rights in the Republic of Guinea. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli Justice Department Seizes an Additional $500,000 in Corrupt Assets Tied to Former President of Republic of Korea By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 3 Sep 2014 12:28:41 EDT The Department of Justice has seized approximately $500,000 in assets traceable to corruption proceeds accumulated by Chun Doo Hwan, the former president of the Republic of Korea. This seizure brings the total value of seized corruption proceeds of President Chun to more than $1.2 million. Full Article OPA Press Releases
epubli As coronavirus reshapes campaigns, Republicans fear loss of Senate control By www.latimes.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 06:00:38 -0400 Republicans, once confident of keeping their Senate majority in the fall election, now fear Democrats have a fresh advantage as the coronavirus crisis has reshaped campaigns. Full Article
epubli Meet the Ohio health expert who has a fan club — and Republicans trying to stop her By www.nbcnews.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 09:04:00 GMT Some Buckeyes are not comfortable being told by a "woman in power" to quarantine, one expert said. Full Article
epubli The Fourth Crisis of The Republic, Hindustan Times By ramachandraguha.in Published On :: Sun, 26 Jan 2020 15:57:29 +0000 As I have written before, if India had been a start-up in August 1947 not even the most venturesome of venture capitalists would have invested in it. No new nation was born in more inhospitable circumstances. The Partition of the country had been awful enough, in the scale of its violence and the mass displacement [...] Full Article History Politics and Current Affairs Anis Kidwai Constitution Nehru Sardar Patel ambedkar
epubli In the Republican Party establishment, Trump finds tepid support By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:37:25 +0000 For the past three years the Republican Party leadership have stood by the president through thick and thin. Previous harsh critics and opponents in the race for the Republican nomination like Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Ted Cruz fell in line, declining to say anything negative about the president even while, at times, taking action… Full Article
epubli In the Republican Party establishment, Trump finds tepid support By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:37:25 +0000 For the past three years the Republican Party leadership have stood by the president through thick and thin. Previous harsh critics and opponents in the race for the Republican nomination like Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Ted Cruz fell in line, declining to say anything negative about the president even while, at times, taking action… Full Article
epubli Life expectancy and the Republican candidates' Social Security proposals By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 29 Jan 2016 12:00:00 -0500 In last Thursday’s GOP debate, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie managed to avoid mentioning their common proposal to “reform entitlements” by raising the Social Security retirement age from 67 to 70. That was probably a good idea. Their proposal only demonstrates their lack of understanding about the demographics of older Americans, especially the dramatic disparities in their life expectancy associated with education and race. Recent research on life expectancy indicates that their proposed change would effectively nullify Social Security for millions of Americans and sharply limit benefits for many millions more.. While many people in their 30s and 40s today can look forward to living into their 80s, the average life expectancy for the majority of Americans who do not hold a college degree hovers closer to 70, or the average life expectancy for all Americans in 1950. The Widening Inequalities in the Life Spans of Americans This research, summarized recently in a study published in Health Affairs, found that life expectancy for various age cohorts of Americans is closely associated with both educational achievement and race. For example, the average life expectancy for college-educated American men who were age 25 in 2008, or age 33 today, is 81.7 years for whites and 78.2 years for blacks. (Table 1, below) By contrast, the projected, average life span of high-school educated males, also age 25 in 2008 or 33 today, is 73.2 years for whites and 69.3 years for blacks. Women on average live longer than men; but similar disparities based on education and race are evident. The average life expectancy of women age 25 in 2008, or 33 years old today, was 79 years for whites and 75.4 years for blacks for those with a high school diploma, and 84.7 years for whites and 81.6 years for blacks with college degrees. Most disturbing, the average life expectancy of Americans age 25 in 2008 without a high school diploma is just 68.6 years for white men, 68.2 years for black men, 74.2 years for white women, and 74.9 years for black women. Surprisingly, the researchers found that Hispanics in this age group have the longest life expectancies, even though they also have the lowest average levels of education. Since these data are anomalous and may reflect sampling problems, we will focus mainly on the life-expectancy gaps between African American and white Americans. Tallying How Many People Are Adversely Affected Census data on the distribution by education of people age 25 to 34 in 2010 (ages 30 to 39 in 2015) provide a good estimate of how many Americans are adversely affected by these growing differences. Overall, 56.3 percent of all Americans currently in their 30s fall are high school graduates or left school without a high school diploma, educational groups with much lower average life expectancies. (Table 2, below) More precisely, 10.1 percent or almost 4.8 million Americans in their 30s today lack a high school diploma, and 46.2 percent or 18.9 million thirty-somethings have high school diplomas and no further degrees. All told, they account for 23,702,000 Americans in their 30s; and among older Americans, the numbers and percentages are even higher. Since race as well as education are major factors associated with differences in life expectancy, we turn next to education by race (Table 3, below). The totals differ modestly from Table 2, because Census data on education by race cover ages 30-39 in 2014, while Table 2 covers age 30-39 in 2015 (ages 25-34 in 2010). Among people in their 30s today, 45.4 percent of whites or 10,613,000 Americans have a high school degree or less – and their average life expectancy is 9.4 years less than whites in their 30s with a college or associate degree. Among people in their 30s todays, 64.4 percent of blacks or 3,436,000 Americans have a high school degree or less – and their life expectancy is 8.6 years less than blacks in their 30s with an B.A. or associate degree, and 11.6 years less than whites with a college or associate degree.. Among people in their 30s today, 75.6 percent of Hispanics or 6,243,000 Americans have a high school degree or less – and their life expectancy is 5.0 years less than Hispanics in their 30s with a college or associate degree. As a policy matter, these data tell us that across all communities—white, black, Hispanic—improvements in secondary education to prepare everyone for higher education, and lower-cost access to higher education, can add years to the lives of millions of Americans. Preserving Meaningful Access to Social Security Benefits The widening inequalities in average life expectancy associated with race and education have more direct policy implications for Social Security, because the number of years that people can claim its benefits depends on their life spans. The growing inequalities in life expectancy translate directly into growing disparities in the years people can claim Social Security benefits, based on their education and race. Assuming that Americans in their 30s today retire at age 67 (the age for full benefits for this age group), they can expect to claim retirement benefits, on average, ranging from 1.2 years to 19.3 years, based on their education and race. (Table 4, below) The most pressing issues of life expectancy and Social Security involve white males, black males, and black females without college degrees: Among Americans age 33 today, white and black men without high school diplomas and black males with high school degrees, on average, can expect to live long enough to collect benefits for less than three years. Similarly, white and black women without high school diplomas and black women with high school degrees, on average, can expect to collect benefits for less than eight years. Together, they account for 25.2 percent of whites and 64.4 percent of blacks in their 30s today. By contrast, male and female white college graduates age 33 today, on average, can expect to collect Social Security for between 14.7 and 17.7 years, respectively; and 33-year old black men and women with college degrees, on average, will claim benefits for 11.2 to 14.6 years, respectively. These findings dictate that proposals to raise the Social Security retirement age should be rejected as a matter of basic fairness. Among this year’s presidential hopefuls, as noted earlier, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie all have called for raising the retirement age to 70 years. Under this policy, black men in their 30s today without a college degree and white men now in their 30s without a high school diploma, on average, would not live long enough to collect any Social Security. The change would reduce the average number of years of Social Security for Americans in their 30s today, From 1.6 years to -1.4 years for white men with no high school diploma, From 1.2 years to -1.8 years for black men with no high school diploma, and From 2.3 years to – 0.7 years for black, male high-school graduates. Furthermore, among Americans in their 30s today, white and black women without a high school diploma, white male high school graduates, and black female high school graduates, would live long enough, on average, to collect Social Security for just 3.2 to 5.4 years. The GOP change reduce the average number of years of Social Security for Americans in their 30s today, From 6.2 years to 3.2 years for white, male high school graduates, From 7.2 years to 4.2 years for white women with no high school diploma, From 7.9 years to 4.9 years for black women with no high school diploma, and From 8.4 years to 5.4 years for black, female high-school graduates. All told, proposals to raise the retirement age to 70 years old would mean, based on the average life expectancy of Americans in their 30s today, that 25.2 percent of whites in their 30s and 64.4 percent of blacks of comparable age, after working for 35 years or more, would receive Social Security benefits for 5.4 years or less. Authors Robert Shapiro Image Source: © Jim Young / Reuters Full Article
epubli The Islamic Republic of Iran four decades on: The 2017/18 protests amid a triple crisis By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 08:26:42 +0000 Throughout its tumultuous four decades of rule, the Islamic Republic has shown remarkable longevity, despite regular predictions of its im- pending demise. However, the fact that it has largely failed to deliver on the promises of the 1979 revolution, above all democracy and social justice, continues to haunt its present and future. Iran’s post-revolutionary history… Full Article
epubli In the Republican Party establishment, Trump finds tepid support By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:37:25 +0000 For the past three years the Republican Party leadership have stood by the president through thick and thin. Previous harsh critics and opponents in the race for the Republican nomination like Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Ted Cruz fell in line, declining to say anything negative about the president even while, at times, taking action… Full Article
epubli Democrats and Republicans disagree: Carbon taxes By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Sun, 24 Jul 2016 23:22:00 -0400 Editor’s note: This week the Democrats gather in Philadelphia to nominate a candidate for president and adopt a party platform. Given that there are no minority reports to the Democratic platform, it is likely that it will be adopted as-is this week. And so we can begin the comparison of the two major party platforms. For those who say there are no differences between the Republican and Democratic parties, just read the platforms side-by-side. In many instances, the differences are—as Donald Trump would say, yuuuge. But in one surprising instance, the two parties actually agree. This piece walks readers through one of the biggest contrasts, while an earlier piece by Elaine Kamarck detailed a striking similarity. When it comes to Republicans and the environment, black is the new green. In addition to denouncing “radical environmentalists” and calling for dismantling the EPA, the platform adopted in Cleveland yesterday calls coal “abundant, clean, affordable, reliable domestic energy resource” and unequivocally opposes “any” carbon tax. Meanwhile, Democrats are moving in the opposite direction. By the time the party’s draft 2016 platform emerged from the final regional committee meeting in Orlando, it contained a robust section on environmental issues in general and climate change in particular. One of the many amendments adopted in Orlando contains the following sentence: “Democrats believe that carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases should be priced to reflect their negative externalities, and to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and help meet our climate goals.” In plain English, there should be what amounts to a tax (whatever it may be called) on the atmospheric emissions principally responsible for climate change, including but not limited to CO2. As Brookings’ Adele Morris pointed out in a recent paper, this proposal raises a host of design issues, including determining initial price levels, payers, recipients, and uses of revenues raised. It would have to be squared with existing federal tax, climate, and energy policies as well as with climate initiatives at the state level. But these devilish details should not obstruct the broader view: To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that the platform of a major American political party has advocated taxing greenhouse gas emissions. Many economists, including some with a conservative orientation, will applaud this proposal. Many supporters and producers of fossils fuels will be dismayed. It remains to be seen how the American people will respond. In a survey conducted in 2015 by Resources for the Future in partnership with Stanford University and the New York Times, 67 percent of the respondents endorsed requiring companies “to pay a tax to the government for every ton of greenhouse gases [they] put out,” with the proviso that all the revenue would be devoted to reducing the amount of income taxes that individuals pay. Previous surveys found similar sentiments: public support increases sharply when the greenhouse gas tax is explicitly revenue-neutral and declines sharply if it threatens an overall increase in individual taxes. Once this plank of the Democratic platform becomes widely known, Republicans are likely to attack it as yet another example of Democrats’ propensity to raise taxes. The platform’s silence on the question of revenue-neutrality may add some credibility to this charge. Much will depend on the ability of the Democratic Party and its presidential nominee to clarify its proposal and to link it to goals the public endorses. Authors William A. Galston Full Article
epubli In the Republican Party establishment, Trump finds tepid support By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:37:25 +0000 For the past three years the Republican Party leadership have stood by the president through thick and thin. Previous harsh critics and opponents in the race for the Republican nomination like Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Ted Cruz fell in line, declining to say anything negative about the president even while, at times, taking action… Full Article
epubli Hillary Clinton's advice that every Republican candidate should embrace By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 20 Jan 2016 10:45:00 -0500 Hillary Clinton isn’t often in the business of offering unsolicited advice to her Republican—or even Democratic—rivals in the presidential race. However, in a CNN interview with Alisyn Camerota on January 12, 2015, Hillary Clinton did just that. She did something quite taboo. She talked about the presidential transition. Her comments did not flow from confidence that she would be elected president—a confidence she may indeed have. Her words came from experience, pragmatism and reality. They were words that did not simply reflect her own approach to a candidacy or a prospective administration. It was advice to everyone running for president about the right thing to do—not for themselves, but for the American public. Clinton said: I want to think hard—if I do get the nomination, right then and there—how we organize the White House, how we organize the Cabinet, what’s the legislative agenda. You know, the time between an election and an inauguration is short. You can’t wait. I mean, you can’t take anything for granted; you need to keep working as hard as you possibly can. But I think it’s important to start planning because we know what happens if you get behind in getting your agenda out, in getting your appointments made. You lose time, and you’re not doing the work the American people elected you to do. Presidential candidates almost never speak of a transition until they are declared the president-elect in the late hours of the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Candidates fear being accused of taking the election for granted, or “measuring the drapes.” They worry such planning will signal to voters an off-putting overconfidence. Those fears may be legitimate, but acting on those concerns can be dangerous. If a voter believes a candidate should not prepare for a new administration until they are officially elected, that leaves the president-elect about 11 weeks to ready themselves for the busiest, most complicated, most important job in the world. In those 11 weeks, a president-elect would need to think not just about the 15 Cabinet secretaries who serve as the most visible political appointees in government, but literally hundreds and thousands of other posts. (One dirty little secret is that the President of the United States appoints over 3,000 people to his or her administration.) Presidents have to think about the structure, order, and sequence of their legislative agenda. They need to communicate their intentions and plans to congressional leadership. They need to think about organizing a White House. The truth is from president to president, the White House looks the same from the outside, but is structured and functions dramatically differently on the inside. Presidents have myriad important decisions to make that will set the tone and agenda for the following four years and will affect every American in some way. Eleven weeks is not enough time. Clinton acknowledges this. Clinton’s “bold” statement actually reflects a reality in American politics. As soon as an individual accepts his or her party’s presidential nomination, they are entitled to funding, office space, and government email and technology as part of the transition process. The Office of Personnel Management is involved, as is (of late) the Office of Presidential Personnel for the outgoing administration. The presidential transition is an essential part of democracy, policymaking, administration, and the continuity of government. Every four years, the government supports two transitions—one that comes to be and one that closes up shop. In one way however, Hillary Clinton is entirely wrong. Waiting until you receive the nomination is too late to begin thinking about the transition. As I have written before, every presidential candidate should start thinking about a transition as soon as they announce their candidacy. They don’t need a full Cabinet chosen on Day 1 of the campaign, but they should designate one or two close advisers to organize for the process, begin considering names for posts, think through the types of policies to propose in the first 100 days, and begin what is one of the most complicated managerial tasks in the world. Hillary Clinton is right “it is important to start planning,” and it’s also never too early to do so. I hope Clinton’s claim that one should start upon securing the nomination is a reflection of that fear of the “drape measuring” accusation. I hope she is planning her transition now. I hope Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz and Donald Trump and John Kasich and everyone else is planning their transition right now. It’s essential. Clinton knows the challenges of setting up a White House and the complications that early disorganization can cause; she saw that dysfunction first hand in 1993. But most candidates have also worked in or around the White House or have been in politics long enough to know the importance of an effective transition. And candidates who haven’t, like Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina, should be more inclined to set up a transition early, as they have more managerial experience than anyone else in the race. To this end, I have a modest proposal. It probably won’t happen. It’s likely one that candidates would fear, and it would likely only be effective if everyone is on board. Every current presidential candidate should sign a pledge committing to two things. First, by February 1, 2016, they will designate at least one staffer, adviser or confidante as a transition director. Second, they will not publicly criticize another candidate—of either party—for having a transition staffer or team in place. Call it a “Transition Truce.” But the reality is that such a pledge—and the actions behind it—are essential for a better functioning, better prepared, more effective administration, no matter who it is who swears the oath exactly one year from today. Authors John Hudak Image Source: © Rick Wilking / Reuters Full Article