Effective Government

NEW PAPER

Using Data to Improve the Performance of Workforce Training

Papers • April 2013 • Louis S. Jacobson, Robert J. LaLonde

Workforce training programs have the potential to improve the lives and incomes of millions of Americans by lifting many into the middle class and preventing others from falling out of it. Despite their promise, however, too many workers enroll in courses that they do not complete or complete courses that do not lead to better jobs, reducing the benefits to workers and the economic return to workforce investments. Louis Jacobson of New Horizons Economic Research and Robert LaLonde of the University of Chicago propose a competition to increase the return on training investments by developing the data and measures necessary to provide the information prospective trainees need, by presenting the information in user-friendly “report cards,” by providing help for prospective trainees to use the information effectively, and by creating incentives for states to implement permanent information systems once they prove cost-effective.

NEW PAPER

Building on Recent Advances in Evidence-Based Policymaking

Papers • April 2013 • Jeffrey B. Liebman

Over the past decade, and particularly over the past five years, new government strategies have begun to emerge—at the federal, state, and local levels—that offer the potential of simultaneously making better use of taxpayer dollars and speeding up progress in addressing serious social problems. Jeffrey Liebman of Harvard University discusses several of these strategies and outlines five steps that policymakers can take to better inform their work with evidence. He also proposes a grant competition that identifies and encourages innovation in ten social policy priority areas as well as federal support for state and local Pay for Success initiatives.

NEW PAPER

An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Worker Training Programs

Papers • April 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

There is significant pressure facing policymakers at all levels of government to fund programs that provide the best results for the best value. Worker training programs provide one example of where better use of evidence could dramatically improve outcomes for many Americans. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project explores how the use of evidence and data could help workers determine which training programs can most effectively help them find employment and increase their earnings.

NEW PAPER

Sequestration’s Threat to America’s Most Vulnerable

Papers • March 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project looks at current poverty trends in the United States, the important role of government support programs, and how sequestration could remove critical aspects of the safety net in the midst of continued labor-market weakness. The Project finds sequestration could throw many American families back into poverty during this sensitive period of economic recovery by cutting the very programs that are helping them stay above water.

NEW PAPER

Increasing the Role of the Private Sector in Housing Finance

Papers • February 2013 • Phillip L. Swagel

Changes in the government’s role in housing finance could contribute to budget savings. Phillip Swagel’s proposal to increase the role of private capital in housing finance improves incentives for risk taking and investment, reduces taxpayer exposure to risk, and fosters competition and innovation in housing finance.

NEW PAPER

Reforming Federal Support for Risky Development

Papers • February 2013 • David R. Conrad, Edward A. Thomas

David Conrad and Ed Thomas explore how the National Flood Insurance Program and other federal disaster relief programs could be reformed to better align the costs and benefits of living in disaster-prone areas and help put the budget on more sound footing. This proposal aims to reduce budget costs of natural disasters and reduce risk to life and property of Americans living in disaster-prone areas.

NEW PAPER

Limiting Individual Income Tax Expenditures

Papers • February 2013 • Diane M. Lim

Diane Lim’s approach to individual income tax expenditures would raise revenue more efficiently and progressively by reducing tax expenditures, limiting potential negative impacts on subsidized sectors by preserving certain tax incentives, and equalizing implicit subsidies across middle- and higher-income taxpayers. 

NEW PAPER

Replacing the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction

Papers • February 2013 • Alan D. Viard

Tax reform discussions often center on tax expenditures. Alan Viard proposes to replace the mortgage interest deduction with a refundable credit as a way to reduce the artificial incentive for the construction of high-end homes by better targeting the tax breaks for housing.

NEW PAPER

15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget

Papers • February 2013

As policymakers work to find solutions to reduce the federal budget deficit, The Hamilton Project presents 15 pragmatic, evidenced-based proposals that would both reduce the deficit and also bring broader economic benefits from leading experts from a variety of backgrounds.

U.S. National Defense Outlays

March 14, 2013 • Charts

The U.S. military is the strongest in the world, but it is also by far the most costly. The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) legislated $500 billion of cuts to the national defense budget over the next ten years—an abrupt change that could weaken the Department of Defense (DoD) if the cuts are not distributed efficiently. However, as this graph demonstrates, sudden and significant changes to defense spending are not new challenges. Although the national defense budget has seen many fluctuations from 1940 to 2010, it is now at its highest level since World War II. With the right policy changes, the DoD can absorb the BCA cuts while strengthening our force and maintaining its powerful position in the world.

Debt-to-GDP Ratio under Various Policy Assumptions, 2012-2023

March 14, 2013 • Charts

Over the next ten years, approximately $4 trillion of deficit reduction are set to take place through the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) and the sequestration, which went into effect on March 1, 2013. This graph, from the introduction of The Hamilton Project’s 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget shows how these policies are projected to affect the debt-to-GDP ratio over the next decade. With the sequester in place, our debt will rise to a high of about 78 percent of GDP in 2014 before falling and reaching about 74 percent by 2023.

When will we reach 6.5 percent unemployment?

January 15, 2013 • Charts

The announcement by the Federal Reserve Board that it will not increase the interest rate until the unemployment rate falls below 6.5 percent raises the question of when we will reach this unemployment level.  If the job-creation rate holds at last year’s pace, we will reach the Fed’s benchmark in about two and a half years.

Public Water and Transportation Spending by State and Local Governments

February 25, 2011 • Charts

State and local governments provide most of the funding for critical infrastructure systems, but spending has declined over the last 50 years.

High School and College Completion and Spending per Pupil

February 25, 2011 • Charts

Despite increases in per-student education spending, high school and college completion rates have stagnated over the past 30 years.

Change in Employment-to-Population Ratio Following 1980 Recession

October 13, 2010 • Charts

Employment gaps created during the 1980-1982 recessions still remain today.

Historical GDP per Capita and Three Potential Future Growth Scenarios

April 20, 2010 • Charts

Three different GDP growth scenarios show potential growth scenarios for the next twenty years.

Improving Regulatory Performance

November 16, 2011 • Michael Greenstone

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone testified before the Senate Budget Committee’s Task Force on Government Performance on how we can improve the government’s system of regulatory review.

Preliminary Thoughts on Reforming Financial Regulation

October 21, 2008 • Alice M. Rivlin

Hamilton Project Advisory Council member Alice Rivlin testified before the House Committee on Financail Services on reforming financial regulation.

Testimony of Lawrence H. Summers

September 9, 2008 • Lawrence H. Summers

In recent testimony before the House Budget Committee, Hamilton Project Advisory Council member Lawrence Summers makes a strong case for the prompt enactment of further timely, targeted, and temporary fiscal stimulus measures.

Reducing the Likelihood of Financial Crisis

May 14, 2008 • Douglas W. Elmendorf

Hamilton Project Senior Scholar Doug Elmendorf testified before the Joint Economic Committee on principles to guide reform of financial markets.

Options for Fiscal Stimulus

January 24, 2008 • Jason Furman

In a testimony, Jason Furman discusses a timely, temporary and targeted fiscal stimulus as a solution in stabilizing the economy.

Investing in What Works: The Importance of Evidence-Based Policymaking

April 17, 2013 • Washington, DC 20001

On April 17th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings and Results for America, an initiative of America Achieves, co-hosted a forum and released two new papers on the important role of evidence in policymaking. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Alan Krueger, Chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and other distinguished experts participated in roundtable discussions on the proposals and how evidence-based policymaking can improve the effectiveness of federally funded programs.

FEATURED

Real Specifics:  15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part II:  Addressing Entitlements, Taxation, and Revenues

February 26, 2013 • Washington, DC

On February 26th, The Hamilton Project hosted a forum featuring a diverse group of experts from around the country who discussed 13 targeted policy proposals that were released that day on reforming entitlement spending, tax reform, and how to create new sources of revenue and efficiency. The proposals provide specific strategies on how lawmakers can address many different areas of the budget, and address options to reduce both mandatory and discretionary spending.

FEATURED

Real Specifics:  15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part I:  Budgeting for a Modern Military

February 22, 2013 • Washington, DC

On February 22nd, The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted  a forum and released new proposals on ways to create greater efficiency in the U.S. defense budget while maintaining our national security. Retired four-star Admiral Gary Roughead, a former chief of Naval Operations; Kori Schake, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution; and Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Cindy Williams, a former assistant director of the Congressional Budget Office, offered two new proposals for reducing future defense budgets.

FEATURED

Back to School:  Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education

September 27, 2012 • Washington, DC

On September 27th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a forum to discuss new approaches to promoting attainment and achievement in K-12 education.  The event included featured remarks by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, highlighting recent progress on education reform, the difficult work still ahead, and the need for innovation to help advance reform efforts. 

U.S. Immigration Policy:  The Border Between Reform and the Economy

May 15, 2012 • Washington, DC 20045

America’s immigration policy no longer serves the needs of our fast-changing global economy.   Failure to address immigration reform at the national level has resulted in missed opportunities to spur America’s economic growth and productivity.  On May 15, The Hamilton Project held a forum exploring the challenges and opportunities for immigration reform in today’s political and economic climate. 

Hard Times, Solid Policies to Renew American Communities

October 13, 2010 • Washington, DC

Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.) joined former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, New York City Deputy Mayor Steve Goldsmith, and other experts in a Hamilton Project forum focused on policy solutions for renewing American communities. The Hamilton Project released a strategy paper and three new proposals that provide a range of options for helping communities and workers recover from recent economic shocks.
 

From Recession to Recovery to Renewal

April 20, 2010 • Washington, DC

Vice President Joe Biden gave the keynote speech at a forum to kick-off The Hamilton Project’s 2010 policy agenda. The event featured two roundtable discussions to highlight innovative policy ideas and the more general challenges facing the U.S. economy.

Missing Markets: Fostering Market-Based Solutions to Major Risks

June 5, 2008 • Washington, DC

The Hamilton Project hosted a discussion on what the government can do to foster market-based solutions to major risks.  Markets that could potentially mitigate or reduce some of the biggest risks faced by the American people and their broader communities are nonexistent or underutilized.

If, When, How? Prospects for Fiscal Stimulus in the U.S. Economy

January 10, 2008 • Washington, DC

The Hamilton Project released a briefing paper and convened a discussion on what economists know about fiscal stimulus — if it is appropriate, when should it be implemented, and how should it be done.

Recent Financial Market Disruptions: Implications for the Economy and American Families

September 26, 2007 • Washington, DC

The Project convened a discussion with experts to help frame the challenges currently facing housing and the financial markets: where we are, what it means for the U.S. economy, possible next steps for recovery, and ways to minimize future problems.

Investing in What Works: The Importance of Evidence-Based Policymaking—Photo Gallery

April 19, 2013 • Photo Galleries

On April 17th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings and Results for America, an initiative of America Achieves, co-hosted a forum and release two new papers on the important role of evidence in policymaking. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Alan Krueger, Chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and other distinguished experts participated in roundtable discussions on the proposals and how evidence-based policymaking can improve the effectiveness of federally funded programs.
 

Investing in What Works: The Importance of Evidence-Based Policymaking—Introduction & Panel 1

April 18, 2013 • Video

Founder & Chairman of Evercore Partners Roger Altman provided welcoming remarks to kick off this forum co-hosted by The Hamilton Project and Results for America. In the first panel discussion, Jeffrey Liebman of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Louis Jacobson of New Horizons Economic Research presented new proposals on the crucial role of evidence and results in policymaking. The authors were joined by former White House Domestic Policy Council Director John Bridgeland, New York City Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs, Results for America Managing Director Michele Jolin and Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone for a discussion of the new papers.

Investing in What Works: The Importance of Evidence-Based Policymaking—Panel 2

April 18, 2013 • Video

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), and Alan Krueger, Chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, joined former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin for a roundtable discussion on the importance of harnessing evidence to improve the effectiveness of federally funded programs.

Investing in What Works: The Importance of Evidence-Based Policymaking—Introduction & Panel 1: Opportunities for Bringing Evidence to Policymaking

April 18, 2013 • Audio

Founder & Chairman of Evercore Partners Roger Altman provided welcoming remarks to kick off this forum co-hosted by The Hamilton Project and Results for America. In the first panel discussion, Jeffrey Liebman of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Louis Jacobson of New Horizons Economic Research presented new proposals on the crucial role of evidence and results in policymaking. The authors were joined by former White House Domestic Policy Council Director John Bridgeland, New York City Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs, Results for America Managing Director Michele Jolin and Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone for a discussion of the new papers.

Investing in What Works: The Importance of Evidence-Based Policymaking—Panel 2: Using Evidence To Drive Public Dollars Toward What Works

April 18, 2013 • Audio

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), and Alan Krueger, Chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, joined former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin for a roundtable discussion on the importance of harnessing evidence to improve the effectiveness of federally funded programs.

U.S. National Defense Outlays

March 14, 2013 • Charts

The U.S. military is the strongest in the world, but it is also by far the most costly. The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) legislated $500 billion of cuts to the national defense budget over the next ten years—an abrupt change that could weaken the Department of Defense (DoD) if the cuts are not distributed efficiently. However, as this graph demonstrates, sudden and significant changes to defense spending are not new challenges. Although the national defense budget has seen many fluctuations from 1940 to 2010, it is now at its highest level since World War II. With the right policy changes, the DoD can absorb the BCA cuts while strengthening our force and maintaining its powerful position in the world.

Debt-to-GDP Ratio under Various Policy Assumptions, 2012-2023

March 14, 2013 • Charts

Over the next ten years, approximately $4 trillion of deficit reduction are set to take place through the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) and the sequestration, which went into effect on March 1, 2013. This graph, from the introduction of The Hamilton Project’s 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget shows how these policies are projected to affect the debt-to-GDP ratio over the next decade. With the sequester in place, our debt will rise to a high of about 78 percent of GDP in 2014 before falling and reaching about 74 percent by 2023.

Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part II: Addressing Entitlements, Taxation and Revenues—Introduction

February 28, 2013 • Video

Co-Chair of the Council on Foreign Relations and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin provided opening remarks at The Hamilton Project's Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget--Part II: Addressing Entitlements, Taxation and Revenues.

Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part II: Addressing Entitlements, Taxation and Revenues—The State of the Budget: Prospects, Challenges, and Opportunities

February 28, 2013 • Video

Founder & Chairman of Evercore Partners Roger Altman facilitated a discussion on the state of the budget with Director of the Tax Policy Center Donald Marron, Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution Alice Rivlin, and Distinguished Institute Fellow and President Emeritus at The Urban Institute Robert Reischauer.