
Isabel Sawhill says “human infrastructure”—the nonprofit sector—should not be forgotten in the stimulus package. She calls for allocating 10 percent or up to $100 billion of the fiscal stimulus package into nonprofits. These organizations have a huge network of institutions that work hard every day to improve the welfare of communities and individuals; they will spend the money quickly; have the capacity to spread the dollars widely; and in the absence of funding, will shrink and thus become another drag on the economy.
Latest Policy News
Economics
Environment
A Southern California habitat conservation plan balances protection of endangered species with development. --RAND
Evidence suggests global warming will occur despite efforts to stop it. California must prepare for the likely adverse impacts, such as reduced water supply and increased risk of wildfire. -- Public Policy Institute of California
New Brookings Institute study finds a trend away from driving to other forms of transportation in many American cities. -- Brookings Institute
A new study examines how farmers can adapt to global warming. The study reports that while many farmers see the long term climatic changes, few modify their practices. -- International Food Policy Research Institute
Health
Marisa Trevio, of the blog "Latina Lista, writes that increasing HIV rates among Latino immigrants require Southern states to step up their HIV/AIDS prevention programs. -- KaiserNetwork.org
A new report finds that two-thirds of children covered by Kenya's HIC/AIDS care program lack access to antiretroviral treatment. Without treatment 40,000 children are expected to die in the next two years. --KaiserNetwork.org
International
The focus of the War on Terror has shifted to the Afghanistan Pakistan border. The U.S. should respond by working towards peace and stability in the region. -- The Brookings Institution
Security
Has the Department of Homeland Security been a success? Jeffrey Rosen argues that the creating the department was a mistake. –Cato Institute
Heat is more likely to kill an American than an earthquake, and thunderstorms kill more people than hurricanes do, according to a U.S. “death map” published on Tuesday… -- Cato Institute
This annual report describes selected RAND Project AIR FORCE research during 2008 in the areas of strategy and doctrine; force modernization and employment; manpower, personnel, and training; and resource management. -- RAND
In preparing for possible future military interventions, the United States needs to shift substantial resources to the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development. -- RAND
Education
The school improvement efforts put in place by No Child Left Behind should take local conditions into account. -- RAND
Some critics of the policy call on Obama to end No Child Left Behind and weigh in on his choice for Education Secretary. --Cato Institute
The next president should consider announcing U.S. support for a big international push to expand quality primary schooling in low-income countries so that all children have the chance to learn. -- Center for Global Development
Government
Obama’s nominee for Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, has raised nearly $900,000 from labor unions since 1999. -- Center for Responsive Politics
Bill Clinton has release the names of donors to Clinton Foundation in an effort to clear the way for Hillary Clinton's confirmation as Secretary of State. -- Center for Responsive Politics
Transportation Secretary nominee, Republican Ray LaHood has received financial support from transportation unions totaling nearly $150,000. – Center for Responsive Politics
A review of congressional campaign contributions reveals that members of the House of Representatives who voted for the auto industry bailout received higher contributions than those who opposed it. -- Center for Responsive Politics
Human Rights
Health and Human Services Department announces new privacy principles for electronic health information. -- KaiserNetwork.org
Twelve civil liberties organizations have signed a letter to Michigan State University criticizing the decision to penalize a student for writing an email critical of the university and sending it to a few hundred faculty members. -- Center for Democracy and Technology
The Brookings Institution has released a report reviewing the information released by the government about the detainees at Guantánamo Bay. The purpose of the report is to “identify and describe empirically who is at Guantánamo today, what the government alleges about them, and what they claim about their own affiliations and conduct.” – The Brookings Insitution
Justice
Congress has passed the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Act which makes it easier for victims to remain in the United States and provides assistance for victims. -- CALCASA
Roundup of news affecting Criminal Justice Policy in the United States
Social Policy
A new from the Center for American Progress urges the federal government to be more proactive in creating programs that help young high school dropouts gain skills that are valuable in the labor market. – Center for American Progress
New report from the Center for Law and Social Policy advocates funding social programs to protecting the poor during recession and to help them prosper during the recovery. -- Center for Law and Social Policy
Massachusetts uses coalitions of advocacy group to increase the resources available for programs targeting youth. -- Center for Law and Social Policy
