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Daily Archives: January 8, 2009

Brookings: Assessing the 110th Congress, Anticipating the 111th

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Brookings: Assessing the 110th Congress, Anticipating the 111th, Sarah A. Binder, Thomas E. Mann, Norman J. Ornstein and Molly Reynolds.

  • “Barack Obama’s triumphant presidential campaign in the 2008 election attracted extraordinary interest and excitement in the United States and around the globe. Following on the heels of sweeping Democratic gains in 2006, this second Democratic victory was driven by a sharply negative referendum on an unpopular war and a ravaged economy, but also by a rejection of business as usual in public life: excessive partisanship, ideological rigidity, a constitutional system out of balance, a culture of corruption and administrative incompetence. Most importantly, the 2008 election outcomes heightened expectations for dramatic improvements in the conduct of American politics and governance and in the quality and timeliness of its public policy decisions. Meeting these public expectations poses a daunting challenge for the new president, even with the opportunities provided by the crisis in the financial markets and the serious recession.”
  • Related postings on financial system

    • Report: Unimplemented IG Recommendations Costing Taxpayers Billions of Dollars

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    “Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Sen. Claire McCaskill, and Rep. Ed Towns issued a new report that finds that the Bush Administration has failed to implement over 13,000 recommendations made by Inspectors General (IGs) since 2001. Federal agencies could save taxpayers over $25 billion by implementing these open recommendations…The House Oversight Committee asked the nation’s IGs… Continue Reading

    Maryland Launches Funding Accountability & Transparency Website

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    Governor O’Malley Launches Website Aimed at Government Transparency and Accountability: “Welcome to the Maryland Funding Accountability web site. This is a public web site which allows citizens of Maryland and visitors to search and view summary information on payments made to vendors that received $25,000 or more for the respective fiscal year. Information is currently… Continue Reading

    GAO Report: Framework for Crafting and Assessing Proposals to Modernize the Outdated U.S. Financial Regulatory System

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    Financial Regulation: A Framework for Crafting and Assessing Proposals to Modernize the Outdated U.S. Financial Regulatory System, GAO-09-216, January 08, 2009 “To help policymakers better understand existing problems with the financial regulatory system and craft and evaluate reform proposals, this report (1) describes the origins of the current financial regulatory system, (2) describes various market… Continue Reading

    EPA Issues Interim Drinking Water Health Advisory for Perchlorate

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    Follow up to previous postings on perchlorate contamination of drinking water, today “EPA issued an interim health advisory to assist state and local officials in addressing local contamination of perchlorate in drinking water. The interim health advisory level of 15 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or parts per billion (ppb), is based on the reference dose… Continue Reading

    Interim Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability Remarks at Brookings Institution

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    Remarks, Interim Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability: “Today, I will brief you about five areas. First, I will give an update on execution of the programs Treasury has implemented under the TARP. Second, I will review the progress we’ve made in building the Office of Financial Stability. Third, I will provide an update on our… Continue Reading

    The 2009 American Presidential Inauguration: A Guide for Foreign Media

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    The 2009 American Presidential Inauguration A Guide for Foreign Media from the Washington Foreign Press Center, Updated 01/08/2009 “The 2009 inauguration of the 44th President of the United States is a historic moment for our country, and we are honored that so many journalists from around the world are interested in covering this special and… Continue Reading

    Nuclear Challenges and Policy Options for the Next U.S. Administration

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    Nuclear Challenges and Policy Options for the Next U.S. Administration – Jean du Preez, Editor. James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Occasional Paper No. 14, December 2008. “…the Obama administration should send a clear and unambiguous message to the international community, especially its Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) partners, that the United States respects its… Continue Reading