Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Exceptional America

Photo credit: James Bologna

On July 4, 1776, the Founders adopted the Declaration of Independence, guaranteeing equality for all men and proclaiming certain truths and ideals to be self-evident. They declared that every person is endowed by divine will with a set of unalienable rights--"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." AEI's Arthur C. Brooks writes in his new book, Gross National Happiness, that "no other government in the world had proclaimed that all of its people--not just people of noble birth or special privilege--had an equal right to chase after happiness as they defined it." And as Charles Murray explains in his 1988 book In Pursuit: Of Happiness and Good Government, the Founders carefully chose to include happiness "because it was obvious to them that the pursuit of happiness is at the center of man's existence, and that to permit man to pursue happiness is the central justification of government." Two hundred thirty-two years ago today, those same American visionaries who defied the tyranny of the crown established a nation on these principles, which still stand as pillars of our twenty-first-century society.

A Nation (Still) at Risk

AEI's Frederick M. Hess visits with students during a book forum at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy in Washington, D.C.

This month marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the National Commission on Excellence in Education's seminal report A Nation at Risk. Then-secretary of education Terrel H. Bell established the commission to address public concerns about the nation's education system and to make recommendations for its improvement. The results of the report were grim: "For the first time in the history of our country, the educational skills of one generation will not surpass, will not equal, will not even approach, those of their parents." Not only were American students failing to keep pace with the educational achievements of the previous generation, they were also falling behind students in other industrialized nations. On the silver anniversary of this report, AEI's Frederick M. Hess says the nation is still at risk. A new Education Outlook authored by Hess shows that students soon to graduate high school have, at best, an uncertain grasp of key historical and literary facts.

• Hess's report for Common Core documents continuing weaknesses in our students' knowledge of history and literature.
• Hess has held a series of well-attended conferences at AEI designed to address a variety of concerns about American education, including turnarounds of failed schools, school reform in urban districts like Washington, D.C., and accountability in higher education governance.
• In Hess's latest book, contributors explore the dynamics of how education research can and should influence policy.

Pope Benedict XVI's First Visit to the United States

The first visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States will focus attention not only on Roman Catholicism but also on broader questions about the future of religion in the United States. AEI scholars have been active in various aspects of this discussion. In anticipation of the Pope's visit, Michael Novak examined the personality of the Pope and the challenges facing the church. "American Catholicism may be one of the two or three most vital national Catholic Churches in the world," he says, but it has lost considerable vigor since the 1960s. The latest issue of AEI's Political Report looks at membership in the Catholic Church and the importance of Hispanic immigration in filling its ranks. One of the papers from the February AEI-Brookings conference on election demographics examined larger religious trends, arguing that the United States is becoming both more evangelical and more secular. An important new book from the AEI Press, Religion and the American Future, edited by Christopher DeMuth and Yuval Levin, includes essays from a distinguished group of scholars on the future of religion and the relationship of religion to secular realms of politics, science, art, and law.

• In his most recent Liability Outlook, Ted Frank examines the issues surrounding the liability crisis facing the Catholic Church.

The 2008 State of the Union

In his final State of the Union address, President Bush listed the accomplishments of the surge in Iraq, noting that "few of us could have imagined just one year ago," the progress that has been made. He acknowledged the nation's economic unease. "Wages are up," he said, "but so are prices for food and gas. Exports are rising, but the housing market has declined." The president reminded the nation that there was much unfinished business before us and closed by saying: "So tonight, with confidence in freedom's power, and trust in the people, let us set forth to do their business." AEI scholars are reviewing the president's plans for the coming year and working on policies to increase the nation's prosperity and strengthen our security. Several AEI scholars addressed these topics and the outlook for action in a panel discussion on Monday morning.

The Election Begins

John C. Fortier and Norman J. Ornstein at an Election Watch panel

Voters in Iowa began the process of electing the forty-fourth president of the United States on January 3 with solid victories by Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee in their respective caucuses. Amidst the celebrations, we hear the familiar complaints that the campaign is too long, too expensive, and too negative. But as the tragic events in Pakistan in the week after Christmas remind us, peaceful transfers of power such as we have experienced for more than two centuries are rare. Two thousand and eight will be the fifty-sixth time, going back all the way to George Washington, that Americans will freely choose their president. The record of American democratic elections is something of which we can be extremely proud. Let the campaign begin!

• AEI's Political Corner team is analyzing the 2008 race at Election Watch events. The first session looked at early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire and included analysis of polls and the upcoming elections in Congress and the states. The next one, scheduled for just before Super Tuesday, will be held on January 24.
• Michael Barone's column has examined the wide-open nature of the race, the prognosis in Iowa, and the conservative credentials of the GOP contenders.
• In his column for the congressional newspaper The Hill, John C. Fortier has looked at the bleak prospects for the GOP in Congress and late-breaking shake-ups in the Republican race for president.

Legal Scholarship That Serves the Public Interest

In September 2007, the National Legal Center for the Public Interest (NLCPI) was merged into AEI to form the AEI Legal Center for the Public Interest. In an article on The American's website, Legal Center director Ted Frank reflects on the organization's storied history:

The NLCPI traces its roots back to Reagan's governorship. One of the Gipper's great policy achievements was the 1971 California Welfare Reform Act, but special interests fought against it every step of the way. The most frustrating attacks were lawsuits brought by left-wing legal organizations bearing the moniker "public interest," none of which seemed to care about values that actually were in the public interest, such as free enterprise and private property rights. In 1971, future Supreme Court justice Lewis Powell wrote a memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce expressing concern that the American free enterprise system was under attack and that the business community was shirking its duties. "The overriding first need is for businessmen to recognize that the ultimate issue may be survival--survival of what we call the free enterprise system, and all that this means for the strength and prosperity of America and the freedom of our people," Powell said. "It is time for American business to apply their great talents vigorously to the preservation of the system itself."

To meet that need, the NLCPI was born as an educational organization promoting legal scholarship of the highest order and in the true public interest. Its flagship event has been the Gauer Distinguished Lecture in Law and Public Policy, whose speakers have included Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, and four Supreme Court Justices. The AEI Legal Center continued the Gauer tradition with the December 5 lecture by Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Christopher Cox on the rise of sovereign business.

The Bounty of America

America's statistical collection agencies are admired around the globe. Their collective self-portrait makes important contributions to the workings of our democracy and provides insights into the extraordinary productivity of our free enterprise system. A new census compilation on the fare that will fill America's tables on Thanksgiving is a testament to the impressive performance of America's agriculture sector. The Census Bureau reports that U.S. farmers will raise 272 million turkeys this year, with North Carolina as the top producer. They will produce 690 million pounds of cranberries this year, 1.6 billion pounds of sweet potatoes, and 1 billion pounds of pumpkins. And the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year for ten people? The American Farm Bureau Federation puts it at a very affordable $42.26. According to the federation, the real cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined 9 percent in the past twenty years. And as policymakers in Washington debate reauthorization of the farm bill, it is worth noting that none of these traditional Thanksgiving foods receives a government subsidy. Enjoy.

Keeping Our Promises to Veterans

With nearly 1.5 million military personnel having served thus far in Iraq and Afghanistan, veterans' health remains a top issue for U.S. policymakers. Sally Satel, a psychiatrist who worked with disabled Vietnam veterans early in her career, applies the lessons learned from the psychiatric care of Vietnam veterans and combatants in earlier wars to the new generations of soldiers returning from service. She monitors the marked increase in post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses among veterans and the performance of the Department of Veterans Affairs in response. Stress on veterans--especially on those called up for additional tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan--underscores the chronic personnel shortages that Gary J. Schmitt and Thomas Donnelly address in Of Men and Materiel: The Crisis in Military Resources (AEI Press, 2007). In the end, as Norman J. Ornstein writes, policymakers need to "show real, not just rhetorical, support for our troops."

American (Un)Happiness and Economic Security

On November 1, 2007, USA Today's front page reported that according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, 72 percent of Americans are "dissatisfied" with the state of the nation. "One year before Election Day 2008, most Americans are dismayed by the country's direction, pessimistic about the Iraq war and anxious about the economy. . . . Not since April have even one-third of Americans been happy with the country's course, the longest national funk in 15 years." Public opinion data compiled by Karlyn Bowman shows that the picture is more mixed. According to a just-updated study of economic insecurity, most Americans feel secure in their personal finances, although they worry about being able to afford health care. Few Americans are anxious about losing their jobs, and most say they are able to pay their bills on time. The USA Today/Gallup poll reports that poorer Americans tend to be unhappier with the direction of the country. But research by Arthur C. Brooks shows that the United States has very little "happiness inequality," because happiness derives not from material well-being but from having opportunity and economic mobility.

• Bowman has also compiled public opinion data on the state of the American worker.
• Brooks has written about the politics of happiness and the obsession with income inequality.

The Supreme Court: Back in Business

All eyes are on the Supreme Court as the justices reconvene to take up a new caseload with no shortage of important and controversial cases. In his latest Federalist Outlook, Michael S. Greve provides an original and compelling analysis of how the Court approached business issues in its last term and what we might expect in the future. Arguing that simply calling the court "pro-business" is simplistic and incomplete, Greve posits that the justices "may at last have hit upon an urgent and genuinely judicial program--the reconstruction, after decades of neglect, of a workable legal and constitutional infrastructure." In one of the most important business cases of the year, the justices will hear arguments on third-party liability in Stoneridge v. Scientific Atlanta on October 9, a case that split the administration, with the solicitor general and the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission on opposite sides. On September 28, the new AEI Legal Center for the Public Interest held a briefing on the Court's docket. On October 5, a session will be held at AEI on Stoneridge.

Back to School 2007

AEI's Frederick M. Hess visits with students during a book forum at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB), "the most ambitious federal education statute ever," according to AEI's Frederick M. Hess, is scheduled for reauthorization this fall. The historic act established nationwide accountability standards and incentives for schools to improve, effectively rewriting the rules of the education game in an effort to boost academic achievement nationwide. How has it fared? AEI scholars have been writing vigorously on the topic, offering constructive criticism about reforming NCLB. There is clearly much room for improvement. The Institute has also been at the forefront of discussions of higher education, which, like NCLB, is under consideration by Congress this fall. Richard Vedder, a member of the Spellings Commission on the Future of Higher Education, has written about why college costs so much and what can be done about it.

• Hess and Chester E. Finn Jr. coedited No Remedy Left Behind: Lessons from a Half-Decade of NCLB (AEI Press, 2007), based on papers from a conference at which speakers explored how NCLB's remedy provisions have worked--or not worked--so far and how they can be improved. Hess and Finn also devoted a recent Education Outlook to the subject.
• In October, AEI will hold a conference on educational entrepreneurship and school reform. Speakers will include Teach For America founder Wendy Kopp and D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee.
• Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings spoke at AEI in March on improving higher education. Vedder, Charles Murray, and other higher education experts also spoke. Vedder will host a conference this fall on higher education accreditation. Hess recently edited an AEI Press volume on the private student loan sector.
• Murray has been researching education and intelligence, looking at NCLB, the SAT, and liberal education.

Unconventional Wisdom about American Workers

AEI staff and their families enjoy a Labor Day-style cookout.

One hundred and twenty years ago, Oregon became the first state to enact a yearly holiday to celebrate the contributions and achievements of American workers. The federal government extended the holiday in 1894, and Labor Day is now celebrated nationally on the first Monday in September. As workers kick back and enjoy the long weekend, it is worth reflecting on the state of the American worker. Americans work more than their counterparts in many developed countries. They take less vacation time, and they appear to be happy about it. AEI's Arthur C. Brooks says, "For most Americans, work is a rock-solid source of life happiness." Karlyn Bowman reports that in Gallup's latest data, 43 percent of employed people were completely satisfied with their jobs, and another 47 percent were somewhat satisfied. Fifty-four percent were completely satisfied and 27 percent somewhat satisfied with vacation time. Solid majorities were satisfied with the amount of work required of them, and separately, their on the job stress and the flexibility of their hours. Steven J. Davis has been examining the factors that explain U.S.-European differences, including taxes and government spending, unionization rates, the stringency of employment protection laws, and other labor market regulations that affect work time and productivity.

• Bowman recently released an AEI Public Opinion Study on the state of the American worker in 2007.
• Brooks writes that Americans work harder but are happier and that hard work and economic opportunity are sources of happiness.
• Davis recently moderated an AEI event on why Americans devote more time to work than Europeans.
• Click here for a press release on AEI scholars' Labor Day-related research.

Congress Is Back

As Congress returns from its July 4 recess, a number of thorny issues will be at the top of the agenda. Members will face a series of votes on Iraq policy as part of the annual defense authorization bill. Less than a month ago, the surge in Iraq reached full strength. At a July 9 AEI event, Frederick W. Kagan, General Jack Keane, and James Miller discussed the progress that has been made and the distance to go. Kagan argues that the changes that have been made should be given more time to work. 
 
Separately, hearings will be held in the Senate Finance Committee on raising taxes on private equity firms and hedge funds and the people who operate them. The administration has signaled its opposition, with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson arguing that singling out a particular industry does not make sense. The House will also consider sweeping changes to the way the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does business, including new post-marketing oversight after drugs win initial FDA approval.

• Kevin A. Hassett has written about how the private equity tax hike will chill investment, and Bill Thomas and Alex Brill have addressed its effect on ordinary investors.
• Scott Gottlieb, M.D., has written extensively on the FDA drug approval process, arguing for a more robust system of evaluating drug safety. John E. Calfee argues in a recent article that "Congress should seek a little perspective on [direct-to-consumer advertising] before trying to fix it."

Independence Day: The Idea and Practice of Freedom

"Devotion to a principle requires an understanding of its terms, and especially in the case of an abstract philosophical principle, that understanding cannot be taken for granted," wrote Walter Berns in Making Patriots. "Most people can enjoy liberty, but not everyone understands its foundation in principle." The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, is a statement of "abstract philosophical principle"--a declaration of ideas and truths about human nature, community life, and good government. It is a testament to the Founders' insight that they so ably understood and applied the principle of ordered liberty under law to the enumerated offenses of King George III and concluded that independence was necessary and right.

AEI strives to follow the Founders in combining their understanding of principle with clear-headed, practical policies, adhering to and elaborating on the fundamental principles of liberty, justice, and independence that our nation celebrates this week.

Protecting Political Speech

On June 25, the Supreme Court announced its decisions in two key free speech cases. In Morse v. Frederick, it ruled that a school may discipline a student for untoward speech (in this case a banner thought to promote drug use with the words "Bong Hits 4 Jesus"). In the other instance, Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, a pro-life advocacy organization sought to run issue advertisements during the time period in advance of an election in which such ads are banned by campaign finance laws. The Court held that the ban on such ads is unconstitutional: "the First Amendment requires us to err on the side of protecting political speech rather than suppressing it." The Court's latest opinions reflect the thinking of AEI constitutional scholar Walter Berns, who points out in Democracy and the Constitution that "the First Amendment protects not freedom of expression, but freedom of speech." Berns argues that political speech is primarily what the Founders intended to protect with the First Amendment, since political speech is necessary to select leaders for and participate in democratic, representative republican government. "[E]ach member of society registers his consent by debating, organizing, and then choosing his representatives," he writes. "Freedom of speech plays an essential part in this process." Other forms of expression--whether flag-burning or "Bong Hits 4 Jesus"--do not warrant the protection of the First Amendment. Resident scholar Norman J. Ornstein, who has been active in the campaign finance debate, offered a counterpoint on the Court's decisions in a recent article.

Paying for College: New Trends, New Questions

The recent wave of scandals in the $85 billion for-profit student loan industry has rippled through the education sector. Some private-sector lenders have been accused of offering kickbacks to college aid officers in exchange for coveted placements on "preferred lender" lists. Many college and government officials have been caught in conflicts of interest. In late May 2007, Sallie Mae--the former government-sponsored enterprise turned largest private lender--settled an investigation by New York's attorney general and agreed to promote "responsible" student borrowing. Private-sector student loans have become a growth area as the sticker price of a college education continues to outpace inflation and federal student aid continues to lag behind. As ever more students enter college, and as more jobs require the knowledge or technical skills afforded by colleges degrees, paying for higher education will become a higher priority. AEI's scholars have been studying the student loan sector, Sallie Mae, the rising costs of college, and the purpose of college in the current economy.

• The AEI Press recently released Footing the Tuition Bill: The New Student Loan Sector, edited by Frederick M. Hess, which is based on papers presented at an AEI conference last fall.
• At a May 30 conference, Hess, Lawrence A. Hough, Alex J. Pollock, Thomas H. Stanton, and Peter J. Wallison reviewed Sallie Mae's privatization and the ensuing history of the student loan industry.
• Richard Vedder wrote about the source of rising college tuition in Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much (AEI Press, 2004).
• In a series of provocative essays in the Wall Street Journal, Charles Murray argued that higher education neglects innate intelligence. He posited an alternative understanding of the purpose of education.

The Challenges Ahead Abroad and at Home

President George W. Bush met with Democratic House members at their retreat in Williamsburg last weekend, and this week Congress is considering several nonbinding resolutions on the president's plan to boost troop levels in Iraq. AEI scholars continue to analyze international and domestic challenges facing the United States and to consider the president's plans for U.S. economic and tax policy, the environment, and health-care spending.

Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq--Phase I Report, by Frederick W. Kagan
AEI study, January 5, 2007
Related event featuring Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman
Related article by John C. Fortier on the Congressional debates about Iraq  

"The Fiscal Policy Agenda of the New Congress," by Alan D. Viard
Tax Policy Outlook, no. 1, November 2006
Related article by Veronique de Rugy on the president's FY2008 budget

"A New Direction for Bush Administration Climate Policy," by Samuel Thernstrom and
Lee Lane
Environmental Policy Outlook, no. 1, January 2007
Related book by Lee Lane
Related Environmental Policy Outlooks by Kenneth P. Green and Steven F. Hayward

"Good Medicine for the Tax Code," by Joseph Antos
Article on American.com, January 25, 2007

"Medicare Part D and Prescription Drug Prices," by Mark B. McClellan, Thomas P. Miller, Robert B. Helms, Joseph Antos, et al.
Policy fact sheet in Galen Reports, January 5, 2007
Related event

"Congress Must Engage in Serious Debates over Iraq, Budget," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, February 7, 2007
Related article by Ornstein on Democrats' reactions to the 2007 State of the Union
Related AEI conference

[More on social and political studies at AEI . . . ]

NCLB Report Card

On the fifth anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), AEI’s Frederick M. Hess and Chester E. Finn Jr. of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation will present a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of NCLB’s remedy provisions intended to force schools to improve and to provide new options for students. Education scholars and analysts at this daylong conference will consider progress under NCLB and what further measures should be taken to improve the quality of education.

"Fixing Failing Schools: Is the NCLB Toolkit Working?"
Conference, Thursday, November 30, 2006, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Speakers include: Alan Bersin, Jay P. Greene, Michael J. Petrilli, and John Winn
Related book by Hess and Petrilli

"The Wrong Kind of Bipartisanship?" by Frederick M. Hess
Article on the Teachers College Record, November 10, 2006

"Welcoming the Entrepreneurial Era?" by Frederick M. Hess
Article in Education Week, November 1, 2006
Related book edited by Hess

"The Black-White IQ Gap: Is It Closing? Will It Ever Go Away?"
Panel discussion, Tuesday, November 28, 26006, 10:00 a.m.-noon
Speakers: James R. Flynn and Charles Murray
Murray’s controversial bestseller on the topic

More on education policy studies . . .

The 110th Congress

Democrats won a majority of seats in both chambers of Congress. What issues motivated voters to return Democrats to Congressional leadership? Will the Bush administration be able to work with Congress, and will Donald Rumsfeld's resignation help improve relations? How will the makeup of the 110th Congress affect the War on Terror? Taxes? The budget deficit? The 2008 presidential race?

"What Lies Beneath? U.S. Foreign and Domestic Policy after the 2006 Elections"
Panel discussion, November 20, 2006
Speakers include: Joseph Antos, Kevin A. Hassett, Frederick W. Kagan, and Danielle Pletka

"The Minimum Wage and Employment"
Presentation and discussion, Monday, December 4, 2006, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Speakers: David Neumark, Jared Bernstein, Harry Holzer, and Alan D. Viard

"Tax Havens and Foreign Direct Investment "
Conference, Monday, December 11, 2006, 8:50 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Speakers include: Rep. Bill Thomas (keynote), James Hines, Will Morris, and Jeffrey Owens

"Restoring Order: Practical Solutions to Congressional Dysfunction"
Presentation, November 16, 2006
Speakers: Norman J. Ornstein and Thomas E. Mann
Related book by Ornstein and Mann

"Election Watch 2006 (Session II)"
Post-election panel discussion, November 9, 2006
Speakers: Karlyn H. Bowman, John C. Fortier, and Norman J. Ornstein
Information on the first session

"Last Chance," by David Frum
Article in the Wall Street Journal, November 9, 2006

"America Is Still a Conservative Country," by David Frum
Article in the Daily Telegraph (London), November 9, 2006

"What Happens If the Democrats Win," featuring Joshua Muravchik, Norman J. Ornstein, and Danielle Pletka
Online symposium for Foreign Affairs, October 31, 2006
Related article on Iraq policy by Frederick W. Kagan

"Some Democrats Are Worse Than Others," by David Frum
Article in the National Post (Canada), November 4, 2006

"The Fallacy of Divided Government," by Chris Pope
Article on National Review Online, November 6, 2006

"Can the President Change His Style and Create a Policy Legacy?" by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, November 2, 2006

Absentee and Early Voting, by John C. Fortier
Book from the AEI Press, 2006
Book forum on Wednesday, November 1
Related article by Fortier
Information on the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project

Political Report, November 2006

"If You Become Speaker, Rep. Pelosi, Appoint Hefley to Ethics Post," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, October 26, 2006

"The Medicare Drug Benefit: What Happened?" by Karlyn H. Bowman
Article in Roll Call, October 19, 2006

More from AEI's Political Corner . . .

Previewing the Midterm Elections

With less than two months to go before the 2006 midterm elections, AEI’s “Election Watch” team will return to analyze key issues on voters’ minds, possible election outcomes, and how the parties would govern should they win a majority of seats in the House and Senate in November. Panelists at related events will examine the new political landscape and the progress of election reform.

"Election Watch 2006 (Session I)"
Panel discussion, Thursday, September 21, 2006, 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Speakers: John C. Fortier, Karlyn H. Bowman, and Norman J. Ornstein
Information on the post-election session

"Beyond November: Who Will Prevail in American Politics?"
Panel discussion, Thursday, September 21, 2006, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Speakers Thomas Edsall, Tom Hamburger, Douglas Sosnik, and Peter Wallsten

"The 2006 Elections: Are We Ready?"
Conference, Friday, September 22, 2006, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Speakers include: Congressman Rush Holt, Steven Hertzberg, and R. Doug Lewis

The Broken Branch, by Norman J. Ornstein and Thomas E. Mann
Published by Oxford University Press, 2006
Related article by Ornstein

"The 9/11 Hangover Continues to Shape Public Opinion," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Article in Roll Call, September 6, 2006
Related public opinion study on the War on Terror

"Something in the Water," by John C. Fortier
Article in the Hill (Washington), September 13, 2006
Check back for details on a forthcoming book by Fortier on voting practices.

Political Report, September 2006
Topics: Midterm elections, the Clintons, 9/11, and Labor Day
AEI's Political Corner

More on social and political studies at AEI . . . 

Revisiting Welfare Reform

Ten years after welfare reform legislation was signed by then-president Bill Clinton, welfare caseloads have decreased 60 percent, and the earnings of single mothers have increased. AEI’s Joseph J and Violet Jacobs Scholar in Social Welfare Studies Douglas J. Besharov argues that the results of welfare reform are mixed and that more must be done to end the dependency of social welfare programs.

“End Welfare Lite as We Know It,” by Douglas J. Besharov
Article in the New York Times, August 15, 2006
Related article on poverty in the United States

“The Mismeasure of Poverty,” by Nicholas Eberstadt
Article in Policy Review, August 10, 2006

In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
Book published by the AEI Press
Related On the Issues

More on social and political issues . . . 

Celebrating and Preserving Freedom

As the nation celebrates its 230th birthday, we pause to consider how best to preserve our heritage of liberty. The latest questions facing the American republic include how to treat prisoners in the War on Terror, how to protect civil liberties while also preserving national security, how far presidential authority extends during wartime, and what responsibility a free press bears when discussing intelligence-gathering methods.

"Five Wrong Justices," by John Yoo
Article in USA Today, June 30, 2006
Related book by John Yoo

"Successes and Challenges in Terrorism Prosecutions"
Panel discussion, May 24, 2006
Speakers included Paul J. McNulty, Neal Katyal, and Ben Wittes

"Whose Side is the Left On?" by David Frum
Article in the National Post (Canada), July 1, 2006

"Polls on Patriotism and Military Service," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Public Opinion Study, June 30, 2006
Related poll on the war in Iraq
Related poll on the War on Terror

More on the War on Terror . . .

Securing Our Borders

On Wednesday, June 29, 2006, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff will address U.S. border security, the Secure Border Initiative, and immigration reform.

AEI scholars continue to assess efforts to tighten border security, the prospects for immigration reform, and the effectiveness of federal homeland security spending.

"Securing Our Borders"
Address by Michael Chertoff, June 29, 2006, 10:00-11:00 a.m.

"Ending the Dishonesty: The Way Forward on Border Control and Patriotic Immigration"
Address by Newt Gingrich, April 26, 2006
Related article by Gingrich

"Back to the Future," by David Frum
Article in National Review, July 3, 2006

"Fooling Ourselves into Feeling Safe," by David Frum
Article in the National Post (Canada), June 10, 2006

“Is Your Town Safe From Terrorists?” by Veronique de Rugy
Article on Reason Online, June 8, 2006
Related article by de Rugy

More on Political and Social Policy . . .

Previewing the Midterm Elections

Ex-Representative Brian Bilbray’s (R) narrow special election victory in a solidly Republican California district has focused attention on what many believe will be one of the most hotly contested midterm elections in memory. Voters are clearly dissatisfied with Congress and think the nation is seriously off on the wrong track. Led by veteran Congress-watcher Norm Ornstein, AEI’s political team has been assessing the political playing field and writing about the factors that will count in November. The twelfth edition of the definitive guide, Vital Statistics on Congress, coauthored by Ornstein, will be published this summer. In the fall, AEI will publish the first comprehensive study of absentee voting in the United States by AEI research fellow John C. Fortier.

“Taking Stock of Congress,” by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, May 10, 2006

“Even Partisans Are Giving Their Parties Bad Reviews on Hill,” by Karlyn H. Bowman
Article in Roll Call, May 24, 2006

“American Politics in Microcosm,” by David Frum
Article for National Post (Canada), June 3, 2006

“GOP Wanes in N.Y.,” by John C. Fortier
Article in the Hill (Washington), June 7, 2006

“House’s Handling of Lobbying Reform Hits a New Low,” by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, May 3, 2006

“Lieberman and Lamont,” by David Frum
Article in Il Foglio (Italy), June 7, 2006

More on U.S. Politics . . .

Immigration Reform

President George W. Bush urged Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that enforces border security and provides a guest-worker program for those immigrants who originally entered the country illegally. The Senate hopes to pass its bill before the Memorial Day recess, after which House and Senate conferees will work to forge a compromise on their respective approaches.

AEI scholars continue to examine this controversial issue and gauge the political prospects for effective reform.

"Can Immigration Reform Work?" by Lawrence B. Lindsey
Article in The Weekly Standard, May 22, 2006

"Ending the Dishonesty: The Way Forward on Border Control and Patriotic Immigration"
Address by Newt Gingrich, April 26   

"A Continent of Hope," by Newt Gingrich
Article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 9, 2006

"Congress’ Neglect of Immigration Is Why We’re Stuck Today," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, May 17, 2006

"It's Not about the Latino Vote," by Jose Enrique Idler
Article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 26, 2006

"America's Advantage," by Jose Enrique Idler
Article in the Baltimore Sun, April 5, 2006

"El Norte," by Jagdish Bhagwati
Article in the Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2006

"Open to Greatness: We Need Immigrants," by Ben J. Wattenberg
Article on National Review Online, April 18, 2006

"The Great Immigration Debate," by David Frum
Article in the National Post (Canada), March 28, 2006

"Tear Down This Wall? Fixing a Broken Immigration System"
AEI panel discussion, March 27, 2006
Speakers included Michael Barone, Michael Barrera, Steven Camarota, and Daniel T. Griswold

"In U.S. Immigration Debate, Specter Has It Right," by Kevin A. Hassett
Article on Bloomberg.com, April 3, 2006

"The 12 Million Dollar Question," by Jose Enrique Idler
Article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 9, 2006

"Bush Is Right on Immigration Reform," by Jose Enrique Idler and Mario Villarreal
Article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, December 2, 2005

More on U.S. social policy . . .

Budget Blowout

Congress has now raised the debt ceiling by $781 billion, and lawmakers approved spending increases on a wide range of programs despite the White House call for restraint in discretionary spending.  Most members of Congress seem to have little appetite for spending cuts or tax hikes or for substantive entitlement reform.

AEI scholars continue to analyze Congressional spending habits, especially in critical areas like funding for homeland security, and to propose reforms to entitlement programs that could help bring down budget deficits and control rising health care costs.

In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State, by Charles Murray
Book, AEI Press
Press release/summary
Related book forum
Article about the book in the Sunday Times (London)

"Part-Time Congress," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in the Washington Post, March 7, 2006
Related article on Congressional budgeting

"Are We Ready for the Next 9/11?" by Veronique de Rugy
Article in Reason, March 1, 2006

"Sticker Shock Could Help with Health Care Costs," by Newt Gingrich and James Frogue
Article in the Hill (Washington), March 8, 2006

"President Bush, Please Listen to Robert Rubin," by Kevin A. Hassett
Article on Bloomberg.com, March 13, 2006

More on U.S. politics . . .

Lobbying Reform Moves Forward
 
In the wake of the scandals involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, both the Senate and the House are working on legislation designed to curb abuses. Last week, a Senate committee voted to increase the amount of information senators must disclose regarding contacts with lobbyists and to make the process of earmarking more difficult than in the past. Another Senate committee began considering a draft bill that requires lobbyists to file quarterly reports on their activities and annual reports detailing donations to federal candidates and political parties. The bill would not impose additional bans on gifts or travel.
 
AEI scholars have been writing and testifying about the scandals that provoked the action and the proposed reforms.
 
"Lobbying Reform: Accountability through Transparency," by Norman J. Ornstein
Testimony before the House Committee on Rules, March 2, 2006
 
"Earmark Pillowtalk," by John C. Fortier
Article in the Hill (Washington), February 22, 2006
 
"Congress Must End 'Protection Racket'," by Newt Gingrich
Article in the Wichita Eagle, January 17, 2006
 
"Congratulations, Rep. Boehner," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, February 8, 2006
 
"A Watchdog That Didn't Bark," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Legal Affairs, February 6, 2006
 
"Beyond the Beltway, Voters Are Tuning Out the Abramoff Scandal," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Article in Roll Call, January 18, 2006
 
"Corruption Influence of Big Government," by Newt Gingrich
Article in the Miami Herald, January 14, 2006

More on U.S. Politics . . .

Lone Star Redistricting Goes to the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today in a major Texas redistricting case.  The issue before the Court is whether the Texas legislature improperly redrew congressional district lines in 2003 to favor Republicans and in the process violated the law. AEI scholars have been writing about the issues in the case.

Amicus brief by Edward Blum and Roger Clegg

Amicus brief by Thomas Mann and Norman J. Ornstein

"Don't Get Your Robes Caught in the Thicket," by Edward Blum and Roger Clegg
Article on National Review Online, March 1, 2006

"Don't Mess with Texas Districts," by Edward Blum
Article in the Los Angeles Times, February 24, 2006

"Birth of a Gerrymander," by Abigail Thernstrom
Article in The Weekly Standard, February 20, 2006

"The Shape of Things," by John C. Fortier
Article in the Hill, March 1, 2006

"Gerrymander Slander," by Edward Blum
Article on National Review Online, December 6, 2005

"Who's Playing Politics?" by Edward Blum, Roger Clegg, and Abigail Thernstrom
On the Issues, January 2006

Of related interest:
"Executive Summary of the Bullock-Gaddie Expert Report on Texas," by Edward Blum and Abigail Thernstrom
Working paper, October 10, 2005

More on U.S. politics . . .

Celebrating Past Presidents
 
In the past several years, there has been renewed interest in the religious grounding of past presidents, even as debate continues today as to how much religion should influence public policy.
 
Michael Novak, AEI's George Frederick Jewett Scholar in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy, and his daughter Jana Novak examine the religious views of George Washington in their new book Washington's God (Basic Books, 2006). They portray the first U.S. president as a leader who held fast to the conviction that America's liberty depended upon faithfulness to God's will:
 
Washington's God, by Michael and Jana Novak
Book, Basic Books
Book forum
 
David Gelernter's February Bradley Lecture considered how Puritanism inspired Abraham Lincoln and helped shape his philosophy and decision-making during the Civil War:
 
"A Religious Idea Called 'America'"
Bradley Lecture by David Gelernter, February 13
Bradley Lecture Series
 
David Hackett Fischer, recipient of AEI's 2006 Irving Kristol Award, emphasizes the character of the Founding Fathers in his recent books Washington's Crossing (Oxford, 2004)--winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in History--and Liberty and Freedom: A Visual History of America's Founding Ideas (Oxford, 2005):
 
"David Hackett Fischer to Receive 2006 Irving Kristol Award"
Press release, January 5, 2006
More on AEI's Annual Dinner

More on U.S. Politics . . .

Toward Equal Opportunity
As the nation honors Martin Luther King, we are reminded of both the progress of and the distance to go in the civil rights revolution in America.

"American Dilemma: Problems of Race Still Cry to Be Solved, " by James Q. Wilson
On the Issues, December 2005

"Winning the Race: Beyond the Crisis in Black America"
Bradley Lecture, Monday, April 3, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Speaker: John H. McWhorter
Series information and registration

"Race and Medicine Can Mix without Prejudice, " by Sally Satel
Article in Medical Progress Today, December 10, 2004
Please check AEI’s website in the future for information on a forthcoming book by Sally Satel and Jonathan Klick, The Health Disparities Myth: Diagnosing the Treatment Gap.

"Brown v. Board of Education: Fifty Years Later"
Address to AEI by then-secretary of education Rod Paige, January 7, 2004

"Crossing Over to Freedom," by Edward Blum and Abigail Thernstrom
Article in the Houston Chronicle, August 7, 2005
Related article on Texas redistricting
Related article on voting rights in Virginia
Congressional testimony by Edward Blum on the Voting Rights Act

"The Underclass Revisited," by Charles Murray
AEI Study, January 1, 1990

More on legal and constitutional studies . . .

The Alito Hearings
As Senate confirmation hearings begin for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, the American Bar Association has announced that it has given him its highest rating of "well qualified," while opposition groups have raised questions about his opinions in cases involving abortion, civil rights, and executive privilege.

"Self-Destruction," by David Frum
Article in Il Foglio (Italy), January 11, 2006

"Alito Brings Qualifications, Not Conservative Tilt, to Court," by John Yoo
Article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, November 7, 2005

"Thirty Questions for Alito," by John Yoo
Article in the New York Times, January 9, 2005
 
"Alito Will Be Hard to Portray as an Extremist," by John R. Lott Jr.
Article on Bloomberg.com, November 3, 2005
 
"Filibuster Dilemma," by John C. Fortier
Article in the Hill (Washington), November 2, 2005
 
"Judge Alito Doesn't Show Congress Enough Deference," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, November 2, 2005
 
"Biden's Risky Business," by John R. Lott Jr.
Article in the Washington Times, November 29, 2005
 
"Alito on the March"
Lead article in Political Report, January 2006
 
"Public Opinion on the Supreme Court," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Public Opinion Study, January 9, 2006

AEI's Liability Project is co-sponsoring a web magazine with the Manhattan Institute Center for Legal Policy that discusses legal issues, including the Alito nomination: http://www.pointoflaw.com.

More on legal and constitutional studies . . .

Presidential Powers in the Post-9/11 World
The Bush administration has recently come under fire regarding tactics used for domestic intelligence gathering, detention policies for war-on-terror combatants, and renewal of the Patriot Act.

“Constitutional Spying: The Solution to the FISA Problem,” by Gary J. Schmitt
Article in The Weekly Standard, January 2, 2006

“A President Can Pull the Trigger,” by John Yoo
Article in the Los Angeles Times, December 20, 2005

“Vital Presidential Power,” by Gary J. Schmitt and William Kristol
Article in the Washington Post, December 2005

“Detention Must Be Done Right,” by Christopher Davis
Article in the Baltimore Sun, December 23, 2005

“A Legal War on Terror,” by David Frum
Article in Il Foglio (Italy), December 6, 2005

“Checks and Balances?” by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, December 21, 2005

More on the war on terror . . .

"Religion and the Founders," by Michael Novak and Christopher Levenick
Article on National Review Online, March 7, 2005

Please check AEI's website in the near future for information on Michael and Jana Novak's forthcoming book, Washington's God: Religion, Liberty, and the Father of Our Country (Basic Books, Spring 2006).

"America Passes the Religious Test," by James Q. Wilson
On the Issues, December 2004

"Faith in Theory," by James Q. Wilson
Article in the Wall Street Journal, December 24, 2005

"Important Trends on Religion," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Studies in Public Opinion, December 16, 2005

"When the Lines Were Drawn," by Christopher Levenick
Article in the Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2005

"Religion in the Public Square: A Textbook Case," by Joseph Knippenberg
The American Enterprise Online, December 21, 2005

"Movie Messiah," by Chris Weinkopf
The American Enterprise, January-February 2006

"Tocqueville at Two Hundred," by Michael Novak
Article on National Review Online, December 21, 2005

More on faith and religion . . .

The High Costs of Education
College tuition rates continue to escalate, currently increasing at twice the rate of inflation, and philanthropic giving in K-12 education is playing an increasingly prominent role in education reform efforts alongside increased federal funding under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Higher Education:
Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much, by Richard Vedder
Book published by the AEI Press, June 2004

“Why Does College Cost So Much?” by Richard Vedder
On the Issues, September 2005

K-12 Education:
With the Best of Intentions: How Philanthropy is Reshaping K-12 Education
Edited by Frederick M. Hess
Book published by Harvard Education Press, October 2005

Urban School Reform: Lessons from San Diego, edited by Frederick M. Hess
Book published by the Harvard Education Press, April 2005

Leaving No Child Behind? Options for Kids in Failing Schools, edited by Frederick M. Hess
Book published by Palgrave Macmillan, September 2004

More on education . . .

President Bush’s New Supreme Court Nominee
As the first session of the Supreme Court under John G. Roberts begins, President George W. Bush announced his intention to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor with White House counsel Harriet Miers.

"The Miers Revolution," by David Frum
Article in the National Post, October 11, 2005

"Conservatives Must Regain Buckley Vision, Clout," by Kevin A. Hassett
Article on Bloomberg.com, October 10, 2005

"Conservatives Can Trust in Miers," by Newt Gingrich
Article in the Baltimore Sun, October 7, 2005

"Opportunity Squandered," by John Yoo
Article in the Washington Post, October 4, 2005

"Alienating the Base," by David Frum
Article in the National Post (Canada), October 4, 2005

"Public Opinion on the Supreme Court," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Public Opinion Study, September 12, 2005

More on Legal and Constitutional Studies . . .

Roberts Goes before the Senate
Judge John G. Roberts Jr., President Bush's nominee for chief justice of the Supreme Court, is undergoing questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee, with senators focusing on Roberts's judicial philosophy and his views regarding controversial social issues.

"Supreme Rhetoric: Remember the Past When Watching the Hearings," by John R. Lott Jr.
Article on National Review Online, September 13, 2005

"Roberts Rolls," by John C. Fortier
Article in the Hill, September 7, 2005

"Roberts Can Expect Difficult Confirmation Process," by John R. Lott Jr.
Article on FoxNews.com, August 30, 2005

"An Establishment Conservative?" by Christopher Levenick
Article on the Daily Standard, August 16, 2005

"Roberts, Misjudged," by Abigail Thernstrom
Article in the Los Angeles Times, August 11, 2005

"Roberts Is the Right Kind of Conservative," by Norman J. Ornstein
Article in Roll Call, July 27, 2005

"A Revolution That Had Run Its Course," by John Yoo
Article in the Los Angeles Times, September 5, 2005

"Public Opinion on the Supreme Court," by Karlyn H. Bowman
AEI Public Opinion Study, updated September 12, 2005

More on legal and constitutional studies . . .

Grading the Department of Education after Twenty-Five Years
As American students return to classes, the U.S. Department of Education prepares to mark its twenty-fifth anniversary.

"The Department of Education Twenty-Five Years Later"
Panel discussion, Friday, September 9

"Why Does College Cost So Much?" by Richard Vedder
On the Issues, September 2005

"Urban School Reform: A Case Study," by Frederick M. Hess
Speech to the Pioneer Institute (Boston), June 9, 2005

Leaving No Child Behind? edited by Frederick M. Hess and Chester E. Finn
Book, Palgrave Macmillan

Common Sense School Reform, by Frederick M. Hess
Book, Palgrave Macmillan

More on education . . .

Maintaining a Healthy Atmosphere for Drug Development
Brazil's recent defiance of intellectual property rights is a timely reminder about the importance of maintaining a healthy atmosphere for drug development.

"Small Leaps or Giant Steps," by Scott Gottlieb
On the Issues, July 2005

"The Great Shift to Specialty Drugs," by Scott Gottlieb
On the Issues, June 2005

"The Roles of FDA and Pharmaceutical Companies in Ensuring the Safety of Approved Drugs, Like Vioxx," by John E. Calfee
Congressional testimony, May 5, 2005

"Is the FDA Broken?" by John E. Calfee
Article on Tech Central Station, March 30, 2005

"Threats to Patents, Threats to Health," by Roger Bate
Article on Tech Central Station, July 21, 2005

"Brazil's Dangerous Denial," by Roger Bate
Article on Tech Central Station, June 27, 2005

"Stop, Thief!" by James K. Glassman
Article distributed by the Scripps Howard News Service, July 25, 2005

More about health policy . . .

Supreme Court Controversies
All of the remaining decisions of the Supreme Court’s current term were announced on June 27.

“Fifth Annual Supreme Court Review”
Speakers: Jonathan H. Adler, Michael S. Greve, Robert Nagel, Neil Siegel, and Nina Totenberg
Seminar, Wednesday, June 29, 3:15–5:15 p.m.

“How to Think about Constitutional Change--Part 1: The Progressive Vision,” by Michael S. Greve
Federalist Outlook, June 2005

“A Bias Against the Best and Brightest,” by John R. Lott Jr.
On the Issues, June 2005

“What Became of Federalism?” by John Yoo
Article, Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2005

“Good to Grow,” by Sally Satel
Article, New York Times, June 8, 2005

“He Advocated Limitations of Public Power,” by John Yoo
Article, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 27, 2005

“Clarence Thomas Is in the Right Seat,” by John Yoo
Article, Los Angeles Times, January 5, 2005

More from AEI on Legal and Constitutional Studies. . .

Lessons in Urban School Reform
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed San Diego City Schools superintendent and urban school reformer Alan Bersin to serve as California's secretary of education.

"Urban School Reform: Lessons from San Diego"
Speakers: Alan Bersin, Jane Hannaway, Michael Usdan, Joe Williams, and Patrick J. Wolf
Book forum, Wednesday, May 18, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
 
Urban School Reform: Lessons from San Diego, edited by Frederick M. Hess
Book, Harvard Education Press

"Lessons from San Diego," by Frederick M. Hess
Article in The Education Gadfly, April 28, 2005

"Lessons from San Diego's School Reform Effort"
AEI Newsletter, May 2005

More from AEI on education...

The Future of Social Security
President Bush has endorsed a plan under which benefits for lower-income workers would continue to be indexed to wage increases, but benefits for middle- and upper-income workers would be indexed to prices.

"Is Progressive Price Indexing the Best Way to Fix Social Security?"
Speakers: Robert Pozen and Peter Orszag
Tax policy discussion, May 18

"Saving Private Accounts: The Missing Ingredient in the Social Security Debate," by Lawrence B. Lindsey
Article in The Weekly Standard, March 28, 2005

"Social Security: Pick the Best Part of Every Plan," by R. Glenn Hubbard
Article in Business Week, February 14, 2005

Income Redistribution from Social Security, by Don Fullerton and Brent Mast
Monograph, AEI Press

"A New Approach to Personal Social Security Accounts," by Alex J. Pollock
On the Issues, April 2005

"Attitudes about Social Security Reform," by Karlyn H. Bowman
Studies in Public Opinion, updated weekly

The American Enterprise magazine, March 2005
Issue focus: "From Alms to Ownership"

More from AEI on Social Security and other fiscal policies...

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