Weekly Round Up: March 9 - 13, 2009

Progressive Movement

New Progressive America

This week, CAP released two reports on the emerging progressive majority in America. "New Progressive America," by CAP Senior Fellow and Co-Director of CAP's Progressive Studies Program Ruy Teixeira, looked at the shifts in demography, geography, and attitudes over the past 20 years that herald a new progressive majority. And "State of American Political Ideology, 2009" by Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the Progressive Studies Program John Halpin and Karl Agne, surveys the public for a look at the current political landscape. Accompanying these reports were an interactive progressive quiz  and an interactive map examining the new progressive America.

Media and Culture

Whose News Is It, Anyway?

In this week's Think Again, Senior Fellow Eric Alterman and Danielle Ivory focused on how business news is aimed at investors, not citizens. Ruy Teixeira's public opinion snapshot showed how conservatives need to "get with the program" and start supporting Obama's proposals in areas such as health care and education. And Sally Steenland explained how the Obama administration's proposed rule to rescind the Bush midnight regulation on health care providers respects varying sets of beliefs.

ECONOMY

Unemployment Rising in Every State

On Wednesday, the Center released an interactive map showing the rise of unemployment in every state, with analysis from Senior Economist Heather Boushey and Research Assistant Nayla Kazzi. And Vice President for Economic Policy Michael Ettlinger detailed President Obama's priorities for the economy in a new video.

SCIENCE

Lifting the Ban on Science

President Obama lifted the ban on federal funding for stem cell research on Monday with an executive order, a move that will live up to its potential to be a worldwide leader in the field of regenerative medicine. Senior Fellow Jonathan Moreno of the event in a video, while CAP also offered eight reasons to applaud action on stem cells.

ENERGY

Building a National Clean Energy Smart Grid

Bracken Hendricks explained what a national clean energy smart grid is, why we need it, and how we can implement it. Dan Weiss and Kalen Pruss argued that the United States should adopt a national energy efficiency resource standard. And Senior Fellow Tom Kenworthy reported on giving back to the grid with solar energy in Colorado.

AMERICAS

The United States and Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived in Washington, DC today for a meeting with President Barack Obama. A CAP report by Kellie Meiman and David Rothkopf presents two perspectives on dealing with partnership and rivalry between the two countries.