Weekly Round Up: September 7 - 11, 2009

Domestic

Census Highlights Need for Action

This week the Center published a series of analyses after the new Census Bureau’s income, poverty, and health insurance data were released. The data showed declining family income, and Heather Boushey discussed the need for policies that boost employment in the short term and create sustainable growth in the long term. In addition Boushey provided an interactive graphic illustrating that women are close to surpassing men in the U.S. workforce, but she added this does not represent workplace equality.

Joy Moses noted that the Census' new data underestimates the growing poverty problem, and she suggested solutions Congress can use to address this issue. Meanwhile, Liz Weiss found out that most poor adult Americans are women, and the vast majority of them are “women on their own.”

David Balto testified before the House Judiciary Committee on competitive concerns raised by the Google Books Project, and Robin Chait observed that the Obama administration’s proposed funding increase for the Teacher Incentive Fund can help states and districts improve teacher quality.
 

Health Care

Moving the Health Debate Forward

Karen Davenport stressed that comprehensive health care reform is crucial as employer-based coverage continues to decline. In an Ask the Expert video, Davenport discussed the new issues President Barack Obama raised during his health care reform speech and what we should expect in the weeks to come.

Ruy Teixeira's public opinion snapshot argued that conservatives' greatest enemy on health reform is clarity, and Eric Alterman detailed the many facts about our health system that aren't being discussed in the media debate over health care.
 

Energy

Waste Not, Watt Not

Energy efficiency is the “low-hanging fruit” of energy policy. As Daniel J. Weiss, Erica Goad, and Jonathan Aronchick showed, the American Clean Energy and Security Act—which passed the House and is now pending in the Senate—recognizes and invests in the economic benefits of energy efficiency. This week's "It's Easy Being Green" featured energy efficiency as well and provided some tips for using resources more efficiently at work, such as promoting ride sharing and taking advantage of natural lighting.

CAP Action's President and CEO John Podesta also testified before the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment on cooperating with China on climate change.