Weekly Round Up: January 19 - 22, 2010

Economy

How to Spot a Deficit Peacock

Barack Obama will release his fiscal year 2011 budget on February 1, and Michael Linden outlined four ways to discover a “deficit peacock,” or somebody who likes to preen and call attention but is not sincerely interested in taking the necessary steps toward a balanced budget. CAP also provided a video that explained why unemployment is still high and how we can grow jobs and dig out of the recession.

Christian Weller explained in the economic snapshot for January 2010 that economic policy must ensure strong job growth either direct public investments or by encouraging private-sector firms to do more, and John Podesta testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget on CAP’s recent proposal for achieving fiscal sustainability.
 

Domestic

Can You Hear Us Now?

Jessica Arons and Shira Saperstein argued on the 37th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that progressive leaders can only win on reproductive rights by defending them. Meanwhile, Gebe Martinez and Marshall Fitz wrote that immigration reform offers a perfect opportunity for leaders to quit playing politics and start solving tough problems. Also, a by-the-numbers look at immigration demonstrated that comprehensive reform would spur economic growth, while a deportation-centric strategy would be ineffective and expensive.

CAP updated its interactive calculator on health reform, too, which allows you to see how health reform will affect you and your loved ones.
 

National Security

The False Promise of Primacy

Nina Hachigian debunked Robert Kagan’s nostalgia for Bush-era foreign policy and argued that America continues to be an indispensible nation because of our ideas, our flexibility, and our leadership. And Ken Gude explained that the Obama administration should stick with the tough and proven criminal courts in prosecuting terrorists.