Doing What Works

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A Bipartisan Call for “What Works” Budgeting Article
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) listens during a news conference on the debt ceiling on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 21, 2011. Both Democrats and Republicans believe Congress should base future budget cuts on an evaluation of what works, not just what’s politically palatable. Coburn claims that approach is the cornerstone of his $9 trillion debt reduction plan released last week. (AP/Susan Walsh)

A Bipartisan Call for “What Works” Budgeting

John Griffith and Jitinder Kohli call on Congress and the White House to jointly support a comprehensive, results-oriented review of the federal budget.

John Griffith, Jitinder Kohli

July 21 Is Consumers’ Independence Day Article
President Barack Obama announces the nomination of former Ohio Attorney  General Richard Cordray, right, to serve as the first director of the  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on July 18, 2011. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

July 21 Is Consumers’ Independence Day

The new “cop on the beat” for consumers of financial products faces more challenges ahead, but it’s a fight worth having, argues Gadi Dechter.

Gadi Dechter

Don’t Let Freight Economy Run off the Rails Article
The $265 billion freight rail industry is a particularly smart choice for public investment in a period of tight budgets because it can turn small public investments into major economic gains. (AP/Reed Saxon)

Don’t Let Freight Economy Run off the Rails

Julia Kantor and Donna Cooper urge Washington policymakers to support a strong American industry where small public investments become major economic gains.

Julia Kantor, Donna Cooper

Education Article
Teacher Margarita Hernandez leads a group of preschoolers with an outdoor art project at a Head Start program in Hillsboro, Oregon. We receive $13 in social benefits for every $1 invested in early childhood education and development, studies show. (AP/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

Education

This is the latest in a weekly series of talking points from CAP’s Doing What Works team showing how we can make smart budget decisions that boost government efficiency and effectiveness.

Diana Epstein

Buy America Works Article

Buy America Works

Sam Ungar and Donna Cooper explore how a new website used by the highway agency makes it easier to ensure that recovery funds flow almost entirely to American companies and workers—and urge other Department of Transportation offices to follow the FHWA’s lead.

Sam Ungar, Donna Cooper

The Tax Gap Article
The United States loses some $100 billion<i> </i>in tax revenues annually because of offshore tax abuses by wealthy individuals and corporations in the Caribbean and elsewhere. (AP/Alexandre Meneghini)

The Tax Gap

This is the latest in a weekly series of talking points from CAP’s Doing What Works team showing how we can make smart budget cuts and targeted investments that boost government efficiency—not gut essential services.

Seth Hanlon

Employment Weakness Calls for Stronger Transportation Bill Article
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) argued that the EU ETS aviation program “is a clear violation of international law that puts U.S. air carriers at a competitive disadvantage, kills U.S. aviation jobs, and may lead to a trade war.” Clearly, though, any form of compliance with this bill will put U.S. air carriers at a competitive disadvantage and potentially destroy thousands of jobs in the airline industry. (AP/Lawrence Jackson)

Employment Weakness Calls for Stronger Transportation Bill

Donna Cooper explains how a current proposal to reduce federal spending on badly needed roads improvement will also be a drag on employment—at the worst possible time.

Donna Cooper

Energy Article

Energy

This is the latest in a weekly series of talking points from CAP’s Doing What Works team showing how we can make smart budget cuts and targeted investments that boost government efficiency—not gut essential services.

John Griffith

Tax Ex-Spend-Itures Article

Tax Ex-Spend-Itures

Seth Hanlon explains how the debt limit debate underway in Washington isn’t really about spending versus taxes, as conservatives claim—it’s about whether conservative lawmakers are willing to put wasteful tax code spending on the chopping block.

Seth Hanlon

Health Care Article

Health Care

The latest in a weekly series from CAP’s Doing What Works team showing how we can make smart budget cuts that boost government efficiency, not gut essential services.

Kristina Costa

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