Prospects for Health Care Reform in 2009

President Barack Obama has entered a White House burdened by myriad challenges. From the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to global climate change, his administration faces a host of issues that will require strong bipartisan solutions in order to put our country back on track. Among the most daunting domestic policy crises is our crumbling health care system. Today, more than forty-five million people are uninsured in our country. For those with insurance, the status quo is not much better; twenty-two million people incurred high costs relative to their income for medical expenses and coverage in 2007. President Obama appreciates the unsustainable burden this places on everyday Americans and therefore has made reform of our health care system a top policy priority of his administration

Crossing Our Lines: Working Together to Reform the U.S. Health System

Presents bipartisan policy recommendations for healthcare reform from former Senate majority leaders, with a focus on quality and value; meaningful and affordable insurance; personal responsibility and healthy choices; and a sustainable approach to finan

Governing in a Polarized America: A Bipartisan Blueprint to Strengthen our Democracy

The Bipartisan Policy Center launched the Commission on Political Reform in 2013 to investigate the causes and consequences of America's partisan political divide and to advocate for specific reforms that will improve the political process and that will work in a polarized atmosphere.The commission met at public and private institutions across the country to hear from interested citizens, political leaders, and issue experts about the problems and potential solutions. It is clear that Americans are concerned about the lack of civil discourse and the increasing inability of the U.S. political system to grapple with the nation's biggest challenges. These shortcomings put the nation at risk of losing its standing in the world.This report, Governing in a Polarized America: A Bipartisan Blueprint to Strengthen our Democracy, is the culmination of the commission's public and private deliberations, butit is not the end of its work. Our recommendations provide a realistic path forward to strengthen U.S. democracy. The commission does not pretend to have discovered the cure to all that ails democracy. But, 29 Americans have come together as part of our commission to embrace a truly bipartisan reform agenda.The commission identifies reforms in three specific areas: the electoral process, the process by which Congress legislates and manages its own affairs, and the ability of Americans to plug into the nation's civic life through public service. We chose to focus on three broad areas of reform, because the polarization in the United States runs deeply through its institutions, affects the ways Americans elect political leaders and how the institutions of government operate, and even puts in danger Americans' deep-seated desire to serve their nation

Legislation to Improve Health of Racial and Ethnic Minorities: The Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act of 2003

Too often, racial and ethnic minorities receive a lower standard of health care than other Americans. The federal government has recognized this serious problem and has set the goal of eliminating racial and ethinic health disparities by the end of the decade. House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation, the Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act of 2003, that takes an important step toward making this national goal a reality. The bill has been referred to the Senate Health and Labor and Pensions Committee

Is Obamacare Taking America in the Right Direction?

The hex of high costs, unmet needs, and uneven quality has cursed American health care for decades. In 2010, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act with the aim of expanding coverage, bending the cost curve downward, and improving the quality of care for many. How has it performed? Can Obamacare be improved and attract broader support, or should America start over? Join us for a conversation with former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle about the current state of affairs in health care, moderated by former U.S. Congressman Vin Weber.Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, UM

Fox News Special Report with Brit Hume

Fox News Special Report hosted by Brit Hume. Topic discussed: debate between the White House and congressional Democrats over Iraq resolution. Followed by ad for an upcoming episode On the Record with Greta van Susteren featuring a brief view of Senator Lott in a story about Senate infighting