What Do We Expect from Our Government?

What Do We Expect From Our Government? provides a glimpse at this set of developments by focusing on a number of policies, such as climate change, immigration, and terrorism, as well as governance processes such as oversight, elections and campaigns, and regulation. It highlights the role of research in public sector decision-making, the role of the academy, the relationship between economic imperatives and scientific information, and dealing with uncertainty and change. In addition, it includes attention to broader issues such as national economic and fiscal policies and strategies for assuring equity and access in programs.

Much has changed in US politics since the historic 2008 election. While the press covers the actions and agendas of the new administration, other impacts of this political shift have not received as much attention. These changes have forced the nation to rethink the necessary role of government, the role of the private market, the impact of science, technology, and information, and, ultimately, our place in the world. What Do We Expect From Our Government? provides a glimpse at this set of developments by focusing on a number of policies, such as climate change, immigration, and terrorism, as well as governance processes such as oversight, elections and campaigns, and regulation. It highlights the role of research in public sector decision-making, the role of the academy, the relationship between economic imperatives and scientific information, and dealing with uncertainty and change. In addition, it includes attention to broader issues such as national economic and fiscal policies and strategies for assuring equity and access in programs.

1 Forward
2 Introduction: What Do We Expect from Our Government?
Part 3 One: The Policy and Historical Context
Chapter 4 1. The FDR Legacy: Yesterday and Today
Chapter 5 2. The Economic Crisis: How Can We Deal with It?
Chapter 6 3. Worrying about Equity Issues: The Case of Youth Policy and Poverty
Part 7 Two: Policy Debates
Chapter 8 4. Climate Change, the Economic Crisis, and Prospectus for the Future
9 Climate Change Panel Summary
Chapter 10 5. Countering Myths about Terrorism: Some Lessons Learned from the Global Terrorism Database
11 Terrorism Panel Summary
Chapter 12 6. What Do We Expect from our Government Representatives on Immigration?
13 Immigration Panel Summary
Part 14 Three: Focusing on Processes
Chapter 15 7. Transition Time at the National Level: The Government, Congress, and Party Leaders
16 Oversight Panel Summary
Chapter 17 8. What Do We Expect from Our Elections?
18 Elections and Campaigns Panel Summary
Chapter 19 9. Restoring Public Protections: Regulatory Challenges Confronting President Obama and the 111th Congress
20 Regulation Panel Summary
21 About the Editors
22 Conference Information