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David Plouffe served as the campaign manager for President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and was appointed a senior advisor to the President in 2011. He is now a strategic advisor for the ride service, Uber. David Plouffe visited the Goldman School during “Stop the Clock” week, which provides students and faculty with a chance to interact with leading decision-makers who have worked in public policy and government. The following is an excerpt from a conversation between him…

Like millions of mothers across America, my two little girls are taking me out to eat for Mothers’ Day. I enjoy being with my children as much as everyone else, but this Mothers’ Day will be bittersweet. As the co-founder and Co-Director of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United, a national restaurant workers’ organization, I know that my server, more than likely to be a woman, is also more than likely a mom like me—quite…

The architects of the Affordable Care Act counted on competition in the health insurance market to keep costs down and quality high. While the law has accomplished many of its coverage and cost-containment goals, its vision of a more competitive insurance market seems to be fading. The nation’s second-largest health insurer, Anthem, is poised to acquire Cigna, the fourth-largest. Aetna, the third-largest insurer, is seeking to acquire Humana, the fifth-largest. If approved by the Justice Department,…

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both trumpeted their proposals to expand college access and reduce student debt, but an even bigger problem is going ignored, at least by politicians: college dropouts. The statistics are jaw-dropping. Only 53 percent of college freshmen earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. Even fewer community-college students—39 percent—obtain a credential from a two- or four-year institution within six years. Of the 31 million adults who attended college between 1994 and 2014,…

Represent.Us, a bipartisan group, is trying to build momentum for campaign finance and lobbying reform by pushing legislation at the state and local level. (Photo: Christopher Huang/Represent.Us) Following the April demonstrations in Washington for campaign finance and voting rights reform, BillMoyers.com has invited activists—some of whom participated in the protests and some who did not—to describe what they are doing to continue work on these issues. This essay from …

Stan Collender (MPP '76) is the Executive Vice President of Qorvis MSLGROUP.  He gave the following testimony before the United States Senate Committee on the Budget on April 27, 2016. Chairman Enzi, Senator Whitehouse and members of the committee: As a former intern and staff member of this committee from back when it began more than 40 years ago, and as someone who has devoted much of his career to the federal budget, I am of course delighted to provide the committee with…

The Goldman School of Public Policy mourns the passing of Emeritus Professor Allan P. Sindler in October 2015. Professor Sindler was Dean of the Graduate School of Public Policy (now the Goldman School of Public Policy) from 1977 to 1987. Professor Sindler’s scholarly work on race and politics followed the course of American politics in the middle of the twentieth century. His first book, Huey Long's Louisiana: State Politics, 1920-1952 (1956), developed out of his 1953 dissertation at Harvard University. This book…

A supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders holds a sign at Sanders' first campaign rally in Michigan. (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images) Free tuition at public colleges and universities — it's a rallying cry in Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign, and it sounds like an effective strategy for ensuring that the widest range of students can graduate from college without burdensome debt. But zero tuition actually runs counter to Sanders' core principle of reducing income inequality. In this case,…

Concerns about economic inequality have become more and more prominent over the past few years. Occupy Wall Street drew attention to it.  Economists have dissected it. Politicians ranging from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-vt.) to Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) have proposed remedies for it.  What is missing from the discussion, however, is the recognition that political inequality and economic inequality are inextricably and reciprocally linked. The voices heard in American politics are skewed substantially in the…

The US State Department annonced the appointment of Professor Dan Kammen as US science envoy. The program showcases science and tehcnology as engines of progress and economic growth, and as tools of diplomacy.  "I am keen to assist the impressive suite of engagements that the State Department is already doing in this area, and to add what I can on the scientific, technical, and policy/social engagement sides," says Professor Kammen. "The opportunities to work with the Power Africa…