Events:

Upcoming Events

A Report From Washington

Norm Ornstein, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Noon - 1:15pm
Humphrey Forum, Humphrey Institute
301 19th Ave S.,
Minneapolis, MN

Expert Washington analyst, Norm Ornstein, reviews the Obama administration's wide-ranging policy initiatives and their progress in Congress as the political winds appear ready to shift.

Norman Ornstein is a long-time observer of Congress and politics. He writes a weekly column for Roll Call and is an election analyst for CBS News. He serves as codirector of the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project and participates in AEI's Election Watch series. He also serves as a senior counselor to the Continuity of Government Commission. Mr. Ornstein led a working group of scholars and practitioners that helped shape the law, known as McCain-Feingold, that reformed the campaign financing system. He was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2004. His many books include The Permanent Campaign and Its Future (AEI Press, 2000); the coauthored The Broken Branch: How Congress is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track (Oxford University Press, 2006); and, most recently, Vital Statistics on Congress 2008 (Brookings Institution Press, 2008), also coauthored.

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance develops practical, independent, and non-partisan solutions to pressing political and policy challenges. Founded in 2005, CSPG fosters effective and efficient governance, increases the transparency of government processes, and rebuilds the public trust in order to counteract negative influences that threaten our democracy.

These events are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

For directions and parking: www.hhh.umn.edu/about/contact/parking.html.

To request disability accommodations, please call 612-625-2530 or email cspg@umn.edu.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Past Events

November 17, 2009. Long Term Care Financing Solutions Conference

Today, 10 million Americans need long-term care. In the next three decades, the number of Americans needing long-term care is expected to double, leaving our nation’s long-term care financing system – based largely on Medicaid – in jeopardy. While there is a growing consensus that long-term care financing reform should be part of health care reform, there remain underlying questions about next steps towards reform. The Center for the Study for Politics and Governance in partnership with Aging Services of Minnesota, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging and AARP Minnesota, are committed to bringing this important policy discussion to Minnesota. We have partnered to bring together the top experts on this topic for a frank discussion on the best possible solutions to this issue.

For more information and the conference agenda click here.

This conference is free and open to the public. To register please contact Kellie Carlson at Aging Services of Minnesota at kcarlson@agingservicesmn.org or 651-645-4545.

October 28, 2009. Making Insurers Accountable:
The Case for a Public Option in Health Reform

Lois Quam, founder and CEO of Tysvar, LLC

Democrats in Washington are making steady progress in assembling the most significant health reform in four decades. Despite charges of a government take over, Lois Quam argues that Democratic proposals will stabilize employer sponsored health insurance and expand the opportunity for millions of previously uninsured Americans to purchase private health insurance. In this private sector approach, the insurers will need to be checked and held accountable. Ms. Quam will draw on her experience in the private sector and in private insurance to explain the importance of providing the option of government insurance in order to control costs and ensure quality.

Lois Quam is an internationally recognized leader on the emerging green economy and health care. She is the founder and CEO of Tysvar, LLC, a business incubator and strategic advisory firm focused on the new green economy and health care, and a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. Lois has appeared in Tom Friedman’s recent book, Hot, Flat and Crowded, and was named by Fortune magazine as one of the 50 most powerful women in American business. From 2007 to 2009, Lois was leader of strategic investments at Piper Jaffray, a Minneapolis-based global investment bank, where she focused on investment opportunities in clean technology and renewable energy. Prior to joining Piper, Quam served as President and CEO of the $30 billion Public and Senior Markets Segment at UnitedHealth Group, serving the health needs of more than 10 million older and low income Americans. She is a graduate of Macalester College and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Quam currently serves on the Boards of General Mills, Macalester College, the University of Minnesota Foundation and the National Wildlife Federation.

September 24, 2009. Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America

Wilhelmine Miller, PhD, Associate Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build A Healthier America and Associate Research Professor, George Washington University

Co-sponsored by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation

Why aren't Americans among the healthiest people in the world? Why are some Americans so much healthier than others? What can be done to create opportunities for all Americans to live long and healthy lives? These questions prompted the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2008 to establish the Commission to Build a Healthier America, enlisting national leaders across sectors to find solutions outside of the medical care system for advancing the nation's health.

Wilhelmine Miller, PhD, Associate Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build A Healthier America will provide an overview of the Commission's findings and recommendations followed by a panel discussion moderated by the Star Tribune's heath editor Dave Hage.

August 5, 2009. Getting America to Work:
Opportunities and Challenges in Transportation Policy

Watch the Full Program

Congressman Jim Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is a leader of transportation policy in Congress. Transportation policy is a powerful engine for stimulating the economy and transforming America's energy demands. But the current transportation funding bill will expire on Sept. 30 and Congress is now wrestling with the financing policy issues that will shape the next six year bill. Congressman Jim Oberstar will be speaking at the Humphrey Institute as part of a series the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting of public talks by prominent government leaders. This series allows Minnesota’s elected officials the opportunity to rise above the talking points and fractious back-and-forth of the legislative process to make substantive statements about issues of importance for Minnesotans.

Jim Oberstar is a member of the United States House of Representatives, first elected in 1974 and currently serving his 18th term as the representative of the Eighth District of Minnesota. Congressman Oberstar is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and an internationally recognized expert on aviation and aviation safety and a champion of creating trails for cycling and hiking. Prior to serving in public office, Oberstar was chief staff assistant to U.S. Rep. John Blatnik and administrator for the House Public Works Committee. Oberstar holds degrees from the College of St. Thomas and the College of Europe in Belgium.

Cosponsored by: The Humphrey Institute's State and Local Policy Program and the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies.

Watch the Full Program

The 2008 U.S. Senate Recount was the longest in Minnesota history. The intense scrutiny both demonstrated that Minnesota's elections process largely worked well and pinpointed weaknesses. Failure to address these weaknesses leaves Minnesota vulnerable to another exhausting recount. The State's leading voices in elections administration will discuss designing reforms and next steps.

• Mark Ritchie, Minnesota Secretary of State
• Ann Rest, Senator (DFL) and Chair, State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee
• Tom Emmer, Representative (R) and Ranking Minority Member, State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections Committee
• Joe Mansky, Ramsey County Elections Manager
• Moderated by Lawrence Jacobs, Professor, University of Minnesota

June 25, 2009. Leadership in Challenging Times

Hubert Joly, President and CEO, Carlson Companies

Watch the Full Program

Leadership has often been modeled on heroic figures who rely on commands and top-down decision making. The failures in the corporate and political worlds have tainted the notion of leadership and undermined confidence in leaders. But a new approach of leadership is emerging that emphasizes shared decision making, social responsibility and stewardship of the public good.

Please join us for a conversation with Hubert Joly on the role of leadership in challenging times. Mr. Joly will discuss leadership in today's corporate world. Can ethical requirements and values be integrated with the imperatives of the marketplace? What is the ultimate purpose of business? How can leaders in the private and public sectors work together on public problems?

Hubert Joly became president and chief executive officer of Carlson in March 2008. Joly previously served as president and chief executive officer of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Under his leadership, CWT grew its sales from USD 8.9 billion in 2003 to USD 25.5 billion in 2007. He is now chair of the CWT board of directors. He also is vice chair of the Rezidor Hotel Group. Joly is a business administration graduate of HEC Paris and a public administration graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. He is a member of the executive committee of the World Travel and Tourism Council, serves on the board of trustees of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and recently became a member of the executive committee of the Minnesota Business Partnership. He was honored as one of the 25 Most Influential Executives of the Business Travel Industry (2006) by Business Travel News magazine. He was also elected a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum (Davos, 1997).

Cosponsored by: Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, the Center for the Study of Politics & Governance, and the Carlson School of Management.

June 4, 2009. Will Obama's Strategies Pay Off?

Listen to the Audio

former Congressman Vin Weber and Professor Larry Jacobs, University of Minnesota

President Obama is pursuing high risk domestic and national security policies. What are the possible consequences for American policy and politics? Vin Weber, former Member of Congress, leading national figure in the Republican Party, and Humphrey Institute senior fellow, will discuss the new policies of the Obama Administration with political scientist and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance Larry Jacobs.

Vin Weber is a senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He is also actively involved in the Humphrey Institute Policy Fellows program. He served in Congress from 1981 to 1993, representing Minnesota's Second Congressional District. He is a partner at Clark & Weinstock, a consulting firm that provides strategic advice to institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. Prior to opening Clark & Weinstock's Washington office in 1994, Weber was president – and co-director with Jack Kemp, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Bill Bennett – of Empower America, a public policy advocacy group. He is a trustee of the German Marshall Fund, co-director of the Aspen Institute's Domestic Policy Project, member of the Visiting Committee for the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and council member of the National Council for Political Management at George Washington University. In 2001, he was elected chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, nonprofit organization designed to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. Weber is a regular commentator on National Public Radio and is often sought as a political analyst for network programs such as CNN's Capital Gang.

May 27, 2009. Election Technology Preview

View more about this event here.

What role does technology play in guaranteeing accurate and secure elections? How does technology influence ballot design? What are the latest developments in election technology? To learn more about the connection between technology and elections, please join us at the Election Technology Preview on Wednesday, May 27. This is a hands on event where you will be able to try out the newest election technology systems, speak with vendor representatives, and provide feedback on voting machines.

Sponsor: Center for Study of Politics and Governance
Cosponsors: Common Cause Minnesota, Minnesota League of Women Voters, Citizens for Election Integrity

*This is event is funded by the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. No money was accepted from vendors.*

April 28, 2009. Can Obama Avoid the Dark Side?
Learning from how the War on Terror turned into the War on American Ideals

Listen to the Audio

Jane Mayer, The New Yorker and author of The Dark Side

With commentary by Vice President Walter F. Mondale
Moderated by Lawrence R. Jacobs, Professor, University of Minnesota

In the days immediately following September 11, the most powerful people in the country made a series of decisions to protect the country and to enhance presidential power. These decisions precipitated ferocious debates within the new Bush administration. New Yorker contributor Jane Mayer reveals the behind-the-scene debates. She is joined by Vice President Walter Mondale and Lawrence Jacobs to discuss the lessons for the Obama administration's efforts to balance counter-terrorism and American ideals and law.

Jane Mayer joined The New Yorker as a staff writer in March, 1995. Based in Washington, D.C., she writes about politics for the magazine, and has been covering the war on terror. Recent subjects include Alberto Mora and the Pentagon's secret torture policy, how the United States outsources torture (rendition), the prison at Guantánamo Bay, and the legality of C.I.A. interrogations. She has also written about George W. Bush, the bin Laden family, Sarah Palin, and the television show "24." Before joining The New Yorker, Mayer was a reporter at the Wall Street Journal for twelve years. At the Journal she was a White House correspondent as well as a war correspondent and a foreign correspondent. Among other stories, she covered the bombing of the American barracks in Beirut, the Persian Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the final days of Communism in the Soviet Union. Mayer was the 2008 winner of the John Chancellor Award for Journalistic Excellence, as well as a Guggenheim Foundation Grant in 2008, and winner in 2009 of the Goldsmith Book Prize from Harvard, the Edward Weintal Prize from Georgetown University, and the Ridenhour Prize. She was also a 2009 finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. She has twice been a finalist for the National Magazine award, and was nominated twice by the Journal for a Pulitzer Prize in the feature-writing category. Mayer is the author of the best-selling 2008 book, The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War in Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals. She was also the co-author of two additional best-selling books. Strange Justice, written with Jill Abramson. Her first book, Landslide: The Unmaking of the President, 1984-1988, co-authored by Doyle McManus, was an acclaimed account of the Reagan White House's involvement in the Iran-Contra affair. Mayer graduated with honors from Yale in 1977 and continued her studies in history at Oxford.

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

James B. Comey, Jr. was Deputy Attorney General of the United States, serving in President George W. Bush's administration. As Deputy Attorney General, Comey became the second-highest ranking official in the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and ran the day-to-day operations of the Department, serving in that position from December 2003 through August 2005. He was appointed to the position after serving as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In December 2003, as Deputy Attorney General, Comey appointed the U.S. Attorney in Chicago, close friend and former colleague Patrick Fitzgerald, as Special Counsel to head the CIA leak grand jury investigation after Attorney General John Ashcroft recused himself. In August 2005, Comey left the DOJ and he became General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Lockheed Martin.

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

March 23, 2009. Research that Matters on American Politics

Seminar with Theda Skocpol, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology, Harvard University

Dr. McCready is responsible for working with academic, government, and non-profit clients to help them design projects that use the Knowledge Networks Panel. He has worked with the Bureau of the Census' evaluation, Stanford & the University of Michigan's ANES, the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School’s 2008 election project and with several PIs from the University of Minnesota. He has worked in the survey research field for more than 40 years, both as the first Program Director at NORC at the University of Chicago and then directed the Public Opinion Lab at Northern Illinois University. He has directed the CDC-funded Illinois BRFSS as well as projects for the Ford Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, NIAAA, and McDonald's Corporation and is a past member the National Academy of Science's Committee for a National Urban Policy.

Listen to the Audio

View the Presentation

Pundits and social observers have voiced alarm as fewer and fewer Americans involve themselves in voluntary groups and participatory democracy. Most of the nonprofit groups launched in recent decades are run by professionals who lobby Congress or deliver social services to clients. These professionally managed agencies have displaced membership groups, leaving regular Americans with fewer opportunities to interact across class lines and to get involved in community and public affairs. America's struggle to rebound from today's financial crises will require not only a turnaround of our economy but also a recovery for our civic life. In the wake of the 2008 election and the innovative Obama campaign, what are the prospects for a sustained revitalization of our civic democracy?

Theda Skocpol is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University, where she served as Director of the Center for American Political Studies (1999 to 2006) and as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (2005 to 2007). Skocpol is recognized as one of the most cited and widely influential scholars in the modern social sciences; her work has contributed to the study of comparative politics, American politics, comparative and historical sociology, U.S. history, and the study of public policy. Skocpol's current research focuses on civic engagement, governmental transformation, and reform politics in the United States and on the development of U.S. social and educational policies in historical and comparative perspective.

March 18, 2009. Security and Immigration in a post-9/11 United States
Edward Alden, Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
 
This event was co-sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations.

Since the attacks of September 11th, the United States has tried to build new border defenses to keep out terrorists without stifling the flow of people and ideas from abroad that have built one of the world's most dynamic nations. But many of the new measures have instead cut America off from the world, punishing innocent people and discouraging the best and the brightest from coming here.  In The Closing of the American Border, Edward Alden reports on the internal battles in the Bush administration over these new measures, and chronicles the tragic stories of many who have been hurt by what resulted. James Fallows of The Atlantic Monthly calls it "an outstanding and important book" that should "change the way Americans talk and think about this issue."

March 10, 2009. "Great Conversations" with Seymour Hersh, Walter Mondale, and Larry Jacobs

Listen to the audio here.

Larry Jacobs, Mondale Chair for Political Studies and director of the Center of the Study of Politics and Governance at the Humphrey Institute, and Walter Mondale, former Vice President of the United States, discussed America's constitutional crisis with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh as part of the University's "Great Conversations" series.

For more information about the series, visit www.cce.umn.edu/conversations/index.

March 2, 2009. Leading for Minnesota's Future:
Public Forum with Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting a series of public talks by prominent government leaders as part of our ongoing commitment to fostering informed and substantive discussion on important matters of public policy. This series will allow Minnesota's elected officials the opportunity to rise above the talking points and fractious back-and-forth of the legislative process to make substantive statements about issues of importance for Minnesotans.

Alan Wolfe is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College, contributing editor to The New Republic, The Wilson Quarterly and Commonwealth, and frequent contributor to Harper’s, The Atlantic Monthly, and The Washington Post.

Event sponsored by the David Edelstein Family Foundation and the American Mosaic Project, The Department of Sociology and the Department of Political Science, The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, and the College of Liberal Arts.

View the video broadcast of this event here.

Listen to the audio:

• Part 1 (73 mins 10 secs)
• Part 2 (39 mins 52 secs)

The close contest for U.S. Senate has given rise to challenges and questions by the campaigns of Senator Norm Coleman and Al Franken. The war of words between the campaigns has raised concerns about the fairness and credibility of Minnesota's election process. The truth, however, is that Minnesota's administrative and judicial process for elections is among the most respected in the country. Vice President Walter Mondale, Congressman Jim Ramstad, and former Elmer Andersen aide Tom Swain are joined by national and regional experts to examine the Minnesota tradition of fair elections.

Panel 1: The Minnesota Gold Standard

• Edward B. Foley, Professor, Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University and Director, Election Law @ Moritz
• Mark Ritchie, Secretary of State, Minnesota
• Joe Mansky, Ramsey County Elections Manager, Ramsey County
• Moderator: Lawrence R. Jacobs, Professor, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota

Panel 2: The Minnesota Tradition of Fair Elections

• Vice President Walter Mondale
  
• Congressman Jim Ramstad
  
• Tom Swain, former Chief of Staff to Elmer Andersen
  
• Moderator: Lori Sturdevant, Editorial Writer/Columnist, Star Tribune

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

December 9, 2008

Listen to the audio:

• Part 1 (55 mins 11 secs)
• Part 2 (62 mins 57 secs)

View the conference agenda

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance welcomes Governor Pawlenty and Minnesota business and health care leaders to discuss the potential for health reforms that build on private markets and on the implementation of reforms passed during the 2008 legislative session. A reception will follow the conference.

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

December 1, 2008
Toward More Open Government: A Conference on Reforming the Redistricting Process

Listen to the audio here.

View the conference agenda

How are the boundaries of legislative districts determined? In Europe, non-partisan boundary commissions draw the boundaries. In the United States, state legislatures usually draw the boundaries for their own districts. Civic groups warn that legislators draw their own districts in ways to help themselves and their fellow partisans. In Minnesota, the process has the added challenge of not working over the past several cycles of redistricting. These questions take on urgency now because Minnesota may lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives owing to the state’s population size relative to that of other states.

The process to draw legislative districts is picking up speed in Minnesota. Leaders and citizens have questions about how the redistricting process will work, what risk Minnesota faces in terms of losing a congressional seat, and how other states draw legislative districts.

Toward More Open Government: A Conference on Reforming the Redistricting Process will examine the current process for drawing legislative districts, learn lessons from other states approaches to drawing legislative districts, and consider the risk of losing a congressional seat.

Center director Larry Jacobs will be joined by Michael McDonald of George Mason University, Minnesota State Demographer Tom Gillaspy, John Griffin of the University of Notre Dame, legislators, and other experts to discuss this timely issue.

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

November 5, 2008
Making Sense of the 2008 Elections

Listen to the audio here.

Speakers:
Vin Weber, Former Member of Congress
Jeff Blodgett, Minnesota State Director for Barack Obama
Moderated by Larry Jacobs, Professor, University of Minnesota

Two of Minnesota's sharpest political analysts, former Congressman VinWeber and Jeff Blodgett, Obama's Minnesota State Director, will breakdown the results of national andMinnesota elections. Professor Larry Jacobs willmoderate the discussion.

October 28, 2008
Good Societies: Dialogue with Andrea Elliot and Lawrence R. Jacobs,
Walter F. and Joan Mondale Chair in Political Studies, University of Minnesota

Andrea Elliott writes for The New York Times, where beginning in March 2006, she published a Pulitzer Prize-winning three-part series "An Imam in America," on the inner life of a mosque in Brooklyn. This exploration is part of a wider body of work by Elliott looking at Muslims in America after 9/11. Edelstein-Keller Visiting Writers Series co-presents with the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and the School of Journalism a "Good Societies" dialogue with Lawrence R. Jacobs, Walter F. and Joan Mondale Chair in Political Studies.

Andrea Elliott covers Islam in America as a metropolitan reporter for The New York Times. She created the beat in 2005, focusing on the impact of 9/11 on American Muslims. Ms. Elliott joined The Times in May 2003. She started as a general assignment reporter on the metropolitan desk and alter covered the Bronx. Her stories have included an investigation of the private policing system at Macy's department stores, coverage of the bereaved children of 9/11 and reporting from Washington and overseas on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. From 2000 to 2003, Ms. Elliott was a reporter at The Miami Herald, where she covered crime, natural disasters, immigration trends, Latin American politics and the recount of the 2000 presidential election. Ms. Elliott earned a B.A. degree in comparative literature from Occidental College in 1996. She took an M.S. degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in 1999, graduating first in her class and winning a Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Her journalistic honors include awards from the New York Press Association, the Newswomen's Club of New York and the Society of the Silurians.

2008 Candidate Forums: U.S. Senate
Humphrey Institute

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting a series of public forums with the major party candidates for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat to foster informed and substantive discussion of important matters of public policy. The forums create an opportunity for the candidates to rise above the talking points and fractious back-and-forth of the campaign to address the important policy challenges facing Minnesota and the country. It also creates a forum for students and citizens to listen and raise questions with the candidates. The events are free and open to the public.

Senator Norm Coleman
Republican Party Candidate, U.S. Senate

The Bipartisan Path to Energy Independence
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Noon - 1:15pm
Cowles Auditorium
Hubert H. Humphrey Center

Al Franken
Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Candidate, U.S. Senate

An Economy that works for the Middle Class
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
1:00 - 2:15pm
Humphrey Forum
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute

Dean Barkley
Independence Party Candidate, U.S. Senate

The Polarization of our Political Parties
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Noon - 1:15pm
Humphrey Forum
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute

2008 Candidate Forums: 3rd Congressional District
Humphrey Forum, Humphrey Institute

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting a series of public forums with the major party candidates for Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District seat to foster informed and substantive discussion of important matters of public policy. The forums create an opportunity for the candidates to rise above the talking points and fractious back-and-forth of the campaign to address the substantive policy challenges facing Minnesota and the country. It also creates a forum for students and citizens to listen and raise questions with their elected officials. The events are free and open to the public.

Ashwin Madia
Green Technology, Green Power, and Greenbacks:
A Plan to Protect our Environment and our Economy
Monday, October 13, 2008
Noon - 1:15pm

Erik Paulsen
Why we Need Forward Thinking Leaders
to Solve the Economic Crisis
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Noon - 1:15pm

David Dillon
The Congressional Role in Creating the Next
Long Term Economic Boom
Friday, October 17, 2008
Noon - 1:15pm

October 2, 2008
The Samaritan's Dilemma: Should Government Help Your Neighbor?

Speaker:Deborah Stone,
Visiting and Research Professor, Dartmouth College

For at least a generation, experts have warned us not reach out to others. Too much help makes people passive and dependent, we are told, and self interest is the only motive that spurs us to work and contribute to society. Liberals and conservatives alike have endorsed this new moral code for government. The Samaritan's Dilemma challenges this conventional wisdom. Deborah Stone argues that we are born needing help, we die needing help, and we live out our days getting and giving help. We live by everyday altruism. The Samaritan’s Dilemma warns that when leaders define the ideal citizen as someone who pursues his self interest and withholds help from others, good people are repelled by politics.

Deborah Stone is a visiting and research professor in the Department of Government and the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College. From 1986 to 1999, she held the David R. Pokross Chair in Law and Social Policy at Brandeis University, and before that was on the faculty at M.I.T. for nine years and Duke University for three. Her book, Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making is used in teaching programs around the world. In 2002, it won the American Political Science Association’s Aaron Wildavsky Award for an Enduring Contribution to Policy Studies. She has published numerous articles in scholarly journals and edited books, and has written for The American Prospect, The Nation, New Republic and other magazines. Stone has served on many government and non-profit advisory commissions, including the Social Security Administration, the Human Genome Commission, and several Institute of Medicine committees. She is a founding member of the Health Section of the National Academy of Social Insurance.

September 18, 2008. From the Fall of the Wall to the War on Terror: How the 1990s Shaped Our World

Speakers:
Derek Chollet, Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security
James Goldgeier, Professor of Political Science at George Washington University and Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

When the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989 – or 11/9 – many Americans shifted their attention away from foreign policy, and only re-awakened to world affairs on 9/11, leading some observers to mistakenly call the intervening years the "holiday from history." In their new book, America Between the Wars: From 11/9 to 9/11, Chollet and Goldgeier examine how both Democrats and Republicans struggled to define America's role in the world after the collapse of communism. Mapping the forces that have shaped the post-Cold War era, Chollet and Goldgeier will discuss how the legacy of the 1990s is alive and well in the 2008 presidential campaign, and is vital to understanding what is likely to persist in the next presidential administration no matter who wins.

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

September 1-4, 2008. America's Future: Conversations about politics and policy during the 2008 Republican National Convention

For complete information, click here.

August 29, 2008. "Washington Week" broadcasted from University of Minnesota

"Washington Week," the longest-running public affairs program on PBS, visited Minneapolis as part of a 10-city tour during the 2008 campaign season, sponsored nationally by AARP.

Host and moderator Gwen Ifill (photo at right) was joined in discussion by Michele Norris, co-host of National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," Doyle McManus, Washington Bureau Chief of the Los Angeles Times, John Dickerson, chief political correspondent for Slate Magazine, and Michael Duffy, assistant managing editor of TIME Magazine. Following a live taping of its classic program to air nationwide on PBS, an additional special half-hour program, "Washington Week EXTRA: Minnesota Edition," was taped with Ifill and her panel that included questions from the audience.

View the Program Brochure

Today, 10 million Americans need long-term care. As our country ages that number is only expected to grow. In the next three decades, the number of Americans needing long-term care is expected to double, leaving our nation's long-term care financing system - based largely on Medicaid - in jeopardy. We must act now to ensure today's seniors and disabled adults receive the best possible care and ensure long-term care is affordable for future generations.

Please join us for a groundbreaking, interactive discussion about potential approaches to long-term care financing reform and what Minnesota can do to be a national leader in creating solutions. The Minnesota Health & Housing Alliance, in partnership with the Center for the Study for Politics and Governance at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging and AARP Minnesota, are committed to bringing this important policy discussion to Minnesota. We have partnered to bring together the top experts on this topic for a frank discussion on the best possible solutions to this issue. Your involvement in this discussion is important!

Registration Information

This conference is FREE to attend and includes a continental breakfast. Registration is limited and handled on a first-received basis. Registration deadline is Friday, May 23, 2008. Please direct all registration questions to Beth Gabrysiak at MHHA.

You can register in one of three ways:

1. Register online at MHHA.com (click on Events, must be MHHA member to register online.)
2. Fax registration form to 651-645-0002, Attn: #8258
3. Mail registration form to MHHA, 2550 University Avenue West, Suite 350 South, St. Paul, MN 55114-1900, Attn: #8258.

Call-in registrations are not accepted. Once registered, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with the information for this event.

Single payer health care is the ultimate goal for many progressives and the worst case scenario to many conservatives. The advocates of single payer laud its potential to ensure access and control costs, while critics deride it as the epitome of socialized medicine, bound to damage the quality of care and impair access by means of rationing and governmental meddling. What, however, do these policy combatants mean by single payer? How well do prevailing images fit the realities of present-day single payer health care systems?

An extraordinary conference will examine the true workings of single payer health systems. A host of policy makers will be joined by preeminent national experts including Bob Berenson, Lynn Blewett, Lawrence Brown, Jon Christianson, Roger Feldman, Sherry Glied, Scott Greer, Michael Gusmano, Lawrence Jacobs, Theodore Marmor, James Morone, Mark Peterson, Adam Oliver, Michael Scandrett, Michael Sparer, Deborah Stone, Kip Sullivan, Carolyn Tuohy, and Joe White.

For more information, visit www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/events/singlepayer.html

Support for this event was made possible in part by a generous gift from the
Wallin Foundation.

April 22, 2008. A Conversation with E.J. Dionne about his book, Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics after the Religious Right

In his new book, Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics after the Religious Right, E.J. Dionne, Jr. explores the changing dynamic between politics and religion. Mr. Dionne argues that the political power of the Religious Right is fading as Americans reclaim their faith from partisan and ideological purposes and find common ground with Americans across the political spectrum on issues such as social justice, peace, and the environment. E.J. Dionne, Jr. will discuss his new book with Professor Larry Jacobs.

April 13-15, 2008. National Conference on the Future of Election Reform: 2008 and Beyond

Watch the Introduction by US Senator Amy Klobuchar - The Case for the Regional Primary

In 2007, the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs launched the Program for Excellence in Election Administration. Minnesota has long been a leader in developing independent, non-partisan, well-trained election administrators who consistently rank among the best in the nation. The program brings together non-partisan administrators and expert analysts from the region and nation to share innovations and strategies for fair and effective elections administration.

The Program for Excellence in Election Administration serves township, city, county, and state-level election staff, elected officials, county attorneys and auditors, and citizen leaders. Research into best practices is integrated into short-courses, on-line courses, seminars, conferences, and national forums addressing the key challenges facing election administrators and legislators setting election policy.

April 15, 2008. The Politics of Election Reform Luncheon

Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002 in the wake of the contested 2000 presidential election. HAVA has provided funds to the states to enable them to replace punch card voting systems, it created an Election Assistance Commission to help administer federal election laws, and has set standards for the administration of federal elections by states and local governments. HAVA has not been fully implemented however, and election problems remain, as was demonstrated in the 2002 and 2004 elections. Ornstein will discuss the politics of election reform and some of the practical policy recommendations for further improvements in the administration and conduct of elections.

Norman J. Ornstein is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. He also serves as an election analyst for CBS News and writes a weekly column called "Congress Inside Out" for Roll Call newspaper. He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, and other major publications, and regularly appears on television programs like The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Nightline, and Charlie Rose.

The luncheon featuring Norm Ornstein's talk is part of the conference, The Future of Election Reform: 2008 and Beyond, April 13-15 at the Humphrey Institute. The conference will feature local and national experts on election reform and voter organization. For more information on the conference go to: www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/election_administration.html

March 26, 2008. Leading on health care: A dialogue on adaptive leadership with Ron Heifetz

Listen

We face enormous challenges in addressing new and continuing public health crises. Internationally renowned leadership expert Ronald Heifetz will be featured in a conversation about using adaptive leadership techniques to effectively tackle today's public health challenges. This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Integrative Leadership and the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance.

Ronald A. Heifetz is the King Hussein bin Talal Senior Lecturer in Public Leadership and the founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Known for his seminal work during the last two decades on the practice and teaching of leadership, his research focuses on how to build adaptive capacity in societies, businesses, and nonprofits. His book Leadership Without Easy Answers is currently in its 13th printing and has been translated into many languages. He coauthored the best-selling book Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading with Marty Linsky. His teaching is studied in Leadership Can Be Taught by Sharon Daloz Parks. Cofounder and Principal of Cambridge Leadership Associates, Heifetz consults extensively in the United States and abroad. He is a graduate of Columbia University, Harvard Medical School, and the Kennedy School and is a physician and cellist who studied with the Russian virtuoso Gregor Piatigorsky.

Panelists:
Jan Malcolm, CEO, Courage Center
Jay Kiedrowski, Board member for UCare Minnesota and Senior Fellow at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

Moderator:
Patrick Marx, Principal, Ice Lake Leadership Consulting Group; Founder and principal facilitator, Minnesota Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program

March 24, 2008. Picking the Vice Presidential Nominees: What Should We Look For?

View the Conference Agenda

Listen:

• Assistant Professor Douglas Kriner, "The Politics in Selecting Modern Vice Presidential Running Mates" (19 mins 38 secs)
• Governor Tommy Thompson, "Important Qualities in a Vice Presidential Running Mate" (23 mins 17 secs)
• Panel Discussion, "Why is the Vice Presidential Nominee Important?" (60 mins)
• Vice President Walter Mondale, "What Should We Look for in the Next Vice President?" (57 mins 38 secs)

Watch:

• C-Span Broadcast

The Humphrey Institute's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota and Presidential Studies Quarterly convened a national conference on Monday, March 24th to examine the selection of the vice presidential running mates in 2008.

As both the Democratic and Republican Parties move toward selecting their respective presidential nominees, attention will now shift to the selection of the vice presidential running mate. The increased power and responsibility of the vice presidency under Richard Cheney makes the selection of the running mate more important than ever.

The rules for selecting running mates seem scrambled, however. The old rules of using the vice presidential pick to create a "balanced" ticket in terms of region, party factions, and other factors no longer consistently apply. Bill Clinton and George Bush both chose running mates that were similar to themselves in many respects.

What should we look for in the next vice president? What political factors are likely to influence the selection of a running mate in 2008? What role should be played by experience, temperament, and understanding of the role of the Office of the Vice President? What should we look for in a running mate's understanding of the Vice President's role within America's constitutional system?

Join Vice President Walter Mondale, former Governor and Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson and other prominent scholars, George Edwards III, Joel Goldstein, Lawrence Jacobs, Douglas Kriner, Richard Moe, Kathryn Pearson, and Steven Schier to discuss the political, personal, and institutional considerations in selecting vice presidential nominees.

March 13, 2008. The Opportunities & Challenges of Nonprofit Advocacy

Minnesota nonprofits have a long history of participating in public advocacy and thinking about how it fits within their missions. With the start of the legislative session, nonprofits are once again poised to play a vital role Minnesota's policy process.

This event will place the work of Minnesota nonprofits in the context of national developments and compare the experiences of nonprofits around the state.

The panelists invited to initiate the discussion include leading academic Jeff Berry, PhD, Tufts University; Marcia Avner, Director Public Policy, MCN; and Susie Brown, Public Policy Director, Family & Children Services.

Professor Jeff Berry specializes in the areas of interest groups, citizen participation, nonprofits, and public policymaking. He is the author of several books including The Challenge of Democracy, A Voice for Nonprofits, The Rebirth of Urban Democracy, and The New Liberalism: The Rising Power of Citizen Groups. Recognized as a leading political science scholar, Berry is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Tufts Distinguished Scholar Award.

Marcia Avner is the Public Policy Director with the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, a statewide association of nonprofits with over 1300 member organizations. Her work includes training, educating, and lobbying on issues that are important to nonprofits and the people they serve. Ms. Avner authored The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations: Shaping Public Policy at the State and Local Level.

Susie Brown is the public policy director for Family & Children's Service, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit family service agency. In this role, she participates in the AFFIRM coalition, leading legislative committee and state immigration policy efforts. She is also adjunct faculty at Hamline University in the Graduate School of Management.

This event was co-sponsored by the Public & Nonprofit Leadership Center, the Center for the Study of Politics & Governance, and the Cowles Endowment for the Study of Public Service.

February 26, 2008. Great Conversations - Daniel Ellsberg and Larry Jacobs: American Democracy in Dissent

Daniel Ellsberg is a former American military analyst who precipitated a national uproar in 1971 when he leaked the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret study of the U.S. government's decision-making during the Vietnam War. The publication of this document set in motion a chain of historic events that ended both the Nixon presidency and the Vietnam War.

Ellsberg was a company commander in the Marine Corps, served in Vietnam for two years, and worked for the Pentagon under Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Now a leading voice of moral conscience, he remains a committed anti-war activist and advocate for patriotic whistle-blowing.

He is the author of Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers (2002) which won numerous prizes including the American Book Award. In 2006 he was honored with the Right Livelihood Award, considered the "alternative Nobel Prize," "for putting peace and truth first, at considerable personal risk, and dedicating his life to a movement to free the world from the risk of nuclear war."

Ellsberg holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

January 24, 2008. Challenges in Election Law and Administration

View the Program Brochure

In 2007, the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs launched the Program for Excellence in Election Administration. Minnesota has long been a leader in developing independent, non-partisan, well-trained election administrators who consistently rank among the best in the nation. The program brings together non-partisan administrators and expert analysts from the region and nation to share innovations and strategies for fair and effective elections administration.

The Program for Excellence in Election Administration serves township, city, county, and state-level election staff, elected officials, county attorneys and auditors, and citizen leaders. Research into best practices is integrated into short-courses, on-line courses, seminars, conferences, and national forums addressing the key challenges facing election administrators and legislators setting election policy.

January 22, 2008. The State of Minnesota's Republican Party and Conservative Movement

Listen

Does Minnesota's Republican Party remain a vehicle for the conservative movement? What is the defining character of conservatism? These questions are being debated among social conservatives, economic libertarians, and idealistic military hawks in Minnesota and nationally. For instance, Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign may make the GOP competitive in normally safe Democratic regions like the Northeast and the Northwest but it has sparked threats from social conservatives that they will bolt the Party for a third party candidate. Mike Huckabee is backed by social conservatives but faces stiff opposition from economic conservatives who criticize his tax and spending hikes as governor of Arkansas. An accomplished and prominent panel will discuss the current state of Minnesota's Republican Party and conservative movement.

Panel included:

• Steve Sviggum, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• Bill Cooper, former Chair, Minnesota Republican Party Representative
• Mary Liz Holberg, Minnesota House of Representatives
• Jeff Blodgett, Executive Director, Wellstone Action
• Moderated by Lawrence Jacobs, Professor, Humphrey Institute

December 10, 2007. American Politics R Rated: D.C. Deadlock Meets Campaign Marathon

Listen

Critical choices face voters and policy makers in Washington, D.C. as they sift through the presidential candidates. Political deadlock in Washington and marathon campaigning may result. Norm Ornstein, one of the nation's leading political analysts, will sort out what may become one of the country's most eventful years in American politics.

Norman Ornstein is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. He also serves as an election analyst for CBS News and writes a weekly column called "Congress Inside Out" for Roll Call newspaper. He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, and other major publications, and regularly appears on television programs like The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Nightline, and Charlie Rose.

He serves as senior counselor to the Continuity of Government Commission, working to ensure that our institutions of government can be maintained in the event of a terrorist attack on Washington; his efforts in this area are recounted in a profile of him in the June 2003 Atlantic Monthly. His campaign finance working group of scholars and practitioners helped shape the major law, known as McCain/Feingold, that reformed the campaign financing system. Legal Times referred to him as "a principal drafter of the law" and his role in its design and enactment was profiled in the February 2004 issue of Washington Lawyer. He is also co-directing a multi-year effort, called the Transition to Governing Project, to create a better climate for governing in the era of the permanent campaign. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the Campaign Legal Center and of the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. He was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2004. His many books include The Permanent Campaign and Its Future; Intensive Care: How Congress Shapes Health Policy, both with Thomas E. Mann; and Debt and Taxes: How America Got Into Its Budget Mess and What to Do About It, with John H. Makin. The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and What Can Be Done about It, co-authored by Thomas E. Mann, is published by Oxford University Press.

November 30, 2007. The State of the Republican Party and the Conservative Movement

Listen

The battle for the Republican Party's presidential nomination has already offered a number of surprises, including the strength of social moderate Rudolph Giuliani. The economic populism and social conservatism of Mike Huckabee is drawing support in Iowa and may pose a potent challenge to Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Vin Weber, former Member of Congress, leading national figure in the Republican Party, and Humphrey Institute senior fellow, will explore the current state of the Republican Party and the conservative movement.

Vin Weber is a senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He is also actively involved in the Humphrey Institute Policy Fellows program. He served in Congress from 1981 to 1993, representing Minnesota's Second Congressional District. He is a partner at Clark & Weinstock, a consulting firm that provides strategic advice to institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. Prior to opening Clark & Weinstock's Washington office in 1994, Weber was president - and co-director with Jack Kemp, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Bill Bennett - of Empower America, a public policy advocacy group. He is a trustee of the German Marshall Fund, co-director of the Aspen Institute's Domestic Policy Project, member of the Visiting Committee for the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and council member of the National Council for Political Management at George Washington University. In 2001, he was elected chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, nonprofit organization designed to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. Weber is a regular commentator on National Public Radio and is often sought as a political analyst for network programs such as CNN's Capital Gang.

November 27, 2007. Unchecked and Unbalanced: Presidential Power in a Time of Terror

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In the wake of 9/11, the Bush Administration has repeatedly sought to expand the power of the executive branch, often in secret. What are the dangers of an executive branch unchecked by Congress and the Judiciary? Do the realities of a global war on terror call for an executive branch with increased authority? Frederick A.O. Schwarz will discuss the risks and consequences of the Bush Administration's actions and what can be done about it.

Following a presentation by Frederick A.O. Schwarz, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, the meaning and significance of the changes in executive branch powers will be discussed by Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, Mr. Schwarz, and John R. Tunheim, United States District Judge.

November 13, 2007. Good Societies: Dialogue with Melissa Fay Greene and Lawrence R. Jacobs, Walter F. and Joan Mondale Chair in Political Studies, University of Minnesota

Listen

Melissa Fay Greene is an award winning journalist, whose articles and books have addressed civil rights and Southern history, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and African orphans, coal mine disasters and poetry, adoption, and family life. Greene will discuss her most recent book, There is No Me Without You, which illuminates the heroic efforts of one woman to save children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ethiopia, and has been described as a "contemporary Schindler's List." Two of Greene's books have been nominated for the National Book Award and Praying for Sheetrock was named one of the top 100 works of all journalism of the 20th century.

This visit was co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Politics & Governance at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and the Edelstein-Keller Endowment for Visiting Writers.

November 13, 2007. Restoring America's Human Rights Reputation

Listen

Presentations:

• Repairing our Human Rights Reputation
  
• The National Security Constitution Today

The Bush administration's war on terror has opened up debates over U.S. human rights policy that many had considered settled matters. Is the U.S. now conducting "torture"? Does its designation and treatment of "enemy combatants" and operation of Guantanamo Bay violate international norms of human rights that the U.S. helped to establish? What are the implications of these debates for the global reputation of the U.S. and for the effectiveness of the global fight against terrorism?

Harold Koh, Dean of Yale Law School, discussed the meaning and significance of the changes in America's human rights policies. After his presentation, he was joined by Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale and Professor Kathryn Sikkink, Arleen Carlson Chair in Political Science, University of Minnesota.

October 24, 2007. Navigating Conflict - Planned Parenthood in South Dakota

Listen

The South Dakota legislature and governor enacted in 2006 the nation's strictest restrictions on the right to choose abortion. In the past, the pro-choice movement turned to the courts. In South Dakota, Planned Parenthood under the direction of its regional director, Sarah Stoesz, adopted an electoral strategy of putting the issue on the 2006 ballot where it was defeated. Does the electoral strategy offer pro-choice advocates a promising new option as courts have become more conservative? Or, as some pro-choice advocates contend, does it cede too much ground and open the door to more conservative initiatives? Are there broader implications of the South Dakota electoral strategy for bridging divisive issues?

The meaning and significance of the South Dakota battle over abortion was discussed by Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Steve Sviggum, Commissioner of Industry and Labor and long time pro-life advocate. Lori Sturdevant with the Star Tribune moderated.

September 26, 2007. They Don't Like Us: Global Attitudes Toward the U.S. and other World Powers

The U.S. and western democracies have drawn the envy of the world for their prosperity and freedom. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the response of the U.S. in Afghanistan and Iraq has precipitated a sharp down turn in approval and respect for the U.S. around the globe.

Andrew Kohut, Director of the most extensive global surveys of public attitudes toward the United States, will report on his latest findings and their implications for America's future foreign policy. Humphrey Institute Dean and former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Clinton administration, J. Brian Atwood, moderated this event.

September 26, 2007. What to Watch in the 2008 Elections

Listen

Much of the nation's attention focuses on the performances of the presidential candidates. Personality matters but there are other critical factors that may matter more in determining who Americans pick as their next president. Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., and director of the Pew Research Center for The People & The Press, will identify the keys to the 2008 elections that often are overlooked by the media.

Ongoing Series.
Connecting with Government: Public Forums with Minnesota's Elected Officials

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting a series of public talks by prominent government leaders as part of our ongoing commitment to fostering informed and substantive discussion on important matters of public policy. Connecting with Government will allow Minnesota's elected officials the opportunity to rise above the talking points and fractious back-and-forth of the legislative process to make substantive statements about issues of importance for Minnesotans. It also creates a forum for students and citizens to listen and raise questions with their elected officials.

Jim Ramstad,
Congressman, Minnesota's 3rd District

August 14, 2007. "Life as a Centrist in the New Congress"

Jim Oberstar,
Congressman, Minnesota's 8th District

June 25, 2007. "Transportation Policy and America's Future"

Listen

Keith Ellison,
Congressman, Minnesota's 5th District

June 11 , 2007. "Leveling the Playing Field for Working Families: Promoting a Consumer Justice Agenda"

Listen

Norm Coleman,
U.S. Senator

May 14, 2007. "Building from the Center: Getting the Job Done on Renewable Energy"

Listen

Tim Walz,
Congressman, Minnesota's 1st District

April 12, 2007. "Tomorrow's Foreign Policy: What We're Teaching Today's Students and Why It Matters"

Listen

Betty McCollum,
Congresswoman, Minnesota's 4th District

April 9, 2007. "American Foreign Policy: A Focus on Afghanistan"

Listen

Amy Klobuchar,
U.S. Senator

April 2, 2007. "The Heat Is On: Time for Action on Global Warming"

Listen

April 16, 2007. The 1996 Welfare Reform and Its Impact Today

The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 caused monumental changes in the welfare system. Ten years later, how has welfare reform worked and what lessons can be learned from the passage of the welfare bill? Ron Haskins, author of Work over Welfare and a congressional staffer deeply involved in drafting welfare reform legislation, discussed the origins of welfare reform and its performance over the last decade. He was joined by Mitch Pearlstein, founder and president of the Center of the American Experiment, and Professor Maria Hanratty of the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Professor Larry Jacobs moderated.

February 22, 2007. The Bush Administration vs. the American Public on issues of Multilateralism and Cooperation

Listen

View the Presentation

President Bush, his senior advisers, and some foreign policy specialists have advocated a unilateral approach to foreign policy. Americans, however, have long supported a multilateral approach to foreign policy that relies on collaboration with the United Nations and other countries. Ben Page, Gordon S. Fulcher Professor of Decision Making in the Political Science Department at Northwestern University, discussed the growing gap between the Bush Administration and the American public on issues of foreign policy. He was joined by former Vice President Walter F. Mondale. Dean Brian Atwood moderated.

January 8, 2007. The State of the States: Challenges and Opportunities

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Peter Harkness, editor and publisher of Governing magazine, talked about the implications of the 2006 elections on state government and the collaborations needed to create public policy.

November 8, 2006. What Happened on Tuesday? A Post-election Analysis

View the Presentation

Former Congressman Vin Weber, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, and Professor Larry Jacobs discussed the 2006 election results.

November 1, 2006. Getting Some Perspective on Immigration

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This conference provided a context to the immigration debate by exploring immigration myths - that the United States' immigration challenge is unique in the world, and that America has always been a nation welcoming of immigrants. Facilitated break-out sessions will built on this contextual information and allowed conference participants an opportunity to articulate a set of common goals or values that should undergird immigration policy.

October 30, 2006. Voting with a Mouse: How Bloggers Have Altered the Political Landscape

Campaigns and elections are being digitally remastered. Bloggers and the internet may be producing a revolution in information and public debate that is as radical as the changes introduced by radio and television. David Carr, New York Times columnist and longtime journalist and editor, led a discussion on blogs and American elections. Eric Black, reporter and author of The Big Question blog for the Star Tribune, moderated. Commentary was offered by Joe Bodell who runs the blog MN Campaign Report and by Michael Brodkorb who operates the blog MN Democrats Exposed.

October 26, 2006. Democratic Gains in the 2006 Congressional Elections?

Listen

Congressional scholar Gary Jacobson, a professor at the University of California at San Diego, talked about the impact of possible Democratic Gains in the 2006 Congressional Elections. Tom Horner, Himle Horner, Inc., and Professor Guy Charles, University of Minnesota Law School also comment.

October 24, 2006. The Legacy of the Carter - Mondale Years: Accomplishments, Disappointments and Lasting Implications

Featured Speaker: Stuart Eizenstat, domestic policy advisor to President Carter.

October 12, 2006. Challenges Facing the U.S. in the Context of the 2006 Elections

Listen

Former congressmen and Humphrey Institute Senior Fellows Tim Penny (L) and Vin Weber (R) talked about the challenges facing congressional candidates in the 2006 elections.

October 10, 2006. Tracy Kidder, author of Mountains Beyond Mountains, in a special dialogue on good societies with Professor Lawrence Jacobs

Introduction by Patricia Hampl, author and University of Minnesota Regents Professor of English.

September 12, 2006. In Their Own Words: Voices of Jihad

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Do Islamic jihadis really hate American democracy and freedoms? What are the goals of Islamic terrorists, and how do they justify the deaths of innocent people? In this presentation, David Aaron, director of RAND's Center for Middle East Public Policy, shared what jihadis told him for his book, In Their Own Words: Voices of Jihad. Aaron is a former Foreign Service officer and was deputy national security advisor to President Jimmy Carter. His presentation was introduced by Vice President Walter Mondale and moderated by J. Brian Atwood, dean of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.

September 11, 2006. The Broken Branch: A Look at the Contemporary Congress

In their new book, The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Thomas Mann and American Enterprise Institute Resident Scholar Norman Ornstein write "Congress is the linchpin of our constitutional system, but one that is broken". The authors offer a diagnosis of the cause of this decline: unnecessarily partisan behavior that makes rational policymaking impossible. They temper their critique with a blueprint for positive change. This discussion is moderated by Star Tribune editorial writer and columnist Lori Sturdevant.

Summer 2006. Candidate Policy Forum

As part of its 2006 Elections Project, the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance hosted a series of policy talks featuring candidates for statewide elective office. The purpose of the series was to provide an opportunity for each candidate to discuss their substantive concerns about critical challenges facing Minnesota and the nation, and to offer recommendations on appropriate policy responses.

Amy Klobuchar,
DFL-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate

June 29, 2006.

Listen

Tim Pawlenty,
Republican-endorsed candidate for Governor

July 25, 2006. "Education: Funding, Improvements, and Accountability for Results"

Listen:

• Part 1
• Part 2

Mike Hatch,
DFL-endorsed candidate for Governor

August 9, 2006. "Affordability and Availability of Health Care"

Listen:

• Part 1
• Part 2

Peter Hutchinson,
Independence Party-endorsed candidate for Governor

August 10, 2006. "The Price of Government: Getting the Results We Need in an Age of Permanent Fiscal Crisis"

Listen:

• Part 1
• Part 2

Sue Jeffers,
Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed candidate for Governor

August 17, 2006. "Taming the Beast: Regaining Control of a Runaway Government"

Listen

Becky Lourey,
DFL candidate for Governor

August 23, 2006. "A Smarter State Fiscal Policy: Fair Taxes, Quality Health Care, Safer Streets, and Stable Schools"

Listen

July 24, 2006. Why Republicans Win

Listen

In his new book, Los Angeles Times Washington correspondent Tom Hamburger makes the claim that Republicans have crafted a competitive advantage, using extensive databases to turn out their conservative base, driving a policy agenda that tilts the electorate to the right, and making the most of redistricting to keep Republican seats safe. Hamburger was joined by Ron Eibensteiner, former chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota, and Jeff Blodgett, executive director of Wellstone Action, in discussing his book One Country: The Republican Plan for Dominance in the 21st Century. Dane Smith of the Star Tribune moderated.

May 15, 2006. Reforming Medicare: Where Do We Go From Here?

View Program Details

This conference examined Medicare's political and financial future, the prescription drug benefit, and the future of health care costs and coverage overall.

April 27, 2006. Promoting Excellence in Public Management: Innovations in Cities and Counties

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This conference focused on management excellence, contracting for services, and collaboration as a means for delivering public services.The panel participants will include local government officials, city managers, financial experts, and academic scholars.

April 25, 2006. Restoring Electoral Competition: Research and Remedies for Redistricting

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This conference brought together leading scholars from political science, law, and non-academic think tanks with policy makers, journalists, and others interested in the state of American democracy to address the seminal issues of today's debate about redistricting.

April 24, 2006. America at the Crossroads: The Midterm Elections and Republican Government

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America faces profound challenges overseas and at home. Politics in Washington is beset with recriminations over the Iraq War, charges of corruption and wrong doing, and large and growing budget deficits. Meanwhile, national security and domestic challenges remain daunting. Republican leaders are openly worrying about the coming mid-term elections and whether they can sustain a remarkable run of electoral victories. Democrats eagerly welcome the political opening but are struggling to find a common platform and consistent message. Brookings Institute Senior Fellow Thomas E. Mann, one the country's most visible and widely respected political analysts, sorted through these political developments.

March 21, 2006. Politicians, Journalists, and Authenticity

Congressional scholar Richard Fenno, a professor at the University of Rochester, lectured on "Politicians, Journalists, and Authenticity".

March 7, 2006. Forum on Truth Telling in Campaign Ads

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Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Director of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, began a series of forums on news reporting of elections. Lawrence Jacobs moderated the presentation. Commentary was offered by Pat Kessler (television reporter and radio host) and Tom Horner (a public relations consultant).

March 6, 2006. Governance in the Context of the Business Sector

Featured Speaker: Nate Garvis, vice president of Government Affairs, Target

February 27, 2006. The Crisis of Polling: The Accuracy, Reporting, and Campaign Uses of Public Opinion Surveys

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This conference examined the central criticisms of polling - their accuracy, the mediass coverage of them, and their use by election campaigns. It offers original, cutting edge analysis and commentary from the country's leading experts on polling, media coverage, and election campaigns.

February 27, 2006. A Journalist's Guide to Survey Research and Public Opinion Polls

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This seminar offered hands-on instruction and Q-and-A with one of the nation's leading teachers of polling methods, Dr. Cliff Zukin, Center for Public Interest Polling, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

February 27, 2006. Why Political Ads Matter: Voting Turnout, Public Preferences, and the Effects of the Paid Media

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What difference do paid advertisements make in elections? Candidates spend millions on them and the press watches them. But do they matter to voters? Perhaps dueling ads offset each other or voters gets so burned out that they tune out the ads. Dr. Donald Green, Director of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University, reported on a series of new experiments that investigate the impacts of political advertisements on the policy preferences of voters and their decisions on whether to turnout to vote or to stay at home.

February 20, 2006. Acting in the Public Interest?Another Look at Research on Nonprofit Governance

Featured Speaker: Melissa Stone, Director of Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

February 10, 2006. An Experiment in Democratic Rejuvenation

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As America campaigns for democracy abroad, serious questions remain about the low level of participation by Americans in elections and the gaps in their knowledge about public life. Dr. John Ferejohn, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, discussed his research on the Citizens' Assembly in British Columbia and its implications for concrete reform and for the potential for deliberation and participation.

January 27, 2006. Serving Citizens Better: Promoting Excellence in Public Management

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This conference brought together national experts, the Governor's office, state legislators, and the Citizens League to discuss the best practices around the country and the steps we can take in Minnesota to improve government performance.

January 24, 2006. Student Power, Student Voices: How Effective is Student Government?

September 19, 2005. What's the Matter with "What's the Matter with Kansas": The Make-Believe Backlash of the White Working Class

What's the Matter with Kansas, by Thomas Frank, pins the electoral defeats of Democrats on their cultural liberalism. This cultural liberalism, Frank claims, leads many Americans to vote against their objective economic interests and cast their ballot for Republican candidates. Professor Larry Bartels of Princeton University disagrees, and shared his insights in a discussion moderated by Professor Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance.

August 9, 2005. From the Trenches: The Future of Polling

Featured Speaker: Dr. Kathleen Frankovic, Director of Surveys and Producer, CBS News

Community Connections Calendar

Point. Click. Engage.

Minnesota has a great tradition of citizen involvement, and the near-record numbers of local citizens who participated in the recent elections have spurred an effort to keep them engaged in the first-rate public affairs events taking place every day in the Twin Cities.

The University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, the Citizens League and Target Corporation have teamed together to launch the Twin Cities Community Connections Calendar.

This free, innovative resource centralizes community events announcements in one interactive, web-based calendar to keep people informed and connected to public affairs events in the Twin Cities.

If your organization wants to post an event on the Calendar, contact the Citizens League at 651/293-0575. There is no cost to post event information or access the web site. Events listed must be open to the public.