Paul L. Posner

Recent Articles

• The Political Reality of the Stimulus
• Feb 20, 2013
• Given the decentralization of our modern governmental system, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the nation isn't showering President Obama with the gratitude it felt for FDR.

• The Folly of Praying for a Crisis
• Dec 5, 2012
• The fiscal and environmental disasters that we know are going to happen need to be dealt with now.
• 3 Comments

• The Daunting Challenge of Following the Federal Money
• Sep 19, 2012
• As funding from Washington makes its way to the service-delivery level, it follows a complex path. We need a better understanding of where it goes and how it's used.
• 1 Comments

• The Supreme Court and the Remaking of Federalism
• Jul 18, 2012
• In its health-care ruling, the court limited Washington’s coercive powers over the states in ways that could have profound consequences — and perhaps unintended ones.
• 1 Comments

• When Is a Federal Mandate Coercion?
• May 2, 2012
• The Supreme Court’s consideration of the health law highlights the need for a new look at the boundaries of our federal system.
• 1 Comments

• The Political Ironies of the Health-Reform Case
• Apr 4, 2012
• A Supreme Court ruling that strikes down the health-reform mandates would have a profound impact on our federal system — one that ultimately might backfire on the law’s opponents.
• 1 Comments

• What the Federal Budget Doesn’t Tell Us
• Feb 22, 2012
• As usual, the White House’s spending plan is getting all the attention. What we should be looking at is how we spend across the public sector.
• 1 Comments

• Should Washington Budget Like the States?
• Nov 30, 2011
• Balanced-budget mandates and biennial budgeting are popular ideas for fixing the federal budgeting process. But what works in state capitols isn’t the right approach for Capitol Hill.
• 1 Comments

• The Continuing Conflict over Standards
• Sep 21, 2011
• Business has had a lot of success setting voluntary standards that prevent regulation from Washington. States are having a harder time finding the cohesion to do the same.
• 1 Comments

• Volunteering for Fiscal Sacrifice
• Jul 13, 2011
• Federal deficit reduction in the trillions is on the way. Rather than being served up for dinner, it would be far better if state and local governments were helping the feds prepare the meal.
• 1 Comments

• Can't We All Get Along? Collaboration in Crisis
• May 10, 2011
• When all governments in our federal system suffer from common maladies, joint solutions are preferable.

• State Resistance
• Feb 16, 2011
• What are the forces behind the contentious current fight to redefine federalism?
• 2 Comments

• Negotiating Federal Aid Post-Recovery Act
• Nov 17, 2010
• It is not a question of whether the federal government will become more demanding and less generous, but when and how.

• Government Remains Unpopular
• Oct 20, 2010
• Even as the American public demands more, it remains ambivalent about government. The only 'solution' is enlightened leadership.
• 12 Comments

• The Best of Times, the Worst of Times
• Oct 20, 2010
• The public turns to government to solve all manner of private troubles, yet is perennially disenchanted with government.